01 March 1936
Birth of Cowboy Rick Hunter
Read our tribute to Rick Hunter
01 March 1946
Birth of Kevin Cawley
Read our tribute to Kevin Cawley
01 March 1952
Sexton Keeps World Title
At the Stadium in Farrar Street, Middlesbrough, the American Frank Sexton retained his version of the World Heavyweight title against Ernest Baldwin.
01 March 1977
Jones Defends Title
Marty Jones defended the British light heavyweight title against Colin Joynson in Hull.
01 March 1986
Wrestler To Stand
Former wrestler Eric Ayres was selected to stand as the S.D.P. candidate in May’s local elections in the Swillington ward of Leeds City Council.
02 March 1927
Birth of Arthur Jackson
Read our tribute to Arthur Jackson
02 March 1934
Council Lifts Ban.
Hull Corporation Baths Committee repealed their ban on professional wrestling, having received a new application from World Wrestling Promotions. Alderman Webster, the Chairman of the Committee, declared that the promoters had offered reassurances that all the objectionable elements of wrestling had been removed.
02 March 1937
Birth of Mark Hudson
Read our tribute to Mark Hudson
02 March 1957
Walsh KO’D
At the New St James Hall in Newcastle a European Junior Heavyweight title match challenger Mike Marino knocked out Norman Walsh in the ninth round to win the title.
02 March 1958
A Public Challenge To The Ghoul
Norman Morrell placed an advertisement in the Halifax Courier, not only identifying he Ghoul, as John Bates, but doubting the wrestler appearing at the Victoria Hall, Halifax, that night against Shirley Crabtree, was Bates due to him undergoing recent surgery. Morrell offered £1000 to The Ghoul if he would appear on television on 15th March and survive more than ten minutes without being unmasked against a wrestler of his choice.
02 March 1959
Wrestlers Try To Get A Grip On Pay
All ten wrestlers at the Seymour Hall on 2nd March refused to appear due to a pay dispute with promoters. Other wrestlers took their place and although fans were offered their money back only about a dozen were reported to have taken up the offer. The ten wrestlers were members of The Wrestlers Welfare Association which had been formed at the beginning of the year in Manchester. Founders of the WWA were Jim Lewis, Chic Elliott and Red Callaghan. The union wanted fair wages and to be able to work for any promoter they chose.
02 March 1968
Police Called To Quell Disturbance
Police were called to the Community Hall in Grimsby when two hundred spectators protested against the poor quality of a wrestling show and none appearance of well known wrestlers.
02 March 1978
Breaks Isn’t Good Enough
Johnny Saint defeated Jim Breaks at the Digbeth Civic Hall in Birmingham to retain the World lightweight title.
02 March 1984
Quinn Is Too Mighty
John Quinn defeated Pete Curry at Hindley to retain his World Heavyweight title. Pete told us that it was following this contest that he decided to retire from the ring.
03 March 1938
Birth of Terry Jowett
Read our tribute to Terry Jowett
03 March 1938
Referee Sues Wrestler.
Referee Phil Meader was awarded damages after being assaulted by Karl Reginsky. In the courtroom Reginsky renounced his billing as “The toughest and roughest mat mauler,” when he was sued by referee Phil Meader for assault at the Seymour Hall in Paddington. Despite denying he was “Germany’s ace bad man” the judge ruled in favour of Mr Meader, who said that Reginsky had assaulted him in the dressing room following a match. Reginsky had taken exception to being disqualified by the referee for kicking opponent Joe Devolto. In his defence Reginsky told the judge that no one had told him what rules he was supposed to be following, that everyone had different rules, and no one stuck to them anyway. It was alleged Reginsky had to be restrained by other wrestlers after he had struck Meader in the face, picked him up from the floor by his collar and kicked him. Mr Meader was awarded £150 damages.
03 March 1948
Title Match Over In One
A knock-out tournament at the Drill Hall in Bournemouth saw Bob Archer O’Brien crowned British welterweight champion. In the final, O’Brien versus Johnny Peters, Peters retired towards the end of the first round. Others taking part were Pat McGee, Saxon Elliott, Fred Unwin, Johnny Lipman, Steve Szalay, Mick McManus and Ken Wilson. Referee was Tiny Carr.
03 March 1952
Field Day for Harry
In a return event at the Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall Harry Fields retained the British middleweight title against Kid Pittman.
03 March 1956
Welterweight Stalemate
Reports were of a disappointing contest at the Connaught Drill Hall in Portsmouth when Jack Dempsey defended the world welterweight title against Jim Lewis. The match ended in a tame one fall apiece draw.
03 March 1965
Council Submits
Uttoxeter Urban Council agreed to let a planned female wrestling match between Honor Barton and Chris Keeler take place having received two letters of objection, one from the Rev P.G.Hardy and another from D.R. Hobbs, signed also by a number of other people including a magistrate.. The council said they were unwilling to risk being sued by the promoter for having previously agreed to the contest.
03 March 1969
The Red Devil Unmasked
Well, not THE Red Devil, Charlie Glover had died ten years earlier. And in wrestling halls Red Devils came and went as quickly as the next red London bus. Nevertheless, at the Kings Hall Derby fans witnessed the unmasking of The Red Devil at the hands of Kendo Nagasaki. In a loser to unmask contest the two men were even with one fall each after eight rounds. The match continued until a result could be reached. That came in the eleventh round when a vicious arm lock saw the Red Devil succumb. The mask was removed to reveal Jack Rowlands.
03 March 1971
No to Topless Second
It wasn’t going to be a good week for Olga the topless wrestling second as Montrose councillors banned her appearance.
03 March 1977
Double Disqualification
At Leeds Town Hall Brian Maxine defended the British middleweight title against Marty Jones with the match ending in a double disqualification.
03 March 1984
Flashy Flash
Mike “Flash ” Jordan defeated Jackie Robinson in Hanley to win the European lightweight title.
04 March 1912
Birth of Wolfgang Ehrl
Wolfgang Ehrl is in the A-Z
04 March 1913
Birth of Vic Hessle
Read our tribute to Vic Hessle
04 March 1931
Clark Wins the Crown, For Now
A large crowd witnessed Douglas Clark win the British Heavyweight Championship at London Sporting Club. The semi final between Douglas Clark and Joe Robinson of Newcastle was cancelled owing to Robinson’s non appearance due to a broken arm. Clark then faced Atholl Oakeley in a championship match. At the end of three rounds with both men even the referee ordered an extra round which Clark won on points. Oakeley subsequently claimed to be British All In Champion and dismissed this contest as Catch-as-Catch-Can.
04 March 1932
A Sign of The Times
With the planned arrival in Britain of French wrestler Jim Wango to make his UK debut at the Victoria Palace in London against Atholl Oakley the Conservative MP for Sedgefield, Roland Jennings, asked the Home Secretary “…if he will introduce legislation to prohibit all boxing and wrestling encounters between men of white race and men of coloured race in this country. Sir Herbert Samuel replied, “I do not think that legislation on the lines suggested by my hon. friend could be justified….The matter is primarily one for the organizations responsible for these contests.”
04 March 1935
Reggie Meen’s Debut.
Reggie Meen made his wrestling debut against Johanfesson at the Granby Halls, Leicester. Six thousand fans were reported to have witnessed the match, with hundreds more left waiting outside, twice storming the doors of the hall to gain entrance to the already full stadium. Meen gained a submission in the first round and Johanfesson retired from the bout during the interval. One reader of the Daily Mirror questioned whether the newspaper would provide as much coverage of his wrestling contests as they did of his boxing matches?
04 March 1936
Wrestling Goes Ahead At Second Attempt
William Bankier presented the first show on the Isle of Wight. The show had been postponed due to the death of George V.
04 March 1942
Birth of Basil Riley
Read our tribute to Basil Riley
04 March 1947
Assirati Wins Harringay World Tournament
The final of the tournament for a version of the World heavyweight championship. Seven thousand fans filled Harirngay Arena to see Britain’s heavyweight champion Assirati dispose of Ivar Martinsen in just eight minutes of the first round. Assirati’s clasp of the world crown lasted just seven months. Martinsen won the return contest in Paris on 13th October. The promoters were Ronald Green, who was manager of the Wimbledon Speedway Team and British Ring Sports, whose Chairman was Frank C. Price.
04 March 1960
Mann’s Your Man
Tommy Mann retained the World middleweight title against Inca Peruano in Bolton.
04 March 1961
Another Unmasking for the Zebra
Two weeks after being unmasked by Jack Pye at Liverpool The Zebra Kid was again unmasked, and he was again George Bollas, this time by Count Bartelli in Hanley. Again it was unlimited rounds, first fall to decide, with Bartelli winning in round 6. The referee was Stan Rylands.
04 March 1967
Upset on The Tyne
A rare defeat for George Kidd when he was beaten by Jim Breaks, two falls to one, at the New St James Hall in Newcastle.
04 March 1971
It’s Still No Olga
Olga the topless wrestling second had planned to accompany the Wild Man of Borneo to the ring in Inverness. The town councillors had other ideas and Olga stayed at home.
04 March 1978
Rollerball is Rolling
Mark Rocco defeated Kung Fu at Belle Vue in Manchester to retain the British Heavy Middleweight title.
04 March 1983
The Bell Rings
The Ring o’ Bells pub in Warrington re-opened following a £40,000 renovation. Landlord of the 200 year old Greenall Whitley pub was former wrestler Mike Dallas.
05 March 1949
Glasgow Debut
Post war professional wrestling came to Glasgow.
05 March 1966
Nagasaki unmasks Bartelli.
Read 1966 Nagasaki v Bartelli
05 March 1977
John Conteh KO’s The Wrestling
The usual Friday night wrestling at Liverpool Stadium was cancelled to allow last minute preparations for Saturday’s world title boxing match between John Conteh and Len Hutchins.
05 March 1983
Kwik Kik Isn’t Quick Enough
At the DeMontfort Hall in Leicester Marty Jones retained the World Mid Heavyweight title against Kwik Kik Lee.
05 March 1987
Canadian Loses Out
In Bradford Marty Jones defeated Owen Hart by two falls to one to win the World Mid Heavyweight title.
06 March 1926
Birth of Kangaroo Kennedy
Read our tribute to Kangaroo Kennedy
06March1957
Middleweight Clash
At the Gaiety Ballroom in Grimsby Tommy Mann defended the British middleweight title against Bert Royal. The result is not known but it is presumed Mann retained the title.
06 March 1967
The Match That Time Forgot
Read of another mystery solved
06 March 1967
Riley Fights Back
Ernie Riley retained the British light heavyweight title by beating Tony Charles at the Kings Hall in Derby. Charles took the lead in round three with Riley coming back to take falls in the fifth and seventh rounds.
06 March 1969
Phantoms Revealed
At Wimbledon Mr X defeated and unmasked the White Phantoms as Bobby Burns and Gypsy Joe Smith.
06 March 1971
Another Night In For Olga
Olga, the topless wrestling second, had another quiet night in after being banned from appearing at the wrestling show at Elgin Town Hall.
07 March 1932
Birth of Jack Taylor (Bradford)
Read our tribute to Jack Taylor
07 March 1932
Wrestling Returns.
Wrestling as a vaudeville attraction returned to the Victoria Palace, London. For the week beginning 7th March All-In wrestling shared the stage with other variety acts, an event ridiculed in the national press, dismissed as utterly silly and hideous. The stage curtains opened to reveal a wrestling ring. Amongst the audience in the stalls a man jumped up. He was Apollo (William Bankier) who loudly and publicly issued a challenge to Atholl Oakeley to wrestle “his man,” an Anglo Italian named Bert Assirati. Conveniently Assirati was present and entered the stage ready for combat, only to be told by the Master of Ceremonies that the match would not take place. Members of the wrestling troupe that did perform that evening were Jim Wango (who did wrestle Oakeley), Cordite Conroy, Barney O’Brien and King Curtis.
07 March 1932
Back To Hull
Professional wrestling returned to Hull after a gap of a quarter of a century when Billy Moores fought Alec Munroe in the main event at Madeley Street, Baths.
07 March 1936
Reginsky Rage
Wrestler Karl Reginsky jumped onto the steps of the jury box at the Old Bailey protesting the innocence of his brother who had just been found guilty of receiving £680 in the knowledge it had been obtained by a forged cheque.
07 March 1947
Title Night In Hanley
In Hanley a match between Jack Beaumont and Stan Borienko was advertised as a title match for the Light Heavyweight Championship of Europe. The two men wrestled each other twice in the same hall the following month (11th and 25th April) with no reference to a European title.
07 March 1951
Speedy Wrestler
Huddersfield’s Stan Garside was fined thirty shillings at Grimsby Borough Magistrates Court for exceeding the speed limit.
07 March 1958
A New Start For An Old Cinema
Bolton’s Palladium Stadium was re-named Wryton Stadium and Friday night wrestling began.
07 March 1964
Huge Crowds
Huge crowds snaked around the Queens Hall for another big wrestling event. This time it was a Don Robinson Promotion, with the main event being a World Mid Heavyweight championship clash between Mike Marino and Dai Sullivan. Marino retained the title.
07 March 1966
Wigan Derby
Jack Dempsey retained the British welterweight title against Mel Riss in Derby.
07 March 1967
Serjeant Triumph
Local wrestler Jeff Kaye failed in his bid to wrest the British welterweight title from Alan Serjeant at Madeley Street Baths in Hull. The challenger took the lead with a single leg Boston Crab submission in round six. Sarjeant came through with stepover arm bar lever submissions in the eighth and ninth rounds.
07 March 1979
Surprise! Surprise!
Big Daddy was the subject of This Is Your Life, presented with the Big Red Book by Eamonn Andrews. Amongst those appearing to pay tribute to the wrestler were Giant Haystacks, Mick McManus and Kendo Nagasaki.
07 March 1986
Bad Luck for Rudge
Marty Jones beat Terry Rudge to retain World Mid Heavyweight title in Bedworth
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