simonworden Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 I've got two questions for all the wrestling history buffs on here. What prominent 80s wrestlers started wrestling pre 1960? And we're there many/any wrestlers that were wrestling way back in the 20s to 40s still active in the 80s or even later. I o ow Lou Thez had a match in the 90s and Moolah is probably a good example but are there any others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Thesz Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 4 hours ago, simonworden said: I've got two questions for all the wrestling history buffs on here. What prominent 80s wrestlers started wrestling pre 1960? And we're there many/any wrestlers that were wrestling way back in the 20s to 40s still active in the 80s or even later. I o ow Lou Thez had a match in the 90s and Moolah is probably a good example but are there any others? Abdullah the Butcher started in 1959. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted February 12 Paid Members Share Posted February 12 5 hours ago, simonworden said: I've got two questions for all the wrestling history buffs on here. What prominent 80s wrestlers started wrestling pre 1960? And we're there many/any wrestlers that were wrestling way back in the 20s to 40s still active in the 80s or even later. I o ow Lou Thez had a match in the 90s and Moolah is probably a good example but are there any others?  Johnny Saint made his debut in 1958 and his last match was in 2015. That's not a bad run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted February 12 Paid Members Share Posted February 12 (edited) 7 hours ago, simonworden said: I've got two questions for all the wrestling history buffs on here. What prominent 80s wrestlers started wrestling pre 1960? And we're there many/any wrestlers that were wrestling way back in the 20s to 40s still active in the 80s or even later. I o ow Lou Thez had a match in the 90s and Moolah is probably a good example but are there any others? There's guys like Fritz Von Erich and Stu Hart who debuted in the 50s and 40s and still worked occasional tag matches up until the mid-80s. Killer Kowalski debuted in the '40s and would still work the occasional tag match into the early '00s. Jackie Fargo debuted in 1950 and worked his last match in 2006. Adrian Street debuted in 1957, and had his last match in 2014. Mr Wrestling II debuted in the 50s and had his last match in 2006. Mae Young claimed to have debuted in 1939, though more likely it was 1941, and her last "match" was 2010. Bruno Sammartino debuted in 1957, had his last match in 1987. Gypsy Joe debuted in 1952 and wrestled until 2011. Dominic DeNucci debuted in the 50s and had his last match in 2012. Â I'm not aware of any from the '20s that would have still been working as late as the '80s - Angelo Savoldi and Michele Leone are as close as it gets, working from the mid-30s to mid-70s, or Octavio Gaona in Mexico in a similar timeframe. Aside from the amount of time passed, there's a real changing of the guard in wrestling after World War 2, and really another before that in the 30s. Edited February 12 by BomberPat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinity Land Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 A reason to post this. Not a pre-1960 debut but Great Kojika still keeps busy and started in 1963. Pre-1960 debuts but still prominent in the 1980s, I did wonder if the dying days of AWA would still count. Still a national promotion. Cards were full of veteran wrestlers that would meet the pre-1960 criteria. Even had Verne Gagne (1949 debut) and Nick Bockwinkel (1954 debut) as World Champions. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Guy Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Bobo Brazil wrestled from 1951 to 1993. Mick McManus from 1947 to 1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonworden Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 3 hours ago, BomberPat said: There's guys like Fritz Von Erich and Stu Hart who debuted in the 50s and 40s and still worked occasional tag matches up until the mid-80s. Killer Kowalski debuted in the '40s and would still work the occasional tag match into the early '00s. Jackie Fargo debuted in 1950 and worked his last match in 2006. Adrian Street debuted in 1957, and had his last match in 2014. Mr Wrestling II debuted in the 50s and had his last match in 2006. Mae Young claimed to have debuted in 1939, though more likely it was 1941, and her last "match" was 2010. Bruno Sammartino debuted in 1957, had his last match in 1987. Gypsy Joe debuted in 1952 and wrestled until 2011. Dominic DeNucci debuted in the 50s and had his last match in 2012.  I'm not aware of any from the '20s that would have still been working as late as the '80s - Angelo Savoldi and Michele Leone are as close as it gets, working from the mid-30s to mid-70s, or Octavio Gaona in Mexico in a similar timeframe. Aside from the amount of time passed, there's a real changing of the guard in wrestling after World War 2, and really another before that in the 30s. Cheers everyone! Thanks for info. Yes I know about the changing of the guard during the war years, I've been reading a really fascinating book recently that covers it in great detail. You should pick it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Guy Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Forgot to look up the bloody obvious one, didn't I!? Shirley Crabtree/Big Daddy. Debuted in 1946 and retired in 1993. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vamp Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 There's got to be a luchador in his 90s on the Mexican independent scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted February 13 Paid Members Share Posted February 13 8 minutes ago, Vamp said: There's got to be a luchador in his 90s on the Mexican independent scene. Wikipedia reckons Tinieblas wrestled in 2019, when he would have been 80, but I'm certain that's incorrect and that it was Tinieblas Jr. in that match at a sprightly 53. Mil Mascaras has been teasing a comeback at 81, though it's yet to happen. While I wouldn't be surprised if there's some obscure local act I don't know about, the oldest I can confirm is El Satanico, who wrestled last Tuesday at the age of 74, and is essentially a regular for CMLL and still taking independent bookings. He's worked more matches this year so far than Roman Reigns worked between Summerslam 2023 and today, despite having debuted in 1973, and having wrestled the original Blue Demon and El Santo - which means there's at least one person wrestling regularly today who wrestled somebody that debuted in the 1930s.  As for Great Kojika, he's the oldest active wrestler currently, and may also have the record for longest career - aside from Popoff Le Gitan; he's at least 80 years old, claims to have debuted in 1956, and wrestled Charles Crowley in France last year, which maybe gives him the record for wrestling in the most consecutive decades at eight, which, if true, would be the record. The problem is that, like Mae Young, who also claims eight decades (or nine, if you believe that she debuted in 1939, which there isn't really any evidence for - 1941 seems more likely), it's not clear if they worked every intervening decade - Mae most likely didn't work at all in the '80s, and maybe not the '70s either (though there's record of her wrestling in 1969, so the '70s isn't unthinkable), and it's not clear how often Popoff was working, given how little data there is on the parts of the French scene he was working in. A Guardian article claimed his retirement match was in 2009, and I know he worked 2019 and 2023, so that's the three most recent decades covered, but whether he genuinely worked the '90s, '80s, '70s, '60s and '50s I'm not sure. Back to Kojika - aside from being 81, he also either has or only recently recovered from colon cancer. I would guess that he's the only wrestler still active who came through the JWA dojo.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browser Brady Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 Was Brian Christopher ever any good ? If he had gotten the same push (not gimmick) that Jeff Jarrett had gotten in the mid 90’s WWF, would he have done better than JJ ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarlettChad Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 14 minutes ago, Browser Brady said: Was Brian Christopher ever any good ? If he had gotten the same push (not gimmick) that Jeff Jarrett had gotten in the mid 90’s WWF, would he have done better than JJ ? He was a solid midcard act. Too Cool were over as rover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 41 minutes ago, Browser Brady said: Was Brian Christopher ever any good ? If he had gotten the same push (not gimmick) that Jeff Jarrett had gotten in the mid 90’s WWF, would he have done better than JJ ? I'm not sure if he would've done better in that JJ push, and I haven't seen much of his work outside WWF/E but I thought his 97 Lightweight work was great, as was his absolute shit heel character work with his Dad during that time period as well. IMO he wasn't above mid card but he was entertaining enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarlettChad Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 4 minutes ago, SuperBacon said: I'm not sure if he would've done better in that JJ push, and I haven't seen much of his work outside WWF/E but I thought his 97 Lightweight work was great, as was his absolute shit heel character work with his Dad during that time period as well. IMO he wasn't above mid card but he was entertaining enough. Why didn't jerry like referencing that he had a son for years? Or was that something Mandela effect I'm experiencing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted March 10 Paid Members Share Posted March 10 1 minute ago, TheScarlettChad said: Why didn't jerry like referencing that he had a son for years? Or was that something Mandela effect I'm experiencing. Vanity on Lawlers part. Not wanting people to think he was old enough to have a grown up son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.