A Near Confrontation with Big Bill
Before I became a professional wrestler I was out one evening in city centre Manchester with some friends and we finished up in a club on Oxford Street - the Cabaret Club. We were little boisterous and enjoying ourselves, perhaps a little too loudly. Suddenly this huge man with cauliflower ears approached our table and started to talk quite calmly asking us to tone it down. We noticed he kept winking his right eye at us as he spoke. Was he serious or joking? Fortunately we listened and quietened down. Later, as we left, he approached us again, "Thanks for your cooperation lads." He was still winking and we suddenly realised it was an involuntary affliction and also it was Big Bill Benny. A near brush with danger!
A rare and early (1952) example of third wrestler intervention:
Too true. He was quite awsome physically and a great ring personality. He owned several clubs and entertainment venues in Manchester; a successful business man too.
Would have loved to have seen him wrestle too. MY late father-in-law said he was second only to Jack Pye for getting the Belle Vue crowd roaring.