Heritage Members Know that MAIN MASK's 'Special' Passion within Professional
Wrestling is CAREER MASKED WRESTLERS!!-Since the Rebirth in This Country
of The Sport in 1930-There have been some Awesome Hooded Wrestlers-Including
THE GHOUL-COUNT BARTELLI-ZEBRA KID-THE OUTLAW-BLACK MASK and of
course KENDO NAGASAKI!!
But Who stood out in the 1930's!!-Well at 13 Stone 8 Pounds-One of the Very First
MASKED Men in 1933 was WHITE OWL!!-The Wrestler Behind The MASK was a VERY
Accomplished Exponent of Catch-As-Catch-Can!!
WHITE OWL-The Prototype of DARK OWL Who began around the Same Time-1931-
had Quite an Undefeated 'Run'!!-But WHO was he then??
Below at The RING BLACKFRIARS He Faces NORMAN THE BUTCHER!
WHITE OWL States he can be 'Rougher' than 2 NORMAN THE BUTCHERS'!!
MAIN MASK
Thanks for the repllies.In a more observant era would expect the promoters had difficulty attracting many fans as early as 11:00am but would be more successful at lunchtime and after
Peter
Was Sunday morning a usual time for events in the 1930s?
As you would expect wrestling on Sunday was controversial in the 1930s though it did take place. Home Secretary John Gilmour raised the question of legality in the House of Commons, and ironically the unlicensed nature of wrestling seemed to work in its favour. A number of promoters were summoned for promoting Sunday shows, amongst them Harold Lane, Alf Allen and Tom Malinson. Attempts were made to circumnavigate the law by forming clubs with annual membership fees.
The Lord's Day Observance Act of 1781, enabled Mr Francis Kelly to claim his reward as a "Common Informer" of a "disorderly house," or more specifically a wrestling match on a Sunday. He claimed £300 from Alf Allen, described as “keeper of the premises” for informing the court of this disorderly act, and was duly awarded the full amount, which he said he would use to pursue further acts of common informer. Eric Kitchener was awarded only £200 for his act of "Common Informer" of another Sunday wrestling tournament, claiming the money from promoter Bob Gregory. But then Mr Kitchener claimed a further £850 against the London Evening Standard because they had advertised the tournament, which, despite awarding the claim, did lead the judge to question whether Mr Kitchener's motives were to purify the British Sunday or just make a few bob. Leeds promoter Tom Malinson was another fined, this time £5 for promoting boxing and wrestling shows on five Sundays.
No coincidence about these Owls in the thirties.
Grey Owl was a noted conservationist born HASTINGS and died 1938. In life imitating our wonderful wrestling art, he was exposed as a phoney Red Indian. Real name Archie Belaney-
He was quite a big deal in the thirties, which explains why several wrestlers opted for this sleepy bird's name rather than more threatening hawks or eagles. That took another thirty years ....
The three I know are Dark Owl , Brown Owl and Grey Owl.
You never know but I have doubts Flack ever wore a mask. It's not on any bills that we have.
And here he is on Heritage
MM what makes you believe he was masked.
His name was Micky Flack and he died from wrestling injuries.
He died in 1937.
On 6TH FEBRUARY 1933 at The NEW VICTORIA BATHS-NOTTINGHAM
WHITE OWL Takes-On BOB GREGORY!!
ATHOLL OAKELEY-The BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT Champion On This Bill too!!
MAIN MASK