I always looked forward to watching Jimmy Breaks wrestle on the TV. In the lighter weights he was always in the thick of it, titles, controversies and constant TV exposure. His arguements with Kent Walton (particularly in one particular Jon Cortez bout) added to the rage he created. For me he was one of our greatest villains ever in British wrestling, In his peak he was up there alongside the latter work of Rocco and Finlay. But before they reached their peak and kick started real interest in the upper middle weights, it was Breaks in the lighter weights that always held my interest. His opposition of course in the time I watched it were all first class; Johnny Saint, Jon Cortez, Vic Faulkner, Zoltan Boscik and of course Steve Grey whom I think he had some of his best matches with. I missed out on his 1960s days. Jim was also so reliable due to his hated reputation for beating up the young newcomers. Yet he was so good at putting over all the new youngsters coming through the ranks. Bobby Ryan, Dynamite, Young Dave Boy Smith and then in later years Danny Collins and Peter Bainbridge. Breaks played his part in making them all stars.
Looking back on his style it could be said his way of getting the crowd baying for his blood was simple yet it was very clever. He was hated due to his great skill, that everyone secretly admired, yet mixed up with his cocky demenour, his stone faced sneers, his fantastic scathing one liners he frequently shouted to the audience in quiet lulls, his behind the ref punches and his vicious wrist locks and overhead suspension submission all added to becoming the ultimate villain and gaining the extreme heat. His reading the audience and his timing was impeccable. Watching him on the TV I'm sure the whole nation used to wince in unison when he did those snapping wrist locks, combined with his little 'eee' shrieks he uttered as he did them. At the time no one sussed how the snap noise was made, yet it created even more sympathy for whichever hapless blue eye who was on the receiving end. Everyone was convinced that wrists would be broken. For good wrestling to be even better we now know how it always takes two to tango, and the 'selling' his opponents did was everybit as intergral to the way Breaks was portrayed. For me he will always be remembered as the one to watch on the TV, the man we all wanted to see beaten. I rank him much higher than McManus and Logan and definately up there with Quinn, Rocco and Finlay as one of the greatest bad boys on the TV golden era. Its a shame things ended as they did for him, not a lot we can add to that, so we should remember him for being a truly great wrestler and well deserved champion.
Good tribute, NS. I never saw Jim wrestle live, but first read his name in The Wrestler magazine in the 60s. Always super-fit and an excellent technician who did much for the mat game on and off TV. RIP Jimmy Breaks...
1 Friday night [approx 1963] Jim took on Jackie Pallo with Tiny Carr as referee as bout 3 of 4 . Both wrestlers were well battered & exhausted by the end of that one. Cannot recall who won but I was second to Jackie that night & he said on going back to dressing room
" That was worth three times the money" - folks paid to get into The Casino Rochester Kent. As far as I know they never wrestled each other again as the evening did not finish to almost 10.30. The last contest took less than 10 minutes!! RIP Jim
Jimmy Breaks was a great wrestler. You could see that he had all the necessary grappling skills required for the professional wrestling ring. You could never take that away from him. A sad end, but a happy release in many ways. I will always remember Jimmy Breaks arguing with the ref, the crybaby tantrums, and the famous striped trunks. A real entertainer. RIP Jimmy Breaks.
Two great matches on You Tube from more than half a century ago versus Adrian Street and Steve Best.How distressing that all three departed within months of each other in this year 2023
So sad to hear this news but I agree with Anglo Italian's sentiments that Jim will now find peace following his tragic past few years. I shall remember him as a great wrestler and a kind man. R.I.P. Jim.
One of the best wrestlers I ever saw, he would had the crowd wound up as soon as he stepped in the ring. Never a blue eye but a very skilled wrestler who always had the crowd baying for his blood, R.I.IP Jim.
I think that he was one of Britain's greatest ever wrestlers. I always enjoy watching his old bouts as he really knew how to wind up the crowd and his bouts were always entertaining. His weakening of his opponents wrist and his follow-up submission hold was so convincing to me as a young fan and it still looks realistic to me when I watch it now! R.I.P Jim.
I always looked forward to watching Jimmy Breaks wrestle on the TV. In the lighter weights he was always in the thick of it, titles, controversies and constant TV exposure. His arguements with Kent Walton (particularly in one particular Jon Cortez bout) added to the rage he created. For me he was one of our greatest villains ever in British wrestling, In his peak he was up there alongside the latter work of Rocco and Finlay. But before they reached their peak and kick started real interest in the upper middle weights, it was Breaks in the lighter weights that always held my interest. His opposition of course in the time I watched it were all first class; Johnny Saint, Jon Cortez, Vic Faulkner, Zoltan Boscik and of course Steve Grey whom I think he had some of his best matches with. I missed out on his 1960s days. Jim was also so reliable due to his hated reputation for beating up the young newcomers. Yet he was so good at putting over all the new youngsters coming through the ranks. Bobby Ryan, Dynamite, Young Dave Boy Smith and then in later years Danny Collins and Peter Bainbridge. Breaks played his part in making them all stars.
Looking back on his style it could be said his way of getting the crowd baying for his blood was simple yet it was very clever. He was hated due to his great skill, that everyone secretly admired, yet mixed up with his cocky demenour, his stone faced sneers, his fantastic scathing one liners he frequently shouted to the audience in quiet lulls, his behind the ref punches and his vicious wrist locks and overhead suspension submission all added to becoming the ultimate villain and gaining the extreme heat. His reading the audience and his timing was impeccable. Watching him on the TV I'm sure the whole nation used to wince in unison when he did those snapping wrist locks, combined with his little 'eee' shrieks he uttered as he did them. At the time no one sussed how the snap noise was made, yet it created even more sympathy for whichever hapless blue eye who was on the receiving end. Everyone was convinced that wrists would be broken. For good wrestling to be even better we now know how it always takes two to tango, and the 'selling' his opponents did was everybit as intergral to the way Breaks was portrayed. For me he will always be remembered as the one to watch on the TV, the man we all wanted to see beaten. I rank him much higher than McManus and Logan and definately up there with Quinn, Rocco and Finlay as one of the greatest bad boys on the TV golden era. Its a shame things ended as they did for him, not a lot we can add to that, so we should remember him for being a truly great wrestler and well deserved champion.
Happy New year all !
A Wrestling Heritage article on Jim Breaks from February 1973
And from a year earlier, 1972
1 Friday night [approx 1963] Jim took on Jackie Pallo with Tiny Carr as referee as bout 3 of 4 . Both wrestlers were well battered & exhausted by the end of that one. Cannot recall who won but I was second to Jackie that night & he said on going back to dressing room
" That was worth three times the money" - folks paid to get into The Casino Rochester Kent. As far as I know they never wrestled each other again as the evening did not finish to almost 10.30. The last contest took less than 10 minutes!! RIP Jim
RIP, I will remember him from his wrestling days and not how his later years played out.
Jimmy Breaks was a great wrestler. You could see that he had all the necessary grappling skills required for the professional wrestling ring. You could never take that away from him. A sad end, but a happy release in many ways. I will always remember Jimmy Breaks arguing with the ref, the crybaby tantrums, and the famous striped trunks. A real entertainer. RIP Jimmy Breaks.
Matey dave has forwarded this link
Terrific wrestler and entertainer. The lyrics of Bob Hope's old signature tune says it all for me "Thanks For The Memories."
Two great matches on You Tube from more than half a century ago versus Adrian Street and Steve Best.How distressing that all three departed within months of each other in this year 2023
One of the most entertaining wrestlers ever.R.I.P.Jim.
One of my all-time favorites. RIP.
RIP champ.
Sad news. R.I.P. Jim.
One of the truly greats.
R.I.P. Jim
So sad to hear this news but I agree with Anglo Italian's sentiments that Jim will now find peace following his tragic past few years. I shall remember him as a great wrestler and a kind man. R.I.P. Jim.
One of the best wrestlers I ever saw, he would had the crowd wound up as soon as he stepped in the ring. Never a blue eye but a very skilled wrestler who always had the crowd baying for his blood, R.I.IP Jim.
I think that he was one of Britain's greatest ever wrestlers. I always enjoy watching his old bouts as he really knew how to wind up the crowd and his bouts were always entertaining. His weakening of his opponents wrist and his follow-up submission hold was so convincing to me as a young fan and it still looks realistic to me when I watch it now! R.I.P Jim.
R.I.P Jimmy - true wrestling legend.
RIP Jim,One of the greats
A skilled genius with great longevity career-wise and versatility in spades.
Always very very enjoyable to watch.
And a bit like Pat Roach, I don't recall him ever lowering himself to be involved in silly tag bouts alongside super-heavyweights.
We always write RIP but in this particular case I am especially pleased for him that he is now at peace.
RIP Great Wrestler Jim Breaks