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ADDRESS
---------------- -- AGE ____
I
OEJICIAL
MONTHLY
OF
THE
EUROI!EAN
WRESTLING
ALLIANCE
THE
Regular Contributors
Charles Mascall
Russell Plummer
Bob Leonard
John Rackham
Page
4 and 5
6 and 7
8
9
10 and 11
12 and 13
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15 to 17
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20 and 21
22 and 23
24
26 and 27
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29
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33
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35
Ken Osbom
Tony Flood
Eddie Caldwell
Bob Andrews
Dave Pirie
Mike Glover
John Gledhill
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©
Jon and Peter Cortez
Let's Talk Wrestling
Josef Zaranoff
Tony Bates
Tag Team Special- Rann and Salvo
Northern Ring Gossip
Enrico Marquess
The Mike Marino Story-first part
Action on the Mat
Ringside Canada
Stefan MiUa
Over the Border
Meet the Reverend Michael Brooks
Round the Amateur World ..
Wrestling Notebook ..
Fan Club Fa vourites- na ve Larsen
Fan Club Spotlight ..
Jeff Kaye
Wrestling in the South
A Seat at the Ringside
Wrestling in the North
FEBRUARY,
1967
Trade AgentsHORACE MARSHALL & SON
Limited,
8/ 11 St. John's Lane
Clcrkenwell, London, E.C . l.
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Injury during transit.
Zoltan Boscik with
a combination reverse
arm lever and figu re
four on his opponent
fPhoto : H . G. Steven sl
VOLUME VI
No. 9
JON&PETER
CORTEZ
Jon , who is still chasing George Kidd for a
crack at the Scot's World Championship, was
!.T.V.'s first " Wrestler of the Month" . This title
helped to make him even more well known and Jon
was interviewed by Eamonn Andrews on World of
Sport. He remarked to Eamonn that he believes he
is the lightest wrestler in the business at about
9tst. and I must admit I have not come across
anyone lighter.
Jon and his brother, Peter, had already established themselves among the best tag teams in the
country long before Jon made the wrestling world
sit up and gasp in surprise as he all but relieved Jim
Breaks of his British Lightweight Championship at
the Royal Albert H all in December, 1965.
T he 26-year-old Jon, the taller and slimmer of
the two brothers, moves about the ring like a panther
and whether appearing with Peter- who is two years
older- or on his own, he can be relied upon to
provide value fo r money.
Jon is determined to win the Lord Mountevans'
Belt, but he will not let thi s ambition interfere with
the successful partnership he
has built up with hi s brother.
Jon told me when I met him at
a Southern venue: " We have
taken part in well over 250
tag team matches since Peter
and I first took up this kind
of wrestling. We still wrestle
a lot individually but we both
think that tag team contests
are terrific."
Now a big name in single combat,
Dulwich's Jon Cortez- one half of the formidable Cortez Brother's tag team- is one
of the most menacing challengers in the
li ghtwei ght division for many years.
Peter Cortez with a side head lock on
Johnny Eagles
[Photo : Geo . Reid]
.)
Page 4
Added Peter "We'd like to see more tag contests
- perhaps eventually there might be one on every
bill. Obviously we have an advantage in this kind
of wrestling, for, being brothers, we have a better
understanding than most tag teams as we know each
other so well." The Cortez brothers told me they
would like to see a tag team championship in the
not-too-distant future , with gold belts awani ed for
each weight group.
Meanwhile Jon could win a gold belt in single
arm combat. Many thought he would do just that
when he met Jim Breaks at the Aloert Hall, for at
one stage Jon led by a submission and Breaks,
bleeding from a cut mouth, really looked in trouble.
But the Yorkshireman recovered to win with two
quick submissions in rounds six and seven.
Appearing on the same bill that night was Peter
Cortez and l":e made such a favourable impression
when holding Lewisham's Bobby Barnes to a draw
that many were tipping him to win top honours in
the near future also.
The Cortez boys are certainly kept very busy
these days and among the best remembered of their
many televised tag team matches was that against
the much heavier team of Alan Dennison and Sid
Cooper.
The first time I saw Jon and Peter in action
was against that menacing team of Steve Logan and
Mick McManus. And after witnessing that thrilling
match, nothing will convince me that there is a better
team of brothers in present-day wrestling. Until
they met Logan and McManus, Jon and Peter had
regarded the French Teddy Boys as their hardest
tag opponents. Both agree that Harry Fields is the
toughest man they have come up against in single
combat.
Apart from being one of our most experienced
tag teamers, Jon is also well known as one of the
best exponents of the drop kick. This is one of his
chief weapons although he also likes to use the
Japanese leg lock to force a submission.
But there are few holds that Jon doesn't bring
into use. Obviously he has benefited greatly from
his wrestling experiences in France, Spain, Belgium
and Switzerland.
"Peter has been with me on these wrestling
trips," says Jon, who agrees that he and his brother
have got a lot in common. Both like reading and
playing chess and Peter is also a keen angler. The
brothers like appearing in bigger halls up North but
Jon Cortez tries for a single leg Boston on George Kidd
[Photo : H . G. Steve n s]
admit they always get a very good reception in the
South also.
Though they have no time to take an active
part in other sports, both like to watch athletics and
rugby whenever possible. They are not so keen on
ball games other than rugby, however.
It was after taking a big interest in athletics
and physical training, that the brothers turned to
amateur wrestling and trained at the United Club
in Brixton. They turned professional eight years
ago and have been making great headway in the
grappling world ever since, although Peter had to
have a two-year break from the sport for National
Service.
As a master of ceremonies John Harris, who
has known the boys for many years, told me "They
are both first-class wrestlers." I whole-heartedly
agree with him.
So next time you go to watch wrestling and
you see a couple of young gladiators leap over the
ropes, clad in green velvet jackets under which they
wear full-body costumes as opposed to trunks, you
will know you are in for a first-class exhibition of
grappling.
TONY FLOOD
Page 5
LET'S
TALK
WRESTLING
with
CHARLES
MASCALL
Championships change hands and it's truly
refreshing to see comparative new names at the top
of the various weight classes.
Two of the most modest and unassuming of
matmen now head two weight classes and wear the
Admiral Lord Mountevans' Gold Belts. They are
Alan Sargeant, now ruler of Britain's welterweights,
and Scottish-born Clay Thomson, the handsome
precision-like wrestling machine who " bosses" the
middleweights.
To get to the top, both Sargeant and Thomson
have had to overcome fantastic odds. As a child,
Sargeant suffered from Polio, and as a result of
this dreaded malady, was confined to bed for a
year. He took up amateur wrestling to build up
a weakened physique.
On the other hand Clay T homson , born and
raised in Glasgow, started life in humble circumstances but determined to make a place for himself
in this world. As a youth he went off to Soviet
Russia to take part in one of the fa mous World
Youth Festivals so often held on the other side of
the "Iron Curtain." Today, Clay has only partly
achieved his desires. Actually though he holds three
titles in two weight classes (Scottish and Commonwealth Light Heavyweight titles as well as the British
Middleweight crown), Clay thinks that he can
capture even more wrestling crowns. Can he?
Knowing the determination of Clay Thomson, I think
he might accomplish this amazing feat.
It's always a pleasure to watch an experienced
ring craftsman like blond Stefan Milia, the Westminster athlete, go through his paces on the mat.
Welterweight Milia, who has been missing from the
mat world for some months, has comeback and is
showing some first-class wrestling form.
"Los Diablos", the Spanish-speaking team of
Gomez Maximilliano, of Peru, and newcomer Juan
Botano, will be here soon. Surely they will provide
one of the biggest tag team spectacles of the season.
They are famous throughout Europe and South
America for their "fashionable" shoulder-length hair
styles and their robust ruggedness on the mat.
Page 6
Pasquale and Angelo Guisto
[Photo : Peter Cook]
Maximilliano has been here several times before,
but his tag team partner is making his debut in
Great Britain.
Talking about overseas tag teams the fabulous
Guisto Brothers, acrobatic Italian brothers who were
here a year or two ago, are currently wrestling in
Italy after a short stay in Barcelona, Spain.
According to Axe! Dieter, the German Legionnaire
currently resident in Barcelona, the Guisto Brothers
were extremely popular during their stay in sunny
Spain.
It is, with a feeling of some regret, that I record
the retirement from the world of wrestling of the
popular rotund master of ceremonies Sammy King.
For more than thirty years, Sammy has, with the
same flourish, introduced the champions and near
champions treating everyone with equality, regardless
of race, creed or position. Now, ill health which
has plagued this popular master of ceremonies for
several years has forced his retirement from the ring.
Those, like myself, with whom he has been associated
for most of his adult life will miss this old-fashioned
ring compere who spent most of his life in a padded
ring. I gather that a Testimonial Fund is being set
up for Sammy to enable his many friends , in their
own way, to remember his service to their enjoyment
of a wrestling tournament.
With the question of the official British
Champions in the various weight classes firmly
established by the Admiral Lord Mountevans' Gold
Belt holders, attention is now being given to the
firm establishment of other champions. In the South,
the vacant Southern England titles in the light and
middleweight classes will be decided this month at
Lewisham Concert Hall and at the Fairfield Halls,
Croydon. The former Southern Area titles held by
Cornelius, Fury and Mick M cManus are now ruled
to be Southern England Championships . With an
abundance of top-class wrestlers coming along in
the South th ere should be ample challengers for all
of these titles.
Sandy's red-haired son and a capable Yorkshire
grappler, is currently wrestling and studying in
Western Canada.
People ou tside the profession lavish praise on
the manner in which Jack A therton and Billy Riley,
a pair of old-time champions from Wigan, Lancashire, conduct their wrestling busi ness. They have
such a love for wrestling- the sport- that it shows
in their presentation of it. Such men , like these who
devote their lives to the betterment of wrestling,
deserve every honour.
Who is likely to be voted the most popular
wrestler of 1966? Personally, look ing at it through
the eyes of the televi sion viewer, I'd say the honour
mi ght go to V ie Faulkner, Mike Eagers, or handsome Jon Cortez, all who have worn the World of
Sport "Coat of Gold." But around the hall s, I'd
say the crown might well go to Steve Veidor, of
Cheshire.
Into London last month from Tulsa, Oklahoma,
fl ew the Russian strongman N ikita Mulkovich,
who originally went to
the U.S.A . from a city in
th e Ukraine. Standing
5ft. 9ins. and weighing
around the 17st. mark
Mulkovich, a fo rmer holder of the U.S. Heavyweight
Championship,
has wrestled in Japan
and Australia before
coming here. In T ulsa,
Oklahoma, under the
promotorial banner of
blind Leroy McGuirk ,
one time light heavyweight champion of the
world, Mulkovich had
the opportunity of meetting the top stars, including Danny Hodge, holder of the American
version of the World's
Mid-Heavyweight Championship.
N ikita Mulkovich
Wrestlers are always on the move- no wonder
they are rated hi gh among the regular international
air travellers. Johnny Kostas, the "Golden Greek"
who was here several years ago is in Honolulu after
a trip to Japan . . . Roy "Mr. Australia" Heffernan
who wrestled in this country long before he became
fa mous as one of the "Kangaroos", is back in his
native Australia ... Talking about Australia, 'R ebel'
Ray Hunter, the rugged rowdy giant who is well
known here, has just returned from a flying trip to
that part of the world . .. Nick Barone, the Italian
Heavyweight Champion, had to rush back to Italy
recently suddenly owing to the illness of his father
. .. Zando Zabo, fantastic looki ng South American
heavyweight, is currentl y in South California where
he operates a "Health Farm" .. . Tony Orford,
Jackie PaJio about to Judo Chop his opponent
[Photo: H . G . Stevensj
There's good news for the fans of bald-headed
Bernard Murray , that brilliant lightweight master
from Bradford . H e's hoping to make a comeback
next month and is busy training fo r the event.
Bernard- he of the 'naked noggin'- had to announce
hi s retirement a couple of months ago because
of a suspected torn heart muscle. Medical opinion
has confirmed that he is fit and well enough to start
wrestling and that his original injury was not as
bad as previously suspected . So Bemard has hit
the comeback trail and jolly good luck to this very
fine wrestler!
Jackie "Mr. T.V." Pallo, the tousled-headed
Highbury star, travels thousands of miles annually
in quest of wrestling fa me. Now, perhaps, as his
very good friends Eric Car/son and Pat Moss, the
rally car drivers, have taken up flying as a hobby,
television personality "Mr. T.V." will follow suit.
I can't think of a quicker way for a wrestler to get
about in the " jet" age!
There couldn't be a more apt tag team title
than the "Black Knights"- Ezzard Hart , of Barbados
" Honey Boy" Zimba, of Freetown , Sierra Leonetwo very popular coloured heavyweights.
Page 7
Josef
Zaranoff
prefers
mind over matter
His muscles bulge, strength undenied. He can
outwrestle many of his opponents on superior fitness
alone, but Jose/ Zaranoff is one wrestler who prefers
to use his head rather than his body.
It is the ability of being able to combine the
two forces that has made Jo one of our leading
heavyweight gladiators since he first came to these
shores in 1958.
It was a shaven-headed I van Josef Zaranoff who
first set foot in England after wrestling in the United
States, Canada and various parts of the Continent.
Jo went without his hair because he felt that he could
wrestle better if he did not have the worry of
brushing it out of his eyes. However, several other
matmen took to mimicking him, so he let it grow a
little and has had it closely cropped ever since.
As a boy, Jo was always keen on sport, with
wrestling gradually taking a hold on him-- to coin
a phrase. A leading amateur wrestler in his native
Russia, Jo decided that he wanted to see something
of the world and embarked upon a career that was
to take him wrestling round the globe.
In the States and Canada he picked up valuable
experience against the mammoth ring stars that
frequent that part of the world. His popularity grew
and he wrestled before many large crowds, especially
in the Maple Leaf Gardens of Toronto.
In Europe, too, Zaranoff found himself learning
fast. T he opposition here was not as heavy as in
America, but for mat craft the Continentals take
some beating. Eventually Jo arrived in England
and was acclaimed by the British ringsiders. At first
he was accused of rule bending, for having been used
to American rules which were far different from ours
he often fell foul of the referee through no fault of
his own.
But Josef settled down and is now one of the
most popular wrestlers in the country, having made
England his home. He has demolished many over
confident stars from across the water and this only
adds to his popularity amongst the home ringsiders.
Page 8
Josef Zaranolf about to spin Ski Hi Lee
[Photo: G eo . Reid]
A scientific wrestler, Jo's best bouts have been
against Tibor Szakacs, most of which end in a draw,
with both men trying hard to outwit the other. But
his most memorable battles are against heavier men
in the shape of the Zebra Kid, Bruno Elrington and
lan Campbell. Anyone who can body slam the
Zebra Kid just has to be strong. He also met Prima
Carnera when the Italian made his last tour of
Europe in 1959.
Although he prefers individual bouts, Josef
has appeared in several tag matches, partnering
Tibor Szakacs and Johnny Czeslaw. Joining forces
with the Pole, Zaranoff had an unforgettable fight
against the Ski Hi Lee-Don Stedman pairing at
Watford Town Hall not so long ago. The spectators
swarmed round the ring at the end of the bout to
congratulate Zaranoff and Czeslaw on the fight they
had put up.
He is a keen motorist, which is just as well for
he covers many thousands of miles during the course
of the year travelling from hall to hall.
Josef Zaranoff is a shining example to any up
and coming young wrestler. He has a physique that
can see him through any pitch battle, but never takes
advantage of weaker opponents, being content to
beat them on wrestling skill alone. However, he
can mix it with the best of them if the need arises.
B. R. BALE
TONYBATES
could be the big name in 196 7
As the wrestling " boom' continues, with televised contests becoming more popular, an even
greater number of young grapplers are stealing the
limelight. But the youngster I would name as the
most promising is R ochester middleweight Tony
Bates, who many fa ns may not yet have seen in
action. No doubt, however, they have heard of the
boy who is holding his own against some of the best
men in his weight group. Youngsters like Tony
Borg, Steve Clements and Len H urst stole a lot of
the limelight in 1966, but it could well be the turn
of Tony Bates in 1967.
The young drop-kick star is anxious to gain
more experience by wrestling abroad. He told me
recently "I have spent many holidays abroad, having
been to Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland and
now I would like to wrestle in some of these
countries." I'm sure the Continental fans would like
his style of grappling, but before he goes abroad,
Tony wants first to establish himself in England.
Now only the style and ability of young l an
Gilmour, of Middlesbrough, Sheffield's Mike Eagers,
who last year put up such a splendid show against
Mick M cManus, and Steve B est, of York, appeals
to me as much as that of Bates when I glance through
names of the up-and-coming youngsters of today.
Although in his early 20's, Tony has gained
fo ur years experience of professional grappling and
has suffered his fair share of injuries. "I've damaged
the cartilage in my knee, lost a tooth and sustained
countless cuts and bruises," he told me. "In fact,
I injured my knee in my first professional fight
against Dave Morgan, of Wales, who I beat by two
falls to one."
When he's not wrestling, Tony spends a great
deal of time in the 13ft. speed boat he and his father
own. He goes water ski-ing a lot at Margate or
Herne Bay and has been teaching his wife. H e also
likes fishing and while on holiday in Ireland during
a fish ing fes tival, Tony did some shark fishing which
he fo und most exciting.
Bates informed me that he is also pretty good
at rugby, cricket and roller hockey, having had a
junior roller hockey trial for England when he was
sixteen.
Bates always puts the maximum amount of
effort into everything he does and he has spent a
great deal of time perfecting the drop kick and the
flying head scissors, his two favourite forms of attack.
I was fort unate enough to be present when Tony
gained a pin fall over R omford's A llan Kitto within
T ony Bates applying an arm lever on Dave PhiUips
[Photo: H . G . S tevens]
only 18 seconds of the first round by landing two
perfect drop kicks and was amazed by the speed
at which he moved.
Tony rates Steve Logan as his hardest opponent
and Clayton Thomson as the cleverest man he has
met so far. "I came up against Logan after having
had only six previous bouts as a professional and
he knocked me out- but not until the last round,"
Tony recalled .
Bates was encouraged to become a professional
by former grappling star Bill Warner, who passed on
a great many useful tips to Tony during his four
years as an amateur at a local club in Gillingham.
Tony's fa ther, Dennis Bates, manages the
Rochester Casino where many wrestling tournaments
a re held and so it is no wonder really that Tony
took to the sport. The fact that Mike Demitre also
gave him some coaching at Brixton further explains
his rapid progress.
Apart fro m managing the R ochester Casino,
Tony's father has also managed a skating rink in
Wales and so young Bates has moved around quite
a bit. He was actually born in Wolverhampton and
then moved to Wales before settling down in Kent
at the age of ten.
Now he looks like becoming the most successful
Kent grappler since Charlie Fisher's hey-day.
TONY FLOOD
Page 9
TAG TEAM
SPECIAL
Rann and Salvo
need nofancytitle
Part of the fascination of tag team wrestling
is provided by the colourful names and ring attire
favoured by many of the leading teams, but there
are some combinations who just do not need fancy
names or dressing gowns to get their message over!
Welcome though they have been as a splash of
colour in recent weeks, teams such as the Mexican
Gauchos, or that other Latin-American twosome, the
Commancheros, several combinations nearer hom e
prefer to make their presence felt another way.
Peter Rann holds Arjit Singh with a headlock
from the back
[Photo: H . G . Steve n sl
One ruggedly effective pairing, often billed as the
"International Tough Guys" or "Riot Squad" comes
to mind immediately, and to be more personal, they
are, of course, Londoners Peter Rann and Pasquale
Salvo .
Certainly one of the more "boo-able" of the
trend setting combinations in tag team wrestling,
Rann and his Anglo-ltalian partner are also among
the most successful.
Their down to earth ability was brought home
forcibly when I saw them dispose of classy Spanish
brothers Nino and Julien Pizzaro in barely 20
minutes of an hour time limit match recently.
This is their style, and let's be honest, they are
masters of the art of borderline tag wrestling, bending
the rules enough to upset the concentration of their
opponents, and yet generall y staying just on the right
side of the line between the legitimate and disqualification .
I don't think there is a successful tag team that
does not at least bend the rules at times in the heat
of battle and certainly I have seen both the Royals
and Cortez Brothers do it on occasions.
Individually the Pizzaros showed themselves to
be easily the superior tactical wrestlers and their
speed and counters were a delight to watch.
Obviously Salvo and Rann take things a good
deal further, but generally they are only wrestling
as a team in the styles they prefer to adopt in solo
matches.
The Spaniards took the first fall and seemed
to be heading for a comfortable victory. Then Salvo
began to indulge in a bit of blind-side activity, a
lead Rann was quick to fo ll ow.
It is not so long since Rann, one of the most
able welterweights of the day, was being tipped as
championship material. He had the class, speed and
style to hold his own with the best, and usually did.
Their approach became even more rugged and
within seven minutes they equalised and had the
contest won. Although they collected two public
warnings in the process, and the match was well
refereed by Jack Cunningham, Salvo and Rann were
content to keep just the right side of the rules .
Then for some unknown reason he tired of
relying upon skill alone and gradually adopted a
more and more aggressive attitude. Now it is unusual
if his appearance in the ring is not greeted with a
storm of boos, and the same has always gone for
Salvo.
Page 10
Both men have various business interests out
of the ring, but still take their wrestling very
seriously. Although Sa lvo is the owner of a
flourishing South London filling station near his
Bermondsey home, there is no question of him
regarding wrestling as a hobby.
WORLD CHAMPION
REVEALS
TRAINING SECRET
N ew ex er ciser develop s Champion's
muscles in just five m in utes a day
Pasquale Salvo uses a low cross-buttock on Lindy Caulder
[Pho to: H . G . Steve n s]
Whether tagging or appearing solo, he is in there
to win and do so as quickly as possible. If in the
course of the proceedi ngs there is an opportunity
for a return match for sidestakes, Salvo is doubly
pleased .
Both Salvo and Rann have the experience and
ability to be top men in the middle welterweight
range. T hat they prefer to mix it is their own
business, but when two such individ uals come
together in a team it is hardly surprising that a
formidable combination is the result.
Against the top teams they have tended to allow
their enthusiasm to run away with them and disqualification in matches with Bert Royal and Vie
Fau lkner and the White Eagles have been recorded.
But against the Pizzaros, the Londoners showed
signs of a rather more thoughtful approach. Still
they bend the r ules, sti ll they upset the fans and
still they worried their opponents. The significant
point was that they did not get disqualified.
If this more subtle outlook continues, Rann and
Salvo are unlikely to win any new fans, yet they
will win many more contests- a prospect which
several rival teams may not relish.
RUSSELL PLUMMER
NEW YORK - World h ea vyweig ht ti t le h older, Cassius
Clay , today r evealed hi s
" secret" training dev ice, an
amazing I sotonic exer ciser
called the Bullworker 2. "I
get into s ha pe for ever y fi g ht
with the Bullworker ", says
Clay. "It' s a marvel that
builds champions" .
Ori g inally developed for
training m embers of the
Ameri can (30 Gold Medals )
and German (10 Gold Medals)
Oly mpi c t eams, the Bullworker has since bee n enthusiasti cally adopted not
only by such outs tanding profes sional athl etes a s Cassius
Clay , bu t by te ns of t h ousa nds
of m en in ever y walk of life
as well. Bus inessmen, office
and fac tory work ers, men in
their tw enties and men in
their fifti es- all are thrilled
with th e fa s t and impressive
r esults.
Jus t fiv e minutes a day is all
that's r equired to build
powerful muscles, broaden
s hould er s , trim inches off the
waist , mak e yo u look and feel
s trong , healthy and virile. As
Clay puts it: " The Bull worker
tak es t h e sweat and s train
out of exer cising and it really
works !"
,I -FREE- - ;:;:;::e::::-:: --;;;;;; -;;:1~;;;,,-::-2;-;,;; ·~
broch nre abon t
obligat ion .
I
N A >t E
I
A DDRESS
(in /n il)
B ULL \VORKER
2
wit ll ont
......... ..... .......
... ......... .. ..
(i n ! nil)
I
I
II
1
B UL LIVORK E R De p t . T WTI
18 S t . Ann 's Cr escen t , L o ndo n , S. W.l8 .
1
1\ 'o Sa lesman w ill call
1
I
I
I
I
II
~-------- - --------- - ~
Page 11
Northern Ring Gossip
*********************************
by KEN OSBORN
*********************************
Hamburg promoter Gust! Kaiser has been in
contact with Joint Promotions Leeds office asking
for the services of Prince Curtis laukea. The bi g
Hawaiian is wanted for an extensive tour of Germany
beginning in March.
V ic Faulkner goes off for a wrest! ing holiday
to France in March. Lasting just over a week he
will wrestle in Paris and Toulouse before ending
the trip in the South of France trying to catch some
early sunshine.
A Christmas card to Joint Promotions came in
from "across the pond" bearing the signature of
"Sleeper Hold" specialist Timmy Geoghegan. At
the time he was feeling fine and planning a trip to
Texas for the tough circuit there where he no doubt
felt a few opponents might be due for one of his
"40-wink" specialities.
Enquiries have been received from two of
America's top promoters, Sam M uchnik, President
of the National Wrestling Alliance of America, and
Vince McMahon, who controls promotions at
Madison Square Garden, asking about Bill Robinson.
They want him for the start of next season and this
could be Bill's big chance to stake his claim for the
world heavyweight title if he decides to cross the
Atlantic.
A heavyweight has at last figured high in the
"Wrestler of the Month" ratings after the lighter
men have held sway for some time. It was, of
course, Bill Robinson who adds another Northern
name to the North v. South tug-of-war for the Golden
Gown.
fan Campbell, for many years a Father Christmas in his own right to under privileged children in
the Leeds area, ended his series of treats with a coach
Page 12
Timmy Geoghegan with a toe hold on his opponent
[Photo : H. G. Steve n s]
trip for 50 youngsters to Belle Vue, Manchester,
last momh. He and five helpers entertained the
children to a visit to the zoo, lunch , a ring-side seat
each at the Belle Vue Circus, tea and a tired ride
home after a memorable day out.
Geoff Portz, out cf acti cn following a severe
back operation, was forced to announce his retirement. Geoff, of Bradford , was a joiner before taking
up professional wrestling and after seeing a method
of making heavy oak furniture without the use of
nails is now turning out this type of work to
craftsman standards.
Latest news from Geoff is that the specialist is
amazed at his recovery from his back operation.
It has been successful in removing the intense pains
he had in his legs and he hopes to be having a go
in about three months. He will , however, continue
with his cabinet and table making.
Jan Kovacs has arrived in Paris on his way
back from South Africa and will be wrestling in the
near future for Wryton Promotions, the Lancashirebased organisation.
Those fa ns asking why R ene Ben Chemoul has
not been seen in our rings of late might like to know
that he is now supervising the promoting business
of his uncle, impressario Alex Goldstein .
studios when the voting takes place for T.V.'s
Wrestler of the Year.
In this voting sess ion, based on those wrestlers
who have won the Golden Gown as Wrestler of the
Month , I on Cortez, Kal. Gaston (Southern representatives) vi ed with Vie Faulkner (three times
winner), Mik e Eagers (three) and, of course, Les
Kellett. The R everend Michael Brooks was along
to see fair play.
The speed with which French matmen can now
be whisked into the heart of Yorkshire was demonstarted recently when A1arcel Montreal was due to
wrestle at Leeds Town Hall. Despite three technical
hitches with his plane in Paris and a late take-off
as dusk approached he still found plenty of time
Geoff Portz uses a neck hold on Roy "Bull" Davis
[Photo : H . G . Steven s]
Still campaigning m South A frica is the giant
ex-London-based heavyweight Georges Gordienko.
Did you notice Yuri Borienkov playing the part
of a Russian servant in the new Adam Adamant
series? If you didn't I did- and if you thought it
was Yuri I can confirm to you that it was him
playing a different role from that he usually portrays
on the small screen.
Jon Cortez
[Photo : Geo . Reid]
Les Kellett thanks all fans who have sent good
wishes to him in hospital, Bradford General
Infirmary, recovering from an operation. Les is
making good progress but won't be seen in the ring
again until at least the beginning of March. He is
most upset at not being able to be present in the
to get to the hall, change, limber up and take the
ring just after the interval. This route should lead
to many other "flying exchanges" between France
and the rings of the North.
Page 13
"Then it came to me. I was an amateur trying
to wrestle professionals. Almost every day for a
month I worked in the gymnasium, gradually perfecting new moves and changing my whole style.
When the time came to start again I was wrestling
like a professional and probably more important,
thinking like one too ."
In 1950 he was one of a number of aspmng
wrestlers invited to take part in a big novice tournament in Paris at the famous Cirque d'Hiver.
Mike was appearing m a supporting contest
when the pair met again at the Palais de Sport in
Paris some 18 months later- and again the result
was a draw after some fantastic wrestling.
Marino was reluctant to comment about his own
progress after the first full year of wrestling, so I'll
leave it to an article "The Best Newcomers of 1950",
written by Charles Mascall in the popular magazine
of the period, "Combat".
Together with Don Stedman, Len Britton, The
Black Panther and Jim Mackenzie from Britain,
Marino faced a host of up-and-coming continental
heavyweights including such well-known names of
the present day as Michel Chaisne, Claude Montourcey, Henri Cogan , Jean Bout and Liano di Santa.
Wrestling no fewer than five bouts on one day
in the great French circus arena, and three the next
Mike emerged as winner of the 200-pound championship. Britain was well represented in the lighter
weights in another section of the tournament, and
Mike recalls that George Kidd, Eddie Capelli, Johnny
Peters and Jack Dempsey were all competing against
opposition including R ene Ben Chemoul and Roger
La Roche.
George de Relwyskow, Bill Robinson with
Mike Marino (1961)
Back in England Mike's popularity grew
enormously and in wrestling circles he was being
hailed as the new " Golden Boy".
"The environment in those days was completely
different. The only way to gain respect was to do
something, and that was not always easy for some
of the old heavyweights were really hard , and boy,
could they wrestle," Mike recalled.
It was in this period that Mike first came across
Bert Assirati, a man he still regards as the greatest
wrestler he has ever met. "For me Berrt was wrestling
personified and one of my biggest thrills was to be
able to give away a lot of weight and hold him to
a draw on one occasion ."
Marino also remembers another meeting with
the famous "Islington Hercules", at Aberdeen. "Bert
caught me with a forearm smash. I was perfectly
alright after the bout and caught the overnight train
home to London. Leaving King's Cross station next
morning I walked out to cross the road, fell flat
on my face and was in hospital with concussion for
eleven days."
Assirati obviously figures prominently in Mike's
memories of his own early career. "I will never
fo rget watching him twice wrestle draws with Frank
Sexton, the American who was then recognised as
the world champion."
The first bout took place at the Sports Palais in
Antwerp and Sexton held on to a diamond-studded
belt, reputed to be worth 10,000 dollars which he
had brought with him from the United States.
Page 16
The story singled out three men , Martin Deenf,
of Belgium ; Norman Walsh and Mike Marino, of
whom it was written: "At his finger tips he has all
the necessary muscular and mental power that
ultimately moulds great wrestlers. This past year
he has moved ahead with great rapidity. He is
quick, has a sound knowledge of the holds, needs
a bit more experience to develop himself into a
world beater, but with a 'fighting heart' like Mike's,
half the battle is already won. Yes, Mike Marino
whose forebears came from sunny Italy will b-:: a
wrestler of the future and a top notch one at that."
Assirati always had respect rather than popularity, and the man who was top of the polls at this
time was the Irish-American Pat Curry.
"Before or si nce I don't think there has ever
been a more colourful and exciting wrestler than
Curry, he had the unique ability of getting his
personality right over to the crowd," Mike told me.
Curry was one of the first overseas stars to
make hi s mark on British wrestling in the immediate
post war years and for more than five years he was
an outstanding attraction, drawing capacity crowds
to halls everywhere.
It is Marino's opinion that he would have been
an even greater attraction if wrestling today. " He
would have been a sensation in televised bouts and
was really a forerunner of the type of wrestling that
goes down so well with the T .V. fa ns."
After establishing his own image in such great
style, Mike found the going still difficult in the
mid-1950's for there were some formidable characters
around, as well as visiting foreign stars.
Bu t it was to be Marino's year and fresh from
a great battle with world heavyweight champion
L ou Thesz at Hanley, Marino travelled to Aberdeen
to meet Demitre, and came home with the title.
Such personalities as leg-scissors expert Charlie
Purvis, who went by t he ring name "A naconda";
Scottish champion J im Mackenzie, ftame-haired
fireball from Fife; bearded Ken Davies- father of
present-day star Gwyn Davies and another Welshman, Sandy Orford, from Crumlin, were all great
foes who could never be underestimated.
He defended it successfu lly for more than a year
until H esselle, wrestling before his home crowd in
Bolton snatched the odd fa ll of three to become the
new champion.
"Tough as it was, there was one advantage,"
said Mike. "It was impossible to have a contest
without learning something."
Marino was also venturing abroad, back to Paris
frequently as well as fitting in trips further afield
to Spa in and Portugal. But gradually, although offers
from fo reign promoters kept coming along, and still
do, Marino has preferred to stay in Britain.
Mike was not alone and alongside him , helping
to make things hot for the older heavyweights were
such action stars as Tony Mancelli, then Southern
Area heavyweight champion, Australia's Alan
Garfield, newly arrived in this country, and another
young Aussie beginning to make strides for the top,
Ray Hunter.
By 1956 Mike had achieved a pretty consistent
weight of around 14t stones and was often crossing
swords with Mike Demitre, the Greek from Sparta
who was educated in Canada before taking up
wrestling.
Still to be seen today as a top referee, Demitre
had already made sure of a place in wrestling's
"Hall of Fame", by winning the world's junior
heavyweight championship. This had come to Britain
in 1948 when The Farmer (George Broadfield)
defeated Canadian Paul L ortie.
In 1949 Demitre stepped up with a successful
challenge and began what was to be an exciting
eight-year reign as champion. The brilliant Greek
was one of the top personalities in the 1950's and
partly because of A ssirati's absence from the country
for some of this time interest in Demitre's title was
considerable.
As well as home-based stars including Marino,
Walsh, Geoff Portz and Vie Hesselle, Demitre was
never short of challengers and also well to the fore
were another dazzling Greek, London restauranteur,
M ilo Popocopolis, and the fabul ous "La Savatte"
expert, Butcher Johnson.
So little was there to chose between champion
and challengers that by 1957 the title seemed likely
to change hands with any one of half a dozen
wrestlers taking over.
Mike Marino with a half headlock and arm hold
on Achim Chall
[Photo : H. G . Steven s]
Next it was Walsh's turn to come into the
limelight, but no sooner had he defeated Hesselle in
1960 than Marino came back to take the title and
he held on to it for 18 action-packed months and
defended it successfully against Walsh, Portz, Johnny
Allan, Billy R obinson, Billy Two Rivers a nd Mario
Matassa.
But there were storm clouds on the horizon
and Marino was soon to disappear from our rings
for almost fo ur years. What happened during this
period and his triumphant return in 1966, culminating with his defeat of Billy Joyce to win the British
mid-heavyweight championship will be told in next
month's issue of "The Wrestler" .
RUSSELL PLUMMER
Page 17
Steve Clements Irish whips Bill Ross
[Photo: Geo . Reid)
A fine body slam for the Outlaw from Josef Zaranoff
[ Photo : H . G. Stevens]
Jack Rowlands comi ng down with a kn ee drop to
Andy Robin
[Photo: Geo. R eid]
Eddie Capelli held in a leg scissors by
Adrian Street
[Photo : H . G. Steven s J
Bert R oyal gains a pin fall with his folding
body press
[Photo: H . G . Steven s]
A SIZZLING '67 BURSTS INTO ACTION WITH "THE ASSASSIN'S" REIGN OF TERROR AT
RINGSIDE
with BOB LEONARD
But for Kirk, it was no use. By sheer brute
power, Stasiak overwhelmed him , finally rocketing
him down over his knee in a spine-snapping "Atomic
Drop" that made the pin a formality . "That's what
Kiniski can expect if he comes arou nd here!" Stasiak
gritted at Whalen on the way out of the ring. "And
for that matter, anyone who's matched against me
is goi ng to wind up that way!"
Stan "The Assassin" Stasiak uses a claw hold on
Cowboy Kirk's neck and shoulder
"I came here for just one thing- Gene Kiniski
and his World Heavyweight Championship! If
Kiniski ever shows his face in any arena I wrestle
in, it'll be the last time he'll ever come near meunless he wants to try getting his title back!"
The sharp tone of Stan "The Assassin" Stasiak's
voice crackled into the microphone held by "Stampede Wrestling" commentator Ed Whalen, as video
cameras wheeled in for a close-up of the cold,
calculating countenance of the hulking grappler.
Stasiak's hard-bitten features portrayed even better
than his words the fiery drive that forces him to
seek out and destroy champion Kiniski. And the
same drive was even more evident when Stasiak
deserted the ringside interview to assault Cowboy
Bruce Kirk, the drop-kicking Phoenix, Arizona,
stand out.
Television cameras recorded every second of the
savage bout, transmitted it to uncounted thousands
of watchers around the prairie provinces. And every
fan shuddered when Stasiak drove his sledge-hammer
fist into Kirk's face, rocketed his boots into his ribs ,
squeezed all opposition out of him with a python
body scissors. Slowly, gri ndingly, "The Assassin"
li ved up to his name, steadily pulverizing Kirk from
every angle. T he Cowboy flared back alright, even
rocked the 6ft. 5in., 20st. Stasiak badly enough to
send him outside the ropes for a rest.
Page 20
So far in 1967, Stasiak has made good his boast
. Kirk was only one of those who fell before the
tidal wave of savagery. Newcomer Nick Pappas
hit the dirt in just over 5 minutes ; hustling American
speedster Vie Rosetanni threw in the towel at the
14-minute mark; brave L eo Burke crashed to defeat
in 8 minutes. Next on the list? That depends,
mainly, on the outcome of an upcoming Canadian
Open Heayweight Championship bout, pitting titlist
Dave Ruhl against powerful challenger Bob "Bruiser"
Sweetan. Regina promoter Bob Cooke has plans
for the winner to eventually tangle with Stasiak in
a title contest- a plan which Stan finds completely
to his liking.
"All I need is that Canadian title," he pointed
out to this reporter recently, "and Kiniski will almost
be forced to wrestle me. So it's just a matter of
time, really, because neither Ruhl nor Sweetan
stands a chance against me! " Strong words, but
they come from a strong man who lets nothing
stand in his way.
The Ruhl-Sweetan title clash should prove
interesting to prairie fans , even though they've seen
the pair tangle on numerous occasions. Sweetan
will be shooting for Ruhl's title for the first time,
and that in itself could give him added impetus to
hit popular Dave with everything at his command.
Ruhl, however, is never more tenacious than when
he's defending his gem-studded belt, won some
thirty months back from Teutonic grappler Waldo
von Erich in Calgary. Thus, the battle shapes up
as possibly the most interesting since Sweetan arid
The Beast were hammering away at each other
several months back.
Sandy Barr uses a jolting knee lift 1to his
opponent's chin
Johnny Foti with a painful wrist and shoulder lock
on Rudy Kay
Speaking of The Beast- and manager Mr. Rudy
Kay- the pair have departed for Australia where
they will be the first wrestler-manager combination
to appear there for U .S. promoters John Doyle and
Jim Barnett. We'd bet, too, that Aussie fans have
never seen anything to equal the pair for sheer
savagery in the ring.
Bob Sweetan, who gains this reporter's nod as
the best newcomer to Canadian grappling in the
sixties, also collects the title of 'best-dressed wrestler'.
The blond bombshell's collection of ring robes,
capes and jackets total 37, with the most inexpensive
garment costing him a cool one hundred dollars.
The original creations, all produced by Bob's wife
Eleanor, are a myriad of colour- ranging fro m a
go ld, blue and red sequined cape to a pink and white
satin and sequin jacket. The elegant trappings
don't fool other grapplers, though . . . they're well
aware of Sweetan's rough style once the spangled
creations are doffed!
Western fans have their calendars marked for
upcoming debut of rampaging R ed McNulty, a
19st. bruiser out of the nation's capital, Ottawa,
Ontario. The bearded redhead is cued up to pair
with Detroit, Michigan's brutal Bull Johnson in a
tag match against Johnny Foti and L eo Burke, a
new combination with plenty of promise. McNulty
boasts a bulldozing style that features plenty of fists
and boots, along with tremendous power and a solid
grappling knowledge. That he'll prove a handful
for opponents is a forego ne conclusion, on the basis
of his recent showing on the Pacific Coast fro m
Vancouver to Portland, Oregon.
Bull Johnson, too, is another matman with a
bent for brawling. Stocky and power-laden, he's
one of the scrappiest competitors to come West in
some months as evidenced by his hard-fo ught win
over Vie R osetanni in Regina. Johnson has been
around long enough to collect a big bag of tricks,
most of which were brought to bear on the impressive
R osetanni, a man who doesn't give up easily.
AROUND THE ARENAS :
Johnny Foti, the impressive Regina matman, is
loaded with talent in two areas. Not only is Foti
a master grappler, but he also ranks as one of
Canada's leading artists in oi ls and water colours.
A Foti original is a prized possession from Vancouver to Newfoundland . .. Cowboy Bruce Kirk
one of the most avid conditioners in grappling, tries
to work out in the gymnasi um at least three times
a week and run several miles a day, which isn't easy
when a week's travel may take him 3,000 miles
plus . .. word fro m the Pacific Coast has it that
19-year-old Sandy Barr is one of the most impressive
Co ntinu ed on Page 25
Page 21
Recent activities North of the Border have given
the fans plenty to enthuse over for the programmes
have been extremely well balanced in most cases and
there has been a crop of first-class performances.
Honourable mention must be given to some of these.
BORDER
Amo7!gst :he lighter men Spaniard Jose
Rodriguez sh 0wed real wrestling ability and hi s
varied repertoire enhanced the already great reputation his countrymen enjoy in this part of the world.
Tony Charles's acrobatic wizardry continues to
give his supporters great pleasure whenever he
appears. Here is a man who really gives val ue for
money on every occasion.
An interesting heavyweight now appearing
regularly is Prince Curtis laukea , but I can't say
he has made many frie nds. /an Campbell seems to
find him particularly repulsive and has made some
very amusing but extremely rude comments about
the 6ft. 7in. Hawaiian. There seems to be a definite
pattern in Campbell's fe ud s these days- they all
feature Americans. It seems as if the one thing he
dislikes more than Sassanachs is Yanks! Camp bell
and Iaukea had a real stormer of a battle at
Glasgow's Kelvin Arena which ended in the Prince
fleeing the ring and some of the audience belting
him as he passed. Let's hope the promoters fix a
Prince Jaukea
[Photo : Geo . Reid]
re-match soon. The feudin' and a fussin' with the
Outlaw continues and at Peter Keenan's Paisley
show there was a sensational finish when in the
fourth round the pair simultaneously crashed to the
canvas and the referee had no option but to count
them out and declare a double K.O.
Clayton Thomson about to head mare Mike Shannon
[Photo : H. G. Stevens]
Page 24
A similar very un fo rtunate accident occurred
when I saw Clayton Thomson for the first time in
ages. He met Bert Royal in an eight round contest
in Glasgow. It was a grand bout with many fine
moves but it came to a premature end when a counter
to a move off the ropes saw them both fall very
awkwardly and there was a sickening crack as Clay's
arm got tangled up under Bert as they tumbled to
the mat head first. It was unnecessary for the referee
even to start counting, even the most unobservant
spectator could see there was real trouble here. Bert
recovered after considerable delay but T homson was
still "out" when they carried him to the dressing
room. A doctor, seconds, first-aid men and stewards
were all needed here.
Chatting to Clayton, the popular Scot told me
of his Far Eastern tour and of the many exciting
moments he has had since turning professional. It
is a hard life but his decision has never been
regretted. I can tell you though that the Scottish
amateurs were very sorry to lose such an accomplished grappler from their ranks.
Who is the R ed Scorpion? Although I know
the identities of many of the masked men this is one
I don't recognise. He seems to be gunning for George
Kidd, but if they meet, my money will be on the
Dundee lightweight. Incidentally, it's no use asking
me the names of the other masked marvels- my lips
are sealed- they are too tough to offend!
Nagasaki continues his winning run and recent
victims include Barry Douglas who was knocked
out in the seventh round at the Mu sic Hall, Aberdeen
and John Cox who was forced to retire after having
hi s face injured in their bout.
At the St. John's Ambulance Brigade (Midland
Area) a large turn out watched the annual prizegiving to successful cadets. Presenting the prizes
was- you've guessed it- Ian Campbell. He must
be the most community-minded professional wrestler
in Britain today. Nice to see him placed so high on
the American ranking lists although I must say I
can't see how they can justify their top placings.
Having watched the matches on both sides of the
Atlantic I can honestly say our fellows should be
placed much higher. To be fair I must add that I
think Bruno Sammartino is excellent, he can give
it and take it and I am sure there is not a stronger
wrestler in the business.
Scottis h wrestlers are getting well organised
with coaching and officiating schemes . There is a
crying need for more amateurs in every weight
category and more people willing to help with
officiating and administering. If YOU are interested
in helping or in wrestling get in touch with the
Secretary:
T . B. McMillan, Esq.,
5, Hinshelwood Drive,
Glasgow, S.W.l .
DAVE PIRIE
RINGSIDE
CANADA
Continued from Page 21
" new faces" to grapple there in some time. The
likeable teenager, dubbed "The Teenage Terror" by
fa ns, hails from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and has been
on the professional mats for four yea rs now, doing
most of his matwork in Arizona, California, Utah
and Western Canada . . . super-veteran Firpo
Zb yszko genuinely deserves his unofficial title "The
Clown Prince of Wrestling. " Besides still being able
to turn in a good b out, moustachioed Firpo can roll
fa ns in the ai sles with hi s actions in the ring, something he's been doing fo r nearly thirty years now.
A fleeting expression on Zbyszko's -face is enough to
rock the arena with laughter, whi le hi s candid
imitati on of a ringsider heckling him is indescribable
. . . Vie Rosetanni , the fast-moving stylist out of
Columbus, Ohio, looks to be a corner from any
angle. Standing around the six foot mark and scaling
some 16!st., Vie moves fast inside the ropes and
prefers to switch holds fast and often. He'd rather
play things the scientific way, but if pushed, he's
quick with a fi stic comeback.
Are they or aren't they? We mean the Christys
Brothers, f erry and Bobby, who have been promising
a Western tour for several months now. The
lightning-fast tag teamers haven't been here fo r three
years now, and were skedded to reappear last
December. So far there's been no sign of them ,
so it's an open question : are the Christys coming
or aren't they? Another on the doubtful list is
impressive Negro star Luther Lindsay, who indicated
he would be here early in 1967 but who hasn't yet
arrived . With Lindsay back on the scene, attendance
marks around the prairies would undoubtedly jump.
Sweet Daddy Siki has turned out to be a doublethreat man : besides his fantastic grappling career,
the coloured roughster has turned to the entertainment field by recently cutting a single record plus
a long-playing album of country and western hits .
Siki can sound remarkably like famed American
singer Johnny Cash, and turns in a great job on
Buck Owens' hit songs ... wrestling has had some
excellent s in ~rs in its ranks, the most notable being
Frank "Farmer Boy" T ownsend who could belt out
an operatic aria without hesitation.
Few grapplers get around as much as Stan
Stasiak . . . the controversial better from Chicago
recentl y had this schedule: Monday through Friday
- matches in Western Canada, with total travelling
of 2,000 miles ... Saturday and Sunday were used
up travelling to Japan for eight matches in nine days
. . . a stopover match in Honolulu on the way back,
and six more Canadian battles, all in a total of 26
days. Results: 19 wins, one loss on disqualification!
That's " 30" for thi s report from " RINGSIDE
CANADA" .. . home of the roughest, toughest and
best wrestling in North America.
Page 25
meet the Reverend M ichael
Back in British rings for a short six-week
holiday visit is the man who three years ago caused
a mild sensation, not purely through his wrestling
activities
but
because
of his initial vocational
following .
He is, of course, the Reverend Michael Brooks,
then probationer Minister of the Methodist Church
and now a fully ordained Minister of that church
having been ordained in Capetown last October.
~
m
z
Michael is again visiting his parents' home at
Overton, near
Morecambe,
Lancashire, and
IS
0
contracted to appear at a number of Midlands and
He asked me to
"'m0
apologise to Southern ring fans for not having time
z
Northern venues during his stay.
to travel lower than Kidderminster.
::a
"I hope they
will understand that taking time out for travel and
having to make overnight stops en-route would
considerably cut down the time I will have with my
family before returning home", he explained.
Being on the move is nothing new to the Rev .
Brooks- his "parish" in South-West Africa is bigger
than the whole of England stretching from Walvis
The Rev. Michael Brooks
Bay in the south- a spot about 1,000 miles north of
Capetown- up to
the copper town of Tsumeb
reaching towards Angola.
Many of you will remember that the Rev. began
wrestling in the Cumberland and Westmorland style
Surprisingly enough, he bought a copy of "The
as a teen-ager in the Lancaster area, graduated to
Wrestler" in a newsagent's shop in Tsumeb and has
Lakeland sports, the fairground booth and eventual
been following the Billy Robinson story while
professionalism prior to deciding upon a career in
"drying out" after training sessions on the beach at
the Ministry.
Walvis had culminated in a quick dip in the sea
student exchange visit, gave it up temporarily while
to end his lunch break.
he studied at Rhodes University but is now able to
He wrestled in America during a
manage contests as a sport and relaxation coinciding
He has also bought copies in Johannesburg-
with his church duties. On holiday, of course, he is
which shows that your magazine is more than just
able to undertake a fairly full programme but is to
a local one when it comes to putting out the news
preach in Lancaster each Sunday and do local youtb
of the British mat scene.
and other church work between his engagements.
Page 26
"Back in South Africa," he told me, "There are
From his last visit to this country, the Rev.
more chances of professional engagements in the
received a considerable mailbag and was able to
Republic of South Africa", and he often travels over
help people in Hull and Barrow-in-Furness who
into Capetown, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria
asked first for autographs by letter and then got
when church work takes him part of the way there
in the first instance. Otherwise he wrestles in South-
down to the real problem of their religious problems.
He will visit both these fami lies again during his
West Africa and often in bouts arranged for the
present stay which ends on February 20th.
entertainment of copper miners at Tsumeb.
Before he went off to prepare for his first bout,
"When I first went there the church congregation
was about 15, he told me. "Now it is just over 100,
Michael asked me to pass on a message to all British
fans through the medium of "The Wrestler".
largely brought about because I have been able to
mix with the miners, wrestle in front of them in
their own club and talk to them in their own
language, so to speak", he added.
Michael has beaten the South-West African
title-holder, fan Barnard, for hi s professional title
and after defeating all the South African Provincial
champions he weighed in just over the strict 174lb.
middleweight limit and was denied a chance at the
champion "Blondie" Peinaar in Capetown. Peinaar
being a former Olympic silver and Empire gold
medallist.
At 31, the R ev. is a most unique character. I
don't think any other Minister wrestles- and I am
sure no other wrestler "Ministers"- and a nicer chap
would be hard to find.
I ::tsked him how he faced up to his unique dual
role. He replied: "I feel that the church often gets
into what I will term a 'Holy Huddle' and it is good
Rev. Michael Brooks with a wrist lock on Ivan Penzekoff
[Photo: P. H. C hi lds]
to break out of this type of close community. It
makes
the
Ministry
much
more
human
and
"Tell them," he said, "that after the way I was
approachable, especially so with people who frequent
received three years ago I am looking forward very
the wrestling halls.
much indeed to my programme during the next six
weeks.
I apologise again to Southern fa ns for not
"God went among the people, where they were,
being able to visit their part of the country, maybe
He was, and I see nothing at all wrong in following
when I get the three-month holiday due to me soon
those self-same principles with wrestling especially
I will come back and make a point of wrestling there
being a tremendous point of contact".
then."
Page 27
WORLD
by EDDIE CAL DWELL
The last big event of 1966 in the North of
England was the Rowe Cup Final, held at the
Y .M.C.A. in Manchester. The Rowe Cup is a
knock-out competition for Northern teams, and in
recent years has been dominated by Barton and
Bolton A.W.C.'s, and, true to form these two hardwrestling outfits met once again in this year's final.
Barton made it two in a row (unintended pun) and
just edged out Bolton by four bouts to three. Best
bout saw a dashing and agile Alan Crompton
matched against the skilful ex-champion Dennis
Gi!ligan, and despite the energetic aggression of
Crompton Gilligan knew just a little bit too much
for him. But a great bout all the same.
Talking about Dennis Gilligan reminds me of
some of the excellent bouts in which he has taken
part, in club bouts, competition matches, and world
championship bouts. Dennis has been in amateur
wrestling for a good many years, and his long
experience often tells to his own advantage in these
hectic bouts with more youthful opponents. I am
looking forward to his bouts with current bantamweight champion Andrew Bailey during this year.
There is nothing between them at all, and Dennis
has the added incentive to recapture the title he lost
to Andy last year.
The London Wrestling Championships took
place recently at the Durning A.W.C. in Forest Gate,
and a total of 63 wrestlers entered the various
weights. Predictably the heavyweight winner was
Dennis MacNamara, the perennial wrestling star of
the Metropolitan Police Force. Kenny Dawes, of
Sparta A.W.C. , headed the featherweight section,
and it was good to see one-time Northern starlet
Graham Pullen, ex-Manco A.W.C. , lift the welterweight title.
WINNERS1966 LONDON SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS.
FLYWEIGHT- T. Robinson, United A .W.C.
BANTAMWEIGHT- C. Young,
Risinghill A .W.C.
FEATHER WEIGHT- K. Dawes,
Viking A.W.C.
LIGHTWEIGHT- G. Pullen,
United A.W.C.
WELTERWEIGHT- H. Joseph,
Sparta A.W.C.
Page 28
MIDDLEWEIGHT- V. Pienarosa,
Borehamwood A.W.C.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT- D . Walsh,
Forresters A.W.C.
HEAVYWEIGHT- D. MacNamara,
Metropolitan Police A.W.C.
Word has it that wrestling is in for something
of a boom in the Midlands during the year. I wrote
a little pessimistically about dwindling membership,
and general lack of colour in Midland wrestling, in
"The Wrestler" a month or two back. Whilst sticking
to my previous statement, I am glad to see an
energetic start to the New Year has been made. The
Famous Birmingham Open took place at the end of
January, and it seems there are to be more interclub fixtures and open competitions than ever before
for Midland wrestlers.
Talking Point; what would be the outcome of
a match between a good amateur and a good professional wrestler? Wrestlers of the calibre of Billy
Robinson, the European Professional Heavyweight
Champion are very few. Robinson would be
one of the world's outstanding amateurs. Many
professionals have amateur experience, but so very
few of them made any real impression on the
amateur scene. Off hand I can only think of Harry
Kendal and Clay Thomson who did very much m
amateur wrestling. Most professionals appeared to
have stayed around long enough to learn only the
elementary aspects of wrestling. This does not
include the graduates from the Riley gymnasium at
Wigan. They were not allowed to turn professional
until Billy Riley was satisfied they had mastered the
basics of the art. Especially in the case of wrestlers
belonging to small independent promotions, it is
fairly obvious that they know little of the real
mechanics of wrestling. Recently an average class
welterweight amateur had a friendly pull with a
fairly well known heavyweight from one of these
smaller promotions and he had the professional in
trouble within ten seconds, despite large weight and
strength disadvantages. Thankfully, the policy of
Joint Promotions Ltd., the largest wrestling promotions, is to make sure all newcomers to professional
wrestling have served a reasonable apprenticeship
in the amateur sport. Still, it is an interesting
question ; what would happen if a team of amateurs
met a team of professionals? I believe this happened
some years ago in France. The winners? I'll leave
you to guess, but it did not surprise me.
Wrestling
NDfeIJDDI<
PA GES
Boscik, the young Hungarian welterweight, did not
shine as many of us expected he would when he
began to appear at Dale-Martin ha lls.
Now "Zolly" is settling down and wrestling the
way his fans know he can, so much so that he was
in action at the Albert Hall recently and defeated
Tony Borg in a great contest.
TUR N ED
RUSSE LL
BY
PLUMMER
The strong influence of the one and only Les
Kellett on the early career of Bradford's Barry
Cannon was increasingly apparent on Cannon's first
extensive round of the Southern halls recently.
Not only did Cannon go over as a big hit with
spectators because of his personality, he also
impressed as a well-schooled young wrestler, with
an obviously bright future. He will be sure of a
warm welcome back at all of the halls where he
debuted recently.
**************
Look out for the latest ring feud which is
developing quite openly between Dave Morgan, the
fast-rising young light heavyweight, and GreekAmerican Bill Torontos.
A couple of recent matches have ended in
controversy with both men wanting to continue the
battle after the bell, and Torontos coming in for
most of the criticism from the fans.
Now the promoters are being bombarded with
requests from fans and the two wrestlers for a match
that will end the feeling for once and for all.
**************
One of the smaller halls with a big reputation
among fans is that of the Windmill Club at Rushden
in Northamptonshire. The promoter is local wrestling
star Ken Joyce, who with brother Doug appears in
main-event tag matches there from time to time.
**************
Although he has become rather a controversial
figure at most British halls, Italian heavyweight
champion Nick Bw·one is the inevitable hero of the
many Ita lian fans in the East Midlands.
The interest among the Italian population of
places such as Bedford , Northampton and Peterborough in wrestling has never been greater and
whole families , down to toddlers regularly roll up
in force to cheer their heroes Barone, Marino and
Tony R occa.
**************
Chatting to Adrian Street recently, he was
telling me about his Northern tag partnership with
Tony Charles under the apt name of the " Welsh
Wizards". They have yet to appear in the Southern
part of the country, but there the young Welshman
has another equally effective, if less popular, tag
partner in Lewisham " bad boy" Bobby Barnes.
A fter becoming known for his long blond hair,
Adrian has now gone to the other extreme, favouring
a close cropped style, similar to that of his early
days in wrestling.
**************
Talking of tag teams, the "new" Black
Diamonds have now made their first Southern
appearances. Verdict : Eric Cutler is just the man
to take over from Johnny Foley as A be Ginsburg' s
partner, and the Diamonds are as effective and
ferocious as ever. Ask Johnny K wango and Lindy
Caulder after their headlong collision at Bedford.
**************
Many other top stars make regular appearances
in front of the friendly but knowledgeable fans and
already this season Bruno Elrington, Jackie Pallo,
Mike Marino and Doug and Ken themselves have
been in action.
Fans have again been talking to me in glowing
terms about the refereeing of Max " I'm not telling
you again" Ward- the old-time Birmingham heavyweight who is making quite a name for himself as
a tough, no nonsense third man.
**************
Most fans prefer to see a big man such as
Max or Tony Mancelli in the ring, especially when
as with this pair, they are never afraid to go in to
sort things out.
Although he always seemed in a class of his
own while wrestling on Paul L incoln bills, Zoltan
Page 29
FAN CLUB FAVOURIT ES
The Young Hackensch midt
DAVE LARSEN
One of the newest additions to the rather
exclusive ranks of wrestlers who qualify to appear
in this monthly feature, 1967 can easi ly prove to be
the most exciting year of Dave Larsen's comparatively short ring career.
There are some sports stars who seem destined
for the heights of success right from the first, rather
uncertain beginnings in their chosen career, and for
me, wrestler Larsen fits into this category.
It was one of Dave's first few professional bouts
and he was facing experienced, rugged A l Fo.ntayne
at one of London's most fa mous entertamment
centres, the Metropolitan Theatre in Edgware Road .
It was not until the twilight of its long history
that wrestling became one of the major attractions
at this great old music hall , although like the stage
stars who went befo re, even the wrestling bouts are
now just memories as a modern traffic network of
fl y<)Vers now rises on the site of the "Met."
Dave Larsen about to extract himself from the
Japanese armlock hold by Johnny Ycarsley
[Photo : H . G. Steven s]
months ago, could hardly have come at a better
time for Larsen.
For atmosphere this hall had everything and
young Dave, then hardly out of his teens was an
immedia te hit with the discerning Edgware Road
crowds.
He had crammed in all the matches he could,
in Britain and in several Continental tours, the most
extensive during 1965's summer season to Spain.
T his was almost five years ago and as the
months have slipped by since, Larsen has more than
lived up to all the early promise he quickly showed.
As well as solo bouts against the resident lighter
stars such as Manuel Polmann and Navarro Moyens,
Larsen also teamed up with another young visiting
British star, South London's Dave Phi/lips for some
well received tag team perfo rmances.
But for his interest in amateur wrestling as a
youngster not into his teens, Dave's paths might
have taken him a very long way from the world
of wrestling.
Born and educated in Winchester, he was
studying to become a Naval draughtsman at
Portsmouth when the opportunity of a few semiprofessional bouts for the then independent promoter
Paul Lincoln came along.
T hese first few contests soon led to more and
before long D ave was torn between the ring and his
drawing board and eventually, as we all know, it
was wrestling that gained his fu ll-time attention.
The opportunity to further broaden his horizons
by appearing at all Joint Promotions Halls, 14
Page 30
The man who was being billed as "Young
Hackenschmidt" within a year of his first professional contest, allowed no grass to grow under
his feet during 1966. He popped up in every part
of the season, and although usually facing a far
heavier, and in many cases a more experienced
opponent, he seldom failed to impress with matches
against men like The Outlaw, Danny L ynch, Steve
Logan and L es Kellett Larsen had a good year of
consolidation and is now ready for an all out
onslaught on the honours in 1967.
For his big effort Dave will have the backing
of a brand new Fan Club, organised by R oy P. Jay,
of 102 Rumbridge Street, Totton, Southampton.
RUSSELL PLUMMER
Fan Club Spotlight
Two extra-ordinary fans and news of a new club
Who is wrestling's number one fan? This title
has been claimed on several occasions for a variety
of reasons, but I wouldn't mind betting that East
Anglia's most ardent follower of our sport is Mr.
Ray Message, from Spalding in Lincolnshire.
Ray's face is a fami li ar sight in his regular
ringside seat at more than half a dozen different
venues within a radius of as much as 70 miles fro m
hi s home and during 1966 he travelled over 4,300
miles to watch a total of more than 200 contests.
A member of the "All Star Fan Club", it was
bachelor Ray, a cobbler by trade, who presented the
club with the magnificent "All Star Trophy" which
was won by Eddie Capelli last winter.
Ray's longest trip in the quest for action in the
nng was to Paris last May- a round trip of 800
mile:>, but quite frankly he did not care for the
Continental style of ring action.
Grantham, Peterborough, King's Lynn and
Cleethorpes are all part of Ray's regular roundand he would also take in Boston, but these shows
have been on the same night as those at Peterboro ugh.
Ray considers that a matching of Jim Breaks,
the British lightweight champion, and Spaniard Jose
R odrigues at Grantham was the greatest contest he
saw in the year, while the best heavyweight bout,
also at this hall was an eight round draw between
Mike Marino and Steve V eidor.
The best referee he had seen? Bradford's Joe
Hill- sentiments which I heartily endorse, although
I hav~ seen him in action only a few times recently.
For over 3,500 miles of his journeys, Ray was
accompanied by Ann and John Richardson, also of
Spalding, and for a trio so used to hopping into the
car in all weathers, bills at Spalding's Savoy Cinema
present a real change- for Ray lives in the same
street as the cinema, and has only to walk across
th e road!
Now we turn the spotlight on another top
supporter of wrestling, 20-year-old Ray Plunkett, of
Norwich, well known to fans and wrestlers alike as
timekeeper for all the Dale-Marlin Promotions m
that city.
Ray spends much of his spare time gathering
material for the American Fan Club magazine
"Matmania", of which I have written favourably in
the past.
In addition to that he also finds time to act
as a soccer referee, cricket umpire, plays table tennis,
snooker, billiards and is also a keen tenpin bowler.
Ray has already achieved one of his sporting
ambitions, to take part in a game at Norwich City's
Carrow Road football ground , when he was one of
the linesmen in a special match there last season.
In the last four years there has not been a single
tournament in the Norwich area that R ay has not
seen.
We are always pleased to give news of the
formation of another fan club, particularly one
supporting one of the newer faces on the wrestling
scene.
This time the club is for Jack R owlands, the
wrestling shop keeper from Stockport, in Cheshire,
a wrestler featured only in last month's issue of
"The Wrestler".
Until he appeared against John Cox, of York,
in a televised match in the closing weeks of last
year, I had not seen Jack in action since the early
days of his career when he appeared for small
independent Midland promoters.
He showed on this occasion that he was more
than ready to make his name in the big-time, and
it wi ll not be long before hi s club is flo urishing.
At present Jack is a ppearing mainly in the
Midlands and North and the girls behind the new
club are Anne Willetts and Deb Bennett, who signed
themselves as joint presidents of the "Jack Row lands
Fan Club".
In it's initial year the club's subscription is only
2s. 6d. and club headquarters is at 82 Offmore Road ,
Kidd erminster.
RUSSELL PLUMMER
Page 31
Jeff Kaye
a likeable bundle of energy
"Even as a youngster I was interested in wrestling, though," he to ld me. "I used to watch quite a
few tournaments and did a lot of gymnastics at a
local club- the Watson Memorial Boys' Club ."
Jeff Kaye with an arm lock on Barry Cannon
[Photo : Geo . Reid]
A man whose name has been much in the
wrestling news in the last couple of years is that
likeable bundle of energy Jefj Kaye, a full-of-action
welterweight fro m Hull, who is surel y destined for
top ring honours in the not-too-distant future.
Although making a bad start to his wrestling
career by breaking his wrist in hi s first professional
bout against Jack Taylor, Jeff has developed into
one of the most capable men in his weight division ;
as those who saw Kaye wrestling an exciting noscore draw with Alan Woods, of Wigan, in a
six-round catchweight televised contest fro m the
Prestatyn Holiday Camp in September, 1966, will
agree.
Kaye took some time to gain his first professional victory- he eventually beat Brian Denney,
of Denholme, who at the time had not previously
won a bout either. Bu t Jeff has since overcome some
top-class men during his four-and -a-half years as a
professional.
The dark-haired, brown-eyed Kaye is a firm
favourite with the female fans and has built up a
big reputation as a skilful wrestler as a result of his
televised contests. " One of my ambitions is to top
the bill at the Royal Albert Hall", Jeff remarked
to me.
He rates as hi s toughest opponents one of our
best-known welterweight champions Jack Dempsey,
New Cross tearaway Mick McManus and European
champion Alan Colbeck- "A very hard trio to beat."
Jeff's father was a chief engineer, but Jeff wanted
to be a tanner and after leaving school he completed
an apprenticeship as a tannery worker in Hull.
Page 32
Kaye was also keen on boxing but he decided
that wrestling was the sport he should take up
seriously and went to George de Relwyskow's
gymnasium in Leeds to train. Although the gymnasium was 60 miles away from his home in Hull,
J e ff tra veiled by train as many as three times a week
for training sessions, spending four years as an
amateur wrestler.
While we were talking about travelling, Jeff told
me that it was only in the last 18 months that he
had started coming down South to wrestle. "I prefer
wrestling in the North- mainly because it enables
me to get home every night," he said. Kaye is not
keen to go abroad and in fact often spends his
holidays touring Scotland and Wales. "I prefer
holidaying in country districts to seaside towns," he
added.
Jeff then told me "I rent a farm which is owned
by Les Kellett at Denholme, near Bradford. I keep
quite a lot of poultry, ducks and geese."
"I like horse riding- it's a hobby I have had
since I was a school boy. I also like playing golf
although I have only taken it up comparatively
recently, I play as often as I can with a few friends
near Leeds. Two of my other hobbies are shooting
(he has a .22 rifle) and yachting. My Uncle owns a
yacht which is kept near Grimsby and we often go
out on the River Humber."
Kaye's many sporting activities have now had
to be somewhat restricted as this 1lst. 7lb. well-built
young man is determined to put all his efforts into
developing a successful wrestling career.
The tips he has received from Les Kellett and
the bouts he has had with such men as Terry Downes
and Al Nicol, both very skilful grapplers, have
helped to make him the experienced star he is today.
TONY FLOOD
WRESTLING
IN THE SOUTH
LONDON AREA
BEDFORDSHIRE
Corn Exchange
BEDFORD
DUNSTABLE
California Ballroom
1st & 3rd Monday
2nd & 4th Thursday
BERKSHIRE
BRACKNELL Sports Centre
Corn Exchange
NEWBURY
Town Hall
R EADING
2nd Saturday
4th Tuesday
1st & 3rd Tuesday
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
AYLESBURY
Borough Assembly Hall
HIGH WYCOMBE Town Hall
2nd Monday
4th Monday
Corn Exch.
KING'S L YNN
NORWICH
Corn Exchang·e, Harford
GT.YARMOUTH
Hippodrome
1st Thursday
DEVON
BARNSTAPLE
EXETER
Queen's Hall
Civic Hall
4th Friday
2nd Thursday
Civic Centre
CORBY
NORTHAMPTON Drill Hall
Windmill Club
RUSHDEN
1st & 3rd Tuesday
BANBURY
OXFORD
2nd Wednesday
2nd & 4th Thursday
2nd & 4th Monday
7.30 p.m.
1st Thursday
2nd & 4th Thursday
1st & 3rd Wednesday
2nd & 4th T uesday
2nd & 4th Tuesday
1st & 3rd Tuesday
ISLE OF WIGHT
VENTNOR
Winter Gardens
3rd Friday
KENT
FOLKESTONE Leas Cliff Hall
Pier Pavilion
HERNE BAY
MAIDSTONE
Agricultural Hall
Winter Gardens
MARGATE
The Casino
ROCHESTER
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Assembly Hall
2nd & 4th Saturday
lst & 3rd Saturday
3rd Wednesday
2nd Wednesday
1st & 3rd F riday
3rd Wednesday
Winter Gardens
The Town Hall
1st & 4th Wednesday
2nd Wednesday
Spa Pavilion
BATH
Blake Hall
BRIDGWATER
WESTON-SUPER-MARE
Winter Gardens
1st Wednesday
4th Friday
2nd Monday
SUFFOLK
2nd Tuesday
Every Saturday
HERTFORDSHIRE
BISHOP'S STORTFORD
Rhodes Centre
H EMEL HEMPSTEAD
Pavilion
HERTFORD Corn Exchange
The Town Hall
WATFORD
1st & 3rd Thursday
1st & 3rd Monday
Every Thursday
SOMERSET
HAMPSIDRE
BOURNEMOUTH
Winter Gardens
PORTSMOUTH Royal Arena
SOUTHAMPTON
The Guildhall
Pier Pav.
SOUTHAMPTON
3rd Wednesday
2nd & 4th Tuesday 7.30 p.m.
2nd & 4th Wednesday
OXFORDSHIRE
2nd & 4th Tuesday
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Colston Hall
BRISTOL
Town Hall
CHELTENHAM
2nd & 4th Monday
2nd & 4th Friday
Every Thursday
NORTHAMPTONSIDRE
ESSEX
CHELMSFORD
Corn Exchange
COLCHESTER
Winter Gardens, Corn Exch.
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Kursaal Ballroom
1st & 3rd Friday
NORFOLK
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
The Baths
BERMON DSEY
The Town Hall
CATFORD
The Baths
ELTHAM
The Baths
ILFORD
KENSINGTON
The Royal Albert Hall
Baths Hall
LIME GROVE
SHOREDITCH The Town Hall
WALTHAMSTOW
Assembly Hall
The Town Hall
WEMBLEY
Palais
WIMBLEDON
2nd Monday
1st Friday
2nd & 4th Saturday
1st Tuesday
Every Friday
1st & 3rd Monday
BURY ST. EDMUNDS
Corn Exchange
The Baths
IPSWICH
2nd & 4th Thursday
Every Friday
SURREY
CAMBERLEY
City Hall
Fairfield Halls
CROYDON
Dorking Halls
DORKING
Baths
EPSOM
T.A. Centre
FARNHAM
2nd & 4th Friday
Every Tuesday
1st Wednesday
2nd Monday
1st & 3rd Friday
SUSSEX
EASTBOURNE Winter Gdn.
HASTINGS White Rock Pav.
Capitol Theatre
HORSHAM
King Alfred
HOVE
Pier Pavilion
WORTHING
3rd Saturday
2nd Tuesday
1st Saturday
1st & 3rd Saturday
1st & 3rd Monday
WARWICKSHIRE
COVENTRY
Drill Hall
1st & 3rd Saturday
WILTSHIRE
City Hall
SALISBU RY
SWINDON Locarno Ballroom
Vista Cinema
WESTBURY
2nd & 4th Saturday
1st & 3rd Monday
3rd Saturday
Page 33
A Seat at the Ringside
'SLAM BANG ' McMANUS SMASHES EAGERS
LARSEN AND CHARLES STEAL STAR STUDDED
TOURNAMENT HONOURS
Mighty Mick McManus, television's most
controversial "rule bender", certainly packed too
much experience for the 23-year-old deaf and dumb
Mike Eagers, of Sheffield, at the Royal Albert Hall
last month.
Eagers, one of the best young prospects in the
country at his weight with about eighteen months
professional experience behind him, showed most of
the time that he wasn't going to let the ring-wise
McManus completely dominate the proceedings.
Several times the "silent one" from Sheffield, making
his Royal Albert Hall debut, used his lithe legs to
"hook" McManus.
With a fall each in round four, Eagers certainly
looked like coming very close to pinning the mighty
McManus when the bell sounded to end the round.
In the fifth round a fighting, non-stop McManus
bounced off the ropes to seize Eagers in a damaging
arm submission hold and the popular youngster had
to concede the final fall- a great disappointment for
a most capable youngster.
Although it was only a "small" contest on the
billing matter, the match which got the greatest
applause was the closely fought one-fall duel between
the handsome blond Dave Larsen, the Winchester
phys ical culturist, and the Welshman Tony Charles,
of Treorchy. For sheer speed and a beautiful
wrestling style Charles takes a lot of beating, but in
the fourth round of a very even contest, Larsen
dropped off the corner ropes to pin Charles for the
only required fall. Excellent wrestling and a pleasure
to watch .
Over-keenness, over-eagerness might well be an
apt description of the opening contest beween A lan
Sargeant, the official British Welterweight Champion
and Lord Mountevans' Gold Belt holder, and Mike
Bennett, of Bradford. It may have been dull to those
who enjoy the "blood and guts" of wrestling, but it
was hoid and co unter hold all the way. Sargeant
scored a victory with the only fall, a pin fall, in the
fifth round.
Page 34
Steve "Mr. Life Guard" Veidor, one of the best
liked heavyewights in the country, entered the ring
to battle the ri ng-scarred veteran Tito Kopa, of
the Argentine, and the action which was anticipated
certainly exploded into reality in this contest. Bare
footed , hairy chested, roly poly Kopa surprised the
fans and the many Veidor supporters in the third
round by taking the first submission with a powerful
"bear hug." In the following round Kopa took more
punishment than I have seen many wrestlers take at
the Royal Albert Hall. Veidor savagely "posted"
him and generally pounded the Argentinian eventuall y ending the contest with a tremendous drop
kick attack which sent Kopa flying through the
ropes out of the ri ng to be counted out by referee
Tiny Carr.
"Honey Boy" Zimba, clad in colourful beads
and a truly luxurious grass skirt, jumped over the
top rope to come face to face with his opponent
Steve "Iron Man" Logan, of Brixton, in another
sparkling contest which was worthy of top billing
anywhere. Logan took the first pin fall with a drop
from a hammerlock in the second round, but in the
next round, "Honey Boy" equalized the contest with
a series of head butts and slam-bang action for a
fall. As the bell sou nded to end the contest both
wrestlers were pounding each other with elbow
slams.
In the final event of the evening- a heavyweight
"tag team"- the Tokio Japanese team of Chati
Yokouchi and Toga Tani proved to be too clever
for the "Iron Curtain" team of /van Josef Zaranofj
and Joh1my Czeslaw, of Poland.
During the interval between the events, master
of ceremonies Francis P. Blake introduced Nikita
Mulkovich of the Soviet Republic who took the
microphone to make an open challenge to any of
our heavyweights. M ulkovich will be meeting
Britain's best heavyweight Billy Robinson, of Manchester, at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday,
February 15th.
See you at the ringside!
CHARLES MASCALL
WRESTLING
IN THE NORTH
CHESHIRE
ALTRINCHAM Stamford Hall
4th Monday
7.30 p.m.
1st & 3rd Mon.
7.30 p.m.
CUMBER LAND
Market Hall
CARLISLE
DERBYSHIRE
Baths Hall
Every Monday
7.40 p.m.
Baths Hall
1st & 3rd Sat.
7.30 p.m.
BLACKPOOL
The Tower
Wryton Stadium
BOLTON
LIVERPOOL
The Stadium
MANCHESTER
Belle Vue, Kin!fs Hall
MORECAMBE
Winter Gardens
NELSON
Imperial Ballroom
PRESTON
Queen's Hall
WORSLEY
Civic Hall
Every Monday
Every Friday
E very Friday
7.15 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
2nd & 3rd Sat.
7.00 p.m.
DERBY
DURHAM
DARLINGTON
LANCASHIRE
3rd Thursday
7.30 p.m.
2nd & 4th Thurs. 7.30 p.m.
1st Thursday
7.30 p.m.
1st & 3rd Tuesday
LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
LOUGHBOROUGH
Town Hall
4th Wednesday
7.30 p.m.
1st & 3rd Mon.
7.30 p.m.
1st & 3rd Sun.
1st & 2nd Sat.
2nd & 4th Wed.
7.00 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Every Saturday
6.45 p.m.
4th Wednesday
7.30p.m.
Every Tuesday
1st Saturday
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
Every Wednesday
1st Monday
1st & 4th Thurs.
3rd Thursday
1st Wednesday
7.30 p.m.
7.45p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
7.30 p.m.
Every Saturday
7.30p.m.
Hall
Hall
Hall
1st & 3rd Friday
Every Saturday
Every Friday
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
7.30 p.m.
Hall
2nd & 4th Tues.
7.30 p.m.
Every Monday
1st & 3rd Tues.
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
3rd Thursday
7.40 p.m.
1st & 4th F riday
Every Monday
1st Saturday
2nd Sunday,
4th Saturday
2nd Mondav
1st Wednesday,
2nd & 4th Tues.
Ever:v Tuesday
2nd Monday
1st Tuesday
2nd & 4th Friday
2nd & 4th Wed.
1st & 3rd Wed.
2nd & 4th Mon.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
SHROPSHffiE
SHREWSBU RY
Baths Hall
STAFFORDSIDRE
BUR TON
Jubilee
HANLEY
Victoria
WILLENHALL
Baths
WOLVERHAMPTON
Civic
BIRMINGHAM
Embassy Sportsdrome
SOL mULL
Civic Hall
MALVERN
Winter Gardens
YORKSIDRE
BARNSLEY
Civic Hall
BRADFORD St. George's Hall
DONCASTER Corn Exchange
HALIFAX
Victoria Hall
Royal Hall
HARROGATE
HUDDERSFIELD Town Hall
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
NOTTINGHAM
Victoria Baths
Festival Hall
Regal Cinema
Every Thursday
1st & 3rd Tues.
2nd Friday
7.30p.m.
7.45 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
Music Hall
1st & 3rd Tues.
7.30 p.m.
SCOTLAND
ABERDEEN
7.30 p.m.
7.40 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
WORCESTERSHIRE
LINCOLNSHIRE
CLEETHORPES Pier Pavilion
GRANTHAM
Drill Hall
LINCOLN
Market Hall
TROWELL
WORKSOP
1st Thursday
1st & 3rd Friday
3rd Tuesday
WARWICKSHIRE
LEICESTERSIDRE
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE
St. James' Hall
AYR
Ice Rink
DUMFRIES
Drill Hall
DUNDEE
Caird Hall
DUNFERMLINE
Alhambra Picture House
EDINBURGH
Eldorado Stadium
FALKIRK
Town Hall
GLASGOW
Kelvin Sports A rena
HAMILTON
Town Hall
KIRKCALDY
Town Hall
PAISLEY
Town Hall
PERTH
City Hall
HULL
Madeley St. Baths
Town Hall
LEEDS
Town Hall
OSSETT
Clifton Hall
ROTHERHAM
Baths Hall
SCUNTHORPE
City Hall
SHEFFIELD
S.S. E mpire
YORK
Th e above venu es and dates are correct at the time of f?O ing to Press.
Unless otherwise stated the to urnaments listed are for F ebruary, 1967
SEE LOCAL PRESS and POSTERS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
7.30 p.m.
7.45p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
7.30p.m.
IAN CAMPBELL
[ Pho to : Geo . R eid )