Tab Thacker, best known as playing 'Finch' in Goldie Hawn's 1986 football flick "Wildcats", died Thursday night after a long bout with diabetes.
Thacker's story is more interesting than his role as Finch (I'll get to that later) or in the Police Academy movies. He was a champion wrestler at NC State in the early 1980s. So much so that he was worthy of making the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He beat the Russian champion in his international debut. However, his 447-lb frame topped Olympic weight limits and he was denied competing.
"He actually talked about that a couple weeks ago," said Sharon Thacker, his wife of seven years. "He just said he missed his opportunity at the Olympics because they didn't want nobody his size."
After acting, he returned to Raleigh and opened a remodling business and a bail bonds joint.
To many, however, he is Finch. Finch was the intellectual, gambling big man at rough Central High. He was forced to the team when one of his bets injured a Wildcats player. Finch blocked a kick which was returned by Mykelti Williamson for a TD and the city championship. At the 1:36 mark above, you see his part of the Wildcats' rap.
Thacker was 45.
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Banzai, baby! Former Expo 
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