Very few Wrestlers fought into their 4th Decade-the first one that springs to mind
is COUNT BARTELLI making it to 5 Decades before finally Retiring!!
Another All-Time Great that achieved 4 Decades was the tough as teak DAVE ARMSTRONG!-What a Career he had!!-From the early 1930's to the early 1960's
DAVE met and fought all the very Top Matmen in the Sport including Awesome Career
MASKED Heavyweights like BARTELLI and BLUE MASK!-in THEIR Prime!!
Winning many a Victory with his feared CRUCIFIX Submission Hold!!
Who can YOU Nominate as a Wrestler who fought on for 4 or more Decades???
MAIN MASK
I believe Tony Mancelli from Blackfriars is worthy of inclusion. Often billed as the Southern Area Heavyweight champion, he started his career in the 1930's and was still wrestling in the mid 1960's prior to becoming a referee.
Didn't Jim Hussey start before the war and carry on till the 1970s?
When did Brian Maxine start wrestling, I think he would be close.
Joe Reid. Peerless Champion. 1920s-30s-40s-50s.
Klondyke Kate debuted as a teenager in 1977 and had her last match in 2010. She mentioned how odd it sounded that she'd wrestled in five different decades before she turned 50.
I believe George Kidd wrestled from the late 1940’s until the early 1970’s
Jack Pye. 1930s - 1960s mainstream and even a few in the 1970s.
Black Butcher Johnson 30s through to the 60s
Johnny Saint made his debut in 1958 at Tynemouth I would say he definitely qualified
Mal Sanders, Johnny Kidd, Cyanide Sid Cooper, Blondie Barrett and Kendo all spring to mind. Sapper James.
I'm sure Joe Reid and his Brother in Law Jim Bevan would cover 4 decades: 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's. I know Joe turned professional in 1935 and I saw him wrestle in the sixties.
Cheers
Shirley Crabtree was still the figurehead of the family business in the 90s, wasn't he? That would presumably qualify him for inclusion. What about Dave Finlay?
Adrian Street....50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 2000's
Most of the top 1970s Dale Martin men such as McManus, Marino, Kellett, Logan had started well before 1950 --- and wrestled into the (their?) eighties.