Also known as Carl Stein
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It’s Denis With one ‘n’
Professional wrestling lends itself to families. Secrets have to be kept, trust is vital both inside and outside the ring, it’s a labour of love that needs to be absorbed into the blood, and the working hours take their toll on family life. The Gregory’s, Faulkners, Stewarts, Pyes, Belshaws, the list goes on. As good as any of them all was the Keegan family from Rochdale. Not the most famous or remembered names in British wrestling the Keegan family were skilled professionals who held their own time and again with the Beaumonts, Joyces and Dempseys of the wrestling world.
Denis was the middle of the three wrestling Keegans, born on 30th August, 1925. Like his elder brother Denis gained an interest in the sport from their father who was an army boxing and wrestling champion.
Denis also turned professional shortly after the Second World War when he was in his early twenties. He was soon swapping holds with other Northern hard cases such as Cyril Morris, Jack Beaumont and Jim Holden.
Highlights of his career included wins over British champions Johnny Stead and Eric Taylor. Planning for the future towards the end of his career Denis combined wrestling with that of a landlord at three Lancashire public houses, beginning with Accrington’s Commercial Hotel in 1958, and going on to The Griffin’s Head at Huncoat and The Thwaites Arms in Oswaldtwistle. Wrestler Mike Agusta remembers, ”I remember very well when Denis Keegan was the landlord of the Commercial Hotel in Accrington, as our gym was just behind it, and we would call in for the odd pint after training. I also met up with him when he ran the Griffin’s Head in Huncoat, which is very near Accrington, when I visited my Auntie.”
Denis also wrestled under the name Carl Stein, wearing a black velvet cape, lined with red velvet. Denis’s daughter, Bev, recalls the cape, which was subsequently used to make the black velvet “flares” she wore in the 1970s. Bev also reminded us “It’s Denis with one ‘n’, as dad spent a lifetime telling everyone!”
Denis Keegan died on 14th July, 2004.
Below, centre, Denis with his father.
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