1950's Greats Still With Us

Peter Kaye died last year.Lou Ravelle has a Facebook page but the final post was fifteen years ago when he thanked everyone for birthday greetings

Peter Kaye died last year.Lou Ravelle has a facebook page but the final post was fifteen years ago when he thanked everyone for birthday greetings

Update of 13th May 2025 at the passing of Fred Bentley

There are numerous uncertainties below, please get in touch with any news regarding the named wrestlers.

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

3rd January 2025 Update

Lorant Baranyi

Bobby Barnes

Fred Bentley

Jon Cortez

Brian Crabtree

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Judo Pete Roberts

Blackburn Roberts

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Lee Scott

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Bob Sweeney

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Joe Murphy

Lou Ravelle

Gordon Smith

Peter passed earlier this year

Christmas 2024 update

Lorant Baranyi

Bobby Barnes

Fred Bentley

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

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?

The excellent piece of research from Ron seems to have resolved the question regarding Alan Colbeck once and for all

I'd be surprised if anyone has systematically checked these lists, it's just a collective jogging of the memory.

Yes, glass half-full mindset definitely required here.

I don't think Frank wrestled in the fifties. He was born in 1944 and he didn't claim to have worked in the fifties.

But he did work in the sixties and is admittedly missing from that list. But, and it's a big but and said in the nicest possible way. The listing is a collaborative effort (let's just look on Anglo as our secretary) we are all responsible for maintaining the listing so let's look for them while they are alive. Who else can we find before it's too late?

So many Ulstermen. Two on the above bill, the late Mike, and Séan Regan too. Never noticed that.

Update of 21st January 2021

Bob Anthony

Bobby Barnes

Jim Breaks

Dazzler Joe Cornelius

Jon Cortez

Spencer Churchill.

Brian Crabtree

Max Crabtree

Joe D'Orazio

Barry Douglas

Seamus Dunleavy

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Dwight J Ingleburgh

John Lees

Gori Ed Mangotich

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Lou Ravelle

Blackburn Roberts

Bert Royal

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Adrian Street

Bob Sweeney

Billy Two Rivers

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Alan Bardouille

Jim Green (The Monster)

Peter Kaye

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Bobo Matu

Joe Murphy

Gordon Smith

Alan Colbeck

Here is the proof for Seamus.

We missed out Mike. Time to add Seamus Donlevy to the 1950s list.

anybody know what everybody's favourite referee, brains crabtree is doing right now

Max and Brian now both appear only on this Fifties list.

Very good to note we haven't had to delete anyone for a good little while.

Max Crabtree is shown on both lists.

The list should now be up to date as of today.

Keep comments and corrections coming, please.

Alf Rawlings was buried in 1988. We can probably take him off the list.

Brian debuted at Birmingham 9th October, 1959. Beat someone called Jim Sherry two falls to one in the fifth. So he should be included.

I think Brian Crabtree should be added if he wrestled in the 1950s. Did he? We've not passed judgement on anyone else, so why Brian. Anyway criticism of Brian has only been for his performance as a referee.

Alan's now added.

You say "It's a fact" Ron but I am wondering whether everyone agree Brian Crabtree was a great?

I'll add him if we get some thumbs up.

Should Alan Colbeck be added to this list? Possibly in the 'Uncertain whether still alive' section?

It's a fact Anglo

With so many celebrity deaths in recent weeks it's good to report a quiet time on here and the update today deletes only Zoltan Boscik:

Update of 22nd November 2020

Bob Anthony

Bobby Barnes

Jim Breaks

Dazzler Joe Cornelius

Jon Cortez

Spencer Churchill.

Brian Crabtree

Max Crabtree

Joe D'Orazio

Barry Douglas

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Dwight J Ingleburgh

John Lees

Gori Ed Mangotich

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Lou Ravelle

Bill Rawlings

Blackburn Roberts

Bert Royal

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Adrian Street

Bob Sweeney

Billy Two Rivers

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Alan Bardouille

Syd Cooper

Jim Green (The Monster)

Peter Kaye

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Bobo Matu

Joe Murphy

Rudi Schumacher

Gordon Smith

Alan Colbeck

Then, I can only rePeter the question: "Should Brian Crabtree be added to the list?"

Should Brian Crabtree be added to the list as per the other post stating he started in October 1959

Just noticed “Robin Logan” of Bermondsey. Was it the ”Iron Man”?

Alas Zollie will never be able to tell us.

Just going back to the 1963 Cup Final Day results.

Another example of the promoter doing a poor job. We've seen bills with three NCs and three DQs. But here there are five 2-1 outcomes.

2-1 was precisely the result that sceptical viewers took aim at - "It's always 2-1."

This was a high-profile show but clearly nobody was taking an overview of the five results.

Haha, nobody wanted to lose 0-2 on tv!

And yes Hack, Ron - what a fascinating outing for Boscik on a high-profile TV bill. Whatever can have been going on there? PL and DM were at all-out war. Too unbelievable to be true ... but apparently true.

Queen's Birthday Update 2020

Bob Anthony

Bobby Barnes

Zoltan Boscik

Jim Breaks

Dazzler Joe Cornelius

Jon Cortez

Spencer Churchill.

Max Crabtree

Joe D'Orazio

Barry Douglas

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Dwight J Ingleburgh

John Lees

Gori Ed Mangotich

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Lou Ravelle

Alf Rawlings

Bill Rawlings

Blackburn Roberts

Bert Royal

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Adrian Street

Bob Sweeney

Billy Two Rivers

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Alan Bardouille

Syd Cooper

Jim Green (The Monster)

Peter Kaye

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Bobo Matu

Joe Murphy

Rudi Schumacher

Gordon Smith

A shame there remains so much uncertainty, particularly of those we often discuss such as the two Roughnecks.

Please continue the discussion and add more names.

As always in wrestling and especially poster , we can never be sure.

At least we have Boscik in 1959 and what an unexpected place to find him.

Zoltan Szabo! Could be Zolly.

Or it could be Josef Szabo. J

Joe was a Hungarian refugee.He had amateur experience in Hungary and turned professional in this country mainly to supplement his income as a swimming instructor and baths manager. He lived in Levenshulme, Manchester quite close to Jack Atherton, Grant Foderingham and several other wrestlers. He trained at various gyms including Panther's gym. Worked for the independents in the 1960s.

There's more in the A-Z. Info from Eddie Rose

That is a really strange bill , so many changes.

Then you introduce another name Zoltan Zimmerman.

I am going into 1960 , still Max Crabtree's Twentieth Century Promotions but in Liverpool. Twice I have a Zoltan Szabo , can that be Zoltan Boscik. I would bet a Mars bar it is. Looks like he spent at least six months with Max.

I think we have Zoltan Bosciks beginnings

And then incredibly 1964 with Paul Lincoln.

You could be right Ron, we know Zoltan was living in Yorkshire at the time.

Now here's a couple of other things to ponder about him. It is widely reported on reputable sites, britishwrestlersreunion, wrestlingdata and this one, and others that Zolly started out as Zoltan Zimmerman. Well, here you have him in 1959 as Boscik. So I looked at Ray's results, useful for tracking career patterns. Well, Boscik is busy for the independents from 1960s, looks like he moved south about 1960. Yet the name Zoltan Zimmerman appears only once. So if Zoltan did use the name it was certainly very occasional.

Another oddity. Boscik worked for the independents up to 1965 and the Lincoln merger. I did find a handful of Dale Martin matches in 1962, but looked like a short trial. But then, working busily for Paul Lincoln throughout 1963, there is one match for Dale Martin - and it's on the 1963 Cup Final spectacular, though I would doubt if his match was shown.

It's a real oddity but this is what John Lister found:

25/5/63, Wembley, 1.20-2.40

Mick McManus (Southern area welterweight champion) (2) v Jackie Pallo (1)

Mike Marino (2) v Ski Hi Lee (1)

Steve Logan (2) v Steve Veidor (1)

Sid Cooper (2) v Zolton Boscik (1)

Johnny Kwango (2) v Keith Williams (1)

This was the annual FA Cup Final day spectacular, billed in the TV Times as "the show of the year". The billed line-up was McManus v Pallo, Clayton Thomson v Ezzard Hart, Leon Fortuna v Jim Breaks and Lindy Caulder (Lightweight and welterweight champion of the West Indies) v Pete Szakacs.

The bill is nothing like the advertised one. Can this possibly be correct?

As for Laszlo Bajko/Bajko Laszlo. Nothing to go on at all except a death of a Laszlo Bajko in Bradford in 1993.

Pleased to find Boscik in the 1950's , I was not sure if we had pegged him, but he was not on 50's list.

Looks to me like 20th Century may have been his first promoter.

Got him another 2 times in December 1959. This promotional name is associated with Max Crabtree , but a write up in the paper states that it was Ken Matthews , and also the Baths at Wombwell had a 1000 capacity. One article suggested the promoter being disappointed with a crowd of 500 , but having been to many Jack Cassidy shows , I would say that was pretty good.

Clearly the Crabtree's are involved. The first bill below at Mexborough , Max Crabtree was the promoter and he was pleased with a 400 gate at the Drill Hall.

Good find Ron, we didn't have evidence of 1959 matches. This is what it says in his Personality Parade tribute, a suggestion of late 1950s but we had no evidence until now: "By October, 1957, 23,000 Hungarian refugees had arrived in Britain from Poland. Zoltan was one of them and began training under a National Coal Board scheme for refugees. The future must have seemed promising, but with 4,000 Hungarian miners in the country questions were being asked in the House of Commons and there was growing unease about the feasibility of British mines absorbing the newcomers.

With prospects of a mining career diminishing Zoltan found work at an ICI factory in Huddersfield. The location was just right, because it allowed Zoltan to pursue his amateur wrestling interest at Ted Beresford's gymnasium. Zoltan had begun wrestling in Hungary three years before leaving the country. As regulars at Beresford's gym he befriended a number of young professionals, making their way in a sport that was rapidly gaining popularity and had recently gained television exposure.

Three years later the name Zoltan Boscik was becoming familiar to wrestling fans up and down the country, or at least those who watched their wrestling at independent shows run by opposition promoters Tommy Whelan, Tony DeMarto, Frankie Price, Cape Promotions and, of course, Paul Lincoln."

I have seen Bajko Lazlo also reversed as Lazlo Bajko. I can find him a couple of years earlier, working on a Morrell bill at Bradford against Don Branch. Then at Wakefield for Morrell against Dicky Swales, March and July at Grantham for Morrell against Brian Trevors and Fred Woolley, and more Joint shows in 1958 against Chic Purvey, including Dale Martin shows against Pall, Ken Joyce and Bob Archer O'Brien. In October, 1959 he went over to the independents. On 8th January Bajko andy Zolly are on the same bill at the Caledonian Road and I did find him tagging with Zolly.

He disappears in 1966 but then reappears for Joint in 1971, where I find him working around a dozen matches.

According to the accompanying notes Lazlo Bajko (i.e. reversed) is on this footage in the first match

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/wrestling-parson/query/Sinners

The age seems about right, and this would tie in with him fleeing Hungary in the wake of the 1956 uprising.

Wonder if I have found something here. I had to get the map out and have a look where this place was.

Did we know if Zoltan Boskic wrestled in the 1950's.

And found with it , does anyone know anything about Bakjo Lazio

Update of 17th April 2020

Bob Anthony

Bobby Barnes

Jim Breaks

Dazzler Joe Cornelius

Jon Cortez

Spencer Churchill.

Max Crabtree

Joe D'Orazio

Barry Douglas

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Dwight J Ingleburgh

John Lees

Gori Ed Mangotich

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Lou Ravelle

Alf Rawlings

Bill Rawlings

Blackburn Roberts

Bert Royal

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Adrian Street

Bob Sweeney

Billy Two Rivers

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Alan Bardouille

Syd Cooper

Jim Green (The Monster)

Peter Kaye

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Bobo Matu

Joe Murphy

Rudi Schumacher

Gordon Smith

A shame there remains so much uncertainty, particularly of those we often discuss such as the two Roughnecks.

Please continue the discussion and add more names.

Now pinned to the start of the forum.

Frank Robb will np longer appear on this list when it is revised

Of this list we already have full page tributes for:

Bob Anthony, Jim Breaks, Dazzler Joe Cornelius, Barry Douglas,Dwight J Ingleburgh, Gori Ed Mangotich, Al Miquet, Alf Rawlings, Bill Rawlings, Frank Robb, Johnny Saint, Tony Scarlo, Roy St Clair, Adrian Street, Bob Sweeney

These have entries but with memories from fans, contact from the wrestlers or family members we could improve their Heritage presence:

Bobby Barnes, Jon Cortez, Spencer Churchill, Max Crabtree, Joe D'Orazio, Ray Fury, Horst Hoffmann, John Lees, Al Nicol, Lou Ravelle, Blackburn Roberts, Bert Royal, Dean Stockton, Billy Two Rivers, Alan Bardouille, Syd Cooper, Jim Green (The Monster), Peter Kaye, Sean Regan, Bobo Matu, Joe Murphy, Rudi Schumacher, Gordon Smith

This list will now require further revision

And another, Grant Foderingham died in 1998.

On a brighter note, Bob Sweeney is still with us.

Another one bites the dust.

`The real L'Ange Blanc died in 2006

Sadly editing down the updated list below. Let me know if I need to change anything.

Update of 13th February 2020

Bob Anthony

Bobby Barnes

Jim Breaks

Dazzler Joe Cornelius

Jon Cortez

Spencer Churchill.

Max Crabtree

Joe D'Orazio

Barry Douglas

Ray Fury

Horst Hoffmann

Dwight J Ingleburgh

John Lees

Gori Ed Mangotich

Al Miquet

Al Nicol

Lou Ravelle

Alf Rawlings

Bill Rawlings

Blackburn Roberts

Bert Royal

Johnny Saint

Tony Scarlo

Roy St Clair

Dean Stockton

Adrian Street

Bob Sweeney

Billy Two Rivers

Uncertain whether active in the 50s

Alan Bardouille

Syd Cooper

Jim Green (The Monster)

Peter Kaye

Sean Regan

Uncertain whether still alive

Bobo Matu

Joe Murphy

Rudi Schumacher

Gordon Smith

A shame there remains so much uncertainty, particularly of those we often discuss such as the two Roughnecks.

Please continue the discussion and add more names.

This site has acknowledged Bert Royal as the only 1940's great still with us. For the first time that may be the case

Sadly it seems none of us realised Tony Vallon was still alive. Another plea to wrestlers, friends and relatives out there - get in touch and help keep our heritage (and our Heritage) alive.

Following the sad death of my friend, Dicky Swales needs to come off that list.

Surprised Tony Vallon was not listed

He can now be removed from the Uncertain if active list

He says he can "recall every fight." Most wrestlers can't remember any!

November 18 1960 first fight