Like all Heritage members, I’m thoroughly enjoying Ron’s Belle Vue series. I particularly like looking at the bills/posters and especially if I see a name I don’t recognise, or recognise but never have had a good ‘look’ at the guy. One such name that appeared on several of Ron’s posters along with one of Main Mask’s posters was Mike O’Sullivan. I delved and dived in and wrote a long piece, then thought better of it, so here’s a truncated version, of someone who I believe, well and truly earns a spot in the Heritage A-Z.
I first see Mike O’Sullivan in 1934, but judging by the quality of his opposition, he must have started before then. His matches, dotted around from London to Hull and Bradford, see Mike (along the way he’ll be Mick, Micky and Michael) do battle against the likes of St. Claire Gregory, Douglas Clark, Black Eagle and Iron Duke.
In ‘35 he’s a regular at the Llanes clubs, Kilburn and Blackfriars and other London venues, also meeting Van Dutz at Bell Vue, Ray St. Bernard in Ealing, Butcher Johnson in Plymouth and Anaconda in St. Leonards at Sea.
1936, Mike is back on the London scene v St Claire Gregory, Tony Baer, Jim Burnett, Steve Casey and Tiger De Lisle.
I found little in 1937, but he did meet the likes of Siki, De Mitre, Pencheff and Tommy Nilan.
1938 and Mike is once more all over the London scene, sharing the ring with the likes of Karl Reginsky, Harry Brooks, Nowina, Brendel and Whipper Billy Watson, who like Mike’s former opponent Steve Casey, will end up spending time as a World Champion.
1939 / 1940 I found a few matches, but later found a reference accorded to him as ‘Bombadier Army’ so I’m assuming Mike is in the services and almost probably based in Newcastle as…
…He becomes a semi regular in Newcastle, from 41 to 43, with the odd foray into Blackburn, meeting Dave Armstrong, Farmers Boy and Bert Mansfield among others. It seems he’s based in Newcastle and wrestling when he’s on leave from the Army.
44, 45, 46, I’ve drawn a blank, almost as there’s a match listed against Cliff Parker in Hanley in 1947.
1948 / 49 and Mike makes appearances in Hanley, Willenhall and Bury and a few others, no straying too far from his 41-43 years. Man Mountain Benny, Harry Pye, Mighty Inch, Don Mendoza and Con Blassis were some of his dance partners.
Okay, so it’s here I threw in the towel, Dai Sullivan is getting around, confusing the promoters and the printers alike as well as various Sullivans named Dan, Spike and Battling and I’ve done all I can with the newspapers, without taking out a subscription and generally life is too short and I wanted to get on with other subjects and interests!
However I also wanted to give Mike his dues. Said to be between 15 to 16 stone, he was a genuine heavyweight, who met the quick, the skilled and the strong, more often than not, in the main event. I’m hoping that other Heritage members who know better than I where to ‘look’ will take up the cudgels, fill in all my blanks and post us a picture of the man himself, Mike O’Sullivan!
p.s. and add him to the A-Z.😍
John Michael O'Sullivan born 25th jan 1913 in London to English parents. Lorry driver in 1939.
Dies in Wigan area in 1988 with short announcement of his death and wife Eunice mentioned. Stated to be a former wrestler , club owner and licensee of a public house in Manchester area.
Went by the name of Mike Sullivan , but O'Sullivan on official records.
Married wife Eunice Shaw at Hyde in 1969.
Funeral 5th August 1988. Mentioned in Manchester Evening news.
27th January, 1939, at Preston he's said to be the great Manchester favourite. There are other examples of Manchester being mentioned in Preston.
Replying to Mike Hallinan: It would be very useful to discover a date of birth, but do you know if his name was Michael O'Sullivan? We haven't got much for Ron to work on. I think the Blackfriars Sept 1937 match was more likely a team match, not a tag match, as it's twelve years before the date Ron found for the first UK tag match and a month before the first in the USA.
On 24th February 1938 Mike wrestled Douglas Clark at Nelson for Clark's British Empire title. Clark won when Mike retired injured in the fourth round.
Replying to John Shelvey
If he started pro in 1933, even if he was in his late twenties it's not unlikely he could be around for the odd match in the 1950s, and even the outlier 1960, still billed as heavyweight champion of Ireland.
Mike Hallinan is one of those who has experienced the forum issue earlier today.
He has sent this message.
I was surprised that Mike `0 Sullivan was omitted from the wrestlers list, and glad to see now that has been rectified. From memory when I researched him many years ago, he was born in Cork, Ireland and grew up on the family farm, where the hard work, and long hours built his physique into a powerful muscular young man, he first tried boxing like most young Irish men, before being introduced to All-In wrestling.
He was billed as the Irish heavyweight champion like Danno Mahoney, Steve, Jim, and Paddy Casey, Mike Byrnes, and Paddy O`Rourke which looked good on the wrestling posters.
He wrestled the length and breath of England, and met all the top wrestlers including Champion Douglas Clark, George Clark, Bill Garnon, Sam Rabin, King Curtis, Tom Whalley, Monteverdi, Karl Reginsky, Al Hamilton, Harry Brooks, Legs Langevin, Joe Devalto, Tommy Nilan, Count Nowina, Johnny Dallas, Mike Brendel, Ranjah Ranji, etc, etc.....
He also took part in a tag team match at The Ring, Blackfriars in Sept 1937. Mike Sullivan and Monteverdi Vs Jim Burnett and Pat Flanagan.
Wrestlers are judged by the number of times they challenge for the British championship, and if they win it, the number of years they hold the title. In Mike`s case I have only found one challenge for the British and Empire titles held by Bert Assirati in Aug 1939 at the Dome, Brighton. Assirati retained his titles, and they met again in Feb 1940 at the Winter Gardens, Clapham, and again Assirati was the winner.
He was also one of eight wrestlers that appeared in the "All-In" wrestling film in 1939 directed by Ralph Lynn and starring George Formby.
Mike O'Sullivan is in Wrestling Heritage
Great guys,we’re off and running!
I need to source a better photo: