It's nice to have one of the greats still alive , to spill the odd bean or two.

https://heritagedocs.wixsite.com/talkwrestling/forum/memories-of-the-old-days/1957-radak/dl-7cbdc28a-e5ea-43cd-af58-b6440c06b73b?postId=64bce614fc6c5f00102fb49e&searchTerm=radakPrevious Post

Radak , of course does his wrestling in the North and Midlands.

Discussed before with spelling of Radak and 1957. Looks to have come with Rudi Schumaker. Sometimes advertised as a Hungarian Refugee. Masked. Was this not the year that Tibor started.

Here is Bert slipping back to very late in 1949 and as often in their early days , he and Billy Howes were learning the game together. Did a short story of Bert here. https://wrestlingheritage.co.uk/on-the-trail-of-bert-royal/

Like our Mick , Maxine became the man they loved to hate. I don't recall seeing him lose. Went eagerly to Belle Vue to see him and Street and they pranced about in what I thought was a very inconclusive poor match. Well debated on here , great career and sorry to see another one go. RIP Brian W'ton above is Wolverhampton , not Warrington , both in Wryton Land.

Just an addition to the article to make it more up to date. I did finally prove my suspicions that the super tall pre war Ghoul was Jack Baltus , (Carver Doone) who Ghouled on into 1939 as though nothing had happened. A Christmas special for the fans and Jack Sherry had to be the man to unmask him. In those days the news would not have traveled far. Probably without any doubt Bomber Bates was the best and most memorable version , fantastic that Bernard has been able to convey the memories , that has kept this site so rich over many years.

I lean towards his stage name being not his real name , hence very hard to trace who he actually is , and in this case , was , if he was a wrestler. There are no Van Silva's ever been born in England. The bio's say very little.

If you need the Lewes "set" drop me a line Steve and I can let you have it for the index that you look after and continue to build.

Yes Ray Luxford for sure made it with Pallo and you would expect a few of them to master the trade as Wrestling in Lewes went on for a good many years. It was either Ray or a friend on his behalf that dropped me a line a few years back wanting copies of anything I had with Ray on. If you were not an absolute top man it must be great to have bills where you are in the company of many of the best ever. I say that with the cameo of , in my opinion , anyone who wrestled was a top man for even being out there in front of an audience. What an experience it must have been.

You can almost smell it , that he must have wrestled under another name. If he was that good , he must have a career record.

Not to mention Hulton Lane Ends. Couple of good pubs there back in the day.

The newspaper bill says Jim Anderson. Looks a better bet , but this name Sanderson is elusive in wrestling circles. Keep looking Osty , I am not giving up yet.

Hi Anglo , I can find mixed boxing and wrestling at Brighton Dome in 1910 with a report of wrestlers falling through the ropes and off the platform. This was the same year as the last Alhambra competition. I am only speculating , but my basic understanding is , that at the end of the Victorian age people with money and interested in sport paid to get the Wigan and Manchester area wrestlers such as Bolton , down to London. It was made worthwhile for them and we know that the Alhambra just had mats as it was Stage wrestling in a Music Hall. I think Hengler's circus would not have had a ring either. Wrestlers such as the Carrolls did America and would have used rings. And in the evolution after 1910 some northern wrestlers got to thinking that they could promote their own shows with a bit more showmanship than what had gone on in the fields of Wigan. They could make a lot more money this way than going to London. What was needed was turnstiles and we saw football and athletic venues being hired such as Central Park Wigan and Atherton Athletic and Ince Athletic Grounds. It's not clear even then if a ring was used but it's a maybe , This idea , along with anyone else who wanted to put on Boxing and Wrestling , I suspect , saw the advent of the Ropes. You ask WHEN , so I will stick my neck out and speculate circa 1910. I bow though to Ruslan , if he can add or correct me.

I think USA must have been ahead of us as when Hack fought Gotch it was in a ring. Certainly as far as boxing was concerned , the John l Sullivan days circa 1892 were roped off.

Looks an early Mal. Giving away all that weight could only happen in wrestling. Didn't know Mal could do comedy. Wonder if Kellet ever went in with Streiger.

Sounds like a great wrestler but the chippy was more findable. Irlams o'th Heights , Bolton Road.

Endless possibilities Paul. Were the Broughton Rangers from Upper Broughton or Lower Broughton. And is Kersal part of Broughton. And Talking of Little Hulton , how strange , I don't think there was a "big" Hulton.

Very unusual story and so sad. Wrestled with all the best.

There was some suggestion in the papers that Hackenschmidt had to slow down and wait for a signal from the ref to finish the two scores , to give value for money.