Anglo Italian
Have we had a topic dedicated to the Iron Man before? I don't think so.
Steve Logan seems to be one of those villains that we truly loved for his work, unlike McManus who we mostly respected.
On a related topic, it was just mentioned that Steve Logan started wrestling after Johnny Ceslaw, so post-1957. That surprised me.
What do we really know about him?
The general knowledge seems to be that he was a close friend of Joe D'Orazio, smoked like a chimney, liked practical jokes, was loved by all, and played a pivotal role in setting Judo Al Marquette on his way.
But on the downside, we recall his lethargic seventies perfomances. And we know he died a very sad death, which I am sure we don't want to churn up again here.
Miraculously he became British Light-Heavyweight champion in 1975 for the summer. Steve Logan was a bill-topper in his own right, had a nice line in evil looks and brylcreamed hair, but it is hard to find any recollection of him ever being a truly skilful or offensive wrestler. Never ever mentioned in terms of being a shooter.
So just who was he? How did he become a DM stalwart? I have heard varying stories as to what his real name was ... but who on earth knows? Was he ever a skilful wrestler?
Any thoughts?
SaxonWolf
"....On a related topic, it was just mentioned that Steve Logan started wrestling after Johnny Ceslaw, so post-1957. That surprised me....."
I have found mention of him wrestling in 1952, if that helps?
mark
A real tough guy. I always liked to see his name on the bill and another that i sadly never got his Autograph, as a young lad i was always too petrified to ask him.
frank thomas
Remember seeing Steve defeat bert royal for the British title. Was it heavy/middle or light heavy? At the old Liverpool stadium, no skulduggery just a hard hitting performance acknowledged sportingly by bert at the end of the contest. Bert won it back a few months later at belle vue.. Steve was, I felt, always in the shadow of his more illustrious tag partner, but was a good value worker in his own right, who for such a big name, took his share of defeats too.. Unlike mcmanus,..
matey dave
would not be surprised if had italian blood in him. spoke to him once at wembley town hall in early 60's . he was drinking tea with wife and mcmanus and his wife. very well spoke not loke his image. remember somebody posting that he was seen in dale martin's gymn proper moves and was very good. was asked why he did not wrestle like this in the ring and replied, "public would not pay to see him fight clean"
TOP MAN
Ron Historyo
In 1950 March , I have a report of him fighting at Chelmsford and billed from Blackfriars.
John
I read somewhere that Steve Logan was born in 1923 and had fought in the Second World War with the Eighth Army in Sicily and Italy. I have also read that after leaving the army he tried boxing and then judo before turning to wrestling and debuting in January 1950 against Eddie Capelli. He lost in a bout for the vacant British Light Heavyweight title against Ernie Riley in 1952.
I would guess that he was allowed his brief spell as British Heavy Middleweight champion in 1975 as a reward for his years of loyal service by the promoters.
The Riot Squad
Your wish is our command, Bernard: the A-Z entry for Steve Logan has been updated.
Probably the whole entry can be bolstered: let's see how this thread progresses.
Frank is quite right about it being the Heavy-Middleweight title that Steve Logan won.
powerlock
Steve Logan always had that look all the time I can remember him wrestling but he never came across as a real despicable heel, almost a reluctant heel because his look meant he would never be the clean cut rule abiding good looking hero
September 16, 2016 at 11:20 PM Edit Delete Flag Quote & Reply
frank thomas
Think the name "iron man" summed up Steve to a tee!. Firm but essentially fair...
Sapper James
Our friend Johnny Kincaid asked Steve why he didn't utilise his skills more, i.e. wrestle as a blue eye and Steve said he was too ugly!
powerlock
Exactly!
Graham Bawden
Kent Walton would always comment on Logan`s hair. Which was used as a gimmick in bouts to cover up all sorts of blind side of the ref tactics. An old trick that worked well for Steve Logan. He certainly could wrestle well when the occasion demanded.
Anglo Italian
Thanks for the replies, gents, but even though we have had some great discovery threads on here over the years, this clearly isn't one of them. So far.
We have Johnny Kincaid and Kent Walton assuring us that Logan was a great technical wrestler. Precisely because I never saw any inkling of that and could not even imagine it, I started this topic.
We all know the Walton approach to describing aged wrestlers as great technicians in reality: that was pretence.
So Steve Logan just goes on intriguing me even more ....
ballymoss
Steve Logan, if the occasion called, could certainly be a technical wrestler. I can recall him giving a lesson in wrestling skills to the flamboyant Canadian Lee "Flash" Edwards, with the crowd firmly behind him, at the wonderful Shoreditch Town Hall. He gave a similar lesson to the Mexican "thunderbolt" Pancho Zapatta ,but sadly he was too often overlooked in favour of his tag partner Mick McManus. As has been stated his looks destined him to be a heel.
Apparently he was a really nice guy outside the ring and one of his firends was the very underated Pasquale Salvo. Steve Logan brings back very happy memories.
Ron Historyo
Loagan started out as a welter weight.
Woodlow
I remember my father and I bumped into Steve Logan outside the Albert Hall. My father was very impressed as Steve took the time to stand and chat with us. A personable guy, and good value in the ring. His forearm smash was his best move of course, and Cesaro must have watched some old tapes!!!!
Hack
Definitely one of the shining lights of the Heritage Years and often overlooked. A great villain in singles and tag matches though few have witnessed the technical elements. Yes he was overshadowed by Mick but that did help to build his profile and maintained the pay days, which it was all about. A friend of Joe D'Orazio, Mike Marino and the Scarlo's. That bit of South london must have been quite a place. Steve was certainly wrestling professionally by March 1950, so the January 1950 suggestion might well be right.
I wonder if Steve wrestled Mick in the 1950s?
Ron Historyo
Logan fought Eddie Capelli at Ramsgate on January 6th 1950
Capelli had beaten McManus at Bedford on the 2nd
Capelli was busy that week fighting Knowles Peters and Tommy Mann inbetween.
Bernard Hughes
Eddie Capelli was one of the best technical wrestlers that I saw.
Not quite as good as George Kidd or Johnny Stead, but well equipped to hold his own with most at his weght.
Unfortunately he didn't seem to come all the way up to Newcastle too often.
Bucktaylor64
Logan was a natural heel! He looked like a gorilla! Always reminded me of a 70's heavy! Sadly never got anywhere near to meeting him.
matey dave
hate to say but he does look like a gorilla... handsome in an italian farmer sort of way.
ballymoss
Steve Logan was a great friend of Pasquale Salvo , so it is possible he could be of Italian heritage. However, to counteract this theory, Steve did serve in the British Army during World War Two. If he was of Italian ancestry, he would probably not have been allowed to serve in the British Army.
powerlock
He could well have served, an Italian ice cream making family where I lived had 3 sons called up in WW2
Anglo Italian
Incredible that we know so little about Steve Logan.
matey dave
allow me to smug but i remembered the obituary writen by his best friend and there are other articles by his mate about him by joe
http://www.britishwrestlersreunion.com/WEBPROTECT-stevelogan.htm
Hack
Well it wasn't exactly hidden but thanks for this hidden gem Matey Dave.
Well, here's a thing.
Joe D'Orazio says Steve was in the same year as he was at school. That would make him born 1922 or 1923.
Steve died in 2003.
Looking through the death records I could find one Steve (not Stephen) Logan death registered in Lancaster in 2003.
That's Lancaster near Morecambe.
This Steve was born on 13th May, 1922.
Same year as the Iron Man.
In Joe D'Orazio's book "The Who's Who of Wrestling" Steve's birth day is 13th May
Sounds like Steve Logan was the real name.
Anglo Italian
Hack, you excel yourself, we shall have to call you Hack Historyo.
Whilst it is possible that he was born Steve Logan, realistically this has to be very unlikely. I would imagine that he did just like Mick McManus and, after 16 years wrestling as Steve Logan, changed his name officially to Steve Logan.
Didn't McManus's name change appear in The Gazette? Logan's would be there too - I'd guess on the same day!
D'Orazio had assumed a ring name and surely Logan would have followed suit.
Think on: Logan was the new boy at school in 1931. The school is an RC school - so why was he switching schools aged 9? The most likely reason would be that he'd been expelled for bending the rules, but Joe would surely have mentioned that.
Come on, in 1922, how many babies would have been christened "Steve"?
As for Dave's gem, thanks. If D'Orazio was of Italian extraction and probably RC, surely Logan therefore was too. We are undoubtedly looking for an Italian birth name on 13th May 1922.
Nor can I find a Steve Logan marrying a Hazel.
Back to basics Stephen's born in Bermondsey in 1922 quarter two.
HUNT.....BOSHER.....REYNOLDS
Hack
Well Bosherston gets my vote. But then why change it?
matey dave
ask joe's family, better the speculating
powerlock
It might have been suggested to him to change his name, look better on posters etc. wouldn't be the first
David Mantell
Stephen/Steven has always been a popular name. It wouldn't have been shortened to Steve on a birth certificate.
matey dave
got the idea of logan being an italian name wrong
Logan Name Meaning Scottish and northern Irish: habitational name from any of the places in Scotland so called, principally that near Auchinleck. They all get their names from Gaelic lagan, a diminutive of lag ‘hollow’. Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Leocháin ‘descendant of Leochán’ (earlier spelled Lothchán), a personal name of unexplained origin.
Anglo Italian
Don't forget my much earlier point that I had been told his name was John. If he followed the McManus and D'Orazio models of changing name, he changed completely. And took a cowboy name. I don't think we are looking for a Stephen. Quite possibly we are looking for an Italian name. No sign of Stephen marrying a Hazel could be a godsend. Looks like we need Hazel's surnames: maiden and married, because she may never have been a Logan.
The Riot Squad
Okay. We have the answers. A snippet of information passed Ron Historyo's way. Result.
Next weekend all will be revealed in On The Trail of Steve Logan
David Mantell
I was very close to being right - I said Logan was Irish like Hogan
(tfor those who don't know, he "Hogan" part of Hulk Hogan's name was all that survived of an idea by Vince McMahon Snr in 1979 for Terry Bollea to do an Irish gimmick. this was also to have involved red hair dye, which the young Hulkster dumped down the bathroom sink of his hotel room within an hour of being handed it by VJM.)
Ron Historyo
Any bets on Logans Heritage.
Was he from Italian Stock , Irish Stock , Scottish Stock , Some other , or pure English.
Was his name Logan......Whats the odds.
Anglo Italian
13/8 an Italian name
11/4 English or Welsh
7/2 Scots or Irish
4/1 other
8/1 real name Steve Logan
33/1 Matthews or Scala
Tom
The death certificate should give the date and place of death and maybe the date of birth and maybe the place too. It is unlikely to give any name change. It might also give his last known occupation.
SaxonWolf
Can someone let me know what Ron Historyo has uncovered. I have been overseas working and not had the chance to log in. Can't find the article either!
Hack
You won't SaxonWolf. It's only launching tomorrow.
SaxonWolf
I will blame the jet lag..............................................................................
The Riot Squad
Okay you can wake up now SaxonWolf.
On The Trail of Steve Logan is now available in the On The Trail series in the Wrestlers section of www.wrestlingheritage.com
matey dave
what can i say, having read steve logan on the trail... it made feel angry and sad how he ended. it was good to know his adopted daugter said he was a good dat a few years ago
Anglo Italian
That's brilliant, Ron. Glad to see we were not so very far out. The nationality comes as a huge surprise, though.
I should just add that about ten years ago someone mentioned that they assumed Logan was called The Iron Man because he was a scrap merchant. I think he was shot down for his theory. That Member should step forward now and claim at least half a coconut.
Hack
Superb Ron. All your research is first class yet it's particularly pleasing when it is applied to those wrestlers who we can mostly associate with. The On the Trail series now includes McManus, Logan and Pallo. Is there any mileage in the Kellett or the Pyes? I remember that members of the Pye family were interested in genealogy so they may have left a trail.A very elderly member of the family was in touch about ten years ago.
Ed Lock
G'day Ron
Terrific work my friend.
Your research is amazing.
Thank you for solving the mystery of Steve Logan.
Cheers mate!
Ron Historyo
Always looking , there are mysteries within the Gutteridge family although I have not tried to sort it out. It was Bert Royal , the other one who I had a detailed look at and as you say , probably more interest in the great TV wrestlers that so many remember.
Something about wrestling makes me look very deep into the Genes of these wrestlers. Some were totally fake nationality such as Vic Hesselle from Austria etc and yet others reveal some strange mixtures of race like Reginski did.
I will always regret not talking to Logan even if he had of just grunted , I would not have minded. And I would still have told him how great it was to watch him.
Bernard Hughes
Brilliant research, Ron. I enjoyed reading that.
So much for the smokescreens of leads to Italian and Irish heritage.
This forum and the various opinions is like wrestling itself.
Often all smoke and mirrors.
Well done once again.
Anglo Italian
I would like to reaffirm the strength of this specific thread and, more generally, the power of our discussion method.
First and foremost the persistence that drove us to decide Steve Logan wasn't his real name, even though many were sure it was.
We got his first name. We suspected a foreign connection, Italian seemed most likely but none of us were dogmatic because we just didn't know, hence the nice surprise from Ron. Someone had even aired the scrap merchant part.
For me, all this is a validation of not being complacent and keeping on scratching around. Never believe what the promoters told us. We probably still believe some whoppers of their lies. ("Ian Campbell was a vet", "Julien Morice owned hotels.")
The fact Ron could add such poignancy just rounds this particular search off to a tee.
powerlock
A brilliant piece of work Ron, or maybe we should call you Sherlock. I certainly didn't expect this result of Steve's origins , well done.
Bill Smith
Thanks Ron.Your powers of investigaton are unreal.Well done.
Ron Historyo
But most of all it shows that by putting some of our greatest "Wish List" mysteries on a thread , we can have a good debate.
The genealogy in this case with a rare surname was really easy , but without an insider like Joe D'Orazio we could never have solved it.
Great threads with 50 posts are few and far between. Logan was very worthy. My own personal thanks though to my Forum mates because their appreciation is everything. Time well spent.
SaxonWolf
A great piece of sleuthing Ron!, really enjoyed that. I guess we don't know why he was such a stalwart of Dale Martin, why him and McManus ended up as a team, or how this London lad met and married a lady in the North West, he obviously had a connection with the place, ending up in Morcambe.
I am sure that Steve Fury bought a whole ton of memorabilia from the Dale Martins office when it closed down. He probably has a ton of information that would help us on these quests.
Then again, that might take all the fun out of it!
Ron Historyo
In the 1930's there were troubles with branding in London and , wrestling there , was in some disrepute. One of the few people who had a license to promote was Joe Sheppard (Johanfesson) His son Jack Quesick seems to be one of the old stagers training these younger guys like McManus and Logan. Add D'Orazio , Marino and a few others and you have a clique. Dale Martins , it seems to me was born out of this London scene. Wrestling is a bit of an illusion , maybe the roster of wrestlers at any one time was not that big. Certainly proved to be the case when I looked at Stampede Wrestling operating with less than 20 people at any one time.
paul mitchell
Not sure how relevant but been on my mind reading earlier queriesOn bill at digbeth I think Steve was chatting to guy after match and I think his name was Dirk well the old guy was chatting loudly in what I thought at time was German and Steve obviously understood him.At the time I didn't ask ,wish I had now because I was puzzled and Steve seemed so happy talking to this guy. I would have mentioned earlier but didn't want to muddy the waters.well done again Ron
Hack
I've now been told by someone that about 25 years ago a friend told him Steve was joint owner of a department store or outfitters in Morecambe and served in the shop. The idea was dismissed all those years ago. It's a possibility. Does anyone know the name of any stores or outfitters in Morecambe around 1990?
powerlock
why would he have been working security jobs if he was the part owner of a department store
Anglo Italian
In response to Paul's post, Dirk is certainly a Dutch name so that fits together too.
james morton
I had heard somewhere he worked with Jim Hussey on a fairground stall at the Winter Gardens. It only shows how these rumours circulate.
SaxonWolf
I always want to believe that the old school stalwarts did ok out of wrestling and retired into a comfortable life. But if poor old Steve was collecting money on fairground rides in his late 60's, then perhaps not. He could have been doing this by choice, of course, and not out of need.
A bit like pop stars and actors, I don't like reading the stories of them stacking shelves in a supermarket to make ends meet.
Mad Mac
I thought there was some mention of him owning a boarding house or hotel in Morecambe at one point?
Anglo Italian
Even Blondie (pop group) lost all their money.
SaxonWolf
True, but they are still recording and touring now, so at least can make some money back.
dunc
Yes, I loved Logan - he was always my favourite wrestler with Gordon Nelson/outlaw second . I was also too embarassed to ask for his autograph when he walked past me at the Jephson Gardens in Leamington after defeating Eric Liedermann with him topping the bill oveer Jackie Pallo. I've always regretted it but i'm not really an autograph hunter.
CvZ
I have absolutely no insight into the Iron Man's personal circumstances in later life. However, he was a regular attender at Max Crabtree's shows at the dome place (I forget its name - adjacent to the Midland Hotel on the seafront) in Morecambe in the 90s. I always made a point of buying him a drink (rum and blackcurrant was his tipple), and listening to his wisdom.
Anglo Italian
What we are missing is something fundamental: a memory of Steve Logan's true wrestling ability.
Unquestionably he had a great sneering and menacing presence.
But we are left with seventies footage of a lethargic overweight man in late middle-age who struggled to go with a throw and had the most limited of moves.For example against Caswell Martin.
Was he ever better, faster, more creative?
Hack
Duncan, thanks for taking the plunge and making your first post. Sounds like you saw Logan at his peak. You must have some great memories of your time at the wrestling. Do share them with us. You'd be surprised that even the smallest, distant memory can get the talk flowing.
beancounter
Steve Logan was a popular figure when he moved to Morecambe in the early 1970's and was always hailed a hero when appearing at The Winter Gardens.
He certainly could wrestle and I recall a 1963 Wednesday night televised six round skilful draw with Bob Sweeney. (On the same bill Dazzler Joe Cornelius defeated Ian Campbell by 2 falls to 1).
Anglo Italian
I think, Beancounter, that yours is the first ever comment suggesting that Steve Logan was a skilful wrestler.
I can believe it but none other of us can remember it.
Do describe.
David Mantell
Johnny Kincaid remembers seeing Logan come up with all sorts of beautiful skillful moves during a gym shoot. When Kincaid asked him why he didn't do them in the ring, Logan replied that no one would cheer for someone with a face like his. Which is actually an entirely irrelevant point - there were plenty of villains who were skilled technicians, indeed Jim Breaks and Adrian Street famously had a fantastic technical 1-1 draw together on TV in 1972 (viewable on Youtube) despite it being heel versus heel.
Bill Smith
Jim Breaks was a very very good wrestler,and a tremendous worker who could have beaten most chaps he was in with.Mr Street was far better than
most of the people watching realised.They were top class,Steve Logan was a Top Villain who put a lot of fan faves over in a credible way.
I always wanted Steve to win,even when he tagged with McManus!
Anglo Italian
Johnny Kincaid is a gentleman and the nicest thing any wrestler can do for a deceased colleague is to talk them up.
I think all the wrestlers loved Steve Logan.
Al Marquette kept up the pretence of how fearsome Logan had been before and during their famous Albert Hall bout.
By comparison, you don't hear many wrestlers talking McManus up in the same way.
beancounter
All I can say is on that night Logan matched that superb wrestler and physical culturalist Bob Sweeney round for round and he certainly couldn't have done that without possessing a suitable element of skill.
Regarding his stay in Morecambe, I heard at the time he was managing the Battery Hotel, in the town; but speaking recently to a local about Steve, I was told it was another venue, which I cannot now bring to mind. My brother is sure Steve's son attended Our Lady's High School in Lancaster while he was there. A lady in Morecambe once told me that during a spell in hospital, she awoke to find Steve grimacing at her from across the room. She was a wrestling fan and said Steve's visit that day was the best of tonics!
SaxonWolf
A lovely story Beancounter, and one that shows that back in the old days, these boys were household names (or at least a lot were).
Ron Historyo
ballymoss
Member
Posts: 153
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Steve Logan could certianly wrestle without using "strong arm" tactics. A win over Lee "Flash" Edwards is particularly memorable. It was his appearance that saw him destined to become a "heel", but before teaming up with Mick McManus, he was a tough customer, but certainly on the occasions I saw him, just about stuck to the "rules".
Melvin M Melvin
Forgive me if either of these have already been covered, but were Chris Purvey and Chic Purvey one and the same?
Also, there was another Steve Logan wrestling in the 70s/80s, wasn't there? He looked a lot lighter than the genuine article, and once lost on TV to Fit Finlay by two straight falls; but what tickled me was that nobody on TV, including Kent, seemed to mention the name clash. It was as though Logan senior had been airbrushed out of TV wrestling history :D - thanks Dave
Mad Mac
Assuming we're talking about the Birmingham-based Steve Logan (who, I believe, went on to be involved in promoting MMA-type events), I certainly recall Kent making the distinction and pointing out that there was no connection.
David Mantell
TVTimes also published an article "The Name's The Same" about the new Steve Logan.
He was and probably still is a very talented bloke and I do think it's unfair that some older fans slag him off as supposedly an evil ripoff of the original Steve.
Anglo Italian
"evil ripoff of the original Steve."
or
ripoff of the original evil Steve.
David Mantell
Neither.
Melvin M Melvin
OK, Mac, thanks :) - Dave
matey dave
"evil ripoff of the original Steve."
or
ripoff of the original evil Steve.
spot on young chap. many wrestler never used their real name. this young whipper snapper was hopping probable punters would be he was related. there was only one steve logan, we only needed on steve logan
Anglo Italian
If the youngster's real name was Steve Logan, as we are asked to believe, well, that was reason enough to change it for the wrestling ring. Regardless of the truth, it appeared as an attempt to hoodwink fans.Not good for business.
David Mantell
Pretty much from day one, it was made clear that he was a vastly different kettle of fish.
powerlock
It was indeed David, nonetheless the name didn't do him any favours
matey dave
the one and only steve logan had been around many years, travelled many mile, taken many bumps and injuries and had won our respect. this young upstart should have shown respect for what our steve had done and not traded on his name. also to blame were the crabtrees for allowing it as promotors
powerlock
This was the lads name but he was badly advised a change of first name would have been sufficient. He certainly didn't trade on the Iron Man's reputation, but as you say the Crabtrees weren't exactly helpful
Ron Historyo
Ironically it was the Iron man who changed his name . Remember he was Steve Logeland of Dutch descent.
Anglo Italian
John Logeland, innit?
Ron Historyo
Dohhhhhhh......Yes John R Logeland , should have checked his bio.
matey dave
there is always a smart one
david franklin
I'm pretty sure "young" Steve Logan did not work for the Crabtrees until "old" Steve had actually retired. By then he had already worked for Brian Dixon for a few years.
If there was any "calculated deceit" I would suggest it came from Mr Dixon who booked "Steve Logan" on his own shows while the TV favourite was also working around the country. The moral and gentlemanly thing to do would have been to remind young Steve that we already have a famous Steve Logan wrestling around the halls, and suggest that he should change his name.
One can only surmise why this was not done