After the war, Leavitt embarked on a career in athletics. Although he played
guard and
center for the
New York Brickley Giants of the
National Football League (NFL) in 1921, he concentrated most of his efforts on professional wrestling. He competed in the ring for a time under the name "Hell's Kitchen Bill-Bill" (a "
hillbilly" reference which was suggested to him by the writer
Damon Runyon) but eventually settled on the moniker of "Stone Mountain". At a stocky 5'11" and weighing over 300 pounds, Dean was an imposing figure. He also grew a long, full beard as part of his ring persona. he commanded fees of upwards of $1,500 for each match. In 1940 he retired from the ring to a farm outside of
Norcross, Georgia. and eventually retired with the rank of master sergeant. In the 1940s he was the First Sergeant of the Military Intelligence Training Center at
Camp Ritchie in
Maryland, where he instructed soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. Afterward he studied at the
University of Georgia's school of journalism. He appeared as a guest on the December 29, 1944 episode of the radio program
It Pays to be Ignorant. During the program, broadcast from New York City, Dean gave his weight as 280 pounds (127 kg). Several other wrestlers would go on to use the "Man Mountain Dean Jr." and "Man Mountain" moniker, including
Man Mountain Mike,
Man Mountain Link and
Man Mountain Rock. ==Death==