By Ron Historyo
Wrestling Heritage welcomes memories, further information and corrections.
You may like to consider Gwyn Davies, Albert Wall, Ian Campbell, Bruno Elrington or Tibor Szakacs or even go more recent with Tony St Clair, Wayne Bridges, Pat Roach and John Quinn. Mitchell Gill was of that Ilk. He went to Australia because he wanted to see the world and when he went he hung out with the very best. Many are content on tour to be a mid carder and get a good living. Believe me Gill was one of our top 10 thirties wrestlers. Oakeley travelled to USA to get a taste, Assirati went to USA for experience and Doug Clark went to Australia as our champion. Mitchell Gill went also to be a star.
Only three weeks after Doug Clark, his mentor, left England, Mitchell Gill set sail on the second version of the Otranto from London to Sidney. The date was 25th April 1936. The first Otranto having sunk in a collision in the first world war. By his own admission Gill had fought nine matches in the last ten days in Britain.
Australia was already peddling Jack Britton as English and had the British Champion in Clark so from the moment of his arrival Gill had to adopt a new persona of Irish champion Mike McGill. Rough, tough and sporting with a fantastic physique in the days before Steve Reeves, Reg Park, John Grimek and Protein supplements.
Six feet was a big man back then, and that physique and a lot of skill made Mike McGill top billing.
Australia had 4 great champions in a decade and one of them was Tom Lurich. Mike McGill had the physical attributes to match the beefy Lurich and it was a repeat contest all over Australia, portrayed as a grudge series.
Only because Mitchell Gill was one of our ambassadors, I have trawled the newspapers for as many stats as I could find. He deserves the tribute. It’s a great record, fighting only well known men and those special multi matches with Tom Lurich, and what is more there must have been a real comradeship between these wrestlers to work together so many times. This is evident when you consider that on 31st July 1937 McGill broke his leg/ankle in a match at Crystal Theatre, Broken Hill. Against Fred Atkins. McGill was out a long time and on October 2nd Atkins fought another opponent King Elliott in a benefit match to raise some money for the injured man. Unfortunately a poor turn out saw just £10-12 raised.
At the end of October McGill was ref for a couple of matches at Broken Hill, probably to raise a little cash and finally back in the ring mid November against Lou Szarbo. By the 20th November he was again with Lurich. I think in the stats I capture 15 fights with these two, a lot of draws, a slight edge to Lurich, the police involved in riots and the use of Tin basins as weapons in the ultimate grudge.
A tough year for a tough man, in hospital with a severe sore throat and out for several weeks and back just before Christmas 1937. Twenty months away from home. But that is not all, it was to be 1945 before I could pick him up again in Britain.
29th December 1937 leaves Melbourne for India, then the war, the Army, and the billing of Indian Army champion when he came home. I first pick him up 23rd June 1945 at Stark’s Park Kirkcaldy in a no contest with another giant George Clark, and in January, 1946 this billing as a souvenir of his time in India.
And below some Stats.…
4th July 1936 Sydney Leichardt Stadium Lost to Tom Lurich on points after draw.
25th July drew with Fred Atkins after extra time at Brisbane Bohemia Stadium
8th August beat Fred Atkins at Bohemia in return bout 2-1
15th August Bohemia after being scheduled to fight Jaghet Singh and then Al Walburg actually fought George O’Brian and won 1-0
19th August drew with Tom Lurich at Bohemia 1-1
29th August drew with Tom Lurich in Sydney.Leichardt Stadium
5th September drew with Fred Atkins 1-1 in Sydney Leichardt Stadium
7th September at Melbourne Fitzroy Stadium lost to Tom Lurich 1-0
14th September at Melbourne Fitzroy Stadium drew with Jack Britton
19th September at Sydney drew with Tom Lurich 1-1 at Rushcutter Stadium
3rd October Sydney Rushcutter Stadium lost 1-0 to Glen Wade
10th October Sydney lost to Tom Lurich 2-1
12th October Melbourne Fitzroy Stadium lost on points to Jack Britton
31st October in Sydney beat Jack Britton on points
7th November in Sydney Rushcutter Stadium beat Tom Lurich on a DQ
16th November Sydney Rushcutter Stadium lost to Tom Lurich
21st November Sydney Rushcutter Stadium drew with Tony Lamaro
30th November Melbourne Fitzroy drew with Jack Britton
4th December Tazmania Launceston drew with Tom Lurich
14th December Carlton Stadium Sydney lost 2-1 to Tom Lurich
19th December fought Leon Labriola in Sydney Rushcutter Stadium won on a DQ
22nd December lost 2-1 to Tom Lurich at Sydney carlton Stadium.
23rd December fought Alex Londen at Carlton Stadium Sydney
4th January 1937 fought Tom Lurich at Melbourne Fitzroy ………..draw
6th January 1937 fought Billy Meeske at Glenelg Adelaide
23rd January fought Alex Lunden in North Sydney
25th January fought Pat Gallagher in Auburn
12th February Launceston drew with King Elliot of Texas at National Theatre
6th March Sydney lost to Jack Britton on a DQ
8th March Melbourne beat Tom Lurich on a DQ
29th March Arcadia Stadium Melboune beat Jack Britton 1-0
12th April Melborne drew with Tom Lurich
8th May lost 2-1 to Tom Lurich in Sydney Leichardt Stadium
19th July Fitzroy Melbourne fought Tom Lurich…..Lost on points
24th July at Broken Hill fought Tony Lamaro 1-1 but won on points
31st July at Crystal Theatre Broken Hill fought Fred Akins Lost Retired hurt (Ankle)
30th October ref for Lurich v Britton Match at Broken Hill
6th November ref for Lurich v Szarbo at broken Hill
13th November fought Lou Szarbo at Broken Hill won by K.O.
20th November fought Lurich at Broken Hill……..Draw
In Hospital with sore throat
18th December fought Lurich at broken Hill double DQ after tin basin was used.
22nd December fought King Elliott at Sydney Carlton Stadium
29th December 1937 leaves Melbourne for India
Finally, Mitchell and his opponents ..
Historyo
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