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Arguably the biggest wrestling occasion of 1947 was the World Heavyweight Championship tournament held at the Harringay Arena, London on 18th February, 1947. Something of a rarity because it was a wrestling event that caught the attention of the national press, though one newspaper did point out that there were already sixteen world title claimants (without naming them).
Contrary to what was initially announced The British Wrestling Board of Control, formed just two months earlier, had nothing at all to do with this event and matches were not under the Admiral Lord Mount Evans rules as initially stated. The Board announced on 30th January that the promoters had not applied for their licence and disassociated themselves from the event.
The promoters were Ronald Green, who was manager of the Wimbledon Speedway Team and British Ring Sports, whose Chairman was Frank C. Price, and who had connections with holiday camps, Ramsgate Olympia and department stores. The programme was also said to be in association with Atholl Oakeley, which may have been limited to him supplying the wrestlers.
Beneficiary of the event, thanks to Price’s involvement, was HYELM (Houses for Youthful Employees of Limited Means). Ringside seats were 3 guineas, so this was no cheap night out. Sixteen wrestlers took part in the event with the Daily News referring to the freezing cold and fans slapping their arms around in an attempt to stay warm. Not that their reporter was any more impressed with the wrestling: “I put professional wrestling high on the list of things we can do without – two places before measles.” Who said all publicity was good publicity?
Competitors from the UK were Cornwall’s Francis St Clair Gregory, Welshman Bill Garnon, Lancashire’s Jim Foy, Yorkshireman Bert Mansfield, Eastern England’s Clem Lawrence, Islington Angel Bert Assirati, and the UK based Trinidadian Phil Siki. Also taking part were Estonian Martin Bucht, Belgian Gaston Ghaevart, Greek Milo Popocopolis, Canadian Carl van Wurden, Frenchman Ivan Martinson, and pre war stalwarts Carl Reginsky, Karl Manoogian, Abdul the Turk and Izzyy Van Dutz.
First round results saw single fall wins for Gregory over Bucht in just under ten minutes, a similar amount of time for Ghevaert to knock out Foy, a win by the disqualification route for Popocopolis over Garnon, and 1-0 wins for Assirati over Van Wurden, Manoogian over Van Dutz, Mansfield over Abdul, Reginski over Lawrence, Martinsen over Siki. In the second round Ghaevart took the only fall over Gregory, Assirati overcame Popocopolis by the only fall needed, Mansfield stopped Manoogian and Reginsky was disqualified against Martinsen.
Semi finals were held on the same night with one fall to nil wins for Assirati and Martinsen over Ghevaert and Mansfield, which took the two of them through to the final and championship contest.
The final of the tournament was held on 4th March.
Seven thousand fans filled Harringay Stadium to see Britain’s heavyweight champion Assirati dispose of Ivar Martinsen in just six minutes, throwing the Dane from the ring. Assirati’s clasp of the world crown lasted just seven months. Martinsen won the return contest in Paris on 13th October.
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