Anglo Italian
Trying to reverse the gloom of the Obituaries section, who are the Heritage greats who wrestled in the 1950s and are still alive?
Dazzler Joe Cornelius and Johnny Czeslaw spring to mind.
Joe D'Orazio. Bert Royal. Gwynn Davies.
How about Al Nicol? Does Rocky Wall count?
I am sure you can all add a number of others.
Or can you?
Members certainly could, and this is the most recent update. Keep 'em coming
50s Greats Still With Us at May 2018
Bob Anthony
Bobby Barnes
Jim Breaks
Dazzler Joe Cornelius
Jon Cortez
Spencer Churchill.
Max Crabtree
Joe D'Orazio
Barry Douglas
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Gerry Hoggarth
Dwight J Ingleburgh
John Lees
Gori Ed Mangotich
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Alf Rawlings
Bill Rawlings
Frank Robb
Blackburn Roberts
Bert Royal
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Adrian Street
Dickie Swales
Les Thornton (HP)
Billy Two Rivers
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Alan Bardouille
Syd Cooper
Jim Green (The Monster)
Colin Joynson
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Andy Robin
Uncertain whether still alive
Grant Foderingham
L'Ange Blanc
Bobo Matu
Joe Murphy
Rudi Schumacher
Gordon Smith
Bob Sweeney
Please continue the discussion and add more names.
Fred Bentley can now be added to this list.
With a debut in 1948 he could have a 1940s list, surely all to himself.
Delighted to extend the list on 24th May 2024 with the inclusion of Lorant Baranyi
Lorant Baranyi
Bobby Barnes
Jon Cortez
Brian Crabtree
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Judo Pete Roberts
Blackburn Roberts
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Lee Scott
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Bob Sweeney
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Uncertain whether still alive
Joe Murphy
Gordon Smith
On an optimistic note considering the fifties are now 65 years in the past twenty survivors is quite good
Down to the final twenty - Update of 4th March 2024
Bobby Barnes
Jon Cortez
Brian Crabtree
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Judo Pete Roberts
Blackburn Roberts
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Lee Scott
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Bob Sweeney
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Uncertain whether still alive
Joe Murphy
Gordon Smith
Now in February 2024, this elite list reduces to 18 + 6 uncertains.
I think we all know we are being rather optimistic in some cases and only list due to any news to the contrary of a death.
Here are some we have recent definite news of:
DEFINITES
Peter Roberts
Jon Cortez
Johnny Saint
Tony Skarlo
Bob Anthony
Bobby Barnes
Any more?
Update of January 2024 at the passing of Dwight J Ingleburgh
Bob Anthony
Bobby Barnes
Jon Cortez
Brian Crabtree
Barry Douglas
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Judo Pete Roberts
Blackburn Roberts
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Lee Scott
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Bob Sweeney
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Jim Green (The Monster)
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Uncertain whether still alive
Bobo Matu
Joe Murphy
Gordon Smith
The list continues to dwindle.
Update of 6th November 2023 at the passing of Gori Ed Mangotich
Bob Anthony
Bobby Barnes
Jim Breaks
Jon Cortez
Brian Crabtree
Barry Douglas
Seamus Dunleavy
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Dwight J Ingleburgh
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Judo Pete Roberts
Blackburn Roberts
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Lee Scott
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Bob Sweeney
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Jim Green (The Monster)
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Uncertain whether still alive
Bobo Matu
Joe Murphy
Gordon Smith
Bert Royal was the last of the 1940s greats
Rick Hunter was also missing from this list
Thank you Howard, muchly appreciated
Hi Howard.
Great to hear that your father is doing well.
My mother used to write to Vic and Sally before Vic sadly passed away.
She's been wondering how Sally is.
Hello Howard, thank you for answering the mystery of the photos of Bert Royal in a mask. I was a fan of Bert Royal and always enjoyed his bouts. Could you please pass on my best wishes to Bert when you next see him and thank him for all the pleasure he gave us fans in his years as a great wrestler.
Howard , I was always thrilled to watch your dad who is one of the few wrestlers left who actually wrestled in the 1940's.
I could not resist having a crack at a small bio on him.
https://www.wrestlingheritage.com/onthetrailofbertroyal
Hi
I found this forum when my father, Bert Royal., expressed an interest in information on the web.
With regard to the “conundrum“ my dad wrestled in a mask (on the photos) to protect his amateur status. He avoided his surname as many fans knew Vic Hessle’s real name (his Dad) was Louis Faulkner and he wanted to make it on his own terms. He adopted the “Royal“ officially in the year he turned professional in the Coronation year but I am not sure about the ‘Royal Blue‘ name… I will ask him next week. He has just celebrated his 90th birthday.
Pat Barrett passed today. He had been absent from our lists.
Unbelievable.
Just makes me wonder how many other glaring omissions we have?
Lee Scott of Fleetwood!
I thought we had concluded that Alan Colbeck was no longer with us?
Thanks, Peter, for keeping me on my toes.
This list is, almost imperceptibly, starting to dwindle.
Update of 8th November 2021
Bob Anthony
Bobby Barnes
Jim Breaks
Jon Cortez
Brian Crabtree
Max Crabtree
Barry Douglas
Ray Fury
Horst Hoffmann
Dwight J Ingleburgh
Gori Ed Mangotich
Al Miquet
Al Nicol
Lou Ravelle
Judo Pete Roberts
Blackburn Roberts
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Lee Scott
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Adrian Street
Bob Sweeney
Billy Two Rivers
Uncertain whether active in the 50s
Jim Green (The Monster)
Peter Kaye
Sean Regan
Uncertain whether still alive
Bobo Matu
Joe Murphy
Gordon Smith
I've put Judo Pete in there, Mad Mac, on your say so. Let me know if anyone disagrees.
Alan Bardouille can be removed from the uncertain list
Given Ken Sowden’s comments on the “Pubs” discussion, should we be moving Pete Roberts into this category?