Also known as Young Hercules
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Young Hercules
Ralph Ward was a Lincolnshire wrestler who started his part time pro career (he was an installation engineer for a local firm by day) in 1958 and worked for a quarter of a century for independent promoters around the country.
Interested in wrestling from a young age his aspirations were dismissed due to his small stature. His father was keen that Ralph should become a jockey and he worked as a groom a the stables in Walcot, Lincolnshire.
Intent on developing his physique, he weighed only seven stones when he left school, Ralph took up weight lifting at a local club and rapidly increased his weight and strength. A friendship with Lincolnshire M.C. Ronnie Dembrey led to an introduction to promoter Jack Taylor one Saturday night when Ralph was in the audience at the Granby Halls in Leicester. Noting his enthusiasm Jack encouraged Ralph to follow his dreams and invited him along for some initial training. Jack also introduced Ralph to wrestler Sheik Michael Taylor, who offered further guidance, as did fellow Lincoln wrestlers Stuart Bellamy and Pete Lenton.
By 1968 the boy was ready to go and made his professional debut. Such was the success of the weight training that outside of Lincolnshire he was given the name Young Hercules. Not one to hit the limelight Ralph remained one of those treasured supporting wrestlers for over twenty years, making occasional appearances into the early 1990s. Opponents included Dave Shade, Pete Lapaque and Hurricane Smith.
Ralph Ward died in December 2023.
Page added 12/12/2023
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