Today is the anniversary of the birth of Ted Beckham, one of two Blue Masks we remember on Wrestling Heritage. We come across the name Blue Mask for the first time in June, 1937 wrestling Vic Hessle at the New St James Hall, Newcastle. He was back again the following month tackling Francis St Clair Gregory and was destined to become the top masked man at the venue for the following six years. In June, 2014, Ian Pringle told us that the Newcastle Blue Mask was a local miner from Chopwell who had worked with his father in law. The Blue Mask was Edmund Beckham, known as Ted, born on 12th October, 1913.
Beckham may have been the Newcastle Blue Mask, and a good one at that, but it was a localised name, in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, with at least one other known Blue Mask, more possibly more. Whether Beckham was the original is uncertain, whether the best is unknown, but he was certainly good and a celebrated name in the north east. He wrestled frequently at the New St James Hall in Newcastle and was a good opponent for another local man, Dave Armstrong. On January 13th, 1940, he defeated and unmasked his rival the Green Asp, to reveal the identity of Canadian Carl Van Wurden.
Dale Martin running a show in Kuwait, at some international trade show.
From PWInsider.com:
1972 - A live event in Amarillo, Texas at The Sports Arena saw the following results:
-Lord Alfred Hayes fought Hans Mueller to a 10 minute draw
1979 - A live event promoted in Knoxville, TN featured the following results:
-Toru Tanaka beat Tony Charles.
As a youngster watching Dominic in the mid to late sixties on the independents (always disqualified ) I had no idea of what a big star he had been.
My Top Favourite MASKED Wrestler- 1937- 1944-The BLUE MASK-TED
BECKHAM's Version!-Great Write-Up on him in HEADLOCKS...'
I've Stated Before-One of My 'Dream' MASK versus MASK Contests would be
LE BOURREAU DE BETHUNE against BLUE MASK!!
But WHO Would Win??
Note CARL VAN WURDEN also on My Original Flyer Below!!
MAIN MASK
All 1963 and this Kings Hall being Belfast.
Here's a blockbuster tv show. Not sure how Kent will have fely about having to sit through eight bouts, but for sure Tubby's didn't last long:
On This Day-12TH OCTOBER-at The JUBILEE HALL in BURTON-ON-TRENT-
HENRI PIERLOT-LES THORNTON- Tackles ALBERT WALL-Not yet 'ROCKY'
in the Main Bout!! ++
'ROMEO' JOE CRITCHLEY and ROY ST.CLAIR are Both Here-Though Not
Opposing! Who Was BILLY CARROL??-Here Fighting Mr. MAXINE's Brother-
BUDDY WARD??
MAIN MASK
Wrestling overseas today, Judo Chris Adams beat Rip Oliver in Portland, Oregon, USA, on this day in 1982.
On our TV screens, on this day in 1968: -
Tibor Szakacs (DQ) v Bruno Elrington
Sean Regan (1) v Don Steadman (0)
Jon Cortez (1) v Adrian Street (0)