Week Beginning 24th May
24 May 1931
Birth of Ken Else
Read our tribute to Ken Else
24 May 1991
Death of Baron Von Heczy.
Baron Von Heczy is in the A-Z
24 May 1938
Hair Pulling Championship Fails To Impress
The Women’s All In Championship at Tufnell Park sounds grand enough. But hair pulling was reported as Elissa Landi of Highgate beat Florence Eagles of Battersea. Then they went back to their proper jobs.
24 May 1941
Another Black Mask Pulled Off
It wasn’t the first time a wrestler called the Black Mask had been beaten and unmasked. Walter Ord and Ben Sherman had already taken the roll, and there would be more to come following this evening. Tonight though it was the time to give George “The Farmer” Broadfield the opportunity to do his best. The contest took place at the New St James Hall, Newcastle. Broadfield took the match by two falls to one and the mask was removed to reveal Salford’s Chick Elliott.
24 May 1961
Walsh Again
In Lincoln Norman Walsh defeated Farmer John Allan to retain British Mid Heavyweight title
25 May 1936
Angus and Riley Go The Hour
British and European welterweight champion Harold Angus was the challenger for Billy Riley’s European middleweight title. The match ended in a one fall apiece draw over six ten minute rounds.
25 May 1948
Battle of the Titans
Bert Assirati retained the British heavyweight title against George Clarke at the Caird Hall in Dundee.
25 May 1957
Mann Wins In Seven
In Hanley Tommy Mann retained the World Middleweight title when he defeated Jack Dempsey by two falls to one in seven rounds.
25 May 1963
Joyce Too Clever for Wall
In Newcastle a British heavyweight title match and Billy Joyce retained the title against Albert Wall.
25 May 1963
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The southern area welterweight title was at stake at Wembley Town Hall, but no one gave a hoot. What they cared about was that this was the third encounter in the McManus-Pallo clashes of the 1960s. The rivals’ first two matches in 1962 had resulted in a draw. This one turned into a furious battle that kept referee Tiny Carr earning his money. Head butts and forearm smashes from Pallo in round two were followed by McManus retaliation throwing his opponent through the ropes and into the lap of Kent Walton. Furious action in round three led to the fourth round and after being thrown from the ring twice Pallo succumbed to the first fall. Pallo was far from finished. Pallo style jabs, Kwango style head butts Logan style forearms, and the crowd were willing him on. “One, two, three,” round six and Tiny Carr counted out the equaliser. Rounds seven and eight with Pallo getting the better of his rival. Well, that’s what we were led to believe of course. Round nine, Pallo lifted McManus for his famous piledriver, niggly Mick wriggled and pushed him over onto his back and forced the shoulders to the matt. A count of three and Mick, Jackie and Tiny had earned their money. Oh, and Mick was still Southern Area champion.
25 May 2011
Death of Dropkick Johnny Peters
Read our tribute to Johnny Peters
26 May 1908
Birth of Kathleen Look
Read our tribute to Kathleen Look
26 May 1964
Guitarist KO’d
Guitarist Bert Weedon kept the audience of a Manchester night club waiting fifteen minutes before he appeared. The reason given for his late arrival was that between performances he had shaken hands with Wild Angus Campbell and lost blood circulation in his hand.
26 May 1971
Gals Are Out
Brian Dixon cancelled the entire show at Acton Town Hall when the Council forbade the appearance of female wrestlers Mitzi Mueller and Hellcat Haggerty.
26 May 1976
Power Over Speed
British heavyweight title match at Kensington’s Royal Albert Hall. Champion Gwyn Davies displayed his power against challenger Steve Veidor. But Veidor had the skill, speed and the voracity to match the champion. The more aggressive Davies took the lead with a submission but Veidor matched the champion all the way until an unfortunate ending came with him catching his neck between the top two ropes and the match was stopped.
26 May 1989
Death of Billy Shinfield
Read our tribute to Billy Shinfield
27 May 1892
Birth of Ike Beech
Read our tribute to Ike Beech
27 May 1906
Birth of Shirley Crabtree Sr
Read our tribute to Shirley Crabtree Sr
27 May 1960
A Classy Affair
At the Govan Town Hall champion Ernie Riley retained the British light heavyweight title against Clayton Thomson.
27 May 1961
Good Old Un Outclasses A Good Young Un
Jack Dempsey beat Bob Steele to retain the British welterweight title at Belle Vue, Manchester. This was a return contest following Dempsey’s narrow win in April.
27 May 1970
Just For Once Albert Hall Fans Embrace Colbeck
At the Royal Albert Hall Alan Colbeck retained the European welterweight title against British champion Brian Maxine when the challenger was disqualified. Maxine had made his familiar entrance to the ring by handing out photographs of himself and proudly displaying his British championship belt. Oddly Alan Colbeck, who was the defending the championship, didn’t even bring his belt to the ring. For once Colbeck, a man born to be respected rather than loved, was the favourite of the fans. A dubious, blind side of the referee’s punch,served only to confirm the fans’ allegiance and led to Maxine taking the opening fall in round four. Colbeck retaliated with vigour and proved the more aggressive for the following two rounds. Round six and firmly in control Colbeck seemed certain to take the equalising fall when he was stopped in his tracks with a blatant punch from Maxine. Colbeck wasn’t the only one stopped in his tracks as referee Joe D’Orazio stepped in and disqualified the challenger.
27 May, 1974
Wrestlers Fall Foul of God
The plans of Dale Martin Promotions to present wrestling tournaments at the Pavilion Ballroom in Weymouth on Sundays were scuppered when Weymouth and Portland Council declared that this would breach the Sunday Observance Act of 1780. Director of Dale Martin Promotions, Mike Judd, said it was disappointing because wrestling was allowed to take place in other towns.
27 May 1978
Titles Up For Grabs At Belle Vue
At Belle Vue in Manchester two champions held on to their titles. Johnny Saint beat Steve Grey to retain the World lightweight title and Tony St Clair drew with Pat Roach to keep the British heavyweight title
27 May 2023
Death of Brian Dixon
Read our tribute to Brian Dixon
28 May 1977
Jones Retains Title
Marty Jones defeated Colin Joynson by two submissions to one in Hanley to retain the British light heavyweight title.
28May 1977
Davies Toppled
Challenger for the British Heavyweight title Tony St Clair came out of the ring as champion Rwhen he beat Gwyn Davies at Belle Vue in Manchester.
28 May 1979
Daily Mirror Expose
Daily Mirror Expose of wrestling revealed very little that was not already known, focusing on the Preston-McManus bout which did not go to the alleged plan. If any wrestler had revealed any secrets they were not named.
28 May 2007
Death of Danny Lynch
Read our tribute to Danny Lynch
29 May 1879
Birth of Job Shambley
Read our tribute to Job Shambley
29 May 1953
Death of a Man Mountain
Not just any Man Mountain, but THE Man Mountain. Frank S. Leavitt, known for film acting and wrestling, as Man Mountain Dean suffered a heart attack and died at his home in Georgia, U.S.A.
29 May 1959
Carlton Smith Champion
In Redruth Carlton Smith defended the (independent promoters) British welterweight title against Joe Keegan.
29 May 1967
Could you Believe It? Really, Could We Believe It?
Championship night at the St George’s Hall in Bradford. There was an extraordinary end to vacant European lightweight championship clash between local wrestlers Michael Bennett and Jim Breaks. Breaks took the lead in round four. In round eight both men pinned each others shoulders to the mat simultaneously, giving Breaks the two falls necessary and awarded the vacant title. In the second title match Romford’s British welterweight champion Alan Serjeant put his title up for defence against local wrestler Bernard Murray. The popular Bradfordian took the lead in round four, with Serjeant taking falls in the fifth and seventh to retain the title.
29 May 1989
Death of Midge Cowan
Read our tribute to Midge Cowan
29 May 1991
Saint Nips Nipper
In Brigg, Lincolnshire, Johnny Saint defeated Nipper Eddie Riley to retain the World lightweight title.
30 May 1931
Birth of Jim Hady
Jim Hady is in the A-Z
30 May 1952
Gargantua KO’d By Rain
In Dublin the open air match between Jack Doyle and Gargantua Kurt Zehe was called off due to heavy rain. Although it was announced that the match would take place the following night more heavy rain resulted in the contest being cancelled.
30 May 1953
Sands Takes Over
Eric Sands defeated Johnny Stead at Middlesbrough to win the British lightweight title
30 May 1964
Steel Steals The Crown
European middleweight champion Chic Purvey was disqualified and lost the title to Bob Steel.
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