SPECIAL - The Wrestling Archive

THE STARS OF T.V.
THE
DECEMBER, 1961
SPECIAL
FEATURES
TERRORS OF THE
RING
TELEVISION
REVIEW
THE CHALLENGERS
FROMAFRICA
ORIGIN OF
WRESTLING HOLDS
OFFICIAL MONTHLY
OF THE
EUROPEAN
WRESTLING ALLIANCE
Georges Gordienko issues a Challenge
Editorial
Professional wrestling has obviously "come of
age" in public popularity, and Fleet Street has been
hastening to watch and comment.
We
National
"Sunday
People",
are pleased to observe the latest of the
Press to give coverage to our sport is the
Times"-a paper read by the "Top
so we have been told!
Brian Glanville, a distinguished young journalist, recently interviewed Togo, the Japanese master
of combat, and the resulting article contained much
of interest to any sporting fan. It was a pleasure
to read it!
It would seem from other reports that even
staunch boxing writers are turning their attention
towards wrestling and looking at it as it should be
viewed and reported.
They are following wrestling and wrestlers
through the medium of television, and "The
Wrestler" is now a widely-read publication-though
not a quoted one-in the Street of Ink.
Strange is it not that, for years, wrestling
promoters have asked Fleet Street to recognize their
tournaments and their controlling body. Much
money has been spent in Fleet Street through the
medium of advertising-the life blood, in this
commercial age, of any newspaper- provincial or
national.
Yet, too often, the old-fashioned sports editors
have overlooked wrestling copy submitted and given
preference to reports about bowls, cricket, football
and even American baseball-none of which sports
are advertised in their particular _newspapers.
Illogical, is it not?
It would seem that now that professional
wrestling is being watched by millions of ordinary
people from all walks of life, even the National Press
is becoming wrestling conscious. It is a good thingproviding they do not type their wrestling copy with
"tongues in cheeks!"
Although still possessing many faults which
TIME alone can iron out, our sport deserves a
break.
Now is the hour for Fleet Street to give it!
THE EDITOR AND STAFF OF "THE WRESTLER"
WISH ALL THEIR READERS SINCERE
CHRISTMAS
GREETINGS
WITH THE NEW YEAR HOPE OF A FEAST OF
GOOD WRESTLING FOR 1962
DESIGNED, PRINTED and PUBLISHED
By " THE WRESTLER", LTD.,
DAVIGDOR HOUSE, HOVE, SUSSEX.
Trade Agents-HORACE MARSHALL & SON LTD.,
Temple House, Tallis Street, London, E .C.4.
Whilst every care has been taken
in the preparation of this publication the Publishers do not hold
themselves responsible for any
errors or inaccuracies that ma.y
occur.
OFFICIAL
MONTHLY
OF
THE
EUROPEAN WRESTLING
ALLIANCE
Editor:
CHARLES MASCALL
Associate Editor:
Page
Editorial Comment
Round the Amateur World
Wrestler of the Month- Buddy Cody
Northern Gossip
Challengers from Africa
Terrors of the Ring
You ask "Mr. T .V. " Pallo
A Profile- Dennis Dean ...
The Editor Begs to Differ
Roger Boileau- the Bobby Soxers' Idol
Strong-men of the Mat World
A Proud Maori Warrior .
Gordienko issues a Challenge
World Tournament Wanted
Abe Ginsburgh- a Profile
A Dedicated Wrestler
Len Wilding
Two Popular Holds
Ringside Gossip
World Championship Ratings
Dublin's Grappling Gael
History and Tradition Of Wrestling
Letters to the Editor
Truth is Stranger than Fiction
Television Review
Where to see Wrestling
BOB ANDREWS
2
4
5
6
7
8 and 9
*
A dvertisement Manager:
10
REG.M.CHANDLER
11
12
13
(Rate Card and d etails supplied on
application)
14
15
*
16
18 and 19
Regular Contributors :
20
21
ANDREW RYAN
LOUIS HOLBECK
BARRY CHRISTOPHER
R. A. PLUMMER
BOB ANDREWS
CONRAD DUFFY
KEN OSBORN
BRIAN JONES
TONY FLOOD
PHILIP H. CHILDS
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
33 and 35
Front Cover:
South Africa's dynamic star Gerry De Jager, of
Johannesburg, damps a "Boston crab" hold on Tomas
Riandi, of Mexico. Referee Lou Marco watches for
a submission •..
[Photographer: Bob Collins, Croydon]
EDITORI AL CONTRIB UTIONS will be received for consideration,
providing such items (articles or photographs) are a ccompanied by
a stamped and addressed envelope. No r esponsibility will be accepted
for the return of contributors' manuscripts or photographs if this
condition is not observed. The Editor cannot accept responsibility for
loss or injury during transit.
DECEMBER ,
1961
VOLUME I.
No. 7
WORLD
with BOB ANDREWS
Bob Morland, Hon. Secretary of
the Midlands Amateur Wrestling
Association, has sent some most
encouraging news about grappling
progress in his region.
"Wrestling is making good
progress in the Midlands," says
Bob. "Senior and junior membership goes on increasing, clubs are
expanding, enquiries from wrestling
enthusiasts all over the area between
London and Manchester pour in to
the Midlands every day." If you
wish to know more about activities
in this area, just drop a line to Bob
at 24 Wheeleys Road, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, 15. Do not forget a
stamped-addressed-envelope !
Still in the Midlands, I hear that:
E. Rayment, of Barking Amateur
Wrestling Club, has started a new
club at Craylands Youth Centre in
Basildon . . .
In Birmingham there are more
beginners than ever in the evening
institute classes run by the Education Committee . . .
Bristol Amateur Wrestling Club
have recently acquired a new £105
mat .. .
Pat Lawrence, of Bedford, has a
large group of juniors getting into
shape . ..
A three-months' course for
potential wrestling instructors was
recently sponsored by Birmingham
Education Committee.
Page 4
Recently I mentioned that the
British Amateur Wrestling Association were proposing to bring out
their own monthly magazine. I have
now had the opportunity to study
a copy of this publication, entitled
"Amateur Wrestling", and can
recommend it unreservedly to
amateur enthusiasts. It is packed
full of news and comment from all
over the country.
If you would like to see a copy,
please send 8d. to P. Grace, Esq.,
5 Marshall House, Mintern Street,
London, N.l.
************
Jack Ingle, of the United Club,
London, has given me details of the
performance of United's Frank
Birchfield in the recent Jewish
Games. He tells me that FrankBritain's welterweight representative
in the Games- was rated fourth
place in the free-style contests.
"Frank deserves all our praise for
this outstanding performance," says
Jack. "Not once was he put on his
back. To reach fourth place out of
eight world-class entries is an
achievement far ahead of many of
our previous international representatives in world-class contests."
************
The age limit for junior wrestling
has been raised to 17 years. This
means a lad may wrestle in junior
contests providing he has not
reached his 17th birthday by the
first of May each year.
************
The United Club of London are
looking forward to playing hosts to
the Mary Hill Wrestling Club of
Glasgow.
This match series was made
possible by the United's Supporters'
Club, whose organiser is well-known
referee Harry Geoghegan.
************
More changes- this time in junior
wrestling. In future, junior wrestling
contests held under B.A.W.A. laws
will be of six minutes' duration (i.e .
two three-minute rounds with a
minute break between) and a onesecond fall (i.e . a count of two).
I am told that it is possible that
more changes may be made in the
New Year when the full interpretation of new rules arrives from the
International Amateur Wrestling
Federation
************
I should like to make this final
request to readers to support our
appeal for funds to help amateur
wrestling. The appeal has not been
doing too well so far; please support
it if you can. Donations should be
sent to Mr. A. Wishart, Hon.
Secretary, B.A.W.A., 60 Calabria
Road , London, N.5.
THE
WRESTLER
CHOOSES
He may not actually top the roll of the
popularity polls. He would rather fly his
own aeroplane than do anything else.
Dressed for the street and smoking his pipe,
he might look like a typical Englishman,
but the name of "Texas" Buddy Cody has
appeared on wrestling programmes in nearly every
country where our sport is
presented.
THE
WRESTLER
OF
THE
MONTH
Starr, the ballet dancer-cum-wrestler. Buddy claims
that one of the best wrestlers in the world he has
come to grips with is the Hawaiian Sam Steamboat,
a protégé of Lou Thesz, the ex-world champion.
Talking with him about some of the foreign
stars he has met on his travels, Buddy told me that
wrestlers in India were very strong. Wrestlers in the
It is not a cheer that greets him
when he strolls forth to do battle in
the "pit of pain," but rather the
yells and snarls of the crowd .
He may never top a popularity
poll, because tough wrestlers possessing the same ring code as the
Texan are rarely the "blue-eyed
Adonis" with ringsiders.
)
Into his 5ft. 9in. physique he
packs a solid 16st. And Buddy will
step into the ring with any wrestler
-as he has done, in fact, in every
part of the world.
It was back about 10 years ago
that the name of Buddy Cody began
cropping up from time to time in
the mat news reports from Australia.
Ring reporters were noting the
young Texan's bouts with Jon
Morro, then Australian Champion,
and the Danish heavyweight, Leo
Jensen.
South Africa's Willem Hall has a head scissors on Buddy Cody
In 1952, Cody's ability to take punishment- like a sponge soaking up water- came to the notice
of a Malayan promoter. Offers went over to
Australia and "Texas" Buddy Cody commenced the
first lap of a world tour that still is not completed.
Although he has wrestled mighty heavyweights
of the international set, including King Kong Czaja,
the 4101b. Hungarian "Goliath", and American Ricki
United States were colourful, but our own mat stars
are the best ring generals in the world and should be
respected as such.
Though he has a great overwhelming passion
for aeroplanes, it may be some years yet before the
"tough guy" from Dallas, Texas, will be flying his
own. Meanwhile he will go on hoping for that day
to come!
Page 5
NORTHERN
Back from a three-weeks trip to
America a Leeds business man vows
that the British standard of professional wrestling is much superior to
that across the Atlantic. In viewing
bouts at Madison Square Garden,
Chicago, Washington and New
York (was there any time left for
business?) he told me he was glad
to be back watching British
wrestling. "In one Madison Square
Garden bout police had to throw
three or four people out of the ring
following one decision- and this
happened more than once in the
bouts I saw," he added.
presented trophies
amateur wrestlers.
to
Scottish
A clever newcomer to our wrestling ranks is "Judo" Pat Roberts,
who comes from Salford. Roberts,
as his nick-name indicates, is an
expert in the art of Judo.
Arthur Green, of Leeds, expects
to "run the rule" over a Congolese
grappler in Paris. I have heard of
wrestlers being called a variety of
names- but never "topical"!
The National Wrestling Alliance
of America says there is still a
chance that world heavy title-holder
Buddy Rogers and former champ
Pat O'Connor may come to Britain.
Buddy had a slight arm operation
following a successful title defence
against "Cowboy" John Ellis and,
subject to further talks, may still
come over here.
Belgium, it appears, likes our
Northern wrestling talent and is
willing to "swop".
IN from Antwerp come Jan
Brouwers and Jan Verholst, a
middleweight- said on excellent
authority to have the snap and
action of a Billy Howes, and who
has a great reputation over there.
Ian Campbell, bearded giant of
the wrestling world, who is fastbecoming known as "Mr. Scotland,"
does much generous work outside of
wrestling. Recently he presented a
cup to the City of Belfast Girl
Pipers on the occasion of their
triumph in the Piping Championship
of Ireland. The trophy will be
competed for annually.
On other occasions, Ian Campbell,
rugged as he may be in the ring, has
Page 6
Still talking about Leeds circles,
the experiment of professional
wrestling in the open air at the city's
Roundhay Park Bank Holiday Gala
was such a success that it is to be
repeated at the request of the "City
Fathers." Last Bank Holiday Monday, in the natural amphitheatre of
the arena in the park, a crowd
estimated at 35,000 saw a four-bout
programme and received it with
enthusiasm which has warranted the
repeat.
Those who think that 6ft. 6ins.
visitor to British rings Dino Bravo,
half of the famous U.S. Bravo Bros.
tag-team pair, goes around with his
head in the clouds are so right !
When back home Dino is trying to
add more flying hours to the 20 he
has already flown towards the 40
needed for his pilot's examination.
After being "lost" in Europe
"Mr. Scotland"- alias Ian Campbell
- has returned to these shores,
having finished second in the big
German heavyweight tournament.
Ian and his Bentley are now being
seen around the country.
OUT to Brussels and Antwerp go
Barry Douglas (Leeds) and Les
Kellett (Bradford). Barry is pictured
in the centre column.
- the first time that Billy Smart has
allowed his circus seating and ring
to be hired in toto. A super-bill is
to be put on there, and will include
such big names as Billy Two Rivers,
The Mask, Jack Pye, Ian Campbell
and Luther Lindsay, the coloured
heavyweight champion of the world.
There will be six bouts on the
programme in one of the North's
biggest-nights-ever of wrestling.
Wrestling and T.V. are back
together again for a season on the
small screen. Watch out for a big
tournament starting in January,
with the grand finale in May in the
welter-middleweight division. There
is to be a special I.T.V. Trophy at
the end for the winner.
The usual music by which Billy
Two Rivers enters the hall is
apparently not quite suitable for
the Canadian brave. Result . . .
promoter Arthur Green is offering a
prize to anybody who comes up with
a better suggestion.
Big Leeds show in the offing
during December involves taking
over the whole of the sawdust ring
at the new 4,000 seater Queen's Hall
The death occurred recently of
Mrs. Clara de Relwyskow, of
Oakwood, Leeds, widow of that
great Olympic and world lightweight
title-holder George Frederick William de Relwyskow.
Mrs. Relwyskow's two sonsGeorge and Douglas- are now
promoter and international referee
respectively and live at Oakwood.
The late George de Relwyskow
put up one of the greatest Olympic
wrestling feats of all time at the
1908 Olympiad when he won the
lightweight gold medal and finished
a close second for a silver medal in
the middleweight division ... in the
same afternoon.
For this feat, along with the
fabulous long-distance runner Dorando, he received a special award
of an oak-leaves insignia from
Queen Alexandra.
With the continent of Africa never far
away from the "scare headlines" of the
popular Press, two heavyweights from
that corner of the globe are demonstrating
their skill and ability in English rings.
THE CHALLENGERS
FROM
By BARRY CHRISTOPHER
Willem Hall, a husky giant in his late 20s,
stoutly contends that he is the official Heavyweight
Champion of South Africa. No doubt this claim
may well be disputed by Willie Leibenberg, the
legendary kingpin of South Africa's heavyweights
for more than a decade. However, Hall (pictured at
the top of the page) has a victory over Leibenberg
to his credit.
A Springbok-born ring stylist who has never
strayed far from the top of our welterweight class is
the popular barefoot star, Jack Cunningham, who
was born in Port Elizabeth. Nowadays, Jack lives
in High Wycombe, a pretty Buckinghamshire town,
where he does some chicken farming.
For a considerable time before the Union
became a Republic, Willem Hall campaigned
throughout his native land under a mask and was
known as "Mr. X." The record he set up during this
period over many leading American heavyweights is
something which cannot easily be pushed aside.
This powerful, perfectly-trained Springbok likes
rugby just as much as he loves his wrestling. In this
sport he is a most prominent figure in the Republic.
Away from the public eye, Willem never stops
trammg. Every morning possible he spends in a
London gymnasium. Strictly a textbook wrestler,
he grapples hold-and-counter-hold style, rather than
in the aggressive and "tough guy" manner we have
come to expect from overseas stars. Willem Hall
seems to be more than an ordinary champion from
abroad.
Seen on the right is another newcomer to our
mats-the bearded heavyweight star, Frikki Alberta,
who is also a keen student of economics. One of
the younger heavyweight stars discovered by Johan
"Bull" Refer, the South African promoter, Alberta
prefers to stick to the orthodox style of wrestling.
But-as some of his opponents know- he can " rough
it up" should they annoy him with their own rugged
tactics.
Another heavyweight from the new Republic
who has already made himself a potential challenger
in any championship tournament is Gerry De Jager,
whose spectacular "drop-kick" has earned him a
niche in the Hall of Fame.
Page 7
Some tough wrestlers-usually,
mild-mannered fellows out of
the combat circle-go on a wild
rampage once they get to grips
with their opponents. What
makes them so?
Are they
temperamental or are they just
plain bullies? Charles Mascall
regards them as men alone ...
OF THE RING
Hans Streiger
When two wrestlers stand in the ring,
even though they are being watched by
several million eyes, each man is on his
own. He is alone with his thoughts and
with a desire to beat his opponent in the
quickest possible fashion . The sooner the
match is won and over the sooner he can
leave the ring and return to the dressingroom.
You may ask what turns a seemingly
nice type of fell ow into a tough, raging
gladiator when he ducks the ropes. There
are many reasons ...
As in professional boxing, there are dirty
fighters. There are also those wrestlers who like to
tackle the job in hand in a rough, unruly fashionbelieving, it appears, that the simplest course towards
victory is an abundance of "shock tactics." They
hope to wear the recipient down until he has taken
enough punishment and calls it quits.
One tough figure, I know, actually walked
out of the ring because he was afraid to take any
more punishment from his opponent.
Steve Logan savagely takes an arm hold on
Churchill as referee Harry Geoghegan looks on
Spencer
However, not all tough guys of the mat are like
that. Tough and tenacious Doug Joyce, of Rushden,
who seems to walk through his wrestling life with a
"chip" on his shoulder, is tough with his ring
rivals because that is the way he is made.
He has no respect for weaklings, either in the
ring or out of it. He feels that, to get to the top,
either in the business world or in the wrestling ring,
you have to be more rugged and much tougher than
the man who faces you.
Hard as a diamond Hans Streiger, the AngloGerman who now Jives in Manchester, is building
an envious reputation among English heavyweights.
Streiger, whose strong fists pounded Archie Moore
and Yolande Pompey when he was a sparring partner
with them, is a man who stands very much alone,
in the ring and out of it. He knows this, hence the
tough approach to his opponent on the mat.
In the United States, tough violence seems to
have become the pattern of a wrestling contest. In
this country, where wrestling is properly controlled
under the Lord Mountevans' Rules, our tough
"tearaway" stars seem mild in comparison with their
counterparts in America. And so it should be.
Referees have the power to send from the ring any
man who violates our rules.
One of the roughest candidates in the welterweight class who could be classed as a "tearaway"
is the former British welterweight champion Mick
McManus, of London, a fiery little man of Irish
descent.
It is hard to imagine that this
diminutive tough guy handles priceless
china and other valuable antiques in
his leisure time. Once he gets on the
mat and stands alone facing an
adversary, it would seem "all hell"
breaks loose. Mick McManus holds
his position among the top welterweights with his rugged savage tactics.
Few opponents can do this because, whilst
Logan can dish out the shock tactics, his humble
background has hardened him and made him a true
"Iron Man" of wrestling, without fear of any
opponent. Some of the tremendous giants he has
fought will bear testimony to this fact.
At one time in the United States, four wrestlers,
all of the same family and breed, named the Duseks
of Omah, Nebraska, made front-page headlines as
thy were escorted from the ring. The Duseks
(Rudy, Ernie, Emil and Joe) became known as the
"Riot Squad."
Modern American wrestlers have run the full
gamut of ring toughness as photographs from the
U.S.A. show.
Vast crowds are currently packing many
stadiums in the States to watch blood-thirsty battles
between opponents who prefer rough-house tactics
to science.
But, English wrestlers are just as tough though
maybe not as violent.
Tough Welsh-born Johnny Yearsley snarls at the crowd
as he forces Arthur Beaumont's shoulders to the mat
Another wrestler who tosses
scientific skill out of the ring the
moment he gets into it is big-biceped
Johnny Yearsley, one of Britain's
strongest wrestlers. Each time Johnny
climbs through the ropes, takes his
dressing gown off and ripples his
muscles, then he says, "It is time to use
my strength and toughness."
Steve Logan, a dark-haired man
of the people from South London, has
the reputation of being an "Iron Man."
His elbow slams have knocked out
many opponents. Tough as he may
be, rarely does the "Iron Man"
actually violate the rules of our sport.
There is nothing in the Lord
Mountevans' Rules which bans the use
of the elbow smash, which Logan uses
for his kayos, yet many ringsiders hate
Logan and Jove to see a man give him
a trouncing.
Page 9
YOU ask 'Mr TV' Pallo
*
In a recent issue we asked
readers to submit their own
questions to Jackie Pano,
the sensational television
wrestler ! We picked out
the 10 questions you most
frequently asked, and sent
Bob Andrews along to put
YOUR questions to "Mr.
T.V." himself.
Jackie was pleased to answer your queries, and
asked us to convey his best wishes to the many
wrestling enthusiasts everywhere. We list below the
results of the interview:
What made you decide to take up wrestling as
opposed to another career ?
"Wrestling keeps a man young; there's no
doubt about that. I grew up in boxing and
wrestling circles. In fact, I was born over the
top of my father's gymnasium. Therefore, I
naturally boxed and wrestled from a very early
age.
"When I was 18 I left wrestling and took up
speedway- unsuccessfully. After this I then
returned to my old lovewrestling-and decided to
become a pro."
What is your opinion of your
female admirers ?
"I'm flattered to know that I've
got some female admirers!"
What, in your opinion, was
your greatest bout ?
"I think my greatest bout was
when I met Jack Dempsey, the
Welterweight Champion of
Great Britain, at the Royal
Albert Hall earlier this year. I was attempting
to take Jack's title from him.
"It was my greatest contest, because I came so
close to winning the title, and also it was the
first time I'd topped the bill at the Albert Hall."
Would you prefer to win a contest by a 'submission
or a faJI?
"I have no preference as long as I win the
contest!"
Page 10
What do you think your chances are of taking Jack's
welterweight title from him in the near future ?
"Good. I think they are much better than a
year ago. I'm fitter, both physically and
mentally, and more ambitious to be champion.
As a matter of fact, I'm negotiating for a title
fight with him at this moment."
What is your No. One "pet hate" in life?
"My pet hate in life is the average driver of
Great Britain. We're supposed to drive on the
left hand side of the road , but the fact is that
we drive in the middle."
What are your hobbies?
"I have two main hobbies in life. The first is
driving and messing about generally with
motors. I could spend hours on this if I had
the time. The second- making money!"
Which is your favourite wrestling hall, and why?
"My favourite hall is the Locarno Ballroom in
Swindon, the reason being that it was the first
hall where I topped the bill- and I've often
topped it there since."
Does the booing and cheering of the fans have any
effect on you once you are in action in the ring?
"Well, if the fans boo me, it makes me more
aggressive. If they cheer me, I wonder why
and think I must be losing my grip! "
From what part of the country do the best wrestlers
come, and why?
"I don't believe the best wrestlers come from
any specific part of the country, although some
good ones do come from Wigan. But we've
still got some very good wrestlers in London."
A PROFILE
DENNIS
DEAN
CHARLES MASCALL - the man who
mixes with mat stars every day of the week
-meets a popular "globe trotting" Iightheavyweight.
Across the table from me was a
handsome, debonair Colonial , whom most
fans regard as an Australian.
Actually, Dennis Dean, a light-heavyweight challenger, was born in Hobart,
Tasmania, on September 23rd, 1934. He
received his schooling at Virgil College, a
Catholic School in Hobart, never, as he
modestly said, excelling in any specified
sport as a schoolboy.
Twenty-seven-year-old Dennis is very much of a
"rolling stone." Leaving school at the age of 16,
Dennis struck out to make a life for himself in the
vastness that is Australia.
Until 1954, when he turned up in Sydney, the
young Tasmanian worked in all sorts of jobs under
many arduous conditions throughout the Australian
continent.
In his time he took part in sheep shearing, cattle
drives, and worked on banana plantations. No doubt
the toughness of this type of life ably prepared him
for his future in the mat world on the other side of
the universe.
Seven years ago, having proved himself among
the amateurs, Dennis decided to turn professional.
He bombarded a Sydney promoter and, after a few
trial work-outs, was given his chance against a more
experienced professional , Noel Davies.
Dean's showing put him in a favourable light
with the mat fans, and contests with Cole Peters
and other Australian and overseas stars followed in
quick time.
When he was not busy wrestling in and around
Sydney. Dennis was busy learning the tobacco
business. He might have graduated to a high
position in this industry had not wanderlust
developed. Dennis, along with fellow-Australian
Ron Fury, headed for England and the European
mats.
Similar to his appearance in the ring, clever
Dennis Dean is outside of it a quiet sophisticated
man of the world- a well-groomed bachelor with
not an outward care.
Last summer he went off to Spain with the idea
of a couple of months rest. It seemed a chance to
recuperate an arm injury, which had been giving
him some trouble.
As all wrestlers do, he visited the gymnasium
in Barcelona to simply do a bit of weight lifting. A
Spanish promoter saw him there and persuaded the
Tasmanian holidaymaker to take part in a contest.
Dennis borrowed some wrestling togs and went
into a bull ring to do battle with a Spaniard who
did not know much about the rules of wrestling.
Standing 5ft. 7in., stocky well-built Dennis Dean
weighs 1841bs. He wants to put on another stone in
body weight before going on to the United Statesthe next stop in his globular tour.
Dennis thinks the greatest wrestler in the world
he has ever seen is Georges Gordienko, Canada's
world title challenger.
P age 11
I BEG TO DIFFER .. •
Although I most strongly disagree
with the idea of sporting ladies wrestling professionally or otherwise, I do
like to keep the historical facts of
wrestling straight.
My attention has been drawn to a
report---not to be found, of course, in
"The Wrestler"-that "girl wrestling"
started in the United States in 1935.
I beg to differ. Actually, girl
wrestlers started out in Mexico because
they were banned throughout the
United States. The only places the
public could see such bouts were either
in circus tents or in fair-ground booths.
athlete that Mildred Burke later won
the women's championship of the
world.
What are my views about the ladies
iu the ring? I beg to differ with those
of my sex who think that it is thrilling
--it is not! There is nothing normal or
exciting watching two girl athletes
smashing themselves with drop-kicks
and elbow slams. Such contests border
on the barbaric, and whereas mv
American friends tell me that the girl
wrestling of today should not be
missed, frankly I would rather stay at
home!
The Editor expresses his views
with regard to ladies wrestling
professionally in this country.
One of the first American women
wrestlers to leave the carnival tents to
lead her sex into ring battles was Clara
Mortensen, whose father and brothers
had been wrestlers in the '20s and
early '30s. Clara Mortensen was wrestling in Mexico,. to my knowledge, in
1930, and it was from this brilliant
Page 12
It is a good thing that they are not
allowed in England and in most of the
parts of Europe. Such wrestling, in my
view, has dragged American wrestling
lower and lower, and in many parts
reduced our sport to its lowest level in
history.
ROGER
BOILEAU
CONRAD DUFFY, reporting from America, spotlights the
career story of Roger Boileau, a sensational Canadian
'teenage idol, who looms as the "ROOKIE OF THE YEAR"
as he smashes his way to the top around Montreal.
The
Bobby
Over the past three decades the Forum,
Montreal, has been the scene of many famous
contests that go to make up the history of our
sport.
Since that time, enthusiasts have packed the
arena to watch the giants of the mat worldmemorable names like Yukon Eric, of Alaska,
mighty Don Leo Jonathan, Killer Kolwalski are
three who come quickly to mind as the "crowd
pleasers" at the Forum.
Around the city and in its locale, inspired by the success
of Frenchman Eduardo Carpentier, who is the lightest
heavyweight to thrill Montreal in recent years, a number
of fast-moving young heavyweights are fighting for a
foothold on the Hall of Fame ladder.
A young French-Canadian, already known as the
"Bobby Soxers' Idol", is 19-year-old Roger
Boileau, of Gaspe, Quebec, a youngster who
is being groomed for stardom by none other
than Bob Lortie. The latter, a former Montreal
heavyweight, is well-known on both sides of the
Atlantic.
)
Over the last couple of years Lortie, assisted by
photographer-cum-wrestler Tony Lanza, have poured alJ
their mat knowledge into the mind of Roger Boileau, and
according to the view expressed by both these experts, the
young Gaspe French-Canadian is groomed and ready to
wrestle anywhere.
ln fact, they would like him to go to England where
they think his style and size would be fully appreciated.
There is no getting far away from the fact that Roger
Boileau, the "Rookie of 1961", is one of the best-looking
14-stoners in wrestling. No wonder he gets so many yells
and cheers from the 'teenagers as he climbs into the ringhe is one of them!
What is Roger Boileau like in the ring ?
Similar to all young combatmen who are now grasping
wrestling prestige with both hands, he is a lively action star
who literally thrills his supporters' club with his dazzling
display of aerial grappling tactics. Boileau's wrestling packs
a punch that makes him an exceptional young man in the
Canadian mat world .
S
Strength and skill go handin-hand to make a good
professional wrestler. No
top-class wrestler is devoid
of either. From the first
dawn of civilization-back
to the days of the Greeks'
Milo of Croton-powerfully muscled strongmen of
many nations have fought
for glory and prestige in
our sport of wrestling•
OF THE MAT WORLD
By ANDREW RYAN
Back in the early days of European
wrestling at the turn of the last century,
the Russian strongman, Georges Hackenschmidt was the most talked-about
sportsman in England. Graeco-Roman
tournaments held throughout Europe
included some of the strongest mortals of
all time.
It was the day and the era when a
professional strongman gladly picked up a
few pounds by taking on all-comers in the
wrestling ring.
Truly it was a golden age for the strongest of
men. Their wrestling technique was strictly muscle
versus muscle, brawn versus brawn. Often it was
sheer strength that won the victory and European
strongmen revelled in its glory.
At the beginning of the 20th Century, some of
the most famous strongmen-cum-wrestlers were Paul
Pons, of France; Stanislaus and Wladek Zbyszko, of
Poland ; Hans Schwartz, of Germany; Jan Leskinowitsch, of Latvia; Ulbaldo Bianchi, of Italy and the
two giant Russians Serge Garkawieko and Ivan
Podubbny.
Page 14
All these mammoths of combat first made their
names as skilled exponents of Graeco-Roman
wrestling. Some lived to hold at bay the young
athletes of the catch-as-catch-can school who surged
to the front of world wrestling in both the United
States and Europe in the 1920s.
A stubborn opponent of the 1901b. Jimmy
Londos, the "Golden Greek" of the 1930s, was the
German strongman, Henry "Milo" Steinborn, who
in his circus days in Germany used to lift and carry
a small elephant on his shoulders.
To-day, in the southern part of the United
States, his handsome son, Richard, carries on in the
tradition of the Steinborn family.
However, unlike his famous forebears, who, for
generations past had been strongmen in circus tents
throughout Europe, Richard Steinborn is a modern
young wrestler, packing dynamic action tactics into
his wrestling.
Strongmen are still present in wrestling. Two
of the world's strongest men in recent years, Paul
Anderson, of Georgia, and Doug Hepburn, of
Vancouver, Canada, have tried their strength on the
wrestling mats of the United States. Both were
former Olympic weight lifters.
They have found the modern wrestler often too
fast for them.
There is no more loyal part of the
British Commonwealth than New
Zealand. Twice in its lifetime the
New Zealanders have answered a
call to arms. German and Japanese
troops were terrified by the battle cries
of the fighting Maoris. Now the latter
fight other battles-in wrestling rings
around the world.
Northern photographer
Phil Childs has sent us
this unique picture of
Chief Keita Meretana
at the completion of his
war dance
A PROUD MAORI WARRIOR
Chief Keita Meretana, a 6ft. wrestling
star from New Zealand, is one of the few of
his people who have turned to our sport.
Born 26 years ago in the small farming
community of Wairoa, Meretana has
travelled much further afield than most of
his people in a quest for fame and fortune.
Ten years ago, Keita, a nephew of Ike
Robins, another famous Maori heavyweight
of a previous era, began to take an interest
in amateur wrestling and stayed in
the simon-pure ranks until May, 1959, when
he became a professional.
will soon be coming on the market. It looks
like being a sure hit, according to opinion
voiced in the United States by those people
who know.
He has one big ambition whilst he is
here. And it is a crack at the British heavyweight title held by Billy Joyce. To get it
the proud 16-stone Maori warrior does not
mind waiting around for such a chance.
ANDREW RYAN
Since his debut in New Zealand, the
proud Maori warrior has wrestled m
Australia, Hawaii and the United States.
Of his contests in the United States two
important ones stand out in his mind. He
recalls vividly his mat battles with ex-world
champion Lou Thesz and Count Billy
Varga, then regarded as United States
Champion.
It was as a boy, while listening to wireless broadcasts of wrestling contests from
Wellington, that Keita decided to build up
his lean body physique by continuous
workouts in the gymnasium and by hard
work out in the Bush. By so doing he
gradually built up his weight and developed
body muscle.
Man of many hobbies, Chief Keita
Meretana is a writer of popular songs. One
of his tunes, "Another Lover Hangin' On,"
has been accepted by a Broadway firm and
Keita Meretana using a head-hold on blond opponent Hans Streiger
Page 15
AN OPEN
CHALLENGE
from
OF CANADA
Georges Gordienko, Canada's mighty heavyweight from Winnipeg, is generally rated
by competent authorities as a leading contender for the heavyweight championship of the world.
His tremendous physical strength has held him in good stead in his numerous contests in this
country and not many opponents have lowered his colours.
Talking with the mighty Canadian recently "The Wrestler" asked him the "64-dollar
question": "Buddy Rogers is now the world champion, according to the Americans. What do
you say to that? "
Said Gordienko with a smile, "I cannot very well argue with the verdict of the RogersO'Connor contest, but I will tell you one thing. I will wrestle Rogers for the world title, either
here or in the United States."
To a further question, "No, I have never wrestled Rogers. I have only seen him once.
That was in 1947, when we were both just starting out. Rogers did not impress me then, and
after I beat Ray Gunkle- one of America's 'Top Ten.' I consider I am ready to wrestle and beat
Rogers now. Don't think I don't respect Buddy Rogers. I do. He has fought his way up through
a tough crowd since I last saw him in Minneapolis, but I would like to try and beat him."
And who can tell- maybe Georges Gordienko is the one man to thrash America's
World Champion Buddy Rogers !
P age 16
GUSTL
KAISER'S
ALL-NATIONS' TOURNAMENT OF
1961
Listed from left to right are the international stars who competed recently at
Krefeld, in Germany: Ian Campbell (Scotland), Promoter Gust) Kaiser, Kurt
Stein (Germany), Josef Kovacs (Hungary), Hermann Iffland (Germany), Ski Hi Lee
(United States), Karl Von Chenok (Germany), Fritz Mueller (Germany), Ivor
Barratt (Ireland), Horst Hoffman (Germany), Gideon Gidea (Hungary),
Hans Dillenger (Austria).
••• • • ••• ••••• ••• •• ••
• IN OUR NEXT ISSUE ...
•
36
PAGES
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Profiles:
ALAN COLBECK.
TIBOR SZAKACS •
JOHN LEES-"Mr. Universe" of Wrestling.
Ringside Gossip, Amateur Wrestling and news
from far and wide.
PACKED WITH ALL THE
LATEST GOSSIP AND
PHOTOS!
THE LORD MOUNTEV ANS' CHAMPIONS.
READ
DO YOU REMEMBER?-Facts from the Past.
for the latest and most up to date news
cove rage of our sport in th e world !
HOW TO FORM A FAN CLUB.
CONRAD DUFFY reports from AMERICA.
LUCKY SUMUNOVITCH-Hawaiian Wrestler.
A brilliant young star-RAY LESLIE.
"THE
WRESTLER"
FIRST WITH THE FACTS .
FIRST WITH THE NEWS.
IT'S BIGGER, IT'S THE BEST
WRESTLING MAGAZINE
IN THE WORLD!
. . . . .............. •·
Wrestler of the Month-BILLY ROBINSON .
Page 17
Recently an American boxing and wrestling
periodical devoted several pages to six wrestlers
who-in the magazine's considered opinion-were
the leading contenders for the world heavyweight
title. Yet, if you did not keep your finger on the
pulse of world wrestling, you would not know
any one of them! Editor CHARLES MASCALL,
disturbed by the fact that the top heavyweights of
Europe and the rest of the world were alarmingly
overlooked, puts forward this suggestion.
WANTED
WORLD
"BOXING ILLUSTRATED," an American
periodical which combines boxing with a
brief coverage of wrestling, recently suggested that six men-all American citizensheld the key to the puzzle of the World's
Heavyweight Championship, now being
claimed by Buddy Rogers, the blond tough
guy from Camden, New Jersey.
Rogers, earlier this year, blasted New
Zealand born - but now an American
citizen - Pat O'Connor from the
heavyweight throne. ·
"BOXING ILLUSTRATED" listed
the following names as the top six
contenders: Dick The Bruiser Affalis,
Freddie Blassie, Pepper Gomez, Vern Gagne,
ex-champion Pat O'Connor and Crusher
Lisowski.
What nerve these Americans have ! Not one single
overseas heavyweight was listed or considered good
enough to rank in the top six. No English heavyweights were mentioned, although they hold victories
over Eduardo Carpentier (known here under his
baptismal name of Wieczkorski).
No actual ranking European heavyweight was
included, nor were the mighty giants of the Far East,
or the wrestlers of Pakistan and Ja pan.
In fact, it was an all-American selection and a
very near-sighted choice for a sport as international
as wrestling.
Surely heavyweight wrestlers outside the United
States deserve consideration? But if they do notBILLY JOYCE
I
"CRUSHER" ST AN LISOWSKI
Billy Joyce, as the official British Heavyweight
Champion, is our most logical challenger for the
world championship and should be amongst the
entrants.
The tournament for a challenger to Buddy
Rogers and the world title should be open to all.
Thus every one of Britain's young heavyweights
would get an opportunity to take Rogers' crown
away from him.
And heavyweight gladiators like Billy Robinson,
of Manchester- now a fighting 22-year-old- Tibor
Szakacs and Gideon Gidea, of Hungary; Jaime
Olivera and Jose Arroyo, of Spain; Horst Hoffman,
TOURNAMENT NOW!
and considering many Englishmen like champion
Billy Joyce, Geoff Portz, Dennis Mitchell, Joe
Cornelius and Jimmy Hussey have beaten many a
"globe-trotting" American heavyweight- then the
"World Championship" which R ogers claims is
merely a bauble fought for and defended only in the
United States
If this is so, then Rogers' championship cannot
be recognised as a legitimate and universal claim.
He cannot be champion of the world's heavyweights without defending his crown everywhere.
That is my view and I am sticking to it !
In something like 15 years Buddy Rogers has
met and beaten most of the top file of American
heavyweights. It is now time he took himself and
his title abroad !
It has been suggested that if British wrestlers
want a crack at the world title, they should go to
America and also that "The Wrestler" should stop
moaning about the title position.
Nonsense ! A world champion, in his position
as leader of his weight class must be prepared to
travel anywhere- otherwise he cannot be regarded
as the true champion of the world.
How can he be if he defends his crown only
against American talent ?
The EUROPEAN WRESTLING ALLIANCE
- the Alliance E uropeene de Lutte de Combatwhich is the governing wrestling body in this country
- must inform the National Wrestling Alliance in
the United States that Rogers should be compelled
to defend his title in Europe.
My suggestion is that he should meet the winner
of an open-to-all heavyweight tournament to which
the leading wrestlers of countries outside the United
States should be invited to take part.
Invitations for such a tournament could include
the following: Riki Dozan, Japan, Champion of all
Asia; King Kong Czaja, the Malayan Champion;
Willie Leibenberg, of South Africa, and many others.
JOSE ARROYO
Mathieu Rosges, Hermann Iffland and Erich
Koltschak, of Germany, should not be tossed casually
aside.
No matter where the world title tournament is
run- whether in this country, or in E urope- the fact
remains it is high time such a tourney was organised.
The Americans should be told, in no uncertain
terms, that they alone do not dominate world
wrestling- not in this day and age !
A PROFILE .•.
By KEN OSBORN
OF MANCHESTER
Whenever a certain British Navy boat
pulled into harbours in foreign climes there,
on the deck, was a five-piece jazz band. The
quintet received many invitations to play
ashore in concerts because of the group's
perfect beat and professional-sounding
rhythm.
One of to-day's most promising middleweights was a member of that band which
gracefully declined all invitations, because
the music in question was coming from a
gramophone record hidden behind the
staging and covering for the " movements
only" band!
When the Isle of Man boat docked at Douglas
recently the same middleweight, fulfilling an engagement in that town was mistaken for a certain Mr.
Acker Bilk by fans waiting on the quayside. He duly
obliged with autographs and even posed for pictures
- one for a local newspaper!
When an amphibious "Weasel" came up for
sale, along with other former War Department
vehicles, that same middleweight, seeing the
possibilities of the "gimmick" value in hall-to-hall
travel and also a chance to enjoy his week-ends on
the river, bought it. You may be seeing it outside
your local hall soon.
The "gay bachelor" with the neat little beard
who figured in all these incidents is Manchester's
Abe Ginsburgh, whose wrestling- and boxingcareer up to the present day has been quite
something.
Abe left school and went straight into the Navy.
Posted to Devonport and weighing at that time lOst.
6lb., he became at 18 years, the youngest physical
training instructor in the Navy.
Page 20
Gymnasium sessions of judo and boxing were
often switched to a bit of "all in" when the senior
instructors were not about, because wrestling as an
activity was frowned upon by the Senior Service.
One man who had successfully hidden
method of earning a pound or two ashore
ex-pro. "Sailor" Dickins. He saw Abe's efforts
taught him a trick or two about the professional
game.
his
was
and
mat
Eking out his leave money Abe managed
bouts in Istanbul, Beirut, Durban, Hamburg and
Brussels amongst other places.
But on leaving the Navy Abe turned professional
BOXER!
"I just did not make the progress I wanted to
in boxing. Eventually I joined the same boxing
fair-ground booth that former world light-heavyweight champion Freddie Mills had travelled with
and toured the country," Abe told me.
Wrestling formed part of the booth's activities,
and in this toughest-of-all schools Abe averaged 12
bouts per week- three or four each night the tents
were pitched- against a mixture of opponents
ranging from the slightly drunk to the "smart Alicks"
and the trained sportsmen.
This training proved invaluable, and fo r two
years Abe has been wrestling regularly in the
professional ring, and is now in some demand for his
all-action style.
Standing 5ft. 9in. and weighing 12st. lOlb., Abe
would like to meet Tommy Mann, a fellow
townsman, for a crack at the British middleweight
title.
Meantime the man with the hairy-chin and the
advanced sense of humour is making himself at home
amongst the middleweights in preparation for what
he genuinely thinks will be better things to come.
)
A
DEDICATED
WRESTLER
Hungarian Josef Kovacs and Gordon Nelson posed
for this photo during a recent German tournament
)
How did Gordon Nelson become a
wrestler?
This tough, powerfully-built
Canadian, with such laughing eyes, promptly
answered this question and others when
Bob Andrews spoke to him recently.
I asked Gordon whether, generally, he preferred
to go for a submission hold or for a fall in his bouts.
"In the early stages of a contest it is very difficult to
pin a man's shoulders for a count of three," replied
Gordon, "because he is still fresh. But it is easier
to gain a submission early on in a match." Gordon
added that one of his favourite holds for gaining a
submission is the "cobra hold."
•
Has Gordon any favourite wrestling venues?
"I like to wrestle anywhere where there is a shower
with hot water," was his answer to this one.
The only time the fans affect Gordon is when
they are urging his opponent on to victory. "If they
are shouting for the other guy, then I try all the
harder to win."
•
•
The story opens when Gordon was a
boy in Canada, at the time his cousin
married an amateur wrestler, Albert Olson,
who was then light-heavyweight champion
of Manitoba. Albert, knowing that young
Gordon was very strong, took him along to
the local Y.M.C.A. and taught him the
elements of wrestling. Later, Jack Tratt
took over from Albert as Gordon's trainer.
Gordon won several amateur titles, turned
professional and eventually came to this country,
where he has been a top-liner ever since.
As with so many heavyweights to-day, Gorden
rates Georges Gordienko as his hardest and toughest
opponent. The first time they met Gordon lifted
Georges' leg and his knee hit Gordon in the face.
splitting it and causing Gordon to retire.
Gordon has travelled all over Europe, including
France, Belgium, Austria and Germany. One contest
Gordon will not forget in a hurry was a tag-team
match which took place in France. The opponents
of Gordon and his partner angered the spectators so
much that they got out of hand and literally tore the
ring down! Naturally, the police had to intervene.
Some time in the spring of 1962 Gordon may be
going to the U.S.A. for a year or two. He hopes to
meet many of the top American mat stars. Although
this is sad news for his many admirers in this
country, I wished him the very best of luck when he
goes on his way.
I asked Gordon at what age he thought a
wrestler should retire. His reply was, "There is no
set age limit-some men can go on for many years,
but others have to retire earlier. If a man has to keep
going for the ropes, not as a tactical move, but in
order to avoid punishment because he cannot take it
as he used to, then it is time for him to pack up."
Gordon admits that he has been comparatively
lucky as far as injuries are concerned. The only
serious one was about two years ago when he injured
his knee. He had a cartilage removed and has never
had trouble with his knee since.
I asked Gordon if he fancied himself as a forecaster of future champions. "As far as ' the British
Heavyweight Championship is concerned, I think
that in a few years time it will be young Billy
Robinson's," he replied.
Finally, I questioned Gordon about his out-ofthe-ring activities. When he lived in Canada he was
very keen on hunting and fishing, but now he has
very little spare time. Any free leisure hours are
spent in weight-lifting. He likes motoring, but not
"tinkering about with the insides of cars."
The chief impression that anyone who has
spoken to Gordon Nelson gets is that he is a man
who really loves his chosen sport- in fact, a
dedicated wrestler.
Page 21
No group of wrestling stars supply more
thrills, more action, or more excitement
than the younger generation of wrestlers
who are now jousting for top spots among
the welterweights. Columnist BARRY
CHRISTOPHER reviews one such name
who warrants high praise.
A STAR IS BORN
Last month, Len Wilding, a modest
freckled-skinned young fellow from Streatham, London, hit one of the high spots of
his career- he appeared at the Royal Albert
Hall. And thus, a star was born!
•
•
•
For several years now, 25-year-old Wilding has
been fighting to achieve recognition. It has been
one tremendous battle all the way.
Whatever glory may come to him in the future
-should it be either the British welterweight title, or
other important contests at the R oyal Albert Hall,
Liverpool Stadium, Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester,
or at St. James' Hall, Newcastle-young Len Wilding
will have earned it the hard way.
A few months ago, when the summer sun was
shining, Len threw his wrestling togs into a suitcase,
filled up the tank of his car and went off to the
Continent to see just how good the wrestlers of
Spain and France really were.
He had some sensational contests at the Cirque
d'Hiver in Paris, and in Barcelona. And when he
left these cities to return to England and the busiest
winter season of his young wrestling life, the French
and Spanish promoters wanted to know on the spot
if he would be back again with them next summer.
Len said he might be. He liked being in Spain
because, outside of wrestling, he could easily follow
his other favourite sport- swimming. As he is in
his chosen profession, Len is also an expert in the
water, having saved a number of people from
drowning.
Being a natural welterweight and likely to
remain in this weight class for some years to come,
he may, this season, get an answer to his biggest
ambition- a crack at the title held by champion
Jack Dempsey, of Wigan.
Though the South London boy does not rate his
victory chances very highly at this early stage in his
career, he would welcome an opportunity at Jack's
crown.
Out of the ring, his leisure time is taken up with
painting, for Len Wilding, a new star of the welterweights, is also a talented young artist.
An unusual photographic study of South
newest young star
London's
)
You cannot teach wrestling just
by books and drawings. Practical
knowledge and experience under
the eye of a competent coach is
absolutely essential. The practice
of applying holds as seen either
on television, in books, or from a
ringside seat, can be extremely
dangerous to the inexperienced
and should not be tried except
under strict supervision. In this
article - the first of a new
series - the Editor describes the
"discovery" of two popular holds.
Billy Rawlings, the Yorkshire heavyweight, uses a step-over toe-hold on lvor Barratt
)
One of the most spectacular
wrestling weapons in the hands of
an expert is that known as the
"Aeroplane Spin and Body Slam."
This hold, which consists of
"A" hoisting "B" on to his shoulders and spinning "B" around and
around before slamming him to
the mat for a pin-fall or knockout, is a modern ring tactic.
*
Its origin is not lost in the archives
of history. In fact, this hold was born
in the last 30 years. Credited with the
discovery of the Spin and Body Slam is
a former deacon of the Mormon Church
named Ira Dern, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
)
Dern, during those tough days of
heavyweight opposition, was a typical
gymnasium ring general. He never
weighed more than around the 14st.
mark soaking wet and rarely wandered
far from his own bailiwick. In his heyday he beat most of the heavyweights
who opposed him in Salt Lake City.
Actually, he came upon his famous
hold by accident. As the story went
Dern was busy working out in the
gymnasium, when he took his opponent
aloft in a crotch hold for a body slam.
Instead of slamming his opponent he
decided to whirl him around in mid air
and then slam him to the mat. He tried
it, and as his dizzy opponent got to his
feet, Dern grabbed his legs and used a
Boston Crab hold. Thus a new hold was
added to wrestling. But, it was not Ira
Dern, the Mormon. who was to make
this hold famous .
POPULAR
HOLDS
It was the heavyweight contender of the '30s Everett Marshall,
of Colorado, coached by the astute Billy Sandow, who first brought
this hold into mat fame.
Wrestling holds can be taken on four parts of the body. On the
head, the arms, the body and the legs.
Old Graeco-Roman wrestlers concentrated on holds of strength
above the waist, as did the early Devon and Cumberland wrestlers.
Early American wrestlers, similar to their counterparts in Lancashire,
concentrated on all parts of the body for submission holds to achieve
their victories.
Just who first used the now renowned "toe-hold"?
Whether it was America or Lancashire may never be known.
Wigan wrestlers may claim the glory, but the first time it was brought
into international competition was when the late "Farmer" Burns
taught it to his protégé Frank Gotch.
Later Gotch was to use it on George Hackenschmidt in the first
heavyweight championship of the world bout promoted by Jack
Curley in Chicago all those 50 years ago.
Burns, who was a keen exponent of all leg holds-especially the
grapevine-did not discover this hold by accident as in the case of
Ira Dern. He worked for months to perfect the toe-hold.
A great wrestler like Burns did not rest with just the discovery
of this hold. He had to be able to take the hold from any position
on the mat and be able to counter it from any position. He did not
use the hold or show it to Gotch until he had perfected it to his
complete satisfaction.
P age 23
By
BOB ANDREWS
Aussie Gene Murphy, who has
battled in many corners of the globe,
is now wrestling in and around
Charlotte, North Carolina, where
promoter Jim Crockett presents
his famous "Stars of Wrestling"
Tournaments.
At one time or
another almost every wrestling
notable has wrestled in Charlotte.
************
"Gorgeous" Terry Garvin, blondmaned young heavyweight from
Ottawa, Canada, seems to be taking
Hogmanay. Brian found this particular Christmas, "Bleak, grim and
without any fun."
************
Talking about well-known boxers,
Ezzard Charles, one-time heavyweight champion of the world and
now a wrestler, is contemplating a
tour of Europe, it is reported from
American sources.
Ray Fury, handsome dark-haired
new light-heavyweight idol of the
'teenagers, has come straight from
the amateurs to receive tremendous
popularity- and with only a few
months of pro wrestling at the back
of him.
************
his stay in this country all in his
stride.
Fans have their own
individual opinions, but they seem
united in their views that Garvin has
his own particular brand of ring
toughness.
************
Another newcomer, Sandy McKay
Scott, a Scottish-Canadian from
Hamilton, Ontario, tells me he is a
keen student of professional boxing.
At home in Canada, he takes time
out to watch the giants of the
leather-mitted world go through
their paces. Talk to him and you
will find he has a good knowledge
of the background of many famous
fighters .
************
The "Keighley strong boy"Brian Trevors- recalled the worst
Christmas he ever spent. He was
billed to wrestle in Scotland one
Christmas Day. He found that
Christmas is not celebrated in the
English manner north of the border.
Our Scottish cousins, of course, save
their energy for the celebration of
Page 24
New Zealand light-heavyweight,
Basil Cou!olias, admits he had the
wrong idea about what makes a
wrestler when he first tried his hand
at it.
In 1945 Basil was runner-up in
the New Zealand Amateur Middleweight Championship. "At that
time I did not know a hold and just
relied on my strength," said Basil.
He was also a champion amateur
boxer the same year.
In 1947 he became a pro boxer,
visited Greece and there beat the
welterweight champion of that
country. He then came to England
and professional wrestling. Still
thinking that strength was all that
was required to be a successful
wrestler, he had two contests- and
lost them both.
"Then," said Basil, "I realised
that strength without skill and the
knowledge of holds was useless. I
went back to boxing. But as I have
always loved wrestling very much I
spent my spare time learning holds
and wrestling technique until I
eventually returned to the sport."
Basil was once a farmer and
farming is still one of his favourite
hobbies. He is also an animal
lover.
For relaxation Basil likes to go
fishing. He also enjoys swimming,
but he can only swim under water!
Ending on a Christmas note, Basil
mentioned that he has never had a
Christmas cake in his life! Christmas
Day to him, so far, has been like
any other day of the year. This
year, however, Basil means to
celebrate this feast in the more
traditional way.
************
Recently I saw Tibor Szakacs,
Hungarian heavyweight star, gain
what must be one of the quickest
falls ever. As the bell rang for the
fifth round of the contest, Tibor
rushed his opponent and, in less
than 15 seconds, had gained the fall.
The contest eventually resulted in
a draw.
Popular Tibor Szakacs regards
Christmas as a time to be spent
quietly- temporarily away from the
sport he loves.
As a devoted
family man, Tibor likes to relax
with his wife and young son. Our
picture shows Tibor trapped in a
head scissors by Mike Marino.
Josef Kovacs, mighty Hungarian
ex-Olympic Games giant, was a
visitor to England last month.
Kovacs, ruthless on the mat, ranks
as one of the best combatmen in
Europe. What a clash it would be
between Georges Gordienko and
Kovacs!
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Editor Charles Mascall and "The
Wrestler" panel of experts rank
the world heavyweights.
*
WORLD'S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION:
BUDDY ROGERS of OHIO
TOP CONTENDERS:-
FRED BLASSIE (U.S.A.)
PAT O'CONNOR (New Zealand)
WLADEK KOWALSKI (Canada)
GEORGES GORDIENKO (Canada)
LUTHER LINDSAY (U.S.A.)
Coloured Champion of the World
OFFICIAL BRITISH CHAMPIONS
(Under the Admiral Lord Mountevans' Rules)
Heavy-Middleweight (under 13st. 5lbs.)
ERIC TAYLOR, of Yorkshire.
Heavyweight (no limit)
BILLY JOYCE, of Lancashire.
Middleweight (under l 2st. 8lbs.)
TOMMY MANN, of Lancashire.
Mid-Heavyweight (under 14st. 13lbs.)
NORMAN WALSH, of Yorkshire.
Welterweight (under 11 st. 11 lbs.)
JACK DEMPSEY, of Lancashire.
Light-Heavyweight (under 14st. 2lbs.)
ERNIE RILEY, of Lancashire.
Lightweight (under 11st)
MELWYN RISS, of Lancashire.
****** * ***** *
FOR BACKISSUES
OFTHE WRESTLER
JUST DROP A
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TO
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WRESTLER"
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All previous issues of the Magazine can be
obtained (2/- each, Post free) by sending the
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Davigdor House, Hove, Sussex.
***** ** ******
Page 25
Dublin's Grappling Gael
"IRISH" IVOR BARRATT, a husky
young Gael, will go anywhere to wrestle.
Full of fight, he has battled and held his
own against the best and toughest
European heavyweights in the recent
German summer tournaments.
Ivor Barratt- Irish to the core- is
25 years old. His red hair, cheeky grin and
delicious Irish brogue have turned him into
a popular star with ringsiders all over the
British Isles.
and prepared to set off on a professional mat career.
That was in 1958, and to-day "Irish" Ivor
Barratt, Dublin born-and-bred, finds himself billed
everywhere with the highest of heavyweights.
Talking with him about some of the contests he
has had in his three years or so of professional
grappling, Ivor says his toughest match ever was
against Bert Assirati, who was the British heavyweight champion for something like 20 years.
Next to Assirati, Ivor highly rates the tough
Welshman Johnny Yearsley, who the Irishman
regards as one of the hardest of heavyweights to beat.
But it seems that Ivor, a powerfully-built grappling son of the
Emerald Isle, finds greater fame in
foreign parts-especially Germany,
where he has been a frequent visitor.
He likes to stay in that country, and
it is apparent the German fans like
him.
Barratt was a student at Wesley
College, in Dublin studying for
university, when the idea of becoming a professional wrestler struck
him. Reading is one of his favourite
hobbies, and it was as a result of
this pastime that the idea of being a
weight-lifter came to him.
He then set about developing his
mighty physique by tossing "the
irons" about. In this field, Irish
Ivor says he can "clean and jerk"
3 lOlbs.
Eventually, after having developed
an impressive-looking body, Ivor
took a further step towards
turning his talent into professional
grappling.
First, he entered the amateur
wrestling field, and gained early mat
experience while winning amateur
middle and light-heavyweight titles.
A typical pose by lvor Barratt. He can also be seen on page 23
of this issue
With such amateur credentials, "Irish" Ivor
packed away his school books, gave up his university
studies, and headed towards England.
In his socks, "Irish" Ivor, the Grappling Gael,
is 5ft. 9in. and into his musclar physique he packs a
solid 15st.
Arriving in London he contacted matchmaker
Jack Dale, former British middleweight champion,
Mark your cards, here is an Irish heavyweight
who is going places !
P ag e 26
Although it may not be too generally known,
modern-day professional wrestling is an ancient and
traditional sport in a 20th Century costume. It has
taken the best holds and throws of many styles to
make up the wrestling you watch these days from
your ringside seat. Current professional wrestling
in Britain differs from the amateur game only in the
fact that it is a more advanced science.
THE HISTORY AND
TRADITION OF
)
Our modern-day wrestling is a sport
steeped in tradition and history.
No one actually knows when wrestling
first started, but mention is made of it in the
Bible.
Every civilization has had its own history of
wrestling. The ancient war-lords of China and
Mongolia had their wrestlers. In India and Pakistan,
generations of families have been wrestlers, a skill
handed down from father to son. Wealthy Indian
maharajas for years have had their own "stables"
of wrestling men.
In the Far East, wrestling-in some form or
other--has been known since the dawn of civilization. Those who have read the stories of Alexander
the Great, Ghenghis Khan and Attila the Hun, have
no doubt fo und reference to wrestling contests held in
the tented camps of those war-lords.
Wrestling is much older than boxing, in
" background history". It was first introduced into
the Olympic Games in the 8th Century, and the
early Greeks had many favourite grappling giants.
Such names as Hercules, Ajax and the famed
Milo, of Croton, stand out as prominent wrestlers.
Homer, the Greek poet and writer, makes mention
of wrestling.
Later when the Greek way of life gave way to
the Egyptians and the Romans, a new style came
into being throughout Europe and became known as
Graeco-Roman, which forbids holds below the waist.
However, many countries in Europe preferred
to stick to their own styles. Switzerland, for instance,
where a swinging form of wrestling in canvas jackets
is practised, has long kept its own traditional style,
though modern combat men have made inroads into
the Swiss sporting world.
In the British Isles, several hundred years ago,
a number of various styles flourished with large
followings. West Country, Cornish and Devon
wrestling was known over 300 years ago, whilst in
London our sport was an event of Feast Days as
early as the 13th Century.
At Morris Town, near Plymouth, in 1826,
something like 10,000 people watched Alexander
Cann, of Devon, fight a keen battle with Polkinhorne,
of Cornwall.
Cann did not limit his wrestling merely to his
native Devon. In 1828 he wrestled in Leeds, there
winning top honours.
Elsewhere, in Cumberland and Westmorland,
another wrestling style was known, and in Lancashire
"catch-as-catch-can" wrestling has been known for
more than a century.
There is no doubt it was in Wigan that the first
savour of professional wrestling was born. Lancashire followers got a great thrill in those early days
watching money matches with a wager often made
in gold.
Throughout Europe, at the beginning of the
20th Century, Graeco-Roman tournaments were held
in circus tents, where giants of the mat wagered their
strength against all-comers.
Professional wrestling began in the United
States in the 19th Century, although it is well known
that the Red Indians had a style of wrestling long
before Columbus discovered America in 1492.
(Continued on Page 29)
" Golden Greek" Jimmy Londos, champion of the
World in the 1930s, clamps a front head chauncery
on an opponent
P age 27
YOUR LETTER PAGE
Dear Sir,
Congratulations to Mr. Charles
Mascall! I am another person who
does not recognise any American
champion as world champion. I do
not believe for one moment that
Buddy Rogers and Co. could come
over here and sweep aside all
opposition. We all know that
Buddy is a rough competitor, but
surely there are British stars strong
enough to take him on. Only when
Rogers has beaten men like Billy
Joyce, Billy Robinson and Georges
Gordienko can he safely say that he
is champion of Europe. Don't
forget that there are men on the
other side of the Iron Curtain who
could beat Rogers. Men like Josef
Kovacs, and other men of such
repute, who I am sure would floor
and pin Buddy during the first
couple of rounds. Another pointis Buddy the rightful champion of
America? In my opinion, the
world's toughest wrestler is Killer
Kowalski, Pat O'Connor's bitter
rival.
One American invention I would
like to see and that is heavyweight
tag-team wrestling.
D. W . D. DIANS.
9 Tegfan Close, Llanis h en, Cardiff.
Dear Sir,
I am an ardent wrestling fan and
am also a regular reader of "The
Wrestler" . I think you are far too
complacent about the way the
Americans hog the world championship titles. Now instead of complaining about the way you are
treated why don't you do something
about it?
I know you have tried to get the
champions to come over here, but
you haven't succeeded. The fact
that they won't come means that
Page 28
they aren't really world champions;
they are just American or Mexican
champions as the case may be.
This, as I see it, leaves you two
alternatives-either you send your
wrestlers over there on the offchance of a fight, or you tell them
you do not consider their champions
official.
In view of the way in which they
conduct wrestling in the States the
second suggestion is the only one
which could seriously be considered.
It would be useless to elect a world
champion. The only way in which
one could be found would be to
hold a grand championship tournament in which anyone could take
part, Yanks and all. Of course, a
universal set of rules might be
necessary, but these would be of
lasting benefit. It would also help
if a return fight was imposed upon
a champion and that champion
must defend his title every so often.
This is the only way to put the
Americans in their place, and it
could put British wrestlers where
they should be. So instead of
writing about it, why not do something? And you can start this
coming season.
(Nam e and address s uppli ed .)
[ I cannot send wrestlers to America,
but, I can put forward the suggestion
that World Champion Buddy Rogers
be forced to defend his world title
claims outside the U.S.A.-Editor]
Dear Sir,
A new member from England
sent me an issue of "The Wrestler"
and I enjoyed reading it very much.
I was very surprised to see so much
written about our American wrestlers. We have a great many topnotch wrestlers, and I know the
wrestling fans in your area will
en joy seeing them when they come
to England.
I have been a wrestling fan for
10 years and have been active as a
fan club president for eight years
now. I was very happy to see that
you recently featured an article and
picture on my honorary, Don Leo
Jonathan. I flew to see him in Fort
Wayne, Indiana and Detroit, Michigan. He mentioned about going to
Europe and his first stop being
England. The fans in England are
in for a real treat when they see this
great Mormon wrestler in action.
For his height and weight, he's
terrific. He's very fast in the ring
and amazes all with the things he
can do for his build.
Fan club work is very interesting.
I'm very lucky to have an honorary
like Don Leo Jonathan because his
popularity shows in the membership
we have in the club. Not only do
I try to get out the latest news on
him, I try to make all the wrestling
fans more acquainted with him
through the bulletins. This kind of
work also helps in getting to know
so many wonderful people. Fan
club rallies and conventions are very
popular in this country and I had
the pleasure of meeting a lot of my
members for the first time this past
June in Columbus, Ohio.
I'll be very happy to welcome the
wrestling fans from E ngland into the
club. We already have one member
and I heard from another one. I'll
be happy to hear from any clubs in
England. I would like very much
to subscribe to your great magazine.
Kindly send me the needed information for receiving it by mail. As
long as Don Leo will be in your
country, I'd like to keep up with the
latest news on him from "The
Wrestler."
JANICE BIELEC KI (Miss)
The History and
Traditionof Wrestling
HEY
THERE!
Good as many interview articles are, the
reporter does not always ask the questions
readers require.
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND
QUESTIONS TO YOUR FAVOURITE
STARS
This Month
YOU ASKJOHNNY CZESLAW
Continue d f r om Page 27
In Europe, famous Graeco-Roman wrestlers
often went to America to escape from political
oppression, and introduced their holds to the
American form of wrestling. This was known as the
"collar and cuff" style which was practised by
President Abraham Lincoln.
This style stipulated the use of a man's collar
to throw him to the bare ground. How much
different was this from that practised by the judokas
in Japan?
Early professional wrestling for wagers probably
started amongst the American farmers, strong sons
of the soil, who pitted their strength against each
other for large sidestakes
Travelling wrestlers, often following the harvest
and fruit picking, wandered from town to town and
flung out their challenges from fair-ground platforms.
Please send them to Bob Andrews, "The
Wrestler", Ltd., Davigdor House, Hove,
Sussex, by Friday, December 15th, 1961.
In Europe, at the beginning of this century, the
music halls and circus tents were favourite places
to find wrestlers.
The 10 questions that are most requested by
readers will be put to Johnny, and his answers will
be printed in our February issue.
Gradually wrestlers spanned the world, bringing
with them their own holds and their own styles.
Thus, professional wrestling became a combination
of many styles with a story that had its beginning
in the dawn of life.
FAN PHOTOS!
Portraits of your favourite Wrestlers !
Price 2s. each or three for 51. (Post Free)
To : " THE WRESTLER," LTD .
DAVIGDOR HOUSE
HOVE, SUSSEX
BLOCK CAPITALS
Please send me FAN PHOTOS, Nos.
I enclose P.O. value
Nan1e ···-···--·--·-················-·-·-·----- --·-·-----······-······-····-··-·
Address ···············-······-·················-·----- ·---·-·-·······---··-·-·-·····-·TO AVOID SPOILING YOUR l\lAGAZINE,
YOU MAY ORDER BY LETTER
1 Ray Apollon
2 Joe Cornelius
3 Gwynn Davies
4 Kwango
s Mike Marino
6 Dennis Mitchell
7 "Mr. T.V." Pallo
8 Johnny Czeslaw
9 Billy Robinson
10 Tibor Szakacs
11 Billy Two Rivers
12 Tony Mancelli
14 Geoff Portz
Pa ge 29
TRUTII
The late Douglas Clark, one-time
champion of Great Britain, and
several times Cumberland-Westmorland champion of the world, was a
mighty Yorkshireman. They called
him "John Bull in Trunks", and it
was an adept description of this
great ring warrior. He five times
won the Grasmere Cup, and at the
Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester, on
November 2nd, 1934, Clark defeated
---..,
I
IS STRANGER THAN FICTION!
Once more Editor Charles Mascall searches the
history of our sport and recalls some of the most
unusual events he has either heard, actually
experienced or read about.
English-born middleweight Hugh
Adams, touring the U.S.A. in the
I 930s, became a Deacon in the
Mormon Church. He was famous
in the heyday of the Finn, Gus
Kallio, as a bearded wrestler and
did most of his wrestling in the State
of Utah.
************
Former world champion Lou
Thesz's father, Martin, was a
humble shoemaker in Hungary. He
went to America after World War I,
settling in St. Louis. Martin Thesz
had been a good wrestler in
Hungary during his younger days
and no doubt passed on some of his
knowledge to his son.
In the past, great wrestlers used
to slip into a town under a nom de
guerre. Many wrestlers did this to
avoid the local wrestlers pulling out
of a contest because of their
personal reputations. Karl Pojello,
the Lithuanian master who was still
wrestling as the "Masked Marvel"
in his 60s, called himself Karl Kapp
to lure the local idols into money
matches. Had Pojello used his own
name, any average wrestler would
**********
Bulldog Bill Garnon, Champion of
Wales and Great Britain. His trade
outside of his mat battles was that
of a coalman!
Mighty Alaskan "Yukon Eric"
Holmbeck is an unusual man .
During the period he was wrestling
around Montreal, Canada, it was a
common thing to see "Yukon Eric"
driving a car down Montreal's main
streets with a dog at his side.
************
South African Willie Leibenberg,
is more than just a champion
wrestler. He believes so much in
his wrestling that he spends his spare
time giving lectures and instructions
about it to schoolchildren.
gladly have left town to avoid the
contest and his sponsors might have
backed out of any wagers. American
champion Frank Gotch took the
advice of "Farmer" Burns when he
went to Alaska during the "gold
rush" days and became "Frank
Kennedy."
Nothing unusual you might think
. . . but in the middle of a bitter
Canadian winter, the Alaskan was
clad only in an open-neck shirt.
Tough men these wrestlers!
************
on 10 opponents in a non-stop
training session and beat them all!
Page 30
Gwynn Davies, the handsome
young giant from Maesteg, Wales,
and a popular favourite both here
and on the Continent, was offered
a sizable contract if he would turn
his talents towards a career in
rugby, but he preferred to stick to
wrestling.
Just how tough are wrestlers? In
1947, Dick Raines, a Texan with a
record for ruggedness in and out of
the ring, broke his back in a contest
in San Antonio, Texas. Doctors
said he would never walk againlet alone wrestle. They had not
reckoned with the hardiness of the
Texan. Using a specially-designed
apparatus, Dick Raines forced himself to walk. A year later he was
back in the ring displaying a brand
of ring roughness that earned him
the nickname of "Dirty Dick."
REVIEW
On Saturday afternoons throughout the winter JOINT PROMOTIONS LTD. present the best in British
and international wrestling.
BOB ANDREWS now reviews some of the bouts you saw last month:SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th.
)
)
The second round of a heavyweight contest featuring Johnny
Allan, of Halifax, and Gomez
Maximilliano, of Peru, was drawing
to a close when the cameras joined
Kent Walton at Walthamstow
Assembly Hall.
Then followed a hard-fought third
round. In the fourth, Gomez dropkicked Johnny, body-slammed him
to win a fall in less than a minute!
Johnny came back fighting in
round five. After a series of forearm-smashes, he twice threw the
Peruvian on to a corner post and
gained a submission with a Boston
crab.
In the final round Johnny attacked
all the way, but could not gain the
winning fall. Thus an exciting
contest ended in a draw.
Next followed a catchweight bout
between Melwyn Riss (Wigan), and
Doncaster's Mick McMichael. Riss
gave one of the finest exhibitions of
wrestling skill seen on television for
a very long time. Time and time
again he escaped from McMichael's
holds and eventually won the
contest by two falls to nil.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11th.
Viewers had a pleasant surprise
on this occasion: in addition to Kent
Walton's commentary, they heard
inter-round summaries of the bouts
by Tony Mancelli.
Three complete contests were seen.
Young middleweights Mike Donlevy, from Ireland, and Roy St.
Clair (Cornwall) clashed in the first.
Mike gained a fall in round three
and Roy in rounds six and seven.
They were as speedy at the end of
the contest as at the beginning, and
if they fulfil the promise shown in
this contest from Beckenham Baths,
they both have bright futures ahead
of them.
Mick McManus (New Cross) met
Joachim La Barba, from Mexico
City, in a catchweight contest.
Although a stone lighter than his
opponent, Mick soon "got stuck in."
Mick won this gruelling bout in
the third round; twice he threw La
Barba out of the ring, and on the
second occasion the Mexican was
unable to beat the count.
American Luther Lindsay made
his first British television appearance
when he met heavyweight Josef
Zaranoff, from Russia. Josef took
a fall in round two, but was
knocked out in the fourth round by
a beautifully-timed flying drop-kick.
back-breaker over the shoulder
which forced Bert to submit. Unfortunately, Bert hurt his shoulder in
this round and was unable to carry
on. Ian thus gained the verdict.
Not to be outdone by Ian Campbell, Sandy Mackay Scott; of
Canada, had the local pipe band
lead him to the ring! His opponent
was Johnny, Allan., of Halifax.
This was a faster boµt than the
previous two. Johnny made the
running in round one, and the next
two were fairly even. Allan gained
a fall in the fourth and Scott in the
sixth. In round seven both boys
attacked furiously before Johnny
was sent down for a 'count of nine.
He staggered to his feet and Sandy
rushed in like lightning to pin him
for the winning fall.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18th
Three heavyweight contests were
decided in the viewing session from
the Winter Gardens, Morecambe.
Billy Rawlings, of Dewsbury, and
newcomer Barry Douglas, of Leeds,
clashed first. Barry more than held
his own against a much more
experienced opponent, and eventually ran out the winner by two falls
to one.
While waiting for the next contestants to appear; Kent Walton talked
about wrestling with Arthur Green,
secretary of Joint Promotions.
Ian Campbell, led to the ring by
his pipe band, prepared to do battle
with Stockport's Bert Nuttall. Bert'
dictated much of the first two
rounds, but in the third "Mr.
Scotland" took over. He threw Bert
on to a corner post and applied a
From time to time, "The
Wrestler" has published portrait
photographs by that brilliant
amateur 'photographer, S. F.
Wright,
of
Beckenham, an
ardent wrestling fan. We gratefully acknowledge same.
DON EAGLE
On the back cover of our
November issue we published a
picture of American heavyweight
Don Eagle. We erroneously stated
that he was alternatively billed as
Eagle Dance. The latter name, in
fact, is the ceremony he performs
before each wrestling contest.
Page 31
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3rd Tuesday
7,45 p.m .
7.45 p.m .
7.30 p.m.
1st Thursday
1st Monday
7.45 p.m .
7.45 p .m.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
AYLESBURY
Grosvenor Ballroom
HIGH WYCOMBE Town Hall
PENN
Cinema
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
WISBECH
Corn Exchange
DEVON
EXETER
PLYMOUTH
Civic Centre
Palace Theatre
2nd Thursday
Every Tuesday
8 p.m.
ESSEX
CHELSMFORD
Corn Exchange
CLACTON
Butlin ' s Camp
COLCHESTER
Corn Exch. , Winter Gdns.
DAGENHAM
Round House
SOUTHEND
Kursaal Arena
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
BRISTOL
CHELTENHAM
GLOUCESTER
Colston Hall
Town Hall
Public Baths
1st & 3rd Tues.
1st Wednesday
7.45 p.m.
2nd Tuesday
7.45 p.m .
1st & 4th Thurs.
8 p .m .
1st & 3rd Wed.
8 p.m.
1st & 3rd Thurs . 7.45 p.m .
2nd Monday
7.45 p.m .
1st & 3rd Thurs. 7.45 p.m .
HAMPSHIRE
PORTSMOUTH Royal Arena
SOUTHAMPTON
Royal Pier Pavilion
WINCHESTER
Lido Ballroom
BOURNEMOUTH
Winter Gardens
Every Saturday
7.30 p.m .
Kemble Theatre
)
Town Hall
KETTERING
The Drill Hall
NORTHAMPTO,N
Drill Hall
PETERBOROUGH
The Corn Exchange
7.45 p.m .
2nd Tuesday
7.45 p.m .
BANBURY The Winter Gdns.
OXFORD
The Town Hall
WITNEY
Corn Exchange
1st Thursday
7.30 p .m.
7.45 p.m.
7.30 p.m .
Every Friday
1st Wednesday
Every Monday
3rd & 4th Wed.
Every Friday
7p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m .
8 p.m.
2nd Tuesday
2nd & 4th Thurs.
2nd Monday
Every Monday
7.45 p.m.
Sp.m .
8 p.m.
3rd Saturday
Every Saturday
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
2nd Monday
2nd Friday
7.45 p.m.
1st & 4th Thurs.
7.45 p.m .
1st & 4th Wed.
2nd & 4th Wed.
1st Friday
7.45 p .m .
8 p.m.
1st Wednesday
2nd Friday
4th Friday
4th Thursday
7.45 p.m.
7.45 p.m.
7.45 p.m.
7.45 p.m.
Every Wed.
7.30 p.m.
3rd Thursday
Every Fri day
7.45 p.m .
SOMERSET
BATH
The Spa Pavilion
BRIDGWATER
Blake Hall
TAUNTON
The Drill Hall
YEOVIL
1st Tuesday
Bp.m.
4th Wednesday
Bp.m.
4th Friday
Every Thursday
3rd Tuesday
3rd Monday
8 p,m ,
SUFFOLK
8 p.m.
BURY ST. EDMUNDS
The Corn Exchange
IPSWICH
Public Baths
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
1st & 3rd Sat.
7.30 p.m
3rd Fri day
Every Friday
7.30 p.m .
7.45 p.m .
Every Monday
7.30 p.m.
Every Tuesday
Sp.m .
Every Friday
Every Friday
1st & 3rd Sat.
1st & 3rd Mon .
8 p.m .
7.45 p.m.
8 p.m.
LONDON AREA
BARKING
Assembly Hall
BERMONDSEY
Baths
CAMBERWELL
Baths
CATFORD
The Town Hall
DE PT FORD
Laurie Grove Baths
7 p.m .
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
2nd Wednesday
2nd & 3rd Tues.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
2nd & 4th Wed.
KENT
ASHFORD
Corn Exchange
BARNEHURST
Residents' Assn. Club
BECKENHAM
Baths
FOLKESTONE Marine Gdns.
MARGATE
Winte r Gardens
MAIDSTONE
Agricultural Hall
RAMSGATE
Coronation Ballroom
ROCHESTER
The Casino
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Assembly Hall,
WELLING
Embassy Ballrooms
KING'S LYNN
The Corn Exchange
NORWICH
The Corn Hall
OXFORDSHIRE
HERTFORDSHIRE
WATFORD
Every Friday
2nd & 4th Thurs.
1st Thursday
NORFOLK
1st & 3rd Thurs. 7.45 p.m .
HEREFORDSHIRE
HEREFORD
EL THAM
Essoldo Theatre
HAYES
HAYES
Savoy Cinema
KENSINGTON
Royal Albert Hall
LIME GROVE
Baths Hall
PADDINGTON
Porchester Hall
PADDINGTON
Essoldo
SEYMOUR HALL
SHOREDITCH
Town Hall
STREATHAM
Baths
TOTTENHAM
Municipal Hall
WAL THAM STOW
Assembly Hall
Town Hall
WEMBLEY
Baths
WEST HAM
Every Thursday
8 p.m .
SOUTH WALES
CARDIFF
Drill Hall
8 p.m.
SURREY
DORKING
Dorki ng Halls
KINGSTON
Coronation Ballroom
PURLEY
Orchid Ballroom
1st & 3rd Wed.
8 p.m.
Every Wed.
Every Tuesday
7.45 p .m.
8 p.m .
SUSSEX
BOGNOR
Butlin ' s Camp
BRIGHTON
The Palladium
EASTBOURNE
HASTINGS White Rock Pav.
HOVE
The Town Hall
WORTHING
Pier Pavilion
Every Thursday
Every Saturday
8 p.m .
2nd Saturday
8 p.m.
3rd Tuesday
7.45 p.m .
2nd Wednesday
8 p.m .
2nd Tues. & 4th Wed.
7.45 p.m .
WILTSHIRE
SWINDON
The Locarno Ballroom
Every Tuesday
8 p .m.
T he above venues and dates are correct at time of going to Press , U nless otherwise stated the
T ournaments listed are f or D ecemb er , 196 1.
SEE LOCAL PRESS and POSTERS FOR FURTHER I NFORMATION
Page 33
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WRESTLING
CARDIGANSHIRE
ABERYSTWYTH King's Hall
2nd Wednesday
7.30 p.m.
2nd Monday
2nd Thursday
7.30 p.m .
7.45 p.m.
AL TRI NCH AM Stamford Hall
CREWE
Town Hall
CUMBERLAND
CARLISLE
Market Hall
2nd Monday
7.30 p.m.
1st Monday
7.30 p.m .
DERBYSHIRE
BUXTON
Pavilion Gardens
CHESTERFIELD
Ashgate Road, Drill Hall
DERBY
Baths Hall
7.30 p.m.
5th Friday
1st, 2nd, 3rd Mon. 7.40 p.m .
1st & 3rd Tues.
1st Monday
7,45 p .m .
7.30 p.m.
Baths Hall
1st & 2nd Sat.
7.30 p .m .
Gwynn Hall
Tower Ballroom
2nd Monday
1st Monday
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m .
Ulster Hall
1st & 4th Fri .
7.30 p .m .
IRELAND
BELFAST
LANCASHIRE
MANCHESTER
King ' s Hall
Belle Vue
BLACKPOOL
The Tower
BOLTON
Wryton Stadium
LIVERPOOL
The Stadium
MORECAMBE
Winter Gdns.
PRESTON
Queen's Hall
WARRINGTON
Baths Hall
7
1st, 2nd, 3rd Sat.
1st, 2nd, 3rd Mon. 7.30
Every Friday
7.30
Every Friday
7.30
2nd Thursday
7.30
1st, 2nd, 3rd Wed. 7.30
2nd Monday
7.30
LEICESTERSHmE
LEICESTER Spence St. Baths
LEICESTER
De Montfort Hall
LOUGHBOROUGH
Town Hall
LINCOLNSHIRE
GRANTHAM
GRIMSBY
LINCOLN
SCUNTHORPE
Drill Hall
Gai ety
Market Hall
Baths Hall
Every Fri day
p .m.
p .m .
p.m .
p.m .
p.m.
p.m.
p .m .
7 p.m .
SCOTLAND
ABERDEEN
Music Hall
FALKIRK
Town Hall
GLASGOW
Kelvin Sports Arena
HAMILTON
Town Hall
KILMARNOCK
Grand Hall
KIRKCALDY
Town Hall
7.30p.m .
2nd Monday
7.30 p.m .
NEWCASTLE on TYNE
New St, James' Hall
Every Saturday
Pier Pav.
1st Monday
7.30 p.m .
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
NEWARK
Palace Theatre
NOTTINGHAM Victoria Baths
SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD
The Baths
BURTON
HANLEY
SMETHWICK
Jubi lee Hall
Victoria Hall
Baths Hall
WEST BROMWICH
Gala Baths Hall
WILLENHALL
Baths Hall
WOLVERHAMPTON
Civic Hall
2nd Saturday
7.30 p.m .
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Thurs.
7.30 p .m .
2nd Monday
7.40 p .m .
2nd & 4th Fri .
7.40 p.m .
1st & 2nd Saturday
& 4th Tuesday 7.30 p.m.
1st , 2nd & 3rd Thurs.
7,30p.m ,
1st & 3rd Mon .
Every Friday
7.30 p .m.
7.30 p .m.
1st & 3rd Tues .
7.30 p .m.
WARWICKSHIRE
BIRMINGHAM
Newtown Palace
WARWICK Warwick Theatre
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Tues.
7,30 p .m .
2nd Wednesday 7.30 p .m.
WORCESTERSHIRE
Wint er Gdns.
1st, 2nd & 3rd Tues.
7.40 p.m .
7.40 p.m.
1st Thursday
YORKSHIRE
BRADFORD St. George' s Hall
BRIDLINGTON
The Spa
DONCASTER Corn Exchange
GOOLE
Tower Cinema
HALIFAX
Victoria Hall
HARROGATE
Royal Hall
HUDDERSFIELD
Empress Ballroom
HULL
Madeley St, Baths
6.45 p.m .
NORTH WALES
1st Fri. & 3rd Mon .
7.30p.m .
STAFFORDSHIRE
MALVERN
1st & 5th Saturday
& 3r d Friday
7.30 p.m .
1st & 3rd Wed.
7.30 p.m.
2nd & 4th Wed. 7.30 p.m.
1st & 2nd Wed.
7.30 p.m .
3rd Tuesday
7.30 p.m.
1st Saturday
7.30 p.m .
1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th Fri.
3rd Saturday
7.30 p.m.
3rd Monday
7,45 p.m.
1st & 3rd Mon.
7.30 p.m .
2nd Thursday
7.30 p .m .
SHROPSHIRE
KIDDERMINSTER The Baths
2nd Tuesday
NORTHUMBERLAND
COLWYN BAY
SHREWSBURY
WELLINGTON
Sankey Steel Works
GLAMORGAN
NEATH
SWANSEA
Festival Hall
Regal Cinema
SALOP
CHESHIRE
)
TROWELL
WORKSOP
LEEDS
MIDDLESBRO'
ROTHERHAM
Town Hall
The stadium
Baths Hall
SCARBOROUGH
The Spa
SHEFFIELD
Somme Barracks
WAKEFIELD
The Rollerholme
YORK
S.S. Empi re
1st, 2nd, 3rd Mon ,
1st Tuesday
Every Saturday
2nd Thursday
2nd Monday
2nd Tuesday
7.30 p.m .
7.30 p.m .
7,30 p.m.
7.30 p .m .
7.30 p .m.
7,30 p.m .
2nd Tuesday
7,30 p.m.
1st, 2nd & 3rd Tues.
7,30p.m.
1st, 2nd, 3rd Mon , 7.30 p.m .
Every Saturday
7 p.m .
1st, 3r d, 4th & 5th Fri.
& 1st Thursday 7,30 p.m.
2nd Tuesday
7.30 p.m .
1st Wednesday
7.30 p.m .
1st & 3rd Tues.
1st & 3rd Mon .
7.30 p.m .
7,30 p .m .
A magnificent photo study of John Lee Henning, former U.S. Navy "Frogman."
Seen here wearing the Hawaiian Heavyweight Championship Belt, Henning is a
leading world title contender around St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.