Following on from my Last Topic-I Return to that Hotbed of Post-War Wrestling in ASIA-
SINGAPORE!-I was there Myself Last SEPTEMBER-a Fabulous Country-one of my Best
Favourites! Of course we know that the Future COUNT BARTELLI-in his Earlier Guise of
JEFF CONDA-was 'The' Top Wrestler there in 1946 and I believe Undefeated!
This Fab Island Attracted most of the Best Wrestlers in the EAST and AMERICA to its
Shores and the Bills were Regular and Varied!-One Aspect of the Sport that was really
Popular was MUD Wrestling!!-This was Staged alongside 'Standard' Bouts Featuring such
Greats as DARA SINGH!-Apparently 50 Gallons of Crude Oil-2 Tons of Mud and 100 Pounds
of Soot were used!!
My Large FLYER below boasts 8 Photos and some Great Write-Ups/Captions under the
Wrestlers' Names!!-'SINGAPORE Prayed he'd never Return'!!-'Public Enemy No:1'- 'The
Beast of HAMMERSMITH'-BLACK PETE MUKLE!!-Sounds like a Pirate to me!!-
'Even his Mother doesn't Love him'!!-He's a BAD Man!!-WHAT an Intro!
Among Others we have SAILOR MUSKET!!-Bet that's NOT his Name-versus 'The SOUTH
CHINA TERROR'!!-LEOW KWONG SENG!!-Wonderful Stuff!!-I would have LOVED to have
Witnessed THIS Show!!-Wonder if they ever did GIRLS Mud Wrestling??-Maybe not!-Doh!!
MAIN MASK
Not many results for Kid Callon online, but I have found two from 1950: -
1950/01/09 @ Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland (United Kingdom)
Larry Laycock defeated Kid Callon.
1950/01/20 @ Ashgate Road Drill Hall in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England (United Kingdom)
Chic Purvey vs. Kid Callon - winner unknown
Here is the write up from the A-Z of Wrestling Heritage wrestlers.
"...Kid Callon was a man with a story to tell. He was born, Derek Anthony Callon, in Keighley on 26th January, 1926, Young Derek was taught to box by his father, a former bare knuckles fighter, whilst he was still at school. When he left school Derek started work in the local metal works, on full production as part of the war effort. In 1944, aged 18, he was conscripted into the army and within a short time he was posted to Singapore, a hotbed of professional wrestling in the 1940s. In 1945 we find him wrestling at the Great World Arena in Singapore, wrestling alongside the likes of Con Balassis, Jeff Conda and Dara Singh,labelled. From 1945 until 1948 he was a regular competitor in the rings of Singapore and Malaysia, a man renowned for his rough tactics inside the ring.
In 1948 Derek returned to Britain where he continued his wrestling career and played rugby league for Keighley. We found him in 1950 wrestling the likes of Bob McDonald, Larry Laycock and Alf Cadman in northern England and Scotland.
Derek callon died on 1st July, 2008, aged 82, but his remarkable life, more so for his exploits outide the ring, live on in the book that celebrates his life, "The Untamed White Savage," written by his son Derek..."
As for copies of posters, etc., you would need some of the people above to answer.
hi do you have any more info on the kid Callon or know where I could get hold of this piece. We are willing to pay! He was my great grandad, my dad for years has been looking for this and would be willing to pay. Please if you have any info could you send me a way to talk with you, for so long weve been trying to find some original programmes of his fights or more info about him! Thank you in advance
O course Dara Singh was far better known worldwide than Jack Pye but this must have been a fine evening of All in Wrestling for troops based in Singapore
"The Coloured Jack Pye of Singapore" - what an accolade!
Just the top four. Brian Aherne (Jim Mellor) and Kid Callon are in the A-Z.
Were all these matches Mud Wrestling or just the first?