Ike Beech

Ike Beech was Christened Isaac Beech when he was born in Biddulph, Staffordshire, on 27th May, 1892. When Ike was about nine years old the family moved to Shevington, a parish in Wigan, and later Sutton Manor.  He was to go on to follow his father, Jeremiah, into working life as a coal miner, at Sutton Manor Colliery, and older brother Billy into wrestling. 

Ron Historyo discovered Ike Beech wrestling at Pemberton Rugby Club in 1912. The match was reported as an exciting event with Ike losing because he was the lighter of the two men.  During the 1920s Ike was a well known Lancashire wrestler. He also enjoyed football, bowls and rugby, playing twelve matches for St Helens between February 1919 and October 1920.

According to an interview given to a St Helens newspaper Isaac started wrestling when he was thirteen and won the Lancashire Catch as Catch Can title when he was sixteen. Following the popularity of all-in wrestling Ike, who was by then  around forty, turned to the professional style in the early 1930s. 

In 1939 an eye injury brought his career to an abrupt end. During the  war he worked for the Rescue and Demolition in the ARP.

Ike Beech died in December, 1958.

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