Wrestling Heritage welcomes memories, further information and corrections
Tall, over six feet, and handsome Dan Davey was a powerful and very skilful which meant he wrestled big names at all weights. We started finding his name (sometimes Danno) on the posters from 1935 onwards, proclaimed as “The new wrestling sensation.” He was to remain a regular name around the halls for the following fifteen years.
Dan lost out to Irishman Pat Corrigan in 1937 at the Royal Albert Hall in a British middleweight championship contest, but later filled out and grappled with the powerful Yorkshire miner Bert Mansfield, number one villain Jack Pye, Cocky Chick Knight with classy acts such as Cab Cashford and Sonny Wallis in between. Here was a man who mixed with wrestling royalty.
Dan’s wrestling career spanned both sides of the Second World War, finally retiring from the ring in 1951. He was an almost permanent feature on Belle Vue bills during the post war years tackling opponents that included Tony Bear, Rex Gable, Iron Duke, Alf Rawlings, Vic Hessle, Tony Mancelli and Billy Joyce.
When not billed as Danno the Irish champion he was Dan the Welsh champion! When not wrestling he played supporting roles in films. He played a stunt double for Jon Lodder in the 1937 film “King Solomons Mines.”
Dan served in the merchant navy for six years, fortunate enough to continue his interest in boxing and wrestling during this time.
Later in life, during the 1960s, Dan was a bouncer at the Playboy Club. Not bad work if you can get it.
Page added 06/03/2023
899
Wrestling Heritage 