By Chris Newman
Wrestling Heritage welcomes your memories
Pro wrestling .. at a hall in down town Metropolis .. (fictional home of Clark Kent/Superman) once, a long time ago, featured in the American DC Comic’s.I used to love ’em in their old traditional format. That certain smell of the various coloured inks printed on ordinary newsprint (or similar) – without all the gloss and expensive prices I notice they carry today. In fact, I only wish I’d kept my “sixties collection of DC’s”. It remains one of my life’s regrets – however trivial that may seem – and would also be worth a fair bit now. To The Bat Pole!
“Its another fine day in “So’ton City.” But Wait ! …. What Is This? Another five tag teams in Addition to those already forward in the Wrestling Heritage Top Tag Teams. This is a separate billing (biff, bam, slam, smash) altogether. After descending to a hidden cellar via the inside of the Grandfather Clock, its – “to the Ford-mobile” … and crash straight through that concealed section of hedge (saves cutting it back again) … race to The City Hall … and at the sound of the “Bell Signal” and an early slide down the ring-post … suddenly discover a burst of heroic speed … reach for the “Tag Rope” … and without further ado (but plenty of derring-do) …. swing into action.
Well, for all those many fans of “THE FABULOUS ROYALS” – of which I’m certainly included, FOR ME – THERE CAN ONLY POSSIBLY BE ONE “NUMBER ONE” CHOICE:- Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner … all the way. Already from great wrestling stock – Bert and Brother Vic were quite simply and without too much argument surely – two of the best – quickest – most brilliantly technical and spectacular wrestlers around – on an individual footing. Let alone, when they tag-teamed. This was spellbinding entertainment at times. Coming as it did with their second nature, understanding, of each others moves. Irresistible to watch. Simple as that. One memory that stands out, was in the old black and white telly days of the early to mid -sixties, when a young Vic Faulkner drop-kicked old bulldog chops – the great Steve Logan all over the ring one Cup Final day. This was when the Fab Royals took on the Fab villains – McManus & Logan in one of the earliest tag shows I ever saw. What a cracker. I do know Mick & Steve took the lead – and the Royals equalising fall had me out of my seat – at the time. However I can’t remember how it actually finished.
So then, no great surprises for my deuces and certainly not without any less honour. For it has to be those aforementioned celebrated ring villains “McMANUS & LOGAN” …. and didn’t you just love n’ hate ’em – all at the same time. First up – Mick McManus – with that “wonderful set of ears” and “widows-peak” hair style. Hair dyed so black, it would have looked navy blue – if he’d been in one of those early Technicolor movies. But you wouldn’t have noticed that anyway in the early days of glorious black and white ITV Wrestling. Mick had the lot. Not only a fine middleweight (and this should not be overlooked) but a terrific showman, wind up merchant and all round heel. I was amazed at the time of his death to discover that Mick was over 90 years of age. Amazing. Thanks Mick for some great memories. Mick McManus, it also has to be said, was always an excellent, articulate and obviously knowledgeable pundit, when doing any co-commentary. It was also great to see a high profile British Wrestler from the Golden Age doing a newspaper column. The “Daily Sun” may have had its faults at times down the years … but that wasn’t one of them. Mick’s partner in crime – could have been no other wrestler than dour, greasy-haired, fore-arm smashing nasty, Steve Logan. A heavyweight with a presence as tough as an old pair of wrestling boots of which he vaguely resembled. A star though all the same – in a gritty sense. One without frills. Logan was also one of those wrestlers – that would seem omnipresent around the halls or on the small screen. Although perhaps you may not of wanted Steve’s image around the parlour for too long when you were eating your tea. Certainly not after he grew that moustache. However his rugged countenance lent itself perfectly to the tough, London, wrestling-geezer image. Could it be that Steve was actually a lot gentler “off stage” – as it were – when out of the ring. I dunno, I never met the fellah. I take it Steve is another sadly no longer around. Please if I’m mistaken, I humbly apologise.
My number three choice is also a natural. The one and only Jackie Pallo was one of those top wrestlers that wrestled in not one – but more than one well known Tag Team. I’m sure there isn’t a reader that needs reminding of Jackie’s later tag partnership with his son Jackie Junior. Or indeed of a famous showdown (at the Albert Hall I think) the Pallo’s had with McManus & Logan. That must have been some night. Wish I’d been there. However, as I never actually saw Jackie n’ J.J. fight together- it’s the Alan Colbeck connection I’m going for here. So the number 3 selection in my fave tag- lads is indeed “PALLO & COLBECK”. There is a fantastic action pic in existence – of a tag-match featuring the Pallo & Colbeck team versus Sid Cooper (later Cyanide Sid) and strongman Alan Dennison. In the shot, Cooper is giving Colbeck a few canvas problems, whilst the excellent Dennison looks on. But of course – it’s Jackie joking and grabbing the attention as usual. With typical inventive humour – and that villainous, yet cheek o’ the devil star quality – there he is, laying horizontal at an acute right angle, seemingly defying all known laws of gravity and perhaps pre-dating the current and quite absurd “planking craze” by well over 45 years. Jackie was of course actually propped between two ropes and desperately trying to encourage his team mate and hoping to shorten the tag range. Don’t know if that was officially legal but I remember this often being a Pallo ploy. An ongoing, wrestling ring antic of his – and of course another way of building up heat in the crowd.
For me wrestling must have an edge …. be a “spectacle” and a slice of quality entertainment. The great thing about the likes of deadly rivals Pallo and McManus – was that you could guarantee that in spades. But ah ! … they could also wrestle well … and for me that’s an all important factor. However, I know of one such very famous and “very real wrestler”, who doubled with not just 2 – but several – and probably far more than I know – other wrestlers – in tag- team action. That would of course be the highly distinguished – despite being mostly hidden behind that horizontally striped mask of red, blue or black – and a man who could be truly described as someone of whom the mould was chucked away with the salt – Kendo Nagasaki. I’m led to believe, that originally, Kendo tagged with the mighty Count Bartelli. How on earth though, in any supposed reality – or to even perhaps use the terminology – a “wrestling shoot” – anybody could have ever survived – let alone beaten – those two together at their peak is quite beyond me. So if they indeed did fight together as tag partners – how long was that for? Now it doesn’t matter too much – if I nominate them as my number 4 choice of my favourite tagsters – and it turns out after all that it was a short lived thing – or even not at all. Because this is just me and a few “fave raves” on this particular chart. “Personal Favourites” aren’t always the very best at what they do in whatever sport or subject matter under discussion. Although, in this case, as it turns out, these two were surely – “when in their prime” … on power and ability … top notch heavyweights anyway. They remain “personal” choices in this article for a variety of reasons. I felt though, I wanted to try and point out in the paragraph above an important differential.Upshot? NAGASAKI & BARTELLI are “my” number 4 personal pick – tag-fans.
I could just as easily have gone Nagasaki & Skull Murphy. Murphy being an excellent grafter from good wrestling stock …. Roy Bull Davis being the dangerous Devon Demon’s pater.Or alternatively, Nagasaki with the Rock n’ Roll Express – Blondie Bob Barrett. A very good tag-man Barratt AND solo performer in his time. I’ll finish on “Blondie Barratt” with one amusing little story (well I Iiked it anyway). After “All Star” finished promoting what were mostly quality shows at my local Civic Hall, “Premier” moved in. It wasn’t their fault that, by then, a good deal of British Wrestling’s former magic had died – for they had some very good younger wrestlers onboard. In addition they also had the wonderful Peter Szakacs (what a fine wrestler he was) now refereeing for them.However I’m pretty sure it was on an aforementioned Premier show that Blondie Barratt was now wrestling. He performed as well as ever – now though wearing light blue trunks instead of the Nagasaki Tag-Team’s distinctive red tunic. But – the funny thing was – even with various Council restrictions – doing their best as usual – to lessen the magic even more – our local crowd were obviously still up for it. For throughout Blondie’s bout, they chanted – to the tune of “Middle Of The Road’s” notoriously raucous “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” ….. “Where’s Your Kendo Gone”? They didn’t shove in the “Far Far Away” bit as well – which would have been even funnier. But it was still good. Better than the original (chuckle). Wonder if Bob also allowed himself a surreptitious smile at the same time?
And last – but by no means least as far as my top 5 goes (although I’m gonna extend this to 6 and you’ll see why later) I’m going for the “Jet Set” aka Jonny Cortez and Al Miquet. Again it could just as easily have been the “Cortez Brothers” both Jon and Peter .. but I’ve just about plumped for the latter.I’ve always liked Jonny Cortez especially – having seen him wrestle as a nipper. Him that is … and even more so me. Although, I of course, was watching. He must surely have not been that far- still in and around – or out of his teens then. I was still a couple of years away from even entering mine. However, he got a Paul Lincoln show off to a typically acrobatic beginning – billed against another highly rated lightweight – Cardiff’s – Johnny Williams. It’s a pity Jon’s partnership with his brother ended prematurely due to Peter Cortez’s emigration. But his replacement as Jon’s tag partner – Al Miquet – was also a highly accomplished wrestler. Therefore, based on the old maxim of – “there being no substitute for skill”- the newly found “Jet Set” also prospered.
Holy Bonus Time!
How about a bonus team to add to “five live”- making “six supers” in all? Making up “six of the best” has to be “The Elite” :- Steve Best (good surname for another fine talent) and the superb Johnny Saint. Johnny is the finest technician I’ve ever seen since his mentor – the great George Kidd. Kidd – the Dundee Dynamo – Master of holds – wrestling Houdini of escapes – was the best in the business ever – as far as I’m concerned.
That’s all folks.
Until another Bat Time.
(Cue The Music) ? “Pow, “Zap” Zonk” …. “Da da da da da da da da” ….. “T a g m e n !”
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