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Here was one of the great mysteries of the Heritage Years that took nearly fifty years to solve, with the help of Leeds lightweight Al Marshall. This was the match that time forgot.
Buddy Rogers was one of the most successful post war American wrestlers, an NWA World champion in days when that was the most prestigious of all world title versions.
Fans’ appetite was whetted by Joint Promotions promising visits which never materialised in 1961 and again in 1963, possibly due to the discovery of a heart condition and surgery towards the end of 1963. We understand Rogers didn’t return to the ring until a singles match in Montreal in September, 1965.
Things looked more promising two years later. In early March, 1967 the British press, who rarely lowered themselves to mention professional wrestling announced that Buddy Rogers, the former World Heavyweight champion, was coming out of retirement to visit Britain. It was to be a one-off match arranged by Relwyskow and Green Promotions to compensate for letting down Arthur Green in 1963. The opponent was Welsh champion Gwyn Davies and the venue was the Queens Hall, Leeds.
We heard no more about it; pushed to the back of our minds but it was never forgotten. When Wrestling Heritage was launched in 2007 our search to find out what happened to this match continued.
We asked historians Ray Plunkett and Russell Plummer, searched The Wrestler magazine, asked everyone we thought might have even a slight chance of knowing, but no one had any knowledge of the planned match. We even approached Gwyn Davies, the opponent on the night. Surely he would know, but he had no recollection of the contest.
All seemed lost. Until ……
Leeds wrestler Al Marshall was a fan in 1967. He told us he had paid his ten bob to see the bout. What happened? Well, it didn’t take place. No surprise there. On the night of the match, with the hall packed, George DeRelwyskow climbed into the ring and announced that Buddy Rogers would not be appearing, his place taken by Billy Robinson. Even worse, it was said Rogers had given no notice of his non appearance. George was furious. He said he had been let down and as a result Rogers would never appear on one of his shows again, not that there was any chance. If Rogers was genuinely indisposed he must have made a swift recovery as he wrestled in Canada three times later in March.
The story reached a conclusion two years ago when Main Mask came down from his loft clutching the handbill for the show that never happened.
McManus, Logan, Kidd, Kellett … forget it. All we need to know is that 6th March, 1967 was the night Buddy Rogers came to town ….. almost.
Here’s a man who created a myth without even setting foot in the country.
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