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We admit to not knowing little about Canadian Ben Sharpe until we were enlightened by Graeme Cameron. That’s the strength of Heritage, a community of old time fans working to piece together Britain’s fragmented and largely undocumented wrestling history.
Sergeant Ben Sharpe was a visitor to Britain during the Second World War as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. It wasn’t his first visit to Europe. A member of the Leander Boat Club of Hamilton, Ontario, he had been selected in 1936 as a member of the men’s coxed eights in the Canadian Olympic Rowing Team. The squad reached the semi-finals.
Back home in Hamilton he took up wrestling. With the outbreak of war he joined the Canadian Royal Airforce as a physical training instructor and was eventually posted to Britain. This was prior to any professional wrestling bouts in Canada we have been able to find.
It seems likely that Ben made his pro wrestling debut in Britain, We find him wrestling Bulldog Bill Garnon at Belle Vue, Manchester, in April, 1944. Frequent appearances follow against Padvo Peltonin, Alf Rawlings, Francis Gregory, Bert Mansfield and many of the heavyweights active in northern England during the Second World War. He could often be seen in Manchester and Newcastle. Dave Armstrong was a frequent opponent, with reports of their thrilling contests in the local press.
An athletic heavyweight of around 15 stones Sharpe was a tall lad, said to stand 6 feet 5 inches tall. This being wrestling there’s always a mystery, and this time it’s just how did the Canadian Air Force man qualify to take part in the British heavyweight championship tournament of 1945?
Ben wrestled in Britain until December, 1945, returning home and then pursuing his new career in California. In the 1950s he tagged in Japan with younger brother Mike who was the father of Iron Mike Sharpe.He and Mike were to become a dominant tag team force in North America during the 1950s until his retirement in 1962.
Ben Sharpe, born 18 March 1916, died on 21st November, 2001.
Page added 09/03/2025
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