HACK once said to me that probably his Favourite Era in the Golden Years of BRITISH
Wrestling was the Decade of the 1930's!
So I thought I would Assemble a Handful of Items from The VAULT for his Delectation!!
Enjoy MR. HACK and Everyone!-Just a Snapshot!!
We'll start with a Cool Flyer- Featuring JACK DALE-Wonder if he ever Considered going
into Promoting!!-AND the Incomparable HAROLD ANGUS!!
From 1937!!
MAIN MASK
Ruslan, I have more information for you. A couple of weeks ago Ron posted a poster that not only named him butalso linked him to "The famous portrait arttist." Really? Well, yes, really.
So I got rummaging around, as you do.
The Bearded Wrestler of the 1930s was Patrick O'Connor an artist born in Paris on 7th May 1909. This would place him in his mid twenties when he started wrestling the likes of Jack Pye, Douglas Clark and Francis St Clair Gregory. The family moved to the United States when war broke out, returning to Paris in 1926. He was indeed an internationally acclaimed artist with exhibitions around the world. Wrestling must have been very much a sideline, but biographical details of the artist do confirm he was indeed a wrestler in Britain, Ireland, Europe and the U.S.A. Having lived most of his adult life in the United States he settled in Britain following the death of his first wife. Patrick O'Connor died on 27th April, 1997.
Thanks Anglo, appreciate. Yes, in England Victorian and Edwardian pro wrestling trophies were still in use thru-out whole the XX century. The Main Mask, by any chance is there a photo of Johanfesson and Richard Wills with their belts, 1930s in your amazing collection???
This Pat O'Connor, shown with Sam Rabin and Apollo interests me. Weren't we told Ken Davies was the first (or only) wrestler with a beard. Here we have a 1934 bearded wrestler - a rarity indeed.
Gorilla Jones was a frequent name on the 1930s posters. He's in the A-Z but little is known about him. Can anyone out there tell us more?
Great spot, Ruslan!
These bills help us to piece together a feel of what pro wrestling was like pre-war.
Every addition increases our understanding. So well done Main Mask.
Nevertheless ... Jack Dale in a heavyweight bill-topper on the first image? I don't think he ever got to the heavyweight bracket or even its lower divisions.
Re photo of Relw Sr with his belt. In England BELTS ARE FOREVER YOUNG.
1909 belt was still in use in the 1980s.
Fantastic Main Mask, what a collection. Thanks for adding. Can't you just smell the atmosphere? Apollo wasn't looking his best by then.
Fantastic stuff MM thanks.
Really good additions MM, some new (old) ones for me.
Next we have the Cover of a MAGAZINE I have-From 1934!!-
WRESTLING WORLD!!
MAIN MASK