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Eric Dudley was The Yorkshire Kid. The name no doubt came from his birthplace, which was Pontefract, Yorkshire, though his ten year wrestling career was mostly in the south of England for Dale Martin and independent promotions, including his own promotions, Den Promotions.
The Yorkshire Kid turned professional around 1955, and in the late 1950s was one of the first workers for Paul Lincoln Management. He opened a wrestling club behind the Red Lion Public House in Wadhurst, Sussex, in partnership with the landlord of the pub, Arthur Stephens. Arthur was one of The Yorkshire Kid’s trainees, eventually wrestling himself under the name Steve Courage. Eric and Arthur later began promoting, as Den Promotions, putting on shows in and around Sussex, including a weekly event at Selsey Bill holiday camp on the south coast.
Den Promotions courted controversy in the early 1960s by promoting female wrestling contests, which were at the time banned by local councils up and down the country. They made national headlines by putting on a show between two of their trainess,.Ann Starr and Chi Chi Fathia Djaileb, Empress of the Black Dagger. Their event was referenced in the House of Commons when questions were raised about the banning of female wrestling.
Eric continued wrestling and promoting until the mid 1960s. The Yorkshire Kid, born 11th June 1927, died in December, 2004.
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