Wrestling Heritage

Our first recorded bout for Tim McCoy is in 1938 and most of his contests seemed to be in the north and midlands of England.

He wrestled everyone from middleweights to heavyweights, and in 1948 lost to Jack Beaumont when challenging for the British light heavyweight title.

The photograph on the left shows him holding  Jack Beaumont.

Tim continued to wrestle until the mid 1950s.

A villain who could arouse angry emotions he may have been but Stornaway's Bill McDonald is still fondly remembered by fans of the fifties and sixties.  A genuine Scot, born in  Stornaway in the Outer Hebrides Bill McDonald achieved national acclaim after he domiciled himself in Manchester. Having beaten Tony Baer to grab the Scottish light heavyweight title he developed into a fully blown heavyweight of the highest calibre, challenging Bert Assirati   for the British heavyweight championship, and leading when he was knocked out.   He was the leading member of a Scottish wrestling team that took on all-comers in the fifties and sixties.  He died on 27th July, 1964, at far too early an age, whilst still one of the leading British heavyweights. Such was his standing The Wrestler magazine said that Bill McDonald was, “A wrestler who will always be remberedas long as wrestling survives.”

Bill's son, Kenneth, went on to find fame on television and in the theatre, playing the part of Mike the barman in “Only Fools and Horses,” whilst daughter Jeanette danced her way around the world as a member of the Royal Ballet Company.

The wild highlander has succeeded in the world of professsional wrestling during the most difficult of decades.

One of a handful of the modern day stars who has his roots well and truly in the Mountevans tradition we celebrate here Drew has found success throughout Europe and the United States. He has continued to work, and still does, throughout the latter part of the twentieth century and into the second decade of the twenty-first. 

Drew was trained by middleweight Ian Law and made his debut against that other big highlander, Wild Angus, stepping in as a last minute substitute. In 1984 Drew joined Joint Promotions and in the years that followed had the dubious distinction of tagging with both Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.

Coming into Britsih wrestling at a time when it was in decline Drew travelled the world with notable success in North America and Germany, where he is particularly popular. Success in Britain has been sustained over three decades with Drew twice holding the British heavyweight title thats lineage can be traced back to Joyce, Robinson and Assirati.

Drew continues to work regularly to this day, and now passes on his knowledge to youngsters at his training school in Leeds. Surprisingly agile for a man of his size Drew would no doubt have made it to the top at any time in modern wrestling history. 

We remember the buzz of excitement as the introductory music began to play. We were easily excited in the 1960s and a musical introduction was something of a rarity. We weren't so easily satisfied when it came to wrestling, and in this respect the man entering the ring never disappointed.

That man we knew as Terry McDonald, the kilted gladiator who was occasionally accompanied into the ring by his smiling young son, Tony. Kilted or not we can report that Terry was not the Scot as billed, nor was he the alleged Canadian as advertised when he worked under his real name Malcolm McGrail. Yet another persona for the busy Mancunian was masked man Doctor Death, and son Tony recalls getting upset when the fans booed his usually good guy dad, and an over-enthusiastic elderly lady stabbed him with an umbrella. That night Dr Death drove home in a very strange position due to the discomfort!

Malcolm McGrail was brought up in Manchester, the family home being in Swinton. He was an amateur wrestling coach before becoming interested in the professional side of the business and learning his trade at Manchester YMCA alongside Bill Connors and Pete Stewart who were to remain lifelong friends. Terry turned professional in 1960 and was soon working around the north, midlands and Scotland for the main independent promoters Don Robinson, Jack Taylor and Cape. In the early days he used his birth name, Malcolm McGrail, but within a few years had adopted the identity of Terry McDonald. Opponents were most often the biggest villains on the independent circuit, the likes of Lord Bertie Topham, The Ghoul, Klondyke Bill, and Alf Cadman. When Billy Two Rivers moved across to the independents Terry McDonald was a frequent opponent. When not training at te YMCA Terry would train in his own ring at his Swinton home, and was often joined in training by Peter Stewart, Bill Connors, Tommy Mann, Abe Ginsberg, and Bobo Matu. He mixed his wrestling career with television work and appeared regularly on Coronation Street as an extra in the Rovers and also on Emmerdale, Last of the Summer Wine and Crown Court and had parts in notable dramas such as I Claudius and World at War.

It was a career destined to last the best part of twenty years with Terry finally hanging up his boots in 1978. Sadly Terry McDonald passed away in 1985.

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We suppose it's only natural for anyone coming from a small town to enjoy seeing somone from their “own neck of the woods” climb into the wrestling ring.

So we were pleased to see Euxton's Peter McGeown enter the professional ranks in 1970 and followed his early career in the independent halls of the north west. After an injury prone start to his professional life Pete quickly learnt from his early mistakes and took the decision over more experienced men such as Eddie Rose and Monty Swann. He had been taught the business by the welterweight technician Alan Wood, and the two of them tagged for a while  known as The Shamrocks, acknowledgement of Pete's Irish origins. Peter had left his native Ireland and moved to Lancashire when he was twelve years old.  In 1973 Pete was signed up by Joint Promotions and was soon appearing in bigger halls against well known names such as Ray Steel, Johnny Czeslaw and Norman Walsh.  We always expected Peter to go on to bigger and better things. Maybe he changed his name and did just that, but we lost touch with his career around the mid seventies. Another of life's mysteries.

In days when wild haired Peruvians, Stetson wearing Americans, and east Europeans with unpronounceable names were familiar features on our wrestling bills it seems ironic that such great interest could be aroused amongst fans by British wrestlers working outside their customary region. 

Such was the case when Scottish lightweight Jim McKenzie ventured south. McKenzie was an accomplished wrestler, a regular worker and popular performer who never quite made it to the dizzy heights of Saint, Breaks or Kidd.

After nine years as an amateur, and winner of the Scottish championship, he turned professional and made his debut against George Kidd in Glasgow.

In his third year working professionally he took the Scottish Lightweight title in 1964, holding it for many years apart from short lived losses to Jim Elder and Bill Ross. Jim remained a popular lightweight throughout the 1960s.

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Spinner Mckenzie is another of those wrestlers who just scrapes into the Heritage years. He was a teenager when he turned professional in 1984, but his youth and the twilight years of the Mountevans era did not prevent him from finding success as Big Daddy's tag partner for a couple of years.

Opponents ranged from speedy, skilful lightweight Danny Collins to the hardest of them all, Mark Rocco and Dave Finlay, to the biggest of them all, Giant Haystacks.

Spinner is still wrestling  more than twenty years after turning professional and considered something of a legend amongst fans of the current scene.

In more recent years Spinner has gone on to become a huge influence on many young wrestlers of the modern era, including Drew Galloway amongst many others.

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Anglo-Irish cornerstone of the Dale Martin Empire from his forties début (left) right through to July 2007 and his appearance on an ITV nostalgia show alongside Dickie Davies as the face of wrestling. 

Related articles: The Man We Loved To Hate, The Real Mr TV, Wrestling's Most Influential, Spring Heeled and Surly,  Royalty At the Royal, The Mick McManus Column 

Discuss Mick McManus, The Mick McManus Column, Local Boy From Belfast, McManus v Peter Preston 

Trained by welterweight Chic Booth from fourteeen Mick McMichael was the youngest ever pro wrestler whe he climbed into the ring a year later, just fifteen, in 1958. That first opponent was the old timer Jim Mellors, who unsurprisingly defeated the youngster.

  He developed into a middleweight title contender with bouts against champion Bert Royal and had tag team success at the same weight when his Yorkshire Terriers pairing won the European title in Madrid in 1968. 

Having invested heavily in tag wrestling he was somewhat abandoned by partner Steve Clements and failed subsequently to make further advances with his career. 

Cringe-makingly billed by northern matchmakers as Popular Mick McMichael from Doncaster, he went on to become a respected referee in Britain and mainland Europe, oft seen wearing a kilt as the Scot McMichael.

Related articles: Television's Top 200 Wrestlers

The wrestling world was full of colourful characters from seemingly all parts of the globe. Not only was Maivia more colourful than most his facial features, and hose sprawling feet, made it apparent that he was indeed a genuine Pacific islander.

He would counter any hold with a huge smile that would instantly remind fans why they loved him so much. From the American half of the Samoan islands, Maivia arrived in the UK in 1963.

His good humour, colourful trunks and all-action style made him an immediate hit with fans. Many will remember Maivia lying across the top corner ropes for his inter-round relaxation. We’d seen some gimmicks in wrestling, but no one  else could make lying down an attraction.

Maivia left Europe in the late 1960s to concentrate on the promotional side of wrestling.

Maivia died of cancer in June 1982, though fully aware of his fate he continued to wrestle until within weeks of his death.

 Younger fans know Maivia as the grandfather of “The Rock.”  Older fans know him as one of the fathers of modern day wrestling.

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Born in Malmoa, Sweden, but based in Belgium light heavyweight Frank Malmoa could mix it with the best, and wasn’t afraid of breaking the rules and upsetting the fans. He visited Britain in 1972 and again in 1974, meeting Bert Royal at the Royal Albert Hall in November of that year.

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Most readers recall Tony Mancelli as one of the finest referees of the sixties, a man who helped bring credibility and respect to the sport.

Only those of more mature years remember Mancelli as one of the country’s most popular heavyweights, universally known as the Blackfriars Thunderbolt, a name which accurately reflected his all-action style.

Born in South London, where he lived for most of his life, Tony turned professional in the 1930s All-In days, and was a regular at Lanes Club, a historically signifcant venuein the history of British professional wrestling.

During the war years Tony served in the Royal Air Force but continued to wrestle whenever possible, and during the years of hostility won "The Ring" allied service championship.  

When wrestling emerged from the war years and re-invented itself Mancelli’s style fulfilled the requirements of the new Mountevans rules and he was soon established as one of the country’s most popular and successful heavyweights.

A long time holder of the Southern Area Heavyweight title and short lived British champion Mancelli met all the national and visiting international stars in a career that lasted from before the Second World war until the 1960s.

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The Lumberjack from Toronto will for ever be linked with his sixties tag partner and employer at Paul Lincoln Promotions, Doctor Death. 

Our first record of Gori Ed Mangotich is 8th October, 1953, a match against Johnny kwango at Wiimbledon Palais. He worked regularly (but not profusely) throughout the 1950s, mainly for Dale Martin Promotions but with the very occasional jaunt north.  In 1962 he moved across to the independents, forming a strong relationship with PaulLincoln.

In April 1964 he was the first professional opponent for newcomer Wayne Bridges. In 1965 he appeared on one of the rare BBC television screenings of professional wrestling, losing to Judo Al Hayes in Southend.

In the seventies, with Paul Lincoln retired, Gori Ed would don the Doctor Death mask himself chiefly for Devereaux Promotions.  He later wound up back as himself, no more than a support wrestler on the independent bills that multiplied from 1975. 

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Rugged, all action wrestler who knew all the holds in the book and a few more besides. He was arguably the modern era's greatest British middleweight champion. 

Tommy began his wrestling career in the rowdy rings of the 1930s, though the outbreak of war naturally delayed career development and he was to reach his peak following the outbreak of peace.

His remarkable success started to reach a climax in 1952, when he beat the great Jack Dale to win the British middleweight title for the first of eight times.

It was a roller coaster championship career from then on, until Tommy vacated the title in 1963 due to injury.  Fans of the time still recall his memorable bouts with Scotland's Chic Purvey. 

In addition to national success Tommy was twice holder of the World middleweight title, between 1954 and 1955 and again from 1961 until retirement. A stocky, thick necked man he looked more the part of pro wrestler than that of his "other job," proprietor of a highly rated Italian restaurant in his Manchester home town.

Like many others of the time Tommy's success as a wrestler found him work in the wider world of entertainment, and he appeared on the Benny Hill show.
 

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Any history of British wrestling must have Barnsley's Bert Mansfield at its heart. Mansfield was a top British heavyweight of the pre-war all-in days and Athol Oakeley, the promoter who introduced the all-in style to Britain said that it was Mansfield to whom he turned when he needed matchmaking guidance. The cornerstone of all-in wrestlings growth were Oakeley's tournaments at Harringay Arena. Had they failed there may well have been no 1930s revival, no Mountevans era and no Wrestling Heritage. In his book, "Blue Blood on the Mat" Oakeley writes:

"Without Bert's knowledge of all the wrestlers Harringay tournaments would not have survived even with Jack Doyle's drawing power."

Bert Mansfield wrestled as an amateur in the 1920s and recognised the opportunity presented by wrestling in the 1930s and turned professional shortly after Oakeley and Irslinger introduced the new style into Britain. Unlike many wrestlers of the day he was soon travelling the country and did not restrict himself to his Yorkshire home. He quickly established himself as one of the country's top heavyweights and during the 1930s tussled with the likes of Jack Pye, Karl Pojello, Herbie Rosenberg, Black Butcher Johnson and the giant Carver Doone. Whilst the outbreak of war largely curtailed his wrestling commitments he managed to fit in bouts in the north whilst serving and was a regular at Belle Vue for the duraton. Not only was Bert one of the top 1930s heavyweights he continued after the war and into the late 1950s. He was a big and very strong heavyweight, not averse to using rough house tactics whenhe considered it necessary. He was a contender in Athol Oakeley's 1947 Haringey World heavyweight championship tournament on 18th February, 1947. Sixteen of the top wrestlers in Europe were assembled by promoter Athol Oakeley. From the UK were Cornwall’s Francis St Clair Gregory, Welshman Bill Garnon, Northerners Bill Foy, Bert Mansfield, Eastern Englands Clem Lawrence, and the UK based Trinadian Phil Siki. Also taking part were Estonian Martin Butch, Belgian Gaston Ghevaert, Greek Milo Popocopolis, Canadian carl van Wurden, Yvar Martinsen, and pre war legends Carl Reginsky, Karl Manooign, Abdul the Turk and Issy Van Dutz, Mansfield eliminated Abdul the Turk and Karloff Manoogian before falling to the Danish champion Martinsen. In 1950 he held the American World Heavyweight champion Frank Sexton to a one fall each draw at Harringay, which earned him a return contest that he narrowly lost.

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Barnsley heavyweight Frank Manto was the younger brother of Bert Mansfield, and like brother was destined to become one of Britain's top heavyweights. He came into wrestling around 1940 and established himself against the likes of Cordite Conroy, Billy Riley, Dick Wills and Karl reginsky.  Bert introduced Frank to Athol Oakeley who promoted the youngster at his famous Haringay tournaments. Oakeley said:

"I met Frank and I saw at once that here was the post-war British heavyweight whom I had been looking for.."

Manto's "day job,"  a coal miner in the south Yorkshire collieries made him one of the strongest of all wrestlers. Oakeley once again:

"Most weightlifters only think they are strong, and so they are for thirty seconds at a time. But the work this man has to do, which consisted of heaving coal from the pitface for hour after hour, would have given all the weightlifters I knew a coronary."

Mantovich became a regular main eventer for Oakeley at Harringay Stadium, winning the European heavyweight title.

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Another from the famous Barnsley clan who came onto the scene in the early 1950s, considerably lighter than his famous faher and uncle, Midge Manto is the son of Frank Mantovich. He was a regular worker in British rings during the 1950s. At the time of writing Derrick, to give him his birth name,  lives in Teneife, where he is in good health and is still very fit.

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Mainstay of the professional game and an undoubtedly skilful Golden Boy of the fifties, who broke ranks to join Paul Lincoln Promotions from 1961 to the end of 1965. 

Faced many international stars in Royal Albert Hall main events, and claimed British, European and World Mid-Heavyweight championships right up to a tragic roadside death in 1982.

Famed for his small package folding press, his submission leg stretch – and an idiosyncratically amazed look up after every throw he took.   In later years he assumed the mantle of Dale Martin matchmaker and gave himself the labour or luxury of facing two opponents in the same Royal Albert Hall programme in 1975. 

He defeated first Big Daddy and then Mick McManus, each by two falls to one.  Bled from thin eye tissue as profusely as boxing contemporary Henry Cooper. 

Oft billed as the Anglo Italian from Milan, but actually resided Streatham.

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Related articles: Television's Top 200 Wrestlers, Wrestling's Most Influential 

The popular wrestler from Leicester was a mainstay of the independent circuit for two decades before gaining national exposure as one of the stars of the 1980s Joint Promotions circuit.

Trained by Leicester's Jack Taylor Ron worked throughout the country for the independents, but when Max Crabtree took over management of Joint Promotions he was quick to sign Ron up for working exclusively in his rings.

When we talked to Ron it was obvious that his enthusiasm and love for the sport never diminished over all those years, "We must have been mad....but I loved every minute of it and wouldn't change a thing."

 Read more in our extended feature...

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Related articles: Ron Marino

In a sporting world where many are different but few, if any, are unique, Judo Al Marquette came just about as close to unique as is possible.

We became immediate fans the first time we saw him in action, on an independent bill opposing Pete Lindberg long before he became famous. Al Marquette was the  judo suited, barefooted wizard that literally tied his opponents in knots.

The Stockport judo teacher was a mainstay of the independent circuit, using the name Amazing Mitsimoto, until being tempted to Joint Promotions and the television exposure that brought national fame and popularity. HisRoyal Albert Hall debut against Steve Logan (poster above) was the stuff of legends and firmly established Al as one of wrestling's stars. Read more in our extended feature....

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For many readers Al Marshall may not be the first name to come to mind when remembering the good old days, but for fans in the north of England it is a name remembered with much fondness.

Al was a regular on the northern scene for a dozen or so years and always lived up to the "clean and clever" tag given to him by promoters on their posters.

In 1978 Al was signed up by Joint Promotions but very soon afterwards a serious injury brought his career to an abrupt end. Unable to wrestle any longer Al continued on the promotional and managerial side of wrestling, introducing quite a few youngsters into the wrestling ring. Al's love of the sport continues to this day and he will shortly be making another debut, as an author on the Wrestling Heritage site! 

In the photo above he is shown scoring a pinfall over Dave Shade. Learn more about Al, and his interesting hobbies, in our extended feature, A Man of Arms...

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Related articles:  A Man of Arms

Wrexham tearaway who never bothered with niceties but gave a great mid-heavyweight villain's performanace unfailingly every time. 

Billed as Jack Martin in the north and Al Martin at other times.

Long time independent stalwart with a successful Joint Promotions run in the early seventies and even a couple of Royal Albert Hall appearances to his name.

Another great favourite of ours.

Tagged unusually with Keith Martinelli in The Martinis, a pairing forced through by name rather than style. 

A regular and ideal television and halls opponent of Masambula and Les Kellett. 

Featured in our "Favourite" Autographs.

Cast-iron Caswell turned professional in 1970.  He immediately struck us with his agility and La Savate k.o. kick, and prospects looked bright of a new black star amidst his ageing peers.  But Cas seemed to get stuck in a rut somewhere down the line in spite of his athleticism, still going down rather unbelievably to a limited Steve Logan on WoS reruns from the late seventies, and surprisingly even for the commentator against Tom Tyrone. 

Whether this stifled potential was his own choice we will never know ... probably.  He certainly looked capable of taking on and beating any of the top heavyweights who were around when he was.

This impression is confirmed by a far higher success rate in the principal German tournaments mid-seventies where he featured as one of the highest ranked foreign stars, outstripping many who enjoyed more clout in the UK. 

 In Austria too he was winner of the 1976 Viennese All Nations Trophy, entertaining huge crowds over 40 nights.  Caswell returned to Vienna to prove victory was no fluke by completing the double in 1977.

This variable status as exemplified by the results of Caswell Martin is one of the many mysteries we strive to resolve here at Wrestling Heritage.

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The Danish heavyweight, and one time European Heavyweight champion,  is best remembered for wrestling his way through to the  final of the World Heavyweight Championship tournament held at Harirngay in 1947. In the final, held on March 4th 1947, he lost by a KO to Britain’s Bert Assirati, in a bout refereed by Lou Marco. On the way to the final he had beaten Phil Siki, Karl Reginsky and Bert Mansfield. Martinsen In the return contest, fought in Paris  in October of the same year, Martinsen took the title from Assirati.

When Masambula was on the bill there was no doubt who fans would be talking about as they left the hall. Talking with smiles on their faces.

Here was a man who made a big impression.

The full length leopardskin,  the huge grin, the celebratory headstand on the corner post, the straggly limbs that  seemed unconnected, the large rolling eyes with the hint of voodoo magic, the ready quips; Masambula gave us much to talk about.

Tragically injured in a ring accident Masambula passed away at the time the Wrestling Heritage site launched.

It was fitting that he had already been selected as one of our inaugural Shining Stars, and his extended tribute can be read on this site. The King of Charisma, the title says it all.  

Related articles: The King of Charisma, Fossils from a Time Gone By  Winds of Change for Veteran Bill Toppers (link forthcoming)

The awesome shaven headed assassin  is remembered with affection by fans and fellow wrestlers alike.  Essex wrestler Neil Sands told us

"he was without any doubt one of the best, but most under used and under rated heavyweights of the past 30 years. He had it all, the looks, the size, amazing athletic ability, (he could take awesome bumps) great timing, and a pro to his finger tips."  

We can't say there was  no one else like him because Crusher (Brian) based his ring personae on his long term mentor and friend, Danny Lynch. Such a statement does his an injustice, however, because Crusher was very much a top rate villain in hs own right.  He partnered Lynch as one of the Assassins, and was at times known as Butch Lynch or the Mighty Chang.

We first came across Bolton's Bobo Matu in the mid 1960s and by then he had half a dozen years under his belt, having turned professional in 1959.  

Straight away we could see that here was a man with an effervescent character who would bob,  weave and smile his way around the ring;  and the fans loved him. The professional career followed a grounding in the amateur sport at the Bolton Harriers Amateur Wrestling Club. 

As to his family heritage of the pacific islands we cannot confirm. Although we can say that his real name suggests more links to friendly Lancashire than the Friendly Isles! Maybe someone in the know would like to provide readers with more information. Whatever, he had a radiant personality that made him a popular wrestler around the rings of Britain.

In January, 1962, having worked for the main independent promoters Bobo was signed up to work for Joint Promotions, where he found himself with a new class of opponent including Billy Howes, Gerry de Jaegar, Les kellett and Billy Joyce.

The highlight came on 11th April, 1962, when he appeared at the Royal Albert Hall for the first tme, losing to Braford's Eric Taylor. Bobo remained a regular throughout British rings until the mid 1980s, but by then  wrestling commitments were competing for his time with television and film parts.

The name may not have been an original, and we should not confuse this gentleman with the extrovert we read about in those 1960s American magazines that eventually made their way into our newsagents.

In the 1980s the British version of Magnificent Maurice was an impressive figure as he stood shaven headed. moustachioed and totooed centre ring. Here was a man who knew how to upset the punters; not just by disregarding the rules but by his ring presence and camp gimmick.

Steve Regal (William Regal) praises the colourful character who was his first professional opponent. The villainous heavyweight was Shaun Arnott and he went on to wrestling reincarnation as Colonel Brody.

The Ellesmere Port welterweight received little recognition until September, 1969, when he snatched the British welterweight title from Alan Sergeant. The sceptics said it would never last, but having re-styled himself Goldbelt Maxine’s career seemingly outlasted wrestling itself.
 
Resplendant in his velvet cloak and gold cardboard crown he would parade around the ring tossing out leaflets that proclaimed his greatness and challenging one and all. He established himself as welterweight and middleweight champion, enraging fans with his unruly tactics, arrogant manner and ruthless style  until into the 21st century. Few other wrestlers can boast of entertaining fans at he highest level for five decades.

Related articles: One Man and his Belt, Shenanigans, Skulduggery and Betrayal  The Thin End of the Wrestling Wedge

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Barbados born heavyweight Earl Maynard was a wrestler with muscles on his muscles. A wrestler with a fine physique who took up body-building  as a  seventeen year old in 1954. 

He won the Mr Europe title in 1959, Mr England in 1960, Mr Universe Pro in 1964, and 1978 Mr America title. Not bad considering that he weighed under ten stones when he  moved to England aged eighteen years.

Shortly afterwards he was called up for national service and after serving in the Royal Air Force Earl turned professional wrestler in 1962.

He went on to become one of the most popular and successful sixties wrestlers in Britain and Europe before finding even greater success in the United States.

Twice American Tag Champion (with Rocky Johnson and Dory Dixon) Earl was listed as one of the WWE top wrestlers of all time. 

Following his retirement from wrestling Earl turned to acting, and appeared in many films before turning to film producing and directing.

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Billed from Portugal the tanned skin and moustache made the popular light heavyweight look the part. Central Lancashire was  more likely to be the place he laid his head because El Medico was Preston's Dave Finch.

A regular worker for most of the independents Dave Finch was overshadowed by his friend and frequent opponent Bill Tunney. When not in opposite corners the two of them did join forces in a formidable tag partnership.

A Preston North End fan Eddie Rose tells the story of the time Preston played Bolton in the FA Cup and Bob Sherry managed to get Dave into the ground by passing him off as a disabled person in a wheel chair. Good plan, until Preston scored that is, and the over-excited Dave leaped out of the chair.

The poster, a Jack Taylor (International) Promotion features El Medico on the bill against the young Leicester wrestler John Howard, who would later turn into Jon Lapaque. Also on the bill is El Medico's mate Bill Tunney, both from the Lancashire textile town of Preston.

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Most readers who saw Jim Mellor in action will remember a veteran of the ring with a career that spanned  three decades. He was a veteran who stood out from the crowd not just by wearing black tights (which was unusual in those days), but by cramming a huge amount of strength and wrestling ability into his small frame.   The Stoke On Trent hard man’s interest in the sport began shortly before the war and he started learning the business in 1938. The outbreak of war put paid to hopes of a quick route to professional success. Nevertheless, Jim did get offered professional bouts during the early years of the war, meeting in those days wrestlers such as Bully Pye, Ray Raymond, Jack Santos, John Hall, Kid Dickson, Buddy Isles, George Goldie, Bill Ogden and Tiger Woods. Enlisting in the army and being taken prisoner of war proved something of an inconvenience, but no doubt gave Jim the determination, strength and courage that made him such a successful wrestler. Much of his immediate post war experience was in the Far East, where he became the South East Asian Welterweight champion. In those days Jim was often known by the name Young Aherne, or Brian Aherne; maybe army superiors disapproved of his nocturnal wrestling activities! On returning to Britain in 1947 Jim was immediately matched with latter day greats such as George Kidd, Alan Colbeck and Tommy Mann. For more than twenty more years he remained a regular feature of wrestling bills, mainly in the midlands and north. During that time he wrestled just about every other welter and middleweight in the country, and held victories over most, if not all. Promoters relied on him to put on a great performance whether against another well established mat man or helping to enhance the career of a promising young star.

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The hairiest chest in wrestledom.

Maybe, maybe not, but certainly hairy enough to gain him the nickname Gorilla and make a lasting impression on us as young fans in the 1960s.

Work as a cake decorator may seem a surreal springboard to a life in the ring, but it was this and army service during the Second World War which preceded Don Mendoza’s wrestling career.

His first professional contest was against Wigan wrestler  Jack Sheppard. It was the start of a career that was almost short lived, with a ten month lay off following a contest  in which he was injured after being thrown over the ropes by  “Whiskers” Larry Laycock. 

He was told he would never wrestle again, but come back he did and Don Mendoza went on to become a popular  post war heavyweight  from the war until the 1960s, when he handed the family laurels to his son, Al Miquet.

Billed from Huddersfield or Venezuela according to the whim and imagination of the promoter, Mendoza spent much of his life living in Southport, where he owned a shop in Duke Street.

He was big, tough, not particularly exciting, as we recall, but was nevertheless popular with fans and missed when he retired from the ring.

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Whenever this New Zealand heavyweight visitor of the 1961-2 winter climbed into the ring fans waited with anticipation for the ritual Maori dance  which heralded the opening bell.

Once the bout began Keita showed himself to be a wrestler of considerable skill, and gained popularity during his visit.

The six feet tall heavyweight, born in 1935 as Keith Mildon, came to Britain in September, 1961, and was a crowd pleaser throughout the winter, initially in the north but later travelling nationwide. 

He took up amateur wrestling when he was sixteen years old amd  turned professional in May, 1959,  drawing with Ricky Wallace. he and had worked in New Zealand, Australia and the USA before travelling to Britain.

Within a year he had defeated Lofty Binnie to take the New Zealand heavyweight championship.

A great influence on Keita was his uncle,the Maori wrestler Ike Robins.

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The popular welterweight was forever associated with Copenhagen because that's what the programmes told us, but he had moved to Liverpool when he was just two years old.

The blond curly hair that seemed to forever give a youthful appearance meant that Stephan could never be anything but a good guy.

He was a fast technical wrestler who  turned professional in 1950, an early date that will surprise many. He was nineteen years old at the time and worked from the very beginning for Joint Promotions when they formed in 1952.

That first match, against Bill Hargreaves, resulted in an injury that put him out of action for a month. In 1954 Stefan held Jack Dempsey to s draw in a title clash.

When wrestling entered our living rooms through television Stefan proved himself a favourite with the viewers.

Sadly he passed away in 2008.

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Speed, athleticism, skill and really bushy eyebrows are our memories of Huddersfield lightweight, Al Miquet. Miquet was just seventeen years old when he turned professional, making his debut in Glasgow against veteran Tony Lawrence.  He went on to become one of the country’s most popular wrestlers, this goal being helped by an unfortunate televised loss to Jackie Pallo when the referee stopped the contest because of a cut above Miquet’s eye. The Yorkshireman didn’t need the fans’ sympathy to become a top performer as he had sufficient skill to take the British lightweight title from Jim Breaks. Miquet was amongst the top two or three lightweights when a serious car crash almost ended his career in 1971. Against all odds he returned to the ring, showing determination to regain his place as a top performer, this time at welterweight, and partnering Jon Cortez as one half of the Jet Set tag team.

The Northern golden boy a popular figure in the 1950s and 1960s wrestling rings before ultimately melting away, as so many did, in the shadows of the 1970s independent scene. Mitchell, commonly seen wearing white trunks and boots (but having discarded the mask worn at the start of his career) was surprisingly fast for a fully fledged heavyweight.

He was a regular visitor to Germany, where he gained much of his early career experience. A Royal Albert Hall Trophy win put him in the top notch of heavyweights, but never quite on a par with rivals Joyce, Robinson and Wall. 

Nevertheless, Dennis did snatch the British title from Billy Joyce and held it for the first six months of 1960. 

Our memories of Salford's Paul Mitchell go back to the mid to late 1960s when he was one of a group of favourites on the northern independent circuit alongside Eddie Rose, Johnny Saint,  Pete Lindberg, Ian Wilson and many others. In those days there were independent shows every night in Manchester alone, and so there was no shortage of opportunities for those with the skill. All those mentioned did have the skill, and each went on to work for Joint Promotions. Mitchell was invited to train at the Wryton Stadium, under  the guidance  of the Cadman brothers and Martin Conroy. Four years after turning professional  Conroy decided Mitchell deserved exposure on the Joint Promotions circuit and  he became a regular and popular figure on Best, Wryton and Atherton bills. The young middlewight combined skill with agility and  speed; his flying head scissors and monkey climbs being the best in the business.  Within a year he had made his television debut, drawing with another promising newcomer,  Dave Barrie. His second televised contest, in which he defeated highly rated Bobby Ryan, was a demonstration of Paul at his best. He went on to near a dozen more television outings, in the opposite corner to the biggest names in wrestling at the time, Mick McManus, Jackie Pallo, and Steve Logan. Paul Michell also appeared in the January, 1973, special, Fanfare for Europe, recorded in our Armchair Corner section. He is pictured on the right with one time tag partner Johnny South, in a team known as The Broughton Rangers.

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Northern Ireland ex boxer turned professional wrestler initially using the name Lee Hippie and dressed in judo garb. He later moved to Birkenhead and changed his ring name to Rocky Moran.

Working initially for the independents he was signed up by Max Crabtree to work for Joint Promotions.

He worked on tv in the 1980s, appearing in around a dozen contests including tag partnering Dave Finlay. Moran was Heavy Middleweight champion for a short time.

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French lightweight champion from Toulouse but largely domiciled in Britain from 1961.  Real name Pierre Maurice Julien.  He had been lightweight weightlifting record holder of France 1950 to 1952 and went on in 1955 to defeat Modesto Aledo for the European lightweight wrestling championship. 

Lost and regained his national and European titles, only to have to relinquish them when called up for the French army during the Algerian campaign in the late fifties.  A great success rate during his early sixties peak in the UK and a credible opponent for George Kidd in many lightweight classics.  His sapping backbreaker was legendary. 

Feuded for a while with Mick McManus.  Tagged for a short while with Al Miquet as the Entente Cordiale.  His main tag claim to fame was participation alongside Zoltan Boscik in the first ever tag match at the Royal Albert Hall, where the international pairing went down to the Cortez Brothers.

Approachable to fans in his horn-rimmed glasses, we were always assured of stylish technique when this tiniest of wrestlers was on the bill.  Slipped noticeably in stature in the seventies, losing at the bottom of a Royal Albert Hall bill to Al Nicol.  Stoutly championed by a proud son-in-law on current day forums, who calls into doubt Morice's alleged interest in the occult.

In the ring, he stuck to trunks, which did a valiant job holding his stocky girth together.

But for all the epiphets, Muir didn't mix it much, and add his misfortune in arriving on the scene at the same time as some other  even bigger super-heavies and his fate in supporting action in tag bouts was sealed.

Dublin tough guy and legitimate welterweight title contender during his early sixties heyday. 

Seemingly a part-timer in the seventies but had a memorable run when tagging with Sid Cooper in the Roughnecks, and later tagged with Mick McManus.  His tag pairing with Jim Fitzmaurice in The Shamrocks seemed not to take off. 

The tag partnership that brought him the European Tag Team title was perhaps the least well known one, alongside Fred Van Lotta. Joe Murphy was the hardest forearm smasher of them all!  And one of the shortest wrestlers around. 

Even though we may remember him as a seventies undercarder, it is notable that in opposition to Jack Dempsey he drew both in a well-recorded British Championship bout in 1962 and again in a 1965 televised bout, surely a measure of thoroughbred standing. 

Some evidence emerges in 2007 that he may have been an opponent Mick McManus avoided in the 1960s.

See Murphy in action here against ....

As soon as he made his television debut in April, 1968 against Mike Eagers the fans warmed to Plymouth’s Steve Young, sometimes billed as Dave Young. Further television appearances followed against Colin Joynson, Alan Dennison, Pete Stewart, Les Kellett and a tag partnership with Adrian Street that lost to the Royal Brothers.

Little did we guess in those faraway days that the blond haired  Steve Young would metamorphosis into something not unlike his dad, Roy Bull Davis, and become known to us all as Skull Murphy.That is not to say that Murphy was in any way a mere imitation. Certainly not. 

We loved to watch dad wrestle, but Skull more than competently kept up the family traditions in the world of professional wrestling. He filled out to become a leading figure in the heavyweight division, at one time partnering Dave Fit Finlay in tag action.  For more than thirty years he enraged fans as one of the greatest bad men of the late twentieth century.

His unpredictable nature made all his bouts all-action affairs, and one of the few wrestlers able to please fans of the Mountevans era and those of the new millenium. 

The smiling bald headed Yorkshireman, famous for performing his duties  with good humour, was a popular figure in the nation's living rooms initially as one of the top welterweights in the country and latterly as a third man. 

In fact Murray was at one time appearing on tv more often than that man McManus as he was featured in the opening sequence of our weekly wrestling fix. The photo on the left shows him receiving a headbutt from Mr TV himself.

A successful amateur career led to a professional debut, under the guidance of Norman Morrell,  shortly after the end of the second world war.

The poster on the right shows him challenging Jack Dempsey for the British welterweight championship, topping the bill ahead of Georges G ordienko, John DaSilva and Mr Tv Jackie Pallo himself.

Murray's professional career lasted more than twenty years and was followed by success as a referee.

The slick welterweight who turned pro in 1970 after successful amateur wrestling and weightlifting experience took little time exciting the public in any bout he was involved in. 

The token Welterweight Championship of the West Indies was awarded to him, but had all but the most gullible fans questioning its validity.  By the mid-seventies word was out of his arm wrestling prowess and championships.  Then we recognised him immediately for a brief masked spell as Iron Fist, so obviously he that no mystery was ever intended. 

He adopted a colourful and exaggeratedly acrobatic martial arts style and seemed a serious threat to opponents of all weights as his career peaked in unmasked combat.  He teamed with the likes of Kung Fu and Chris Adams, and had memorable battles with Rocco and Nagasaki. 

He also featured in one of ITV’s most spectacular finishes to a bout, a review of which can be read in Armchair Corner under Spring heeled and surly. 

Related articles: A Romany Trilogy, Originality and Ignorance, Spring Heeled and Surly