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Not to be confused with the American actor and wrestling coach, our Tim McCoy was born John Pulford and worked below ground at Bradford Colliery in Manchester. In 1956 he was one of five men working 1,000 yards below ground when a collapse led to two of the men being killed. It was said that the wrestler, who was trapped under rubble, surived only because of his physique.
Almost always billed from Dublin we have no evidence he was born there and think that he was most likely born in south east Lancashire, more precisely Ince In Makerfield, now in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.
Our first recorded bout for Tim McCoy is in 1937 when he would have been in his early twenties. Most of his contests were in the north and midlands of England, though we believe he did venture over to Germany following the Second World War. As he filled out during his career he wrestled everyone from lighter men such as Joe Reid to heavyweight Bert Mansfield, and in February, 1948 lost to Jack Beaumont at Hanley when challenging for the British light heavyweight title. Other opponents included top names Hec Trudeau, Les Kellett and Mike Demitre. On one occasion, at New Brighton in January 1940, he knocked out former Olympian Joe Reid in the first round. We have seen Tim’s wrestling style described as unorthodox, whatever that means, but it did lead to quite a few disqualifications.
Towards the end of his wrestling career, in March 1954 at Burton Upon Trent an unheralded supporting match between Jack Atherton and The Masked Marvel ended surprisingly and quickly. Atherton butted the Masked Marvel in the stomach, down he went and he was counted out after just 45 seconds. It would seem odd if this was the planned results. Nonetheless, as promised The Marvel removed his mask to reveal Tim McCoy.
Our last sighting of Tim McCoy was on 13th February, 1959, when he defeated Ian Wallace by two falls to one in the Exchange Hall, Stamford.
During a career that extended more than twenty years Tim McCoy wrestled just about everyone of note, and a few more besides.
Page added 17/02/2023
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