Starting in my old stomping ground, Preston. In 1958 Max Crabtree and Norman Berry's fledging Twentieth Century Promotions were putting on shows at Saul Street Baths, more grandly known as the Queens Hall. Some well known names here, plus that illusive Golden Boy again. Looks like Penzie got the wrong bus from Bolton, via Bulgaria.
At bit more fancy a venue on the same night, here we have veteran masked Charlie Scott taking on youngster Henri Pierlot. Another veteran taking on a novice with Carlton Smith and Peter Rann.
Finally to Hull. It's 1970 and a rare tag pairing of Evans and Leiderman against the Diamonds.Catweazle in disguise as himself against Johnny Eagles. The 1970 Destroyer - not the most exciting of masked men, but would have no trouble with Dave Shade.
Thanks Hack.
I have always been fascinated by wrestlers I didn't see live, from Black Jack Mulligan upwards.
What especially fascinates me about Le Bourreau de Béthune is that Devereaux had him, kept him, for more than one tour - and nobody else got a look in. Unusual to see the power of Devereaux at work.
I seem to recall that Jacquerez had wrestled for Joint Promotions. Maybe Ken Joyce was astute enough to offer something the Others couldn't....?
1964
A man who impressed Anglo Italian The Executioner De Bethune.
I wonder if at the time, 1964, if Street against Cooper would have been as appealing as it would have been four or five years later when their personalities had developed.
Wrestling overseas today, Wild Angus defeated Hans Dillinger, in Bremen, Germany, on this day in 1968.
On our TV screens on this day in 1962:-
Spencer Churchill v Bob Taylor
George Kidd v Al Miquet
Max Crabtree v Frikki Alberti
This was a corker!
G Del Rel must have been sure of big full houses to pay all these names.
Great poster that squeezes so much onto the standard format.
Captioned photos, with those of Logan, Masambula and Marino being 15 years out of date!
Jean Jourlain
On 1st December, 1904 the birth of a great name in French wrestling and a visitor to Britain in the late 1940s and 1950s. He won his first French championship in 1926 in the Greco-Roman style, winning the free style championship the following year. He was to go on to win a total of 15 French championship titles in both styles.
He represented France in the 1928 and 1936 Olympic Games, placed fourth on both occasions. He competed in the European championships from 1927 until 1945, after which he turned professional. He wrestled in Britain infrequently, mainly in the south of England.
That so-called double main event is odd. The only reasoning I can see is that by splitting Rocco and Maxine they could call it a Double Main event. I would have preferred to see Rocco in with Maxine.
The fifth photo on the poster is Zoltan Boscik.
For today I have only something from france and germany. But there are some well known names on it. So I hope its ok to share it.
The Heavyweights at Newcastle look good , More wrestling than maybe we thought about in Ireland , an oldie from Plymouth and Kendo in Calgary. (Lord Sloane is Gillette.)