1962 and here at Belle Vue The Monster, who has recently jumped ship from the independents takes of Ian Campbell. We will be revealing more about the Monster, or Monsters, very soon. As usual with wrestling things were not quite what they seemed.
A David v Goliath Main Event in 1977, worthy of comment
Still in 1977, what were we saying about David's and Goliaths? What on Earth was going on here?
Sorry pressed too soon.
Doug Hepburn was Canadian powerlifter from my early days.
From the time that he came on the scene, he broke powerlifting records almost every time he went to compete.
I never heard of him as a wrestler but with his strength he would be awkward to beat in a genuine fight.
His weakness was that his legs were never as strong as his upper body.
So now you know!
Over in Toronto, on this day in 1955, turbulent Alan Garfield went down to Doug Hepburn. Sax said this in an early post on this thread.
I must have read this before but on re-reading ,this struck me.
I forgot to post a photo of "Boston Blackie", well a year later, here he is:
Wrestling overseas today, Tony Mancelli took on Karl Reginsky, (winner unknown), in Paris, France, on this day in 1937.
On our TV screens, on this day in 1971:-
Jackie Pallo (W) v Johnny Kincaid
Clay Thomson (1) v Jimmy Ryan (0)
31 March 1939
Unmasking of The Wizard at Preston.
The Newsletter
Also, here's a TV card from 1962:
I have a photo of a Boston Blackie from that timeframe, will dig it out.
No problem, Mr Ost. You have a good day!!
That'd be right, Al, as it was Good Friday.
Maybe they all piled into a Brixton van and went off to repeat the show on the coast?
Out of interest if I remember correctly the Brixton bill was in the afternoon, perhaps they wrestled in the evening elsewhere?
Great sleuthing, Hack.
But I preferred it when you anglicized the Italians to The Tompkins.
The end of the financial year mattered to many; I reckon that may have been Ian Campbell's final appearance in the south on that Brixtion bill of Big Al's.
Also clearly a date full of wrestling. Maybe same reason?
Not quite sure that Ricki Starr was my hero, Main Mask, but thanks for the hint. Actually I am more aligned with Bill's comment. It fascinates me just how big he was; how Dales stole him; how he was invincible (save famously for Garfield in Brighton☺). Something we haven't explored in great depth, because we can't, is the extraordinary nature of his antics on pre-1968 crowds. Homophobia must have been rife, and the promoters must have seen how much the spectators liked getting this off their chests. His appeal could probably be measured in decibells.
Not sure precisely how popular he was, more of a side-show curiosity at the time. And didn't he milk it! In fact, I can't recall his being in any fan club...
No need for a sorry. Thats why we are all here. I don't know who this Boston Blackey would be but if you look at the rest Armstrong and Ingleborough lived in Yorkshire. Ward, Lewis, Saint, and St John lived in the North West. Independent promoters often booked wrestlers as a group, e.g. Barnsley lads, Manchester lads, Accrington lads. So it sounds very likely this would be Ezra. Another bit of reasoning is that Harry Bison would be 16 at the time. Now I have a suspicion he was originally from Mabchester. But even if he had started wrestling at 16 its unlikely he would use the Zulu name as Ezra was well established. Its wrestling, nothing is certain but a tanner on Ezra.
Boston Blackie, my guess is he was from Manchester way.
What about Il Tomasinos? Two more in the car with Sam and Jim? Or local lads?
Sorry Hack,can't help that March 67 bill was a few months before I got into wrestling.
Look at that bill Big Al the Zulu would be Ezra Francis from Manchester.
Who were Il Tompkins?
I wonder if "The Zulu" is the one we were speaking about last week!!
The Good Doctor at Kingston!!
Good Friday(1972)at Brixton.
I expect Mick was able to walk to this one!