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.
This list will now need to be updated
Is Ray Fury still around?
is young alan colbeck still with us
Ray Fury is almost certainly still alive. He was at the Kent Reunion a few years back, and if he had died since then the Reunion would almost certainly have known.
Alan Colbeck is a mystery. We have had reports both ways but not found anyone who knows.
IIRC, Alan Colbeck had been reported as having passed on some years ago only for a recent (at the time) picture of him with his grandson to subsequently appear, but that was several years ago. He must be quite an age if still with us.
Well Peter,
Here's the list.
You, everyone, pipe up with comments, please.
Update of 8th February 2019
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
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.
I know this post is some years old. But Schumacher and L'Ange Blanc are long gone.
As per the recent post pleased Frank Robb is listed
I recently stumbled across this: https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=8632&gimmick=Pete+Roberts
I can't vouch for its accuracy, but is there any evidence to support Pete Roberts having started in 1959?
I haven't come across any record of Pete in 1959. Nor do Irecall him being from Lancashire and a Riley trainee.
I would agree with your assessment, Sir.
I have never quite solved this mystery , but I can pick up Pete Roberts in 1961 , significantly at the Wryton Stadium. I have heard of Pete having a Salford connection.
If Roberts was indeed Worcester , where he clearly did have connections , it seems strange that right at the start , he should be popping up in the Wryton.
Pete was cutting his teeth with Reg Williams and Vic Stewart
It is after this period that he then seems to have regular work as a Birmingham man and much of it in the early to mid 1960's not with Joint.
I could offer the theory that although Pete was a Midlands man , he may have lodged in Salford to try and get a start in Wrestling with all the Lancashire Lads.
If I remember rightly William Regal took the same route. Much more opportunity in Lancashire.
I have a mate who lived over the road from Les Thornton and it is this friend who seems to think Roberts lived locally. ( maybe for a while)
Of course the man who could tell us is Pete himself.
https://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/apps/photos/photo?photoid=200326887
Can also add about Roberts that I can find him in the Russel Club (Hulme) in 1961.
The Russel club was a Wryton Experience School in effect where newcomers could try out against each other or work with Vets. People like Ginsburgh , Roy StClair , Colin Joynson got a lot of early experience there.
For me Pete Roberts was initially Wryton Trained. He seems to have then gone on to work with Gordon Corbett.
It might be fair to say that Pete must have got the wrestling bug maybe as early as 1959 , but it seems doubtful that he had bouts that early , but it could be possible in a small venue.
Could it be another Pete Roberts?
No , it was Judo Pete Roberts right from the start. (1961)
@RON HISTORYO....Time Cop, OK thanks Ron
I read somewhere once that Pete Roberts travelled up to the Wryton gym in Bolton every Sunday for 3 years to be trained by Francis St.Clair Gregory. I think that I might have read this years ago in a posting on a website forum by Tony St.Clair, who spoke very highly of Pete Roberts.
And of course he could have started training in 1959.
If not the Russel club , I can't imagine where they would try him with a bout
So , thus far earliest sighting September 1961
Could maybe Eddie Rose shed some light on this subject. He was in the Bury/Bolton/Manchester area at this time. Maybe he came across Pete Roberts at some sort of venue?
Cheers
Nice to debate it , and such a good wrestler who is still with us. One who could even give us a good book. certainly is quiet about his own memories.
If he goes to the Bridges , I wonder if he is up to being approached.
The evidence is there...... he was with Wryton here in Lancashire.
Pete generally goes to the Kent reunion (I think he still lives around Chatham). I got quite a bit of insight into the man from Stan Hansen’s book.
Update of 14th August 2019
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
Frank Robb
Blackburn Roberts
Bert Royal
Johnny Saint
Tony Scarlo
Roy St Clair
Dean Stockton
Adrian Street
Dickie Swales
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
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.
Someone will have to ask Colin Joyson at one of the reunions if he was active in the 1950's
Joynson was not active in the 1950's
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/11310466.angela-kellys-me-and-my-sport-colin-joynson/
November 18 1960 first fight