Today is the anniversary of the tragic death of Mal Kirk.
A villain in the ring, didn't we all love him? In his early days he was agile and exciting as a heavyweight. I always looked forward to seeing him. Towards the end less nimble and not at his best. Remember the glory days of Mal Kirk.
I saw him once at the RAH, between ‘72-76, I believe it was the Main Event, but can’t recall his opponent. He was in very fine, villainous form, even rumbling outside the ring. I think he was d.q.’d. (Robbie Barron was in the opener and his impressed my dad who was visiting from Aus, where he was used to the first match would often be a squash or one-sided affair).
I also saw a lesser match of Mel’s around 85, 6 or 87 in Paignton, against, who else, but Big Daddy. Drew McDonald was on that card also and talked to my small son. So that was nice!
saw him in Whitby 69 or 70 he had a handlebar moustach. Was very nice to us little kids and signed our autograph books
I'm guessing The Mighty Guardsman was Shirley?
Thanks Howard. A shame it cuts out after the first fall. But good to see a German presentation.
One of Mal's matches from Bremen, Germany has showed up on YouTube. His opponent is Hansi Roocks.
A big powerful talented wrestler who had a genuinely scary persona but by all accounts a good guy. One of the best baddies ever in wrestling
The only wrestler who ever asked me for feedback on his work! For which I will forever be a fan.
I spoke to Mal's daughter a while back and the love she had for her father was very clear and a beautiful thing. RIP Big man.
His early appearances with a crewcut and the moustache and side burns combo, were scary to a youngster like me.
As has been said (and as I have said before on my other threads), he would take a posting and walk back out of the corner, stamping his feet, when a posting was supposed to be almost back breaking!
One of the great super heavyweights for me.
I was at The Hippodrome that night - very sad occasion. Cannot believe it was so long ago.
The following week there was a minutes silence before the wrestling, very emotional.
Nobody ever seems to mention how difficult it must have been for Daddy to return there afterwards.
I saw Mal in a Daddy tag at Whitby in 1982 with Blackjack Mulligan as his partner. A few years ago I met his nephew in the Brookside Club at South Elmsall. He kept one of Mal's robes.
I could watch him being posted all day long. The ring moved at Bolton.
Think Mal Kirk had a bit of a late start as a wrestler , maybe over 30.
I loved him and remember his TV debut although who against I don't know.
Kent Walton talked us through Mal coming to the ring with his miners lantern and explained that he was a big guy and a bit green yet but going places.
He got that growling , slavering , steam coming out of his ears look off to a T.
I was sorry when King Kong Kirk cropped up and remember thinking then that he should have bowed out. Even Kojak for me was not as good as Mucky Mal Kirk.
He had to sell a lot of defeats to Blue eyes ,too many for my liking , but for the era I watched wrestling , I would describe him as a Core Heavyweight.
When I used to go to ST. GEORGES HALL BLACKBURN-because I was a Regular and knew the
HALL People I'd always get a Special couple of chairs on the Stage!-The Wrestlers had to walk past my chairs on their way to the Ring!-I'll never forget the Night MAL KIRK passed by me within a couple of feet or so!-Talk about Intimidating!-In the late '60's/early '70's this Guy was something else!!-He either didn't
particularly 'Sell' well his Opponents Moves and/or they just didn't phase him at all!-Even against
NAGASAKI- MAL just absorbed it ALL and kept on coming forward!-Very SCARY!
Even later on he could have easily wiped out DADDY-NO Problem!
His was a sad loss to the Sport indeed!
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