07 December 1953
Lightweight Clash
In Bradford local champion Eric Sands successfully defended his British Lightweight title against Sheffield’s Young Vulcan.
08 December 1961
War of the Roses
At the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Billy Joyce stopped Dennis Mitchell to retain his British heavyweight title.
08 December 1962
Mann Keeps World Crown
Tommy Mann defeated Rene Ben Chemoul at Belle Vue, Manchester to keep his World Middleweight title.
08 December 1980
Championship Class
Johnny Saint stopped Steve Grey to keep hold of his World Lightweight Championship.
09 December 1936
Wrestling Wins Return Contest in Goole
Goole Town Council voted to reverse the decision made in August to ban professional wrestling. By 12 votes to 11 it was agreed wrestling could take place at the new Baths Hall. The Property Committee had recommended a hire charge of £25 a night but this was overruled in favour of a £10 hire charge. One councillor described wrestling as 90 per cent farce and 10 per cent brutality.
09 December 1948
Dale & Martin Make it Official
Incorporation of the company Dale Martin Promotions (Company No: 00462067). The company had been operating for some time earlier and Ron Historyo found them in 1946.
10 December 1960
Teacher Knows Best
At Belle Vue Billy Joyce held on to his European Heavyweight title when challenged by his student Billy Robinson
10 December 1971
Wrestler Turns To Song
Wrestling villain and scrap metal merchant Buddy Ward was used to receiving boos whenever he appeared in the ring. It was a different matter when he received compliments from fellow cast members as he began rehearsals as Vulcan in the Chester Operatic Society production of Orpheus In The Underworld. One stipulation from shaven headed Buddy was that he refused to grow his hair.
11 December 1933
And the Show Goes On
Thick fog resulted in a disappointingly small crowd and curtailed wrestling programme at the Leeds National Sporting Club, an event raising money for the Leeds Infirmary Appeal Fund. With the Red Devil and Johnfesson failing to appear only two matches went ahead, Walt Stringer drew with Dick Dunne and Harold Angus defeated George Bryan by two falls to none. Referee was Douglas Clark.
11 December 1937
It’s Not Cricket
Professional Essex County Cricket player Tom Wade made his debut as a professional wrestler. Objections by some members of the county committee had been overcome to allow him to take to the ring at the Chelmsford Corn Exchange against Aussie the Butcher. Wade was declared the winner when the Butcher retired with an injured ear in the second round.
11 December 1953
Belgian Wins
Fernand Bawin retained the European middleweight title against Frankie Hughes at the Levenshulme Skating Rink.
11 December 1957
A Legend In Our Midst
Lou Thesz made his British debut and drew with Dara Singh at the Royal Albert Hall in defence of a version of the World Heavyweight Championship
Read our tribute to Lou Thesz
11 December 1982
Jones The Champ
At the Victoria Hall in Hanley Marty Jones knocked out Skull Murphy to retain the World Mid Heavyweight Title.
11 December 1985
Danny Collins Keeps Title
Danny Collins defeated Jacques Le Jacques by two falls to one in the eighth round to retain the European welterweight championship in St Albans.
12 December 1932
Wrestler Composes Himself, But Not Enough to Beat the Bookie
The 21 year old great grandson of celebrated German composer Felix Mendelssohn challenged wrestler Black Butcher Johnson, placing a bet on himself that he could last at least three rounds. The two men, Felix the younger and Black Butcher met at the Embassy Rooms in Catford. The match was over three ten minute rounds, one fall to decide. Johnson took the decision in the last minute of the second round. Mendelssohn, who said he had trained for about three hours, said he would not be giving up his day job as a press agent. That’s the best decision he made.
12 December 1953
A Close Shave for Ernie
British heavyweight champion Ernest Baldwin was held to a fifteen round draw by challenger Alf Rawlings at the Newcastle St James Hall. Both men scored one fall.
12 December 1961
Champions Galore
It was quite a night at the DeMontfort Hall in Leicester, with three championship matches and the new heavyweight sensation, Billy Robinson opening the programme. Farmer John Allan made his first, and only, defence of the World Mid Heavyweight Title against Norman Walsh. Allan was said to have defeated Mike Marino for the title, but we cannot verify this and it may well be a piece of fiction resulting form champion Marino defecting to the independents, Walsh defeated Allan to be crowned champion.
In the other title contests Alan Colbeck retained the European welterweight contest against Tommy Mann and Ernie Riley held his British light heavyweight title against Bert Royal.
12 December 1968
Robbo Delivers
Wrestling enthusiasts were disappointed in the 1960s when heavyweight champion Billy Robinson spent increasingly longer stretches of time overseas. Wrestling fans followed his travels, which were well documented in The Wrestler magazine.
In December came news of Bill winning a prize that had seemed to be under sole ownership of the Americans. Well, sort of, as we believe this version of the World Heavyweight Championship had been created especially for the occasion. But back in the 1960s we were none the wiser. Billy defeated Toyonobori in a tournament final to become the first International Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion in Okayama, Japan. He would hold the title for 158 days before losing it to Tsuneharu Sugiyama.
13 December 1938
Bombardier Bombarded
The national press rarely covered pro wrestling but were willing to make an exception to their lack of interest when they found something negative to report. Five thousand booing fans at Earls Court gave them the opportunity to knock the sport in the way they loved. The occasion was the wrestling debut of former heavyweight boxing champion Bombardier Billy Wells, aged 51. It was “the most grotesque travesty of British sport ever seen in a London ring,” according to the Daily Express. Although Wells wore boxing gloves the rules of the match forbade Knight from punching. This was his downfall, Knight punching Bombardier Wells as he crouched on the ropes led to Chick’s disqualification.
13 December 1972
A Rare Loss for Mick
A rare victory for Jackie Palllo over Mick McManus at the Royal Albert Hall. On the same bill Bill Howes retained his British Mid Heavyweight title against Steve Logan
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Wrestling Heritage 