Also known as Tiger Kid White, Kib White, Don Kovacs, Sandor Kovacs
Wrestling Heritage welcomes memories, further information and corrections.
Memories of Norfolk’s Terry Goodrum mostly go back no further than the 1970s and of a man who could make his presence felt with tactics that enraged the fans, usually using the name Sandor Kovacs.
Yet there is much more to Terry Goodrum who claimed he took up wrestling when his fiancé, Margaret, ordered him to stop boxing, which he had taken up when he was thirteen years old.. Not only did the fiancé approve of Terry’s career move she took up wrestling herself and after becoming Terry’s wife went on to wrestle herself, as Saucy Suzie Parkin.
Terence Goodrum was born in the Norfolk town of Downham on 6th December, 1943.
He made his professional wrestling debut in 1966 following basic training from Sheik Michael Taylor, and used the name Tiger Kid White. Terry was reported to have said that Taylor reckoned that once he had taught him to fall correctly he would be okay! Well, he was okay and by the end of the 1960s was wrestling for the independent promoters whilst training at Lynn YMCA. Martin Campbell recalled, “He was a terrific worker, had amazing stamina and wasn’t averse to taking the hood every now and again! His name is somewhat ubiquitous when trawling through the matches at Downham.”
Terry had a long career involved in professional wrestling as promoter, trainer and wrestler. The nice boy Terry from Downham received greater acclaim in the 1970s when he turned bad as the hellraiser Sandor (sometimes Don) Kovacs. On other occasions Terry “borrowed” other famous names, Steve Best, Billy Red Lyons and Cowboy Cassidy.
One relatively small aspect of his career has tended to dominate the memories, which is unfortunate. That was the occasion that Kendo Nagasaki took legal action against Terry and wrestler Bill Clarke for infringing his sole use of the registered Kendo Nagasaki name. Terry, who was then promoting his own shows under the name Gamewell Promotions, billed Bill Clarke as King Kendo on his shows until the genuine masked man took legal action.
Terry Goodrum died on 7th November, 1991.
Page added 31/10/2023
7102
Wrestling Heritage 