Wrestling overseas today………..
Well, as many of you know, I was always fascinated by the globe trotting lifestyle of our British Wrestlers. The tournaments in Germany, the tours in Japan, a stint in Canada, various trips to South Africa, dates in France, summers in Spain, long haul trips to Australia and New Zealand, and of course, the USA.
It always sounded so exotic, to me, in the 1970’s, when we had power cuts, and three day weeks, and strikes. Most people, when I was in the Junior school, still went to the British coastal towns for their summer holidays, package holidays to Spain were still in their infancy, and yet here were a bunch of men, who I saw wrestle live, who could be jetting off to all the countries listed above, and more, almost anytime they wanted to, and if they did a good job, they were invited back. Living a jet set life that someone else paid for.
When I first started reading the “On this day” posts, on this website, I didn’t think I could add anything of interest. I didn’t own any posters, because all my wrestling memorabilia has gone, for various reasons.
Then I started thinking about the globe-trotting exploits of our lads overseas, what were they doing “on this day”, when they were not over here?, who were they wrestling against, which promoter were they working for?, did they “win” any titles? (and if any of us didn’t attend a wrestling show, “on this day”, who were we watching on TV?).
So here we are, just over 500 overseas results, so far.
I started out thinking I would post once a week, but then decided to try and add a result “on this day”, every day, for a month, then 3 months, then six months, then I decided I would try and get to 365 days (including Christmas Day and New Years Day), which I did, and then thought I would try for 500 consecutive results, which happened about 8 days ago.
I’ve loved doing it, and it has been fascinating, finding results for Bert Assirati and Chick Knight, in India, finding an advert for the “Russian Tag Team Champions”, Tibor and his brother, “Veidor” Szakacs, wrestling in France, finding an advert for the “World Tag Team Champions”, Al Hayes and Ray Hunter, in Italy.
Finding out that Chris Adams won (and lost a few months later) the WWF Light Heavyweight championship in Mexico. Finding out that Dangerous Danny Lynch wrestled as Ivan Borienkoff, in Greece (“The Russian World Champion”), finding out that 1960’s “Russian” villain, Yuri Borienko was actually Polish immigrant Jan Kadlubowski, finding footage of Steve (William) Regal wrestling against Tiger Dalibir Singh, in South Africa. Finding out that in the 1960’s, so many of our lads went for a working holiday in Spain. And much, much more.
As Covid starts to hopefully pass, I will start to commence travelling again (for work), and that means I will have less time for this, so I probably won’t be posting an overseas result every day, but will still chip in occasionally.
I hope some of you found the results interesting.
Cheers, Saxon. You've done Heritage proud! Happy travels!
Thanks SW - sorry I didn't pick up your note earlier
For most ordinary people it was well into the sixties before foreign travel became usual unless with the armed sevices.Even today the top Professional Wrestlers from the UK travelling to Japan regularly is fairly unusual
We grew up hearing how Bert was stripped of his title while on "an extended tour of the Far East", without giving any thought about what such a tour must have entailed. Certainly right into the Fifties most long distance travel was done by ship. In the past Ron has found all kinds of stuff lurking in ships passenger lists. International coms was by letter in the main and I suppose that a hand delivered letter of introduction might have been used at times. How far back does all this go? In the last decade of the 19th century and first couple of the 20th most folk would not have moved far from their place of birth but some, and this included proffesional wrestlers, set off to see the world regardles of the difficulties. In his book, "Fighting Spirit of Japan" Harrison talks about an internationaal troupe of wrestlers touring Japan in 1902.
The old time grapplers certianly were a globe trotting bunch and what is just as suprising is how quickly worked catch, free style, all-in, call it what you will, spread all over the world.
Facinating stuff and some great contributions here.
I believe that Paul Lincoln took a team to Hong Kong where the tournament was supended because of riots. Does anyone know whom he took ?
I've posted this elsewhere on the forum, today, but feel it should be here, and this is where I can add results I find, that are not "on this day".
In 1930, Cocky Chick Knight (as "Sergei Orloff") was wrestling in a tournement, in Latvia. This appears to be the earliest known sighting of him.
In 1931 he is wrestling in the USA.
In 1932, it is said that he was wrestling in Budapest.
George Clark can be found wrestling in Canada and the USA in 1936, 1937 and 1938, and in South Africa in 1939.
I agree , that's the same man.
That certainly looks like Harry.
It's good to hear you're getting back to work SaxonWolf, your Duty Free supplies must be getting low.
We know you won't forget us and look forward to your posts whenever you can.
Here's an interesting one.
We have talked recently about the Riley's Gym wrestler, Paul (Harry) Duval. As far as I (or we) know, he retired in 1973 and became a pub landlord.
I came across this (below) in some research done by wrestling historian Phil Lions, about pro-wrestling tournaments in Athens, Greece.
In 1980, a number of British wrestlers went to Athens, to wrestle, including Danny Lynch, as the Russian, "Ivan Borienkoff", Johnny Kincaid, John Kowalski, Hans Streiger and Jack Cassidy.
Also in the tournament was a wrestler, listed as "Mammouth Siki", but who, apparently, in this tournament, wrestled as "Bill Robinson"!, Mammouth (or Mammoth) Siki was usually Cesar Viltard, but here is the picture listed for Mammouth Siki/Bill Robinson
And here is our old friend, Paul/Harry Duval.
This has to be the same man, do we all agree?
Maybe the other lads who were going to Greece, asked him if he wanted to come along for the fun of it?, could be that he used the name "Bill Robinson" as an inside joke for his old Riley's Gym pal?
P.S., the biggest crowd that year, 1980, was a gate of 11,500 who came to see local lad Kostas Safakas take on Danny Lynch.
You have been a fantastic member , have never vanished and come back , always checking in on the Forum. Great reading the results and we have had some great debates with you. Well done mate.
I have greatly enjoyed your posts Saxon,and hope you continue to inform and entertain us for a lot longer,Thanks for your efforts