These are our shorter biographical portraits which we would like to extend if you can provide information or memories.
Jim Hady
Our memories of visiting Americans are too frequently of disappointment as another highly acclaimed superstar failed to live up to expectations. Jim Hady was not in this category; he was a class act who visited Britain in January, 1959, meeting top class opposition that included Mike Marino, Norman Walsh, Albert Wall, Dennis Mitchell, Dai Sullivan and Jim Hussey. Born in Pittsburgh most of Jim’s early career was around Detroit, where he then lived, though he had made his professional debut in Hawaii in 1951. Following his visit to Europe Jim settled in Hawaii where he held the Hawaiian heavyweight title, and the tag team title with four different partners, two of them well known to British fans, Peter Maivia and Billy White Wolf. Jim died of a heart attack in Hawaii on 13th January 1969, aged just 38. One of his last matches was challenging Gene Kiniski for the NWA World heavyweight championship.
Gustaaf Haens
Gustaaf Haens was a Belgian heavyweight, a diamond cutter by trade, who came to Britain, liked it and stayed. He was born on 1st July, 1924. We find him on the bills in 1949 with opponents that included Jack Atherton, Billy Joyce, Gerry Hoggarth and Mike Marino. In 1952 he wrestled at the Royal Albert Hall in London, opponents Mario Matassa and George McLean. He settled in Preston, Lancashire, where he married a local girl. We have found a Gustaaf Haens who married Mary Eastham at Preston in 1945, but have not established this was definitely our man. Here’s the interesting bit about Gustaaf’s career. In 1954 he retired from wrestling and took up professional boxing, trained by Dick Knowles, and made his boxing debut on Fred Bamber’s promotion at Preston on 17th January, 1955. His opponent was Dennis Lockton and Gustaaf lost the four round contest on points. It was a short career, just the one match according to boxrec.com. He returned to wrestling and was last seen in 1959. Gustaaf Haens died in 1996. Heritage member WilliamR told us of his friend Gerry Hoggarth, who had wrestled Haens on a few occasions, “One day, Gerry together with Derik Standen (“The Talio KId”) motored over to Longridge and called in on Haens. They received the shocking news that on the previous day Haens had been found dead in his garage.
Jimmy Hagen
Jimmy Hagen could mix it as a villain or please the fans by staying within the rules. Middleweight Jimmy wrestled in Britain during the 1960s and 1970s, a frequent worker on the holiday camp circuit. He also owned Solent Promotions and many wrestlers paid tribute to Jimmy for the help he had given them as a trainer and promoter of wrestling shows on the east coast. Jimmy was the father of wrestler Robbie Hagen. The wrestling world was shocked when Jimmy Hagen suffered a heart attack and passed away in February 2010.
Tony Van Hal
Mid heavyweight from Belgium worked in Britain in the 1950s.
Harry Hall
Henry Litherland was the birth name of middleweight Harry Hall. He wasn’t a big man, but he was very strong, and a tough wrestler from Riley’s gymnasium. Born in Aspull on 9th December, 1931 Harry worked in the rings of northern England during the 1950s. A part time wrestler Harry worked at the Locomotive Works at Horwich and in the toolroom of Walmsley’s engineers. Away from work Harry played fiddle in a quartet known as the Foggy Mountain Five and for many years busked around southern Lancashire playing the concertina. It was a musical ear inherited from his father, Ted, who played the concertina in local pubs.
John Hall (Croydon)
Low-key value-for-money Croydon welterweight of the late sixties and early seventies who surfaced to achieve a new 2007 peak of fame when the featured interviewee in a BBC News outside broadcast showing current-day training of professional wrestlers.
John is the father of twenty-first century heavyweight champion John Ritchie.
Brought up with an interest in boxing John turned to a sporting ring of a different sort and took up amateur wrestling when he was nineteen. A former amateur champion, from the Forest Hill Club in London, who turned pro late in life at 29. Made his professional debut in 1969; we remember him training on-the-job in-the ring, with protegés the likes of a young Clive Myers. Throughout his career John was always involved in training youngsters, and has continued this involvement in training to this very day.
Len Hall
Nebraska’s Dr Len Hall visited Britain in 1935, 1937 and 1938 when he was in his early thirties, born in 1905. His career spanned twenty years, mostly working in the United States of America. His work in Britain seemed to be mostly in the south, working against the likes of Bert Assirati, Clem Lawrence, and George Clark. Out of the ring Len Hall was a dentist, which might have proved useful after some matches.
Willem Hall
Willem Hall was a powerful and skilful wrestler a a popular South African heavyweight champion who made a lengthy tour of the UK in the early 1960s. In a world of giants, colourful costumes and intriguing names Hall relied on an alrmingly simple gimmick, hold and counter-hold wrestling. What he lacked in showmanship was made up for with wrestling skill and brute force backed up by 6 feet 1 inch height and a body weight that varied between 16 and 19 stones. Unlike most overseas visitors Hall was a good technician who wrestled strictly by the book, making him a popular addition to British rings during his 1960s tours of the country.A former rugby player he narrowly missed selection for South Africa. Hall turned to professional wrestling in 1952 and opponents included world class heavyweights such as Bert Assirati, Earl McCready, and George Pencheff. In South Africa he was known as Percy Hall, except for the period he was the masked man, Mr X. After defeating Willie Leibenberg he laid claim to a disputed South African heavyweight title.
Peter Halliwell
We came across Peter Halliwell around 1970, a youngster from Chorley in Lancashire who was trained by the first class welterweight Alan Wood. He seemed to be around only a short time before disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.
Phil Halverson (Also known as Billy McKenzie)
Another of the North East lads, a hotbed of wrestling in the 1960s and 1970s. Light heavyweight from Durham working mostly for the independent promoters in the 1970s. Phil, who also used the name Billy McKenzie, did work for Joint Promotions in the mid 1970s after Max Crabtree had taken charge.
Al Hamilton
Al Hamilton was a Canadian wrestler, Al Spittles, who took his wrestling name from his home city. He was a muscular, athletic wrestler standing just over six feet tall. Al came to Britain in 1933 and stayed for five years, sharing the ring with the likes of Bert Assirati, Carver Doone, Stan Roberts and Sam Rabin, After wrestling in Britain Al returned to Canada where he opened a gym in Hamilton.
Flash Jack Hammond
Here’s another one where we need our readers’ help. Our only information of Flash Hammond are contests recorded in Britain during 1948 and 1949, and appearances in Singapore around 1946 and 1947. Opponents included Jack Dale, Harry Fields, Billy Joyce and Les Kellett.
Jerry Hanley
A lighter weight wrestler from Plymouth for whom we have a handful of recorded matches in between 1935 and 1939, all in the West Country.
Rab Hannon
Scottish welterweight from Dundee. Began wrestling in the late 1940s and continued into the 1960s. “A little bundle of dynamite” proclaimed the posters. Sometime tag partner of Ted Hannon, who was his older brother. The two brothers spasmodically went along to Charlie Glover’s gym in Barnsley. Whilst Ted went on to work for Joint Promotions Rab remained with the opposition, and a very good worker too according to Sam Betts.
Reg Harding
Brighton heavyweight Reg Harding was the younger brother of Syd, born in 1945. The two worked as a tag team on occasions. Reg went on to a celebrated career as professional darts player. He died on August 11th, 2014.
Syd Harding
A short lived name on the wrestling circuit of the late 1960’s Brighton’s heavyweight Syd Harding was trained by Johnny Peters. We have found him wrestling in the German tournaments during the summers of 1967 and 1968.
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Wrestling Heritage 