Eric Tug Wilson

Tug Wilson was a referee in Germany in 78 for Roland Bock

There is a famous Mexican song called "La Cumbia de Los Luchadores", written in 1953 however released in 1983. and in the song they mention some wrestlers, El Santo, Blue Demon, El Cavernario and El Bulldog.

They also mention some wrestling moves.

"Metele el Wilson, Metele el Nelson" roughly translates to "Put in (as apply) the Wilson, Put in the Nelson".

So I was wondering if this is mentioning Tug Wilson, and if Tug Wilson had a signature hold/move called the Wilson.

Or if the band just inputted his name to rhyme with Nelson.

There was a few other foreigners to Mexico with the last name Wilson that wrestled before the 50.

Dave Morgan wrestled in Mexico and did very well.

Doc Dean also went to Mexico

Harry Fields must have been one of earliest. He definitely has connection with Ted Beresford. I think they were both Yorkshire-based, might be something there with Beresford later having the "in" to Mexico

Harry Fields was there in 1948.

What others wrestlers from the World of Sport era wrestled in Mexico? Tug is only Irishman I think and he remarked the Lucha Libre style was difficult to adapt too.

On the Mexico pictures- Picture 2 translates as..... "As was to be expected the Englishman lost to The Coward by 2 falls, the second by disqualification".

I couldn't do the last part , but Peter suggested ..." for working him over."

Until pre covid times there were several promotions in Mexico City alone.Most nights there was an event somewhere in this vast metropolis

Thanks Peter. I know that many wrestlers in Mexico are masked.

Bernard

Hair versus hair and hair versus mask matches are quite usual in Mexico with the losing often blood splattered wrestler being shaved or unmasked

Thanks Ost. That helps in the translations.

Hi Peter. It took me a while to find out that Tug's opponent was called The Coward.

Seemed a funny name to give a wrestler, can't see that drawing the crowds.

Picture 3 I reckon goes something like this:-

Another bald one.The English hooligan, Tug Wilson, has finished being shaved

after losing in the wager with The Coward.

Picture 4- The blonde man 's hair spread round the ring in Mexico arena.

Tug Wilson suffered the humiliation of a serious defeat to lose his hair.

What did you find for the words--Ruvulcaba and Ringo?

Picture two refers to Wilson as English! and is along the lines of "As expected Wilson fell to the coward in the second round disqualified for working him over

Is anyone fluent enough to translate the captions on the pictures from Mexico for us ? I can translate most of the text on pictures 3&4 ,but am struggling with some of the words on 1&2.

Thanks.

Is it possible Beresford competed in Mexico in his wrestling days? If he ever wrestled in the USA it wouldn't be a stretch to think he got a lead from the US into Mexico and maintained that contact over the years.

And I'd imagine it must have been via letter. Fit Finlay said it was all sending and receiving letters when he was coming up on British scene for getting into Japan, Germany etc Letters or someone puts the good word in for you (which is way he usually got into other countries).

These pictures are great, yes I agree, Marty Jones could have done more than one tour of Mexico, and could have used another name, of course.

As always, the interesting part for me, is how they arranged tours back in the pre-internet and pre-email days. I wonder how and where Ted Beresford had met a Mexican promoter?

Maybe a lot of this came via Arthur Green, at Joint Promotions, who represented Joint on the European Promoters Alliance (can't remember the proper name) and would have come into contact with Spanish promoters, who may have had a talent sharing agreement with Mexico.

All interesting stuff!

Some more pics from the aftermath of the hair vs. mask match

He got the head shaved in that last match. I have a few photos from a Mexican wrestling magazine that hopefully upload in OK quality

Better appreciated in Mexico than the UK?

Here's something interesting I came across. Match listings for Tug when he did a tour of Mexico in 1976. Matches are with the CMLL promotion I believe. Tug mentioned that Marty Jones was also over at the time, and that Ted Beresford was the man with the connection to Mexico.

25.8.1976

Arena Coliseo Acapulco

Demonio Blanco vs. Tug Wilson

17.9.1976

Arena México

Enrique Vera & Spirit vs. Raúl Reyes & Tug Wilson

21.9.1976

Arena Coliseo

Cachorro Mendoza, David Taylor, Enrique Vera vs. As Charro, Bruno Victoria, Tug Wilson

24.9.1976

Arena México

Jon Güil Don & Tigre Colombiano vs. Tony Salazar & Tug Wilson

26.9.1976

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara

Carlos Plata & El Halcón vs Alfonso Dantes & Tug Wilson

28.9.1976

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara

Carlos Plata, El Halcón, Ringo Mendoza vs Alfonso Dantes, Cesar Valentino, Tug Wilson

1.10.1976

Arena México

El Cobarde & Jon Güil Don vs. Sangre Chicana & Tug Wilson

3.10.1976

Plaza de Toros Valente Arellano

Jon Guildon & Mano Negra vs Fishman & Tug Wilson

9.10.1976

Arena Nueva Atzacoalco

El Faraón & El Santo vs As Charro & Tug Wilson

10.10.1976

Arena Coliseo

Cien Caras, El Cobarde, El Faraón vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Tug Wilson

15.10.1976

Arena México

Tug Wilson vs El Cobarde

22.10.1976

Arena México

El Cobarde vs Tug Wilson (mask vs hair)

Here's something interesting I came across. Match listings for Tug when he did a tour of Mexico in 1976. Matches are with the CMLL promotion I believe. Tug mentioned that Marty Jones was also over at the time, and that Ted Beresford was the man with the connection to Mexico.

25.8.1976

Arena Coliseo Acapulco

Demonio Blanco vs. Tug Wilson

17.9.1976

Arena México

Enrique Vera & Spirit vs. Raúl Reyes & Tug Wilson

21.9.1976

Arena Coliseo

Cachorro Mendoza, David Taylor, Enrique Vera vs. As Charro, Bruno Victoria, Tug Wilson

24.9.1976

Arena México

Jon Güil Don & Tigre Colombiano vs. Tony Salazar & Tug Wilson

26.9.1976

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara

Carlos Plata & El Halcón vs Alfonso Dantes & Tug Wilson

28.9.1976

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara

Carlos Plata, El Halcón, Ringo Mendoza vs Alfonso Dantes, Cesar Valentino, Tug Wilson

1.10.1976

Arena México

El Cobarde & Jon Güil Don vs. Sangre Chicana & Tug Wilson

3.10.1976

Plaza de Toros Valente Arellano

Jon Guildon & Mano Negra vs Fishman & Tug Wilson

9.10.1976

Arena Nueva Atzacoalco

El Faraón & El Santo vs As Charro & Tug Wilson

10.10.1976

Arena Coliseo

Cien Caras, El Cobarde, El Faraón vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Tug Wilson

15.10.1976

Arena México

Tug Wilson vs El Cobarde

22.10.1976

Arena México

El Cobarde vs Tug Wilson (mask vs hair)

Saw him against Kung Fu at the King's Hall in Derby, unfortunately missed the return which by all accounts was a very lively affair

Thanks dibbs,1

If you have more to share you will be very welcome.

Eric lives in Manchester. Used to be the landlord of the Clarence pub in Rusholme.

There were a couple of Tug Wilson's in the 30's. Bulldog Clayton was one, but I also found him wrestling another Tug Wilson.

Yes Eric speculated it came from an old sailor's name. I'd imagine there's a few names like that, that just follow over time because a certain nickname goes with their real name.

I think "Tug" is an old Navy nickname for anyone with the surname "Wilson", because I worked with a Tug Wilson back in the mid 1980's.

I actually asked were he got the name but like a lot of old wrestlers he was just given it, no questions asked. Recycling names just seemed the thing really. Over here we had about 2-3 different wrestlers "Young Apollo" before it was bestowed on a young Fit Finlay.

What you say checks out with me and of course he was wrestling in Belfast as far back as 1965.

Wonder if he knows he took the name of an earlier man.

His TV debut in 1972 versus John Casanova is an exceptionally impressive match still very popular on You Tube almost half a century later with over eight thousand views. Both wrestlers had great potential but disappeared after a few years without trace