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?
Christmas Update 2024
1927 Fred Bentley
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
Fred must surely be the last of the 1940s wrestlers?
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.
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.
Horst Hoffman was a Wikipedia entry and is still alive
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
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.
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.
precious.
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.
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
I believe that the current Father of Wrestling is the lightweight 'Smiler' Fred Bentley who celebrated his 95th birthday last year.
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.
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