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1963 began as 1962 had ended. The big freeze resulted in a continuation of sub zero night time temperatures until the beginning of March. Martin Luther King delivered his “I had a dream” speech. The overwhelming memorable event of the year came on 22nd November when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
Where were you?
One single events stands out in the 1963 wrestling calendar.
22nd May, 1963 was the date that professional wrestling received royal acknowledgment. His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh attended a Royal Albert Hall charity tournament. This was the moment in which the founding fathers of Mountevans wrestling Jack Dale, Les Martin, Norman Morrell, Ted Beresford, Arthur Green, George DeRelwyskow, Arthur Wright and Billy Best had confirmation of their achievements. The business they had built up from practically nothing in the immediate post war years was now considered worthy of royal attention.
At 8.00 pm precisely a spotlight shone on His Royal Highness as he entered the arena, a trumpet fanfare sounded and was quickly followed by the national anthem. Following introductions to the officials and wrestlers His Royal Highness took a ringside seat and probably the finest night of British post war wrestling commenced.
Those chosen to take part in this tournament by promoters Dale Martin indicate just who the biggest names in 1963 wrestling were, on the Dale Martin circuit anyway.
New Zealand’s John Da Silva and Hungary’s Tibor Szakacs opened the proceedings. Szakacs seemingly inevitably took the deciding fall in the sixth round.
The second contest predictably resulted in a third round knock out win for Mick McManus over Linde Caulder. Bout number three saw the man who was possibly the most popular Albert Hall contestant of the time, Dazzler Joe Cornelius, take on the visiting German heavyweight, Hermann Ifflland. Cornelius took the deciding fall in the fourth round.
Only in the fourth contest did Dale Martin Promotions acknowledge any sort of wrestling tradition north of Watford. Were we here witness to the rivalry and divisions inside the Joint Promotions camp?
Billy Robinson was the only honourable Lancashire wrestler of the night (if we don’t count Bolton domiciled, Bristol born, Bill Howes). Robinson drew with Scotland’s Ian Campbell. ollowing the interval Billy Howes defeated Wernier Zerzecki by straight falls, George Kidd defeated Modesto Aledo and in the fun bout of the evening Jackie Pallo and Johnny Kwango ended up all-square.
It was a great night of wrestling we are certain, but surely a missed opportunity for wrestling to have presented itself at its very best on this national stage. The prejudices of Dale Martin Promotions meant that not one British champion appeared. Where was Mel Riss, Jack Dempsey, Tommy Mann, Eric Taylor, Ernie Riley, Norman Walsh or Billy Joyce? Surely His Royal Highness deserved to see one champion? Where was Les Kellett, Count Bartelli, Bert Royal, Jack Pye, Francis St Clair Gregory, Vic Hessle? Where was the integrity of the occasion?
Surprising though it may seem there were other significant events in 1963. The fledgling Jackie Pallo – Mick McManus feud received a boost when the two of them appeared on the Eamon Andrews Show in a pre-arranged but believable heated encounter. Following the previous year’s inconclusive drawn televised contest the two returned to the small screen for a return contest on 25th May, 1963. McManus’ Southern Area Title was at stake in this one, but we cannot think of anyone who would care!
The bout outshone even the previous contest and reporter Bob Andrews said at the time that the contest: “made last year’s televised battle between these two seem like a vicarage tea-party.”
McManus took the lead in the fourth round following a shoulder injury to Pallo. By now it seemed that Pallo was the fans’ favourite and they willed him on to take an equaliser in the sixth. By the eighth round fans were fully expectant of another draw, but the result came suddenly and conclusively. A two falls to one win for Mick McManus.
There was only one change to the British championship line up, but it was a change that was to have a significant impact on British wrestling for decades to come. The serious minded, determined British lightweight champion, Mel Riss, made what was to be the final defence of his five year reign against the confident young Yorkshire challenger, Jim Breaks, in October, 1963. It was a magnificent hold and counter-hold contest of which Charles Mascall reported at the time: “….was one of those truly great classics which takes a real ringside wrestling expert to understand the full technical points of our sport.”
It was the Lancashire champion, Riss, that edged into the lead with a fourth round folding body press and fall. This meant that the young challenger had to come from behind, taking falls in the seventh and eighth rounds, to win the championship and begin a long and illustrious reign.
Breaks’ win was the first significant championship change in a number of years and the stagnation in the title ranks was undoubtedly one of the reasons that Joint Promotions were beginning to appear stale and lose ground to Paul Lincoln and fellow independent promoters.
Retrospectively 1963 does look like something of a watershed year for British wrestling. Fans were demanding a faster, athletic style of wrestling. They were showing signs of tiring of the technical skill demonstrated by the likes of Mel Riss, Jack Dempsey, Francis St Clair Gregory, and Ernie Riley in favour of the youthfulness of newcomers like Jim Breaks, Johnny Saint, the Cortez brothers, Adrian Street and Bob Anthony.
Consequently numerous significant newcomers made their appearance in British rings during 1963 and a number of well known faces disappeared.
Ricky Starr, the former ballet dancing wrestler, came to Britain in 1963 after gaining considerable success in the USA. He toured Britain and much of western Europe in the years that were to follow, following a well rehearsed, but hugely popular, routine that climaxed with yet another airplane spin and win for the American.
Another newcomer from across the globe was the Pacific islander Peter Maivia.
He would counter any hold with a huge smile that would instantly remind fans why they loved him so much. His good humour, colourful trunks and all-action style made him an immediate hit with fans. Many will remember Maivia lying across the top corner ropes for his inter-round relaxation.
Also arriving on our shores in 1963 was the Greek Canadian Billy Torontos. Billed originally as a hard-hitting, all conquering heavyweight fans only needed take one look a Billy to see this was not the case. He found his niche as a much loved larger than life wrestling comedian, which made his untimely death in 1981 seem all the more tragic and astonishing.
Amongst the home grown newcomers who made welcome debuts in 1963 were nineteen year old Alan Bardouille and soon to be heavyweight favourite Sean Regan.
It was perhaps those that disappeared from the scene in 1963 that made the year one of such significant change. There was much emotion in halls around the country as a handful of wrestling pioneers made their final appearances.
Fans said goodbye to a pre war verteran who became one of the great names of the Mountevans era, Vic Hessle. In the early part of his career Hessle had used his family name, Lew Faulkner, which was being revived by his son Vic at the time he was hanging up his boots. Visiting post war American Pat Curry claimed that Vic troubled him more than Bert Assirati.
Farewell also to another of those tough men in the ring and a gentle giant outside the ropes, and that was Elmo the Mighty, otherwise known by his real name of Jim Foy. Born in 1904, Elmo was one of the great characters of professional wrestling for close on twenty years, from the mid 1940s until his retirement in 1963.
If that wasn’t enough British middleweight champion Tommy Mann, who had won the title for the first time in 1952, was also forced into retirement. Tommy began his wrestling career in the rowdy rings of the 1930s. His remarkable success started to reach a climax in 1952, when he beat the great Jack Dale to win the British middleweight title for the first of eight times. It was a roller coaster championship career from then on, until Tommy vacated the title in 1963 due to injury.
The most emotional moment of all, though, was probably the realisation that a Kidney ailment had put paid to one of the longest and most illustrious careers in wrestling. Dirty Jack Pye, the uncrowned King of the Mat, was one of the pioneers of the all-in style of wrestling and had later transformed himself into one of the greatest post-war villains. Black tights, unruly hair and a complete disregard for the rules were the hallmark of a Jack Pye bout. His arrogance and tactics made Jack the man that fans loved to hate, and one who achieved national recognition in the days before television. In November, 1963, Jack was forced into an immediate, sudden retirement that left fans with a huge sense of loss.
It was one of those moments of loss that fans realised just how much they did love him after all.
Dale Martin Promotions may have had their prince in 1963, but the wrestling fans of the north lost their King.
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