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Although he never reached the illustrious heights of his more famous brother Harry was a prolific worker and one of the top wrestlers of the 1930s.
Henry Pye,known as Harry, followed brother Jack into the wrestling ring. Until then he had worked in a ring of another kind, boxing 63 professional contests. Some sources report Harry boxing until 1935, but he was certainly wrestling as early as 1933. Harry was no doubt attracted to the money that Jack was making as one of the country’s top wrestlers. In the 1939 census he stated his occupation as professional wrestler and was living in Goole.
Yes, he was a Pye, and that’s probably enough to tell everyone enough about his style!
Bernard Hughes saw Harry in action, albeit post war, and recalls that although Harry could wind up the fans he could not match the rising fury achieved by Jack. “Trying to look and act villainous, but not really getting there”
When Harry entered the ring fans expected little in the way of scientific wrestling the sort of rough house tactics for which the family were famous. Nonetheless, in February, 1936 the Daily Worker reported, “Another interesting bout was between Val Cerino and Harry Pye. Maybe this will come as a surprise to many fans but Harry Pye is really learning how to wrestle. Harry Pye was the winner by two falls to one.” In November, 1934, we have a record of Harry beating Carver Doone by two falls to one, a giant of a man who must have outweighed him by many stones.
In one match against Harry Brooks it was reported that Pye grabbed his opponent by the hair, kneed him in the groin and tossed him over the top rope into the ringside seats; and all that was before the bell had rung!
Following the end of world war 2 continued wrestling the new freestyle rules until around 1960. By then he and his wife, Vera, had moved to Blackpool, as had Jack, and had a guest house. Harry also went into business with Jack managing the Horseshoe Club. If that wasn’t enough in the mid sixties he was still spending his leisure time teaching youngsters how to box.
Harry Pye, born in Wigan 15th January, 1908, died in Blackpool October, 1968.
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