Mike Marino

Reading the Feb 5th issue remanded me of what a servant to wrestling was Mike Marino. I never saw the bout for the World Junior Heavyweight belt in 1951 against then-holder Mike DeMitre, but neither had I ever heard of an American-style bout back then - 100 minutes without a fall? Wow! I'd have loved to have seen that.

More to the point, in the same article it tells of Marino defending his then World mid-heavyweight belt in February 1981 - 30 years later - against Le Grand Vladimir at the age of 60!

I saw him fight many times, although mainly after he signed with Paul Lincoln, and was lucky enough to speak with him for an article. I agreed to use his ring name because writing about wrestling back then, you almost had to think like a wrestler! Most on here will know what I mean.

So how sad was it that whilst he was still active as a wrestler and still holder of three belts including the World, European and British mid-heavyweight titles, that in that same year of 1981, he should suddenly die just before a scheduled bout against Big Jim Harris. Did he go on too long? Probably. But he certainly died as a wrestling legend and the Mike Marino Shield was the very least that his legacy deserved.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind me using his real name now, so a million thanks to Mike Harrison for the years of pleasure he gave wrestling fans....