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The Father of Professional Wrestling

We have several related threads on the go at the present time, but one of the key aims is to establish who is the oldest living professional wrestler from our beloved Heritage years.

We are dealing with nonogenarians and, irritatingly, with very elusive characters.

We have seen the title pass from Joe D'Orazio, and on though our uncrowned king, Spencer Churchill, who has sadly passed away today, before his coronation. Let's hope the latest King Charles III fares better.

So what may seem like ancient history to many is in fact a game of chess on ice on wheels, on a turntable, just trying to keep up.

And therefore at the time of writing - but nothing remains stable - we appear to have as contenders for the title of Father of Professional Wrestling:

GORI ED MANGOTICH

BOBO MATU

SYED SAIF SHAH

Hack has mentioned a visitor, Mohammed Yakub. But in the absence of any strong support movement for him, such a fleeting visitor cannot be considered for such a prestigious crown. He's no Bonnie Prince Charlie, after all....another claimant to the title of King Charles III.

Can anyone out there let us know about the well-being of Gori Ed and Bobo, before bKendo chimes in with another RIP?

23 comments

23 Comments

Hack

Aug 17

Fred must surely be the last of the 1940s wrestlers?

Hack

Aug 15

We have a Father of Wrestling. Fred Bentleys name has been mentioned previously but there was a lack of credentials due to little evidence.

Fred was at the Wrestlers Lunch on Sunday and the centre of attention. Fred was born in December, 1927, 96 years old. I made enquiries and Karl Heinz, Tiny Tom Thumb and Johnny Kidd all confirmed Fred wrestled around mostly Southern England from his debut in 1948, with his last match in his sixties. Furthermore, Fred had a collection of handbills displaying his name as Smiler Fred Bentley, and you can still see why he got the nickname.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Aug 15

Replying to

Talk about Nooks and Crannies

Edited

Hack

Aug 15

Replying to

Great work Ron, confirming once again Fred's place.

Hack

Jun 14

The newspaper report of the inquest into the death of Jack Beaumont gave Spike Robson's birth as 1933, which would make him our Father of Wrestling. His name is Lionel Robson, associated with Salford, but I can't find any evidence of his birth year. If correct this would make him our Father of Wrestling.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jun 15

Replying to

There is a Lionel Robson born in 1st quarter 1933 in Morpeth , but his brother and sister 1928 and 1929 were born in Salford , hence giving a connection with Salford.

Peter

Jun 04

Horst Hoffman was a Wikipedia entry and is still alive

Anglo Italian

May 30

This list needs updating, and I need your help to ensure today's update, here, is at all accurate.

Sadly the initial three have dropped off the list.

Looks like Lorant Baranyi has gone from Zero to Hero this month of May.

Spike Robson ... needs confirmation.

(1933 Dave Cameron - a visitor)

7.7.1934 Lorant Baranyi

1934 Lee Scott

1934 Don Robinson

1934 Bob Sweeney

29.9.1935 Horst Hoffman - a visitor

1935 Blackburn Roberts

1936 Linde Caulder

1936 Bob Kirkwood

1936 Sean Regan

6.4.36 Dave Finlay Senior

1937 Bob Anthony

Edited

Hack

Jun 01

Replying to

The problem is that as people die our contact with the living diminishes.

Spike Robson we had fairly recent confirmation.

Dave Cameron we would definitely hear of via The Ost.

Lee Scott, attempted contact a few weeks back via his son with no reply.

Don Robinson certainly still with us.

Bob Sweeney we have no contact and no indirect contact.

Horst Hoffman, no idea.

Blackburn Roberts - Sam Betts was our contact upto a few weeks ago.

Linde Caulder - no contact.

Bob Kirkwood. No reply to emails, but many older people stop using email.

Sean Regan. No contact

Dave Findlay Sr - No contact

Bob Anthony - Still contact and alive

The Ost

Jun 02

Replying to

@Hack I visited Dave Cameron on Friday.

Mad Mac

Jun 02

Replying to

Fit is on the Twitters (or whatever it’s called this week) @RingFox1 and has recently welcomed a grandson to the world! No word of Senior formally receiving his MBE yet.

Anglo Italian

May 24

This ranking is plagued by a lack of information. At least we can this week be sure that Lorant Baranyi will be turning 90 on 7th July 2024.

Hack

Mar 10

I just came across a photo of Spike Robson, who I watched in Preston in the mid sixties; he was tag partnering Dave Larsen in my first live show. The photo was taken last October and said he was 91. John Shelvey, Ed Lock or Graeme Cameron might be able to confirm he is still with us.

Edited

j_shelvey

Mar 11

Replying to

I had a good chat with Spike at Libnan Ayoub’s dvd launch, a few years ago and suggested we had a coffee or beer sometime and he seemed agreeable, once he had returned from a holiday in Mauritius with his wife. A month or so later, I sent him an email, but never received a reply. I also haven’t heard from Ed for quite a while, so I’m not sure he wants to be contacted. I’ll ask Libnan if he is keeping in touch with Spike.

ruslan-pashayev

Mar 10

precious.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Mar 06

Just wondering if this thread should be pinned with oldest 50's and 60's at the top of the forum.

And also updated and I remind you of Dave Finlay senior who did not wrestle pro until the 60's , but is one of the oldest left.

Hack

Jan 03, 2023

Thanks Ken. I thought it feasible someone would come out of the blue like this. Am I right in thinking he was at the Reunion only a few years ago? I hadn't thought of him being that age.

I know nothing about him and he's not in the A-Z. Quite a few years ago I was talking to Bob Anthony and he spoke of Fred and said that he had taught him to wrestle at a time his dad disapproved. I've got a feeling there's also a Neil Evans connection, which would both suggest he was from Essex. Can you get any more information for us?

Here he is in 1974, in his mid forties

Ken Sowden

Jan 03, 2023

Replying to

Here is a photo of Fred just before Xmas 22 when he was made Lifetime President of the Essex Wrestlers Reunion which is run by Neil Evans so you are correct there is a connection there. Fred did attend The Bridges Reunion on a number of occasions with Neil, I believe the last time was 2019.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jan 04, 2023

Replying to

Wonder what his career longevity actually was. The Boston bill is the only time I can find him and I have 30,000 bills. Criteria is critical here. I mean for example if we said "Must have worked for Joint" it would let out Sam Betts (I think) , but Dwight J was a massive character not just for the opposition but on tour as well. So how do we do this.

Same applies to "What is a Visitor"

Hack

Jan 04, 2023

Replying to

In a reply to Anglo Italian the other day I said that I thought if someone had wrestled, British (or long term domiciled) and was the oldest alive then that was enough. Remember, none of us had heard of Gerry Hoggarth until WilliamR came along and introduced us.

But I have to admit this one has me scratching my head. This is the only match I can find too. We might be doing him an injustice. Bob Anthony spoke highly of him as a trainer and the Essex Reunion have him as their Lifetime President. But I think we would need more information to justify any decision. I have contacted Neil Evans, no reply yet, maybe Ken can help, or anyone else who has evidence of Fred wrestling.

As for general criteria I would not rule out any British, or British based wrestler. Remember Gerry and don't let our own ignorance get in the way.

Ken Sowden

Jan 03, 2023

I believe that the current Father of Wrestling is the lightweight 'Smiler' Fred Bentley who celebrated his 95th birthday last year.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jan 03, 2023

As per other thread I believe Sam Betts is week older than Max Crabtree.

No ideas on Mangotich Born Edwin David Reid except that seems to have been still alive at end 2021 if in Britain.

Hack

Jan 03, 2023

I agree with you about Mohammed Yakub Anglo Italian. Not for the reasons you give, He was a wrestler, he is the oldest, but he can't qualify because he was a visitor and never based here. In this respect two of your three do qualify. Not Bobo Matu because Ron has told us he died in 2020.

I think Syed Saif Shah should be ruled out because of lack of information, the probability he has died and that he hasn't lived in Britain for years.

Gori Ed Mangotich I'm hoping we will get more information soon as the contact with him may well have been hampered with services closed for the holiday.

Ruling out Dave Cameron (1933) as a short term visitor front runners at the moment are:

1932 Gori Ed Mangotich

1933 Dwight J Ingleburgh (a few moths before)

1933 Max Crabtree

1934 Don Robinson 1934 Bob Sweeney

1934 Lee Scott

1934 Seamus Dunleavy