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Mike Eagers was a popular 1960s middleweight, billed and living in Sheffield but he was born in Blackpool in January 1944 before moving to Sheffield when he was three years old. On leaving school Mike trained as a joiner. With wrestling gaining popularity on television and around the halls he became a regular fan at the Relwyskow & Green shows at Somme Barracks.
With an interest in learning the business former British champion Ernest Baldwin was instrumental in guiding him and preparing Mike for the professional ring.
He turned professional in 1965. No gimmicks, no illusions, just a well trained professional wrestler who entertained fans with his know-how.
Television exposure came early in his career. In January 1966 he was matched with exoerienced Salford welterweight Bob Steele. It was a hard fought match that ended in a draw. A star was in the emergence and Mike was back on television a few weeks later lagainst Al Miquet. His fast, clean style was an immediate hit with viewers, cheering him on against the bad boys Mick McManus and Jackie Pallo.
Mike was a real golden boy of the 1960s, and was voted by TV viewers as the one to wear the World of Sport Gold Cloak on no fewer than three occasions. Nevertheless, Mike was pulled by promoter Norman Morrell from a tv bout against Mick McManus and replaced by Peter Preston in the infamous double cross. Officially Mike was injured at the time, but our records suggest his injury enabled him to be pretty active elsewhere at the time!
Not only was Mike a popular and talented singles wrestler he also formed a popular tag partnership with Harry Kendall, calling themselves The Silent Ones.
After a whirlwind start, and having established himself as one of the best middleweights fans were shocked in July 1969 when Eagers announced he was retiring from the ring to devote his time to church work. In an interview with The People he said that his religious convictions prevented him from continuing to hurt people and was joining the Jehovah Witness movement. He made his last ring appearance in August, 1969, working full time as a joiner and voluntarily teaching young, deaf Jehovah Witness followers
It was hard to believe that such a promising career could be curtailed so abruptly. Mike Eagers left his fans clamouring for more.
Mike Eagers died in July 2025.
Page added 23/04/2023
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