Two Falls, Two Submissions or a Knockout: The Legend of TV Wrestling

In November 1955 wrestling exploded onto the television screen throughout the country. A sports commentator and disc jockey had been invited to introduce Professional Wrestling from ringside at the West Ham Baths in London. His name was Kent Walton - and he knew absolutely nothing about the sport and only had one week to familiarize himself with the names of the various holds and throws. However, from the first broadcast his name became synonymous with wrestling and the reaction of the viewing public was unbelievable. 4pm to 5pm every Saturday afternoon became a must for most households throughout Britain. Names such as Mick McManus, Jackie Pallo, Les Kellet, Steve Logan, Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks became as familiar as Morecambe and Wise. Professional wrestling was not as glamorous as it is now. Prior to its television exposure wrestling had been popular, but in those times thousands of fans would have had to travel many miles to the halls and venues around the country to see their favourites. Not for them the comfortable armchair and a cup of tea during the interval. Some of the first television wrestlers were the sons of these pioneers of the sport, their skills honed from the experience passed on to them. For nearly thirty years, television wrestling held its popularity with a constant flow of men, some popular, some villains, some renowned for their outrageous antics and those who captivated the crowd by their sheer flamboyance. This era was the melting pot for all of these characters who maintained the viewers' interest for almost three decades, which was no mean achievement. Chapter by chapter, page by page, Al has endeavoured to bring these characters back to life, recalling his memories of this never-to-be-repeated era: the dressing room banter, the practical jokers, the tag teams, the early days, the fathers and their sons who followed them into wrestling, and not forgetting the glamour boys and the costumes that they wore in the ring. This book is about Al's recollections of all of this; the excitement and the element of mystery surrounding these masked men; the villains of the ring who could incite the fans into fury whilst loving every minute of it; the various halls and venues in which women, some of the fiercest critics, wielded their handbags as efficiently as any weapon, clocking anyone around the head and body should he be unfortunate enough to be exited from the security of the ring. Al's book 'Two Falls, Two Submissions or a Knockout' also tells of the generosity and good humour of these hard men as they willingly turned out to play for various charities. Alas, many of them are no longer with us, and Al's book is a form of tribute to them all and his underlying love of the game.