After KENDO NAGASAKI's Enforced Retirement in Late 1978-There came along only a Very
Small Handful of MASKED Wrestlers who were anywhere near Noteworthy!
SEAN REGAN's ZEBRA KID being One with his ATOMIC DROP Finisher!-and GORDON
CORBETT's version of The EXORCIST being One of The Few Others!!
But Then a New 'HOODED MENACE' Appeared in Late 1979!-This was The Sinister
BLACK BARON-an 18 Stone Heavyweight with a 'Controversial' Claw Hold which was Disputed
as even being 'Legal'!- He was Managed by his Voice Piece CHARLIE 'The Gent' MCGEEN!!
He Featured Both in Solo Combat as well as Tag Wrestling-Partners in The Latter Matches
Including KING KONG KIRK and MARK ROLLERBALL ROCCO!!- The BARON had a 'Run'
for Some Years into The 1980's!
Now MAIN MASK has Many Wrestling Secrets and he Knows Many Things about The Origins
and Family of The BLACK BARON.....NONE of which will be Disclosed in These Hallowed
FORUM Pages!!
However What I WILL Share is This:-
I am Very Friendly with The BARON's Brother with whom I Socialised Many Times-and he Very
Kindly Gifted Me The Use of His BURGUNDY ROLLS ROYCE and WHITE MERCEDES plus
Chauffeurs for My Wedding!- A Wonderful Gesture which I will Never Forget!!
The BARON comes from a Family Steeped in Pugilism and Martial Arts!-and I Spent Many Nights
Discussing Wrestling Over Dinner Including Stories about KENDO NAGASAKI!!
MAIN MASK
M M did you get a freee haircut though .I remember the him starting out with Cassidy as the Outlaw to be fair it was obvious to most punters that this was not the Gordy version. Nice guy who was a friend of Eddie'. Funnily enough
he was working same bill when Charlie was timekeeping for Cassidy at the Holdsworth hall Manchester,Charlie was pontificating with die hard fans on the theatre of wrestling and how he'd witness all mask tournament and how blood was produced.Cassidy heard this and blood was produced later it was poor old timekeeper who Cassidy banged his head on the table
s
Probably in retrospect the most difficult match for The Black Baron would have been at the end of the seventies long before he was The Black Baron. He was booked by myself in a tag match with partner Charley the Gent (Charles Mc.Ghee) against the schoolteaching team of Eddie Rose and, making his professional debut, a Macclesfield schoolteacher called Graham Brook who had no place whatsoever in a wrestling ring, made a total fool of himself and made it very difficult for everyone else to make a half decent bout of it. The main supporting bout on the card was Lee Sharron versus Ian Wilson so, with two of the finest workers in the north putting on a credible bout, the evening was still just about able to get by as a professional wrestling event. Just for the record, on this particular evening The Black Baron wrestled as The Outlaw. The show took place at The Civic Hall in Bollington where I had much prouder moments as a promoter such as the night I promoted Jackie "Mr.TV" Pallo versus Le Diable Rouge (Un) in a hair versus mask encounter. You can guess who won that one!
That claw hold speciality, i wonder if Max Crabtree had read about it being the speciality of a number of American stars such as the original Blackjack Mulligan and decided to gift the hold to The Baron? Unless you have extremely powerful hands it wasn't the most convincing submission speciality. I don't recall him in any televised solo contests, i think just a Battle Royal and a tag match where he partnered Yasu Fuji against Shirley and i believe, possibly Chris Adams? The Black Baron also partnered a "high" Chris Colt at The Royal Albert against Shirley and Steve Grey in that infamous match.
CHARLIE Claims The BLACK BARON is 'Unbeatable'!!
Below My Original Programme Article heralding The BARON's Arrival On The Scene!!
MM