Recently I stated that in wrestling most men get to win a title or at least be a contender at one time or another. Al Nicol , good wrestler but destined to usually being beaten by the big names like Mick and Jackie.
Well in 1959 Ted Beresford spent a good part of the year running a tournament. The story behind it is that in 1910 Peter Gotz had won a Lonsdale Belt and now at 82 years old had donated it to Joint promotions.
Young Nicol was rated as a bright prospect with Jack Dempsey favourite to win the tournament. In the final Nicol had to beat Tommy Mann the Mountevans Champ.
Here is Al Nicol.....the winner and said to be the first person after Gotz to wear this belt.
I have added some bills from 1959 to the Grantham Gallery for anyone that wants to follow all the heats. http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/apps/photos/album?albumid=15883446
A find indeed Ron. Well done. very flash.
It's a couple of years since I started this thread. Today I mad a discovery about early Al Nicol. Some of us love a good unmasking. Who was the Flash. It seems exclusive to Jim Smith at Portsmouth, an eight match run in 1956.
Four opponents for the Flash to start an unbeaten run. The Sensation of the Ring.
Above , another sequence , note the Charity tournament above with the London Watch Company Trophy. It would seem Bernard Murray was bitter at that one and a return set up. Part of his purse would be confiscated if he fails to unmask the Flash.
It was in the papers that the Portsmouth Audience saw the face of the Flash for the first time at the unmasking , but the article did not reveal a name.
Six months went by and the answer was in the bills below with a further confirmation. Is it a find....I think so.
Al Nicol in 1954. Earliest sighting so far.
Thanks for uploading this beyond me
As Peter points out....here is Al Nicol
At least he has one match on You Tube to remind us how good he was
I'm not able to upload it at the moment but have just come across a programme for the Manchester Weightlifting Club annual Strength and Vigour Show on 27 November, 1954. The programme contains various events, and one is "free style wrestling" and a match between Jack Taylor and Al (The Body) Nicol.
I just found a newspaper report dated 17th June, 1955, for Bernard’s Johnny Stead query. The same article refers to Accrington’s Jack Taylor and says, “His hardest tussles to date have been against Tiger Woods of London and Al Nicol, the middleweight sensation now touring this country.”
Bob Berry and John Lemm with Lonsdale CACC belts.
Back to Al Nicol. To me he was someone who was "just there." Can't say I got excited about seeing his name on a bill. He was okay, but just another to make up the eight or ten. That's probably harsh, but how I felt about him at the time.
Looks to me as though the papers did not report on the Tournament that Hunter won. Except that his victory was mentioned the following week.
Hi Ron, yes I had all results from that multi-months KO in my collection, great tourney, great trophy. Thanks for posting, much appreciated. If you can help me with the April 1956 Hwt KO....Ray Hunter's victory at Liverpool Stadium, I will appreciate that a lot. Yes it was also for Lonsdale Belt, not sure whether it was the same as the one given to Al Nicol or not.
So there we are , typical Wrestling nonsense , but most would have fallen for it.
RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,3 days ago
What I am curious about and Ruslan might be our man here.
Was this really the first time anyone ever wore Gotz's belt. Or is it a typical wrestling piece if kidology.
We seem to have lost Ruslan, but this might answer the question Ron
Ruslan posted it some time back in a thread on Lonsdale Belts
https://heritagedocs.wixsite.com/talkwrestling/forum/memories-of-the-old-days/lord-lonsdale-catch-as-catch-can-belts
Back in 1955 now , who would have thought it. Forget that debut Main Mask
I have never met a Chic. Is this an especially popular name in Scotland?
Does anyone know anything about Chic Scotland, who appears on some of the Kirkcaldy bills?
As he is billed from Dundee, I wondered if it was a name change for Chic Purvey.
What I am curious about and Ruslan might be our man here.
Was this really the first time anyone ever wore Gotz's belt. Or is it a typical wrestling piece if kidology.
Yes chaps Al Nicol was underrated and would you believe it after he beat Tommy Mann it led to a special challenge the next month , Lonsdale Champ against Mountevans Champ , but it was non title but built up by a £25 winner take all.
I would have guessed it the wrong way. There was no revenge for Mann.
Nicol did it again 2-1.I wonder if it lead to a title match in 1960.
And Main Mask , February 1956 would be great going , my best effort is late 1957.
I always rated Al Nicol very highly - as I always did those who signed autographs graciously - so I am delighted to see you raise his profile here, Ron: he even knocked Black Mask off the top-of-the-bill slot in the final!
Al's career seemed to plateau through the sixties as you say: surely deserved more. Can't think of him in any meaningful tag team, either.
The writing was on the wall 60 years ago in that quarter final when the promoter noticeably had absolutely nothing to say about him on the bill.