In about 1961 wrestling was on TV every Saturday at 1pm- maybe ITV, commentator Kent Walton. For my 11th birthday the following year my parents too me to Morecambe to see my all time absolute favourite wrestler, Billy Two Rivers!- of Mohican haircut and tomahawk chop fame.
I remember stabbing him in the palm accidentally with a pen while getting his autograph.
Years later - I think 1973- I was staying in Heaton Moor with friends and went for a pint in the Plough?
Who was temporarily working on the bar- Billy
What a shock that was. I believe his lad- Son of Two Rivers also had a career.
The others back them were the likes of Steve Logan, Jacky Pallo, Les Kellett and Mick McManus.
From 2002-2009 I lived south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast.
My next door neighbour and good friend was Aussie ex wrestler Steve 'Crusher ' Rackman. That wasn't his real name, it was Don Kerr. In his lounge he had huge movie poster with him and Paul Hogan from the Crocodile Dundee movies where he featured using his real name Don Kerr =DONK He was in 40 movies but I think his fondest memory was taking on Andre the Giant in a steel cage in front of 10,000 in Melbourne in the late 70's.