Wrestlers S

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Johnny Saint

We have followed Johnny Saint’s career since the early 1960s. Even in those early days on the independent circuit it was obvious that here was a wrestler with huge potential.

Saint turned professional in 1959, having been trained in boxing by Alf Robinson and wrestling by Bily Robinson. Although Bill Robinson’s professional career began only a year or so before Saint’s the young heavyweight had a huge influence on his career.

After ten years on the independent circuit Johnny was brought over to Joint Promotions, and became an “overnight success” amongst Joint Promotion fans. Early wins over Breaks and Faulkner rapidly established Saint as one of the top lightweights.

His epic battles with Jim Breaks are legendary, and it came as no surprise to anyone when Saint succeeded George Kidd as the World Lightweight champion.

Saint was a hero of the fans throughout his career, combining technical skill with speed and acrobatic ability.

His career spanned almost forty years, but his exploits are still discussed by wrestling fans around the world.

Read our interview: Johnny Saint & Jim Breaks Get Verbal

Ray St. Bernard

A pre and post war giant amongst heavyweights the 23 stone Ray St Bernard wrestled greats such as The Angel, Strangler Lewis and Jack Sherry. His finest moment probably came when he was just twenty-five years old when he tackled former World Heavyweight Champion, Dick Shikat, in 1939 at the Tower Ballroom, Brighton. This was a titanic struggle which lasted over fifty minutes before Shikat gained the upper hand and took the bout. St Bernard continued his wrestling career after the war, finally leaving the ring in 1949, when he went on to a bit part in the film “The Night and the City” (1950), in which he wrestled The Strangler (Mike Mazurki). Wrestling Heritage reader Brighton Belle recalls Ray as a big, smiling man who sported a bushy moustache and was always generous and full of fun.

Roy St. Clair

From the day he turned professional as a young welterweight facing Jim Mellor at the Russell Social Club, Manchester, Roy St Clair seemed destined for the very top.

That was in April, 1960, and soon Roy was travelling throughout the north and midlands facing the biggest names in British wrestling.

He certainly had a good pedigree as his father was Francis St Clair Gregory, the champion Cornish wrestler and one of professional wrestlings greats.

As he moved up through the weights Roy remained poular and always pleased the fans but regrettably he never did fulfil that early promise.

A second, highly successful episode in his career came when Roy began guiding younger brother Tony, with the two of them forming a hugely successful tag team discussed in some detail in the Shining Stars section under Perfect Asymmetry.

As well as partnering brother Tony as described in detail there, Roy also regularly partnered Ricki Starr in tag on overseas trips.

Read our extended tribute: Perfect Asymmetry

Tony St. Clair

Youngest of the three wrestling St.Clairs whose early career is considered in Shining Stars under Perfect Assymetry.

Only fate prevented wrestling losing Tony to the world of soccer as he seemed destined to a pro footbll career. Tony St Clair is one of the few that bridges the Wrestling Heritage generations.

Older readers remember him as the youthful sibling of Roy, emerging onto the wrestling scene in 1967 having been well prepared by Roy and his father Francis St Clair Gregory.

A faster, leaner version of big brother and readily on hand for rescuing in their successful tag partnership, The Saints.

Solo success was confirmed with the defeat of Mick McManus on television. Younger fans remember him as one of the great British heavyweights, a champion worthy of the title who upheld the good name of British wrestling as the dark clouds gathered. As British Heavyweight Champion he maintained the title's status at an international level, including his triumph in the 1978 Oldenburg tournament.

Read our extended tribute: Perfect Asymmetry

Tino Salvadore

Pasquale Salvo

Bermodsey's Anglo Italian middleweight who tagged with Peter Rann as the Riot Squad, Salvo was a rule-breaking hell-raiser and hated by the crowds - except in Bedford and Peterborough where the large Italian migrant community related to the brickmaking industry gave him fully vocal support.

An ex-boxer who had a particularly noteworthy feud in 1964 Southend with British Champion Jack Dempsey and came out on top twice.

Pasquale and Iron Man Steve Logan were friends fo childhood. Latterly a petrol station proprietor, see Logan tanking up, right.

Petrol sales must have boomed for Pasquale disappeared from the fight scene late sixties. Returned briefly as the oil wells dried up in 1975.

Supertsar Sanders

Morden welterweight who appeared on the scene as a twenty year old in the mid-seventies and enjoyed a dream Dale Martin push, beating McManus on television and relieving him of his European Middleweight Chammpionship and belt.

Nevertheless, his unsmiling manner seemed to block his elevation to the Great Golden Hope that the promotion needed at the time, and he settled more comfortably into a role to succeed McManus more style-wise than as title holder.

In terms of opponents, Superstar Sanders faced them all. As well as appearing on the same bill as Big Daddy on numerous other occasions, including at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, Sanders would often share a tag rope alongside the Halifax giant.

This alliance would bring him into in-ring confrontation with many of the super-heavyweight villains – and none were bigger than Giant Haystacks himself.

He was a fitting winner of the inaugural Mike Marino Trophy, contested in memory of his long time friend and world champion, Mike Marino.

Mal Sanders continued to be a regular on ITV’s weekly wrestling right up until the final televised bouts in 1988, and his career has continued well beyond into the New Age.

Read our extended tribute: A Glittering Career

Eric Sands

A dour Yorkshireman and yet a dynamic and skilful wrestler. Eric Sands carved out a niche amongst the lightweight greats, and whilst lacking the charisma of a Johnny Saint or Jon Cortez was admired and respected by fellow professionals and fans.

Eric Sands became interested in wrestling whilst he was serving in the Royal Navy, and he started to seriously study the amateur game, at Bradford’s Windmill Amateur Wrestling Club, on discharge from the navy.

His learning led to quick success after he turned professional, and culminated in winning the British Lightweight Title by defeating Johnny Stead on 30th May, 1953.

Sands held the title for a year before losing the belt back to Stead, but his career continued until well in to the 1960s.

A win over World Welterweight Champion, Jim Lewis, at the Royal Albert Hall in January, 1956, demonstrates the height of his success, with the demise signified by losing to newcomer Leon Fortuna at the same venue just five months later.

Neil Sands

6' 3” heavyweight from Halstead in Essex whose career within the Joint Promotions network started in 1974 following five years training as an amateur and formative years wrestling for independent promoters, initially billed as Sky Churchill. One of his final independent bouts has the distinction of being the final career bout of his opponent, the great Alan Garfield.

His 1975 television début against Steve Viedor was aired again in 2006, a highly entertaining encounter from unpromising Gravesend which had commentator Kent Walton billing and cooing in admiration. From this launch Neil was featured only a few days later on a Wednesday night tv slot from Brent Town Hall in a six-round draw with Steve Logan. And in the same week as these two bouts he recorded the Larry Grayson television show with Prince Kumali. It would be fully 12 years before Sands would appear on the small screen once again, and then alongside Tony St Clair in tag.

In the intervening years he ran Newtown Promotions in Essex and the Home Counties and had left Joint Promotions to return to that and the independent circuit, see him billed early on an intriguing independent bill, right.

In 1976 he appeared in international tournaments in Munster, Munich, & Wiesbaden Germany, gaining experience alongside fellow big-name entrants Horst Hofmann and Otto Wanz, and facing old pros Micha Nador and Josef Molnar, Japanese stars Fujiwara & Ozowa ( Killer Khan) and British stars Geoff Portz, Steve Wright, Dave Morgan and Judd Harris.

Neil Sands made a notable Royal Albert Hall début on the infamously decimated bill and defeated Mal Kirk. Went on to greater success and promotion in the period beyond that examined here, but a wonderfully dedicated and civil contributor to all internet debates over thirty years on.

Alan Sargeant

Hard-hitting Romford welterweight who overcame serious chilhood illness to become British Welterweight champion, winning the title in a knockout tournament and losing it to Brian Maxine.

The dark haired twenty-something Essex welterweight surprised the wrestling world when he was crowned successor to Jack Dempsey following the champion's temporary retirement. When Dempsey packed his kit bag for the last time the usual suspects of McManus, Pallo, Capelli and Colbeck were hailed as likely successors. No one mentioned Alan Sargeant, or Alan Wood, who he defeated in the final of the championship knock-out tournament, for that matter.

Surprisingly, it was Sargeant that took the belt on 26th November, 1966 at Hemel Hempstead. Alan held the title for two weeks short of a year before losing, and then regaining it, from Jim Breaks, and finally losing it for good to Brian Maxine in September, 1969.

Sargeant's championship success was a surprise on a number of counts. Firstly, he was relatively unknown and inexperienced; secondly he was a southerner in a landscape of northern British champions, and thirdly he was one of the Paul Lincoln stable who had made the crossing over to Joint Promotions earlier in the year. Alan quickly grew into the role of champion and was accepted by fans as a legitimate successor to Dempsey.

His technical ability gained respect, but his lack of flair and absence of gimmicks meant he was never to be a top of the bill regular. Alan Sargeant's flexibility in the ring was a sight to behold and he could escape from a boston crab like no other. Also a great exponent of the surf-board.Sadly slipped from the scene unheralded in the mid-seventies and remains a wrestler we'd like to know more about.

Jimmy Savile

Big Boy Charlie Scott

Gateshead's Big Boy Charlie Scott took to life as a professional wrestler shortly after discharge from service as an army physical training instructor.

He was soon travelling throughout the north, and then further afield after moving to London, and was quickly tagged the Tyneside Terror by ringside fans.

Charlie's bruising style was a crowd pleaser and weighing around 20 stones the Big Boy label was very fitting. Charlie was a firm favourite at both Belle Vue and Blackpool Tower in the late 1940s, wrestling at both venues on an almost weekly basis against big names such as Tony Baer, Bill Garnon, Alf Robinson, Bomber Bates and Jack Atherton.

Legend has it that Charlie faced Bert Assiratti more often than any other opponent, and we can confirm the two were frequent foes. We don't know the accuracy of this claim, but its very existence is an indication of the stature of the man. The masked man Count Bartelli was another frequent opponent. Also in the opposite corner was the former British heavyweight boxing champion, Jack London, in a boxer versus wrestler contest.

With the formation of Joint Promotions in 1952 Charlie was signed up to work for the syndicate, and did so until 1957 when he moved across to the independents. Charlie then became one of the biggest names on the independent circuit, particularly the fledgling Paul Lincoln Promotions, using both his own name and that of the masked man, Great Bula. Charlie's career took him across to the continent, where he wrestled in the big European tournaments (pictured right in Vienna).

Charlie Scott retired from wrestling in 1962.The photo (on the left) shows him taking a short breather after being thrown from the ring in an early 1960s independent show.

Sandy Scott

British wrestling has bosted a number of Sandy Scott’s. The first, real name Angus McKay Scott, was born in Edinburgh but moved to Canada aged five. He turned professional wrestler in 1953 and wrestled mainly in North America before visiting “home” in the 1960s.

We have two more recent Sandy Scott's for you In the 1970s the red haired, bearded Sandy Scott (left) from Glenrothes was Leeds-based, able to appear nationwide and made the most of his favour with the Yorkshire-based promoter of the time, débuting on television against Mike Marino and being fast-tracked for immediate inclusion on the final ever Royal presentation in November. He later moved to Canada where he was both wrestler and referee, for Stampede Wrestling.

A third Sandy Scott, from Wishaw in Lanarkshire (also known as Dynamic Dragon) was blonde haired worked mainly for independent promoters and married wrestler Busty keegan. He moved to Lowestoft.

Steve Sereene

Steve First became interested in wrestling when he met and became a close friend of JJ Pallo at school.

Steve first started his wrestling at the age 15 when he joined Breaks Amateur Wrestling Club in Hatfield Hertfordshire.

He broke into the professional ranks in 1975 after being trained by Jackie Pallo and Jackie Jnr. and was soon to become a regular at all the venues run by Jackie Pallo Enterprises and other independent promoters.

He was wrestling 3 to 4 times a week throughout the country from the mid seventies to the mid eighties both as himself and in a mask as Solitaire.

Through his connections with Jackie Pallo he was privileged throughout his career to wrestle with many of the greats of British wrestling and to appear on the same bills with all the top names. He appeared on four TV shows that were screened both here and in America.

Frank Sexton

Lee Sharron

Rugged northern heavyweight who although never in the Robinson, Joyce, Wall league, was a good value for money grappler of the sixties and seventies.

Numismatist Lee, trained by George De Relwyskow, was one of several wrestlers who overcame extended teenage illnesses to be successful in the ring.

He took his ring name from daughter Sharron Leslie. Debut loss in Withernsea 1962 against Les Kellett, and went on to appear extensively in Germany and the Middle East.

When Leon Arras reduced his appearances dramatically it was Lee Sharron who became an Untouchable alongside Bobby Graham.

Widely billed as a Jewish Heavyweight, Sharron gained revenge for that début loss a decade later when scoring an upset 2-1 falls victory on television over Les Kellett.

Bob Sherry

Not the most well known name in wrestling,but undoubtedly one of the most inspirational to all who knew him. A wrestler of the teancity and toughness of the likes of his contemparies Dempsey and Riss he was never allowed to shine quite so brightly in the professional ring.

Fellow wrestler Eddie Rose told us:

"Jimmy was one of the best wrestlers in the fullest sense having a history of learning his wrestling at Bolton United Harriers AWC and Riley's Gym in Wigan. Jimmy was an Olympic wrestler (UK) and a member of a crack Airborne Unit in World War Two. I knew him for many years and worked with him in the ring and travelled to far-flung venues with him on long car trips. He was good company with a dry sense of humour and I can still visualise those two big cauliflower ears, broken nose and wicked grin as he recounted one of his stories. He was a fanatical runner with the fells being his favourite and I watched him complete the Holcombe Tower Fell Race quite comfortably when in his late '70s. He used to spend a lot of time camping at high altitude and running in the Aps when he eventually retired from wrestling and was always true to his rigorous army training. Amongst the wrestlers, Jimmy was a true wrestling legend."
Read our extended tribute: Man of Granite

Tiger Singh

Yorkshire and national amateur champion, who tried various names from his given name Gilbert, through Gil and Dalibir, to be known as the hard-working British Heavyweight Champion Tiger Singh.

He first caught our eye in independent rings as early as 1968, before debuting for Joint promotions in 1972.

Gained his international wings when part of the Yorkshire contingent in the 1974 German tournaments. Never achieved much success at all in Germany and even by 1978 he was losing there to Barry Douglas, whom he would have been expected to defeat every time in the UK. In this sense he is the inverse of Caswell Martin.

Singh fueded regularly with the similarly styled Ray Steele. Probably too regularly, an overdose of straight wrestling as antedote to the unbelievable excesses of Big Daddy and others.

One wonders whether the Crabtrees required their heavyweight champion to bottle any charisma to protect their elder member.

Dino Skarlo (Dino Scarlo)

Bermondsey golden boy Dino Skarlo was given a hyper push at the start of his career as one of the "Parade of New Faces" that seemed to feature on most of the Dale Martin shows of 1977-78.

He was the welterweight son of the original Cockney Kid and tagged with Tony in the Cockney Kids, feuding long-term and in single combat with the Peter and Steve Kelly.

Although the promoters push failed to have the desired result (the "Parade of New Faces" of new faces was a turn off for the fans) Dino went on to gain his wrestling long service medal, training and promoting into the twenty-first century.

Tony Skarlo (Tony Scarlo)

Bermondsey's original Cockney Kid and lightweight contender of the early and mid sixties who resurfaced in the seventies alongside his son Dino to tag as ... The Cockney Kids.

A reliable worker who continues to contribute much to the scene three decades later. Skarlo, only 5 feet 4 inches tall and never much more than a lightweight, built up his muscles working as a porter at London's Smithfield Meat Market.

Tony turned professional initially for Paul Lincoln and the other independent promoters, but was tempted to Joint Promotions in January, 1962.

The first of his televised wrestling appearances came in 1963 when he lost to Leon Fortuna.

Future tv opponents included the best on offer - Adrian Street and Julien Morice amongst others. Tony's 1977 match with Dynamite Kid has become the stuff of legends amongst internet fans and You Tube followers.

Both in singles and tag, the Skarlos will forever be associated with Peter Kelly, and his son Steve.

Carlton Smith

Ricki Starr

Arguably the most sensational wrestler to impact the British scene in the sixties and a major player in those golden years, pursuing a glittering undefeated run and returning on several occasions, including long-haired and balding in 1974 on independent bills.

Having boxed, and won 17 amateur wrestling titles, Starr turned pro wrestler in 1953 and combined the mat sport with a career as a ballet dancer, touring Europe with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and later appearing on Broadway in Paint Your Wagon and Annie Get Your Gun. But it was when he started to combine his ballet with his wrestling that the spark came and he sold out Madison Square Garden on several occasions.

Even on our 1964 monochrome sets his golden ballet shoes caused a stir, and his prancing and pirouetting had audiences on the edges of their seats. The fifteen-stoner invariably finished off his opponents with an aeroplane spin, and his defeat of Steve Logan - seconded by Mick McManus - on Cup Final Day 1965 is legendary. Later scaled down to as little as 13 stone 2 pounds and, at this weight in his final three televised appearances, span not only light-heavyweights Czeslaw and Haggetty to knock-out defeats but also the 19 stones Mucky Mal Kirk.

In 1968 Ricki Starr was one of a number of wrestlers featured in the movie The Touchables.

The early seventies saw occasional UK glimpses of the new look Starr including Royal Albert Hall bill-topping appearances in which he sensationally knocked out Mr TV Pallo. Dale Martin's precious emergent jewel proved a harder rock to crack and he only drew with Goldbelt Maxine.

His status was undiminished in European actions and in the marathon two-month Hanover tournament of 1974 with almost nightly action, he emerged undefeated - but was still placed only second overall by protectionist Germans.

Have you ever wondered where Richard Starkey got his name from when he became drummer for the Beatles ....

Docker Don Stedman

18-stone 5'6" Bermondsey heavyweight in the Georges Gordienko mould, proud of never being knocked out throughout his career. He entered the professional ranks around 1950 when he was in his early twenties, and it's hard to believe that in those days he was tagged "Baby Face" Don Stedman.

A regular worker for Dale Martin Promotions he was tempted over to the opposition and wrestled throughout the early sixties on Paul Lincoln bills. When Dale Martin devoured Paul Lincoln Management in 1966 Don returned to Joint Promotions but made only limited impact for Dale Martins after the two companies fused.

He was, though, one of the semi-finalists in the tournament to decide a Southern England Heavyweight Champion eventually claimed by Judo Al Hayes.

Feuded with Josef Kovacs, though two of his six televised bouts were against Pat Barratt.

Ray Steel

Bob Steele

The depth and richness of talent of British wrestling in the 1960s made it difficult for a wrestler to stand out amongst the crowd, especially if he failed to wear a colourful costume, dye his hair or adopt some other outrageous gimmick.

Salford's Bob Steele did stand out, and he did so simply by relying on an outstanding level of technical ability. He was singled out by middleweight champion Tommy Mann as the best of the early 1960s newcomers and biggest threat to his title.

Born in 1931 Bob became interested in wrestling whilst a child and attended his first show at the Ardwick Stadium when he was eleven years old. Manchester's second stadium, “The bloodtub,” was known for fights that were just that bit more exciting and violent than at the nearby Belle Vue, and the frenzy inside the hall hooked the youngster.

A couple of years later he joined the Manchester YMCA, initially to box, but soon turned his attention to wrestling. When Bobby was called upon to complete his National Service he became friends with wrestler Tony Vallon. Vallon encouraged the Salford yongster to put his wrestling knowledge to good use by turning professional, which he did in 1951.

Right from the start it was aparent that here was a wrestler with exceptional ability and Bobby was soon matched with the big names like Danny Flynn, Cliff Beaumont and Tommy Pye. Wins over welterweight champion Jack Dempsey were rewarded with a championship clash but Steele was unable to beat the champion in any title bouts. He remained a highly respected capmpaigner on the periphery of championship honours for the best part of two decades. By 1967 the bumps and the grind of the wrestling ring were getting the best of Bob and he took over management of a garage in Manchester.

Eugene Stezycki

Polish heavyweight Eugene Stezycki is best remembered for his feud with legendary British heavyweight Bert Assirati. Having served in the Polish army and survived a German labour camp during the war Stezycki came to Britain and set up home in Bristol.

With a sportig background of weight lifting, boxing and wrestling he chose the latter as his career and began wrestling professionally in 1954, aged 30.

His early career was pretty unspectacular, but all that changed in July, 1956 when he gave Bert Assirati a tremendous tussle in Brighton, and once again at Belle Vue a few weeks later.

From that time on Stezycki’s place in wrestling was established, and that place was often in the opposite corner of Assirati. He wrestled Assirati almost fifty times over the following three years, one of the most memorable being a particularly bloody European title clash at the Seymour Hall on 15th December 1958.

These bouts established Eugene Stezycki as one of the toughest wrestlers in British rings. Stezycki died on 19th July, 2007.

Jim Stockdale

The plumber turned wrestler from Stockton on Tess, Gentleman Jim Stockdale, entertained fans mainly in the north of England both under his own name and that of the villainous masked man The Blue Angel.

Jim took an interest in wrestling during his teenage years whilst he was serving an apprenticeship at Head Wrightsons Apprentice School.

In his early twenties he began to wrestle professionally, and one of the highlights of his career came in November, 1956, when he was the plucky local boy who narrowly lost by a KO decision to Mike Marino at the New St James Hall, Newcastle.

Opponents during a career which spanned the best part of two decades, from the early fifties to the end of the 1960s, also included well known names such as Steve Veidor, Dai Sullivan, Cyril Morris and Bobby Graham.

Amongst the many wrestlers who were influenced by Stockdale were “Boy” Devlin, Tommy Stones and Arthur Openshaw all of whom were amongst those he trained at his gymnasium behind the Grey Horse Pub, where his father Charlie Stockdale was landlord.

In 1968 Jim and his family left the North East and moved to Lincolnshire where his wrestling career continued for a few years more.

As years passed by Jim’s fame moved into a new sphere as he left behind the world of championship wrestling to become the owner of champion pigeons!

Dale Storm

Dale Storm was a popular and influential Scottish wrestler of the 1960s and 1970s. We remember reading of his exploits at the time in Ringsport magazine, and others have recently learned of Dale in the excellent Eddie Rose book, Send In The Clowns.

Eddie was a great admirer of Dale and his brother, Bruce Welch. Ayshire's Dale developed an interest in wrestling whilst he was in Australia and began to learn the amateur game at a club near his home.

On returning to Britain he began to pursue his dream of wrestling for money and was taken under the wing of a very able teacher, the great Danny Flynn, "a real professional and a real trouper, as well as a really nice gentleman," Dale told us. Danny was one of the top independent promoters at the time and booked the youngster for his shows around Scotland and the north of England.

As Dale gained experience he also increased in size and began to move up the weights from lightweight to heavyweight. Through a career that spanned twenty years, from 1964-81, Dale worked with many of the biggest names in the business; Johnny Saint, Jackie Pallo, Adrian Street, Romeo Joe Critchley, Andy Robin and Ezra Francis (Sugar Ray DoDo) amongst others.

"Ezra was a real gent, a real good pal, and a big Man City supporter. I went to Main Road with him, it was a hoot!"

Although he did work for Joint Promotions we mostly associate Dale with the independents, largely because he and his brother promoted under the name Spartan Promotions, and were amongst the most highly respected promoters in the business. The end of a long career came abruptly and tragically one night at Hamilton Town Hall in a contest with Peter Preston. A loose ring board caused a serious spinal injury which required major surgery, thus ending a twenty year career.

Adrian Street

There was never any doubt that even if wrestling fans didn’t remember the time they watched Adrian Street wrestle, which was unlikely, they would remember what he wore. Not that we are suggesting Adrian was anything but a fine wrestler, or how else could he have continued wrestling through five decades, right into the twenty-first century.

It all began in 1957 when a sixteen year old Adrian, or Kid Tarzan Jonathan as he chose to call himself, stepped into the ring for the first time. He joined Joint Promotions in 1960, leaving behind the Tarzan name in favour of the less colourful Adrian Street. Within a couple of years the name was the only thing that was less colourful.

First came the dyed blond hair, the sky blue trunks and matching boots, but it was the arrival of the velvet dressing gowns, each more outrageous than the previous one, which signalled the start of his career really taking off. The facial makeup, minimal to begin with, became increasingly outlandish. It was the 1970s, the glam rock era of Mark Bolan, Sweet, Gary Glitter, and Adrian Street. A superstar had been created, and maybe one that was too big for the British scene.

Our feeling at the time, and not one that has been magnified by hindsight, is that Adrian Street gave his all to British wrestling, and that was a great deal. Sadly we felt that his giving was not fully reciprocated and he never received the acknowledgement he deserved from Joint Promotions.

He transferred his allegiance to the independent circuit amd then continued on his way, across the Atlantic to America, leaving behind a million memories.

We leave it for our American readers to continue the story.

Join in the discussion on Adrian Street

Hans Streiger

Few were rougher and tougher than the blond German, Hans Streiger, oft billed as the “Blond Bomber” or “Teutonic Terror.” He wasn’t German, of course, and we have doubts about the hair colour, but the hardness was for real.

Hans Streiger was “Country Boy” Clarke Mellor, and in the early days he did use that name, and he was as German as anyone else who comes from New Mills, Derbyshire.

As far as his wrestling was concerned he was a first degree villain, sometime tag partner of Steve Haggetty, and a popular name on any bill. The style had been developed in the fairground booths of Britain, but it was a style that led to wrestling success which took him around the world.

Few were rougher and tougher than the blond German, Hans Streiger, oft billed as the “Blond Bomber” or “Teutnic Terror.” He wasn’t German, of course, and we have doubts about the hair colour, but the hardness was for real.

Hans Streiger was “Country Boy” Clark Mellor, and in the early days he did use that name, and he was as German as anyone else who comes from New Mills, Derbyshire.

As far as his wrestling was concerned he was a first degree villain, sometime tag partner of Steve Haggetty, sometimes Jim Hussey, and at times Cowboy Jack Cassidy. Whether wrestling tag or solo he was a popular name on any bill. The style had been developed in the fairground booths of Britain, but it was a style that led to wrestling success which took him around the world.

Outside the ring he was a very different man, a lover of dogs remembered fondly by those who knew him. Nonetheless, out of the ring he was still a larger than life character, and whenever wrestlers gather together it doesn't take long before stories of Clark Mellor begin to surface, often about his well attended funeral complete with with horse drawn hearse, brass band.

Rex Strong

Blackpool's big, bad, bearded heavyweight could torment the fans with his underhand tactics as one of the best villains of the day. Mind you, he had a good tutor, having been taught the wrestling trade by none other than Dirty Dominic Pye. Rex recalls working on the beach at Blackpool and if Dominic was a man short for one of his three times a week wrestling shows a public announcement would instruct him to to make his way to the hall and get changed double quick!.

Rex took to seconding at the Blackpool Tower to pick up tips from the old professionals such as Jack Pye. He made his professional debut in 1959, and in the early days was billed as Wild Angus Campbell, complete with swirling kilt. Angus Campbell was a Dominic Pye creation and Rex played the part for two or three years until Frank Hoy came along.

At other times Rex would use the name Barry Sherman (a corruption of his birth name Shearman) and most memorably that of the masked man Samurai. Rex rose to his most prominent in the 1970s, in the opposing corner to the likes of Big Daddy, Wayne Bridges, Pete Roberts and Count Bartelli.

In 1975-6 he formed a notable tag partnership with Kendo Nagasaki. A familiar figure to tv viewers, he was dropped in at the deep end partnering Kendo Nagasaki against Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks. A couple more televised outings against Romany Riley and John Elijah, and then promoters really stepped up the class of opponents and Rex was in the big league on tv against Pat Roach, Big Daddy, an unmasked Kendo Nagasaki (see right), Gwyn Davies, and Tony St Clair.

At the Royal Albert Hall Rex and partner Kendo Nagasaki beat Haystacks and Big Daddy in March, 1977. More Albert Hall success three years later when he partnered John Quinn to defeat African Kruger and African Rand. During this time Rex was also a councillor in his native Blackpool and proprietor of The Hadley Hotel on Blackpool Promenade. In 1986 Rex was back on television screens, this time as the Masked Samurai, appearing once against Tom Tyrone and a couple of times in tag matches with Big Daddy in the opposite corner.

Wrestling Heritage reader Nightlight told us:

"Back in the 1970's, my parents used to stay at the hotel in Blackpool run by Rex Strong. My Dad often recalls that Rex's 'party piece' was bending the old-style 'crown' tops from bottles of Guinness between two of his fingers! "

One final Rex Strong memory - does anyone remember seeing Rex in the Blackpool team of the 1981 It's A knockout competition?

Mel Stuart

Real-life fire-fighter, deep-sea-diver and budgerigar-breeder, Pretty Boy Stuart was a Gravesend mid-heavyweight who appeared on the Dale Martin scene mid-seventies and proved adaptable to any opponent.

Prior to that he had worked for independent promoters and on the fairground booths.

Particularly skilled at allowing the aged Les Kellett to shine in spite of deteriorated timing. Ta

gged with any villain going, the only consistency being alongside Steve Haggetty in the Blond Bombers.

We got upset as sloppy emcees called him Mal, but his wrestling by any name could enliven any bill. Continued wrestling until well into the twenty-first century.

Dai Sullivan

Francis Sullivan

The speedy and popular heavyweight of dropkick fame was a mainstay of Joint Promotions rings for fifteen years. One of the Wigan lads Francis Sullivan and the Rileys went back many years. Billy Riley tutored him and in the 1950s, in the early years of his professional career, Francis and Ernie Riley would work together earning a few extra pounds in Matt Moran's fairground wrestling booth. Simultaeneoulsly Francis was gaining popularity around the country in the professional rings of Britain. No one could accuse Francis of being one of those wrestlers who limited himself to working close to home; he travelled the length and breadth of the country. A study of his record shows Francis was almost a weekly fixture at Belle Vue soon after he turned professional in 1950. Not just Belle Vue, but a regular at those other big venues Liverpool Stadium and the New St James Hall, Newcastle. Dave Sutherland remembers,

"Francis was my all time favourite wrestler having seen him on TV in the early sixties and then on many occasions at Newcastle where I attended and later worked for a number of years. He was a big favourite among the crowd there, normally pitted against a lot of the top villains of the day although it was against equally skillful wrestles that he most frequently shone; a narrow defeat by Geoff Portz in 1964 was among the top three fights that I have seen."

Dave also told us that Francis went into the music business with Ernie Riley, the two of them putting on dance and music shows. Francis also appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, with Billy Howes, Iska Khan, Gordon Nelson, Rocco Columbo and John Lees being amongst his opponents.

Championship success eluded Francis, though he did give Norman Walsh a run for his money in a British mid heavyweight championship clash. In November 1964 he met Kendo Nagasaki during the masked man's first week in the professional ranks, following in the footsteps of Jim Hussey and Terry O'Neill.

Of his dozen or so televsion appearances Mike Richards remembers one match against Frikki Alberta.

"At the end of the match Sullivan was knocked out and when he was revived he started shouting turn on the lights, turn on the lights, in a loud panicking voice, this lasted for a minute or more and I was quite shocked by it, and the wrestling audience were also very concerned. Genuine or just a good act, I don’t know, but very convincing. "

Francis combined his wrestling commitmnets with those of running a shop in Top Lock, Wigan. Shop work was in his blood as he had since childhood helped his parents in their shop in Park View, Ince, Wigan.

Francis Sullivan continued as one of Britain's top mat men until his retirement in 1966. He went on to own a slot machine business with long time friend and wrestler Billy Riley.

Francis Sullivan passed away peacefully, in hospital, on 6th June, 2009. He was eighty-four years old.

Bob Sweeney

The muscular young Yorkshireman was described as a “young titan” in the Wrestler magazine, and the name was apt for a youngster who had skill and speed in abundance.

Appearing at his best against technical greats like Ernie Riley, who he challenged for the light heavyweight crown on at least six occasions,

Halifax born Bob hit the headlines in April, 1960, when he made his television debut against fiery Bill Howes.

More televised outings followed, including appearances against Riley and Steve Logan, making him one of the most popular and highly respected light heavyweights in the early sixties.

Around 1964 Bob Sweeney disappeared from the rings leaving fans disappointed and wondering just what had happened to this fine wrestler in his prime. The mystery, and much more, can be found out in our extended tribute Yorkshire's Shooting Star

Peter Szakacs

Transylvanian welterweight and freedom fighter in his home country at the time of the 1956 Uprising who followed his brother Tibor into pro wrestling several years later. Forever Tibor's little brother and equally unsmiling.

On a roll in the mid-sixties with a 1964 Royal Albert Hall victory over Al Miquet and two 1966 televised bouts against Mr TV Pallo, on both occasions coming within a whisker of victory.

Settled into an undercard role thereafter and tagged with Zoltan Boscik in The Magnificent Magyars, and only rarely with Tibor, a super rare autographed pairing is forthcoming.

Hip problems caused him prematurely to turn to refereeing and he remained active in the Dale Martin offices.

Tibor Szakacs

Record five-time winner of the coveted Royal Albert Hall Tournament Trophy, wrestling's F.A. Cup, Hungarian Army Officer Tibor fled to Britain in December 1956 and immediately started a career-long association with Joint Promotions, from his first professional contest in January the following year in Ramsgate against Billy Joyce. A classically trained purist, he was nevertheless dour in his unsmiling approach and grimaced extensively, as left. His counter holds were a pleasure to behold, and for one so skilful it was always rather anomolous that his speciality should have been a back-handed chop to the chest when he was the master of suplexes, flying tackles and other more scientific manoeuvres.

Right he is seen proudly receiving his 1963 trophy from HRH Prince Philip.

Only limited success on his rare ventures to the German international tournaments but a largely unvanquished Union Jack-flying defender in the face of visiting heavyweights, whether technicians like Tibor himself, or rule benders.

Occasionally partnered Steve Viedor and brother Peter in tag, a rare twin autographed tag picture of the brothers is on display in the Autographs section, but the most notable of his limited tag appearances was his 1966 pairing with Henri Pierlot. Partners Kendo Nagasaki and Count Bartelli fell out and The Count was subsequently unmasked in a challenge contest.

Tibor sustained a serious eye injury in a later solo bout against Kendo Nagasaki.

His career ended with sad showings in silly tag bouts against the belly butt brigade, due to ignorant promoters being unable to showcase his undoubtedly slick skills in a suitably appealing manner. Landlord of the Lord Palmerston in King’s Road Chelsea and featured in a downbeat 2005 BBC radio programme from a snobbish yet terminally low-life Hungarian emigré who decided it was his preroragitive to make detrimental comments about fans and practitioners of the magnificent concept that was British Professional Wrestling.

Wrestling Heritage

The home of British wrestling history. Write to: theriotsquad@hotmail.com

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