Times change, but in the sixties, it was normal for a wrestler to be billed as Jewish. Al Fontayne springs to mind on Big Al's Croydon bill today against Les Kellett. Lee Sharron; Micky Gold was even a Jewish champion, I bet nobody can find a championship bout!
After the Jews we just have sprinklings: Mke Eagers the Jehovah's Witness; and everyone's favourite Methodist minister, the Reverend Michael Brookes - did he ever get a public warning? And have to explain it away in the pulpit....?
And then ... I dry up.
Can you think of any other religions being mentioned?
Beyond that, what about outside the ring: were any of the wrestlers practising or church-going?
One Ash Wednesday seem to remember Peter Szakacs arriving at the venue with an ash imprint of the Cross on his forehead
The Rev Michael Brooks pitted against Peter Rann would have been an interesting contest. I wonder if good prevailed!
"Bronco" Jack Cassidy was, in reality, Jimmy Thompson and I think I recall hearing or reading that Rev.Reginald Thompson was a relation.
Never mind the South-North divide.
If I had written "As he worked for the independents I was sceptical" I would have been taken to task by you, Hack.
Has this religious thread provided a Damascus moment for you?
There was the Rev Reginald Thompson, vicar of Moulton Chapel and a referee. As he worked for the independents I was sceptical for years, but turned out he was a genuine man of the cloth.
Ah yes, Wild Angus, good call Frostini.
Yearsley's a new one to me. Haha, a couple of the biggest villains!
Isn’t he a German porn star?
This is controversial stuff! Expect a visit from Gladys The Impaler!
If you kicked a Musim’s prayer mat now days you’d be looking at a possible jail sentence. The Woke brigade lead by the BBC would be having a fit, the religion of peace would be losing their minds in the way only they know how to and the left would be insisting we all bow our heads in shame and get down on one knee before we play a game of footbal. I need a time machine to transport me back to a time where sanity prevailed and free speech was something to be proud of and not suppressed to appease the snowflakes. Yes I know this isn’t a political platform but I lost control of my keypad. 🤐
Well HACK!-You've Put-Up My Photo too!-So 2 x ABDULS/ACHMEDS Then!!
MM
Here's Abdul, the man with a mat
https://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/abdul-the-turk
I believe that both Wild Angus and Johnny Yearsley were very religious in their private lives.
I recall a Cassidy/Carpentier show at The Houldsworth Hall, Deansgate, Manchester, where the opening out was Achmed The Strong (who also had a prayer mat) versus Mickey Gold.
Both Mickey Gold and Lee Sharron were billed as Jewish champions but I never saw a belt when they worked for me.
I don't know about Achmed the Turk , but I do know that Abdul the Turk
always used his prayer mat before each bout....
I was there the night that Jack Pye kicked it out of the ring.
I read that Giant Haystacks was religious and didn't used to wrestle on Sundays.
Didn't ACHMED THE TURK Bring his Prayer Mat into The Ring with him?
I've got a Photo of This Somewhere!
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