Recently on Wigan and Leigh Archives I found a photo of Billy Joyce and THIS PARTICULAR BELT.
This is the same belt which I have tried to trace for many years now. The oldest image of it is dated back to 1908 and it is a photo of the Lancashire wrestling legend called Tom Connor. In the early 1970s this belt was used by Ted Betley for his short lived promotion called "British Open Championship" a title designed for his protege young Steve Wright. Steve wrestled Tony St Clair to win this precious historical trophy.
I am trying to figure out where/when Billy Joyce won this belt, and what title it represented when Joyce held it. Any help om this matter will be highly appreciated. Thanks, R.
Hi Ruslan ;
I would say the photo is just a wrestler trying on an old belt, and one for the family album. If a wrestler wins a legitimate belt, then there will be a photo of him in the ring wearing the belt, having been presented with it by the promoter, or local Mayor etc..........like when you see Mike Marino covered in sweat after a match, with the belt, and a bunch of flowers etc........
Re: Billy Joyce`s career it was very up and down, and he was described as not a colourful wrestler, same was said about Douglas Clark.
Billy Joyce won title last year 1962 by beating Dennis Mitchell at the Imperial Ballroom, Nelson
Shirley Crabtree has beaten Billy Joyce 5 times (how embarrassing)
John Allen has beaten Billy Joyce 2 times during last 12 months i.e. Dec 1960
Thr 24th May 1962 Imperial Ballroom, Nelson Billy Joyce defends title against Ernie Kingston after match Mayor presented Joyce with the belt.
Joyce won title in 1957 lost to Portz 1964 regained it, and lost it to Albert Wall in 1966, he won it again, but lost it to Billy Robinson in Jan 1967 also held European Title for a while, also Light heavyweight champion 1949
The feud between Crabtree and Joyce was very embarrassing for wrestling, Norman Morrell and Ted Beresford challenged Crabtree through the local newspapers, saying he was avoiding their man Billy Joyce, Crabtree fired back that he had defeated Joyce 5 times, one time in front of his Halifax fans when he decisively beat Joyce, he added "how many times do I have to beat him"....he further added he would beat Morrell and Beresford on the same night
turning the dispute into a circus........
Joyce was never the European champion to my knowledge, promoters were billing matches as eliminators for various titles, or eliminators for the world title, which was all ballyhoo........
To be a champion, you have to beat the man, who beat the man, who beat the original champion..........
Crabtree`s reply to Morrell and Beresford reminded me of when people spoke about Assirati and Baldwin, and Assirati replying "I`ve beat him fifty times, how many more time`s do you want me to beat him"......
Best for now Mike Hallinan.