Wigan Album
Wrestler
6 Comments
Photo: Gerry
Item #: 15365
As a 10 year old in 1951 I think I was "introduced" to Billy Riley and told he had been a world champion wrestler.He was enjoying a pint in the Crispin Arms, Birkett Bank at the time, my father was the landlord. Many years earlier a Wrestling Club had used the upstairs room at the pub on a regular basis.
Poser!
Bet you wouldn't say that to his face!
In those days wrestling was real wrestling, unlike todays showbiz stuff.
Just to emphasise the point Billy apparently developed exceptional submission skills and he was admired as a fine athlete when he toured the USA. Unfortunately this ability sometimes resulted in his opponents obtaining a broken arm, now what was it you called him?
There's a great film you can watch about this guy:
http://www.riverhorse.tv/originalindex.php?page=36.