The Saga of Eric Turner - A Conclusion?

Eric Turner.

I'm sure the title of this thread will have given Anglo Italian a smile. Maybe SaxonWolf and John Shelvey too. They may remember our discussion of years ago. Well, admittedly it was a one sided discussion.

It must be nearly fifteen years since I raised the name of Eric Turner. Eric Turner? Do you mean Eric Taylor they asked. No, of course I don't mean Eric Taylor. If I had meant Eric Taylor I would have said Eric Taylor.

I bring him to our attention once again because there is so much weird stuff up in Main Mask's attic that finding the illusive Eric could be his greatest challenge yet.

Get up that ladder Main Mask. Turner is the name. Eric Turner.

The story. Eric Turner was a wrestler from Leyland, Lancashire. My home town. In 1965 when the MC announced that Eric would be on the next bill I was so exccited. Well, I was 11 years old. Excitement was an understatement. Leyland wasn't known for famous people. Bill Tunney and Dave Finch were on the same bill. But that was Preston, five miles away. Not Leyland. We were a bit parochial.

One month later Eric was up there in the ring. He was up against Stoker Brooks. Stoker was a good wrestler. Eric was.. let's just say he was a bit of a disappointment. On the other hand he was from Leyland. I saw him again a month or two later, at Chorley, against Casey Pye. He got a fall against Crafty Casey. It was a memorable fall. Memorable because someone in the crowd shouted "I could get a Leyland bus under those shoulders."

Further investigations revealed that Eric was a milkman at one time, his mum lived on the Broadfield estate, a neighbour said she thought he had gone to America and Heritage member Wryton discovered he had a couple of matches for Joint Promotions under the name Eric Leyland. One was against Jack Dempsey. I trust Eric's mum said her prayers that night.

So, Main Mask the challenge is on for you to find Eric Turner up in your attic. We've looked everywhere else.

For everyone else to report any sightings or knowledge.

For Eric to contact us if he's still with us.

And for Ruslan to know that if he finds a photo of Eric wearing a belt it will be a fake.