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Known as a bit of a tough ‘un, to both fans and co-workers, Hurricane Len Smith worked for the independent promoters of northern England in the 1960s and 1970s. .
Hurricane took up amateur wrestling in 1960, a student at the Leeds Amateur Wrestling Club. Learning how to fall correctly is one of the the first, and most important, lessons for any professional wrestler, but for Len Smith it was even more important than usual. Serving in the Green Howards Regiment Len had suffered a spinal injury, which made him more susceptible than most to further injury. A year later, in 1961, he began working professionally, initially for Cyril Knowles and later for other independent promoters in northern England like ACE Promotions and members of the British Wrestling Alliance.
Len recalled one particularly heated exchange when he and tag partner The Doc were facing The Diaboliques team of Judo Al Hollamby & Roger L Sandilands. “We played the crowd up that night big time. I put one of The Diaboliques’ head over the ropes and shouted to the crowds ‘If you fancy your chances come and have a go.’ The next thing all the audience were trying to get into the ring, and me and the Doc were running round trying to keep them out. They wanted to lynch us.”
Len worked mainly around the north for twelve years, until tragedy struck. In 1972 he fell awkwardly and the old army injury recurred. He was never to wrestle again.
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