Another wrestler before my time that I would have liked to have seen. Did anyone here ever see him? What was he like? Looks to me like he'd have no problem looking after himself!
Rocky Wall was always seen as a legitimate and real fighter but unfortunately was part of a 1972 "News of the World" expose when wrestlers were recorded discussing fight outcomes.As has been said already on this forum at least Professional Wrestling was taken seriously enough in 1972 for this to be front page news but did mark the beginning of the end of the "Golden Era"
bjh99 - Apologies Mate, I missed that post you put up for me. Nice one, and thanks so much for taking the time to do so. There are some lovely people on here.
When both Albert Wall and Kendo Nagasaki crossed over from Joint to the independents in the early seventies I saw them quite a lot on Brian Dixon shows where I served as either second or timekeeper. They always produced a good bout although Dixon did rather tend to overuse the ending whereby Wall mounts the corner to launch into his flying headbutt only for Kendo at the last moment to pick up the referee and use him as a protective shield with general mayhem then ensuing. Poor John Aldron was often the butt of this particular ending.
I have written here before about a superb eight man K.O. tournament which Dixon promoted in his own backyard at The Sports Centre in Birkenhead where, surprisingly, Wall and Nagasaki did not clash. Wall went out in the very first round being disqualified against "Jumping" Jim Moser whilst Kendo went on to win the thing KOing Billy Howes in the final.
In the independents Wall had nothing like the variety of opponents to face that he had on Joint but one bout I do recall working particularly well was a clash between Wall and Bill Clarke at the Corn Exchange in Melton Mowbray.
Wall switched week by week at Belle Vue between being blue eye and villain depending upon his opponent. I recall him being booed there in bouts against the likes of Tony St.Clair, Peter Stewart and Mike Marino whilst, more often, he received the encouragement of the punters against the likes of Gwynn Davies (a bout I saw there many times), Don Vines, Mal Kirk and Shirley Crabtree.
I would have loved to approach Wall to wrestle for me but my timing was off. I started my eleven year stint in January 1976 and I think that he decided to retire just a month or two earlier.
Nice one Adrian! - I don't know how you keep finding these old posters!
Rocky Wall v Kendo with the great Adrian Street and Bobby Barnes also on the bill and all for 40p (or 25p if you were skint) thems were the days lad. Rocco and Kendo on the same bill was always a treat too.
Shame there not much footage of wrestlers like these around, it would be great to watch Kendo and Rocky slug it out, what a contrast to the Big D pantomime!
Rocky Wall was always seen as a legitimate and real fighter but unfortunately was part of a 1972 "News of the World" expose when wrestlers were recorded discussing fight outcomes.As has been said already on this forum at least Professional Wrestling was taken seriously enough in 1972 for this to be front page news but did mark the beginning of the end of the "Golden Era"
bjh99 - Apologies Mate, I missed that post you put up for me. Nice one, and thanks so much for taking the time to do so. There are some lovely people on here.
Great post!. Thanks for the info Graham.
When both Albert Wall and Kendo Nagasaki crossed over from Joint to the independents in the early seventies I saw them quite a lot on Brian Dixon shows where I served as either second or timekeeper. They always produced a good bout although Dixon did rather tend to overuse the ending whereby Wall mounts the corner to launch into his flying headbutt only for Kendo at the last moment to pick up the referee and use him as a protective shield with general mayhem then ensuing. Poor John Aldron was often the butt of this particular ending.
I have written here before about a superb eight man K.O. tournament which Dixon promoted in his own backyard at The Sports Centre in Birkenhead where, surprisingly, Wall and Nagasaki did not clash. Wall went out in the very first round being disqualified against "Jumping" Jim Moser whilst Kendo went on to win the thing KOing Billy Howes in the final.
In the independents Wall had nothing like the variety of opponents to face that he had on Joint but one bout I do recall working particularly well was a clash between Wall and Bill Clarke at the Corn Exchange in Melton Mowbray.
Wall switched week by week at Belle Vue between being blue eye and villain depending upon his opponent. I recall him being booed there in bouts against the likes of Tony St.Clair, Peter Stewart and Mike Marino whilst, more often, he received the encouragement of the punters against the likes of Gwynn Davies (a bout I saw there many times), Don Vines, Mal Kirk and Shirley Crabtree.
I would have loved to approach Wall to wrestle for me but my timing was off. I started my eleven year stint in January 1976 and I think that he decided to retire just a month or two earlier.
Hi Leonard, I never saw Rocky Wall.
Came across this article which might interest you and some others.
Nice one Adrian! - I don't know how you keep finding these old posters!
Rocky Wall v Kendo with the great Adrian Street and Bobby Barnes also on the bill and all for 40p (or 25p if you were skint) thems were the days lad. Rocco and Kendo on the same bill was always a treat too.
Shame there not much footage of wrestlers like these around, it would be great to watch Kendo and Rocky slug it out, what a contrast to the Big D pantomime!
Oh and P.S I think we've got our Arsenal back!
I love that 19th March poster, thank you.
It clearly shows the publicity was made even before the Nagasaki unmasking of Bartrelli a couple of weeks beforehand.
ALBERT 'ROCKY' WALL was one of the very Best Heavyweights of the 1960's and early 1970's!
A very worthy HEAVYWEIGHT Champion-His 'Signature Move' was his 'FLYING HEAD BUTT!
I saw him Wrestle a lot-and I only saw him seem 'Uncomfortable' against KENDO NAGASAKI!
Hold the Phone FRANK!-I'll put up some Posters for you!
MAIN MASK