Wrestling Heritage

Pocketing a Giant Investment

Jean Ferre was a career top-of-the-biller who wrestled worldwide from 1966 to 1996 under various names, initially in his French homeland as Le Géant Ferré, and latterly and rather ponderously stateside as André The Giant.  He was however, able to dedicate part of his peak years to several jaunts over the channel and to make about forty 1969 appearances in the United Kingdom, facing most of the big name heavyweights of the day, making his near 50% win record all the more laudable, and learning plenty in the process.

Jumping Jim Hussey was a career hell-raiser and out and out professional wrestler, an erstwhile Northern Area Heavyweight Champion and the veteran entrusted with opposing both Kendo Nagasaki in his début bout and, here, in St Albans on Cup Final Eve 1969, the 6’11” French giant on his first and only British television appearance.  Forget championships, these are the real accolades of this delicately balanced spectacle that is professional wrestling.

Joint Promotions had been well aware of Ferre for three years before his visit.  Careful planning ensured that the Franco-Bulgarian’s size was amply highlighted against this most compact of heavyweight opponents, the Pocket Hercules.  That planning left a television audience wanting to see the giant pitted against a more suitably sized opponent, and this early small-screen appearance served to create interest at arenas such as The Royal Albert Hall on the Wednesday after the F.A. Cup Final airing.

Dale Martin Promotions must have done considerable research and preparation to allow a newcomer to be included in their showcase bill of the year, particularly given this was his first ever match in England.

The bout was unspectacular, we just observed the 16” height difference in amazement.  Much of the bout was spent with Hussey locked in a tight body scissors from which he had no way of escaping, but Ferre seemed not to know how to lead it anywhere.  Five days later at the Royal Albert Hall and he was still killing time in the same way judging by this photo:

This was rather surprising since, in spite of his size, Jean Ferre was a well proportioned athletic youngster with clear signs of wrestling ability.  The inevitable knock-out victory eventually came and nationwide appearances against more threatening opponents were arranged to ensure the box office repayment of the Joint Promotions investment.

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