The crowd! The only people the wrestlers really had to be careful with, although rare I do recall a few situations where wrestlers were attacked...
Max Ward being pulled from the stairs to the dressing rooms at Fairfield and landing from quite a hight on his chest, he seemed ok but could have been nasty.
Mick McManus being hit by a woman using the heel of her shoe as a weapon, Mick did manage to take it off her and quite rightly broke it in half.
Kendo being kicked up the arse on the way back from the ring, turning around quite quickly with what looked like every intention of giving his attacker a smack in the mouth, he then seemed to think better of it when he saw the man who did it must have been about 70
And the most bizarre was a quite low key bout featuring Jon Cortez when something I didn’t catch was shouted from the crowd and Jon jumped out of the ring and gave chase to someone who ran right out of the hall, Jon followed and didn’t return which was probably the most bizarre wrestling incident I’ve ever seen.
Anyone else have any tales to tell?
Right at the end where Dave Bond gets hit by a bottle and he and Johnny Kincaid set off in pursuit. Fairfield Hall, Croydon.
Lewisham Theatre Catford had a notorious bunch of crazies, many of whom would turn up to the Fairfield Hall and can be seen in action at the end of the Mick McManus World Of Wrestling video (I recognise quite a few faces after all this time! )
Superstar Mal Sanders whacking Kent Walton outside the ring, and Kent getting up and having a go at Sanders!
I remember an incident at Catford.. An old man came up to the side of the ring and hit Rollerball Rocco with a walking stick. He then tried it a second time, and Rocco got hold of the walking stick, broke it in half and gave it back to him.
I recently mentioned Abe Ginsburg v Pete Curry being on YouTube, during which Abe said to the MC something along the lines of "There's a fellow up the back fancies his chances, tell him he can come down here and have a go any time he likes". Said individual didn't take up the offer.
There was also a story about someone offering Marty Jones out during a show in, I think, Cleethorpes, where they met up on the beach at midnight with a side bet of a box of fish! Next time Marty was there, there was a box of fresh fish waiting for him!
Just a few thoughts. Kumali told me that on the boat to America he met a man who went to see him wrestle in New York . K was taking a hiding and the man got in the ring to try to help him.
On 2 March 1968 the promoter at the Community Hall was attacked by the crowd. Half the main event failed to appear. The Red Devil was said to be an imposter and in the last bout one man who had appeared earlier had to turn out again. The promoter was chased by the crowd and had to be rescued by eight policemen and a dog.
Randy Turpin was badly beaten by a crowd in Wales (so he said) No one I ever spoke to confirmed this story and it may be that the beating had come from outside interests and this was his way of explaining it away. Does anyone know any more?
Great atmospheric post, Frank.
I can only concur. The best part of Nagasaki bouts was him outside the ring, kicking chairs around. He built up to the last glimpse we would get of him and slammed the dressing room door closed behind him.
I have to confess, even though I realised the bouts were a work, I still thought the anger of this maniac was for real. Edgy times.
We always say what a great actor McManus was, but Naggers was a Method Actor. He was into it 100%. What value. Unforgettable moments. Great, great performer. Totally customer-focused. Supreme.
And nightly, no doubt!
Such a contrast after the refined disrobing from his silk gowns (skirt).
Some idiot ran to the ring and punched a wrestler who was on the floor during a tag match.Wrestler jumped out of the ring and gave him a whack,mini-riot ensued.This was at the South Shore venue in Blackpool.It was a tag match,wrestler concerned was the partner of "The Viking".Most exciting part of the bout!