1. Home
  2. Profiles
  3. Billy Lyons

Billy Lyons


Title History

  • NWA (Georgia) International Tag Team titles w/Ray Gunkel defeating ?????? (February ??, 1958);
  • NWA Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Ilio DiPaolo defeating Stan Kowalski & Tiny Mills (January 26, 1961);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Billy Watson defeating Chris & John Tolos (March 28, 1962);
  • AWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/The Destroyer defeating Dan Manoukian & Ray Stevens (March 27, 1965);
  • JWA All Asia Tag Team titles w/The Destroyer defeating Toyonobori & Giant Baba (June 3, 1965);
  • NWA Texas Heavyweight title won a Tournament (November 8, 1967);
  • NWA (Texas) American Tag Team titles w/Fritz Von Erich defeating Gary Hart & Spoiler (January 30, 1968);
  • NWA (Tri State) United States Tag Team titles w/Bill Watts defeating Buddy Roberts & Jerry Brown (January ??, 1971);
  • NWA (Tri State) United States Tag Team titles w/Tom Jones defeating Spoilers (May 31, 1971);
  • NWA Mississippi Tag Team titles w/Tom Jones defeating ??????? (March ??, 1972);
  • NWA (Texas) American Heavyweight title defeating The Spoiler (June 24, 1972);
  • NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Red Bastien defeating Mike York & Frank Monte (July 14, 1972);
  • (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Dewey Robertson defeating Hartford & Reginald Love (June 23, 1974);
  • (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Dewey Robertson defeating Hartford & Reginald Love (December 29, 1974);
  • (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Dewey Robertson defeating Mike & Pat Kelly (August 24, 1975);

Career Highlights

Some Interesting Facts:

  • 1959: Billy Lyons began wrestling in Toronto, Canada..
  • William Snip was “Billy Red” to wrestling fans because of his red hair..
  • Billy Lyons formed a memorable tag team with Red Bastein, calling themselves “The Fabulous Redheads” or “The Flying Redheads”..
  • Billy Lyons was also a frequent tag partner of “Cowboy” Bill Watts..
  • 1960s: Billy Lyons was billed as British Empire champion while wrestling in the AWA..
  • 1965: Billy Lyons teamed with The Destroyer (Dick Beyer) and won the San Francisco World Tag Team titles..
  • 1965: Billy Lyons & The Destroyer also won the Japanese Tag Team titles..
  • Billy Lyons was successful throughout the United States — particularly in Texas and Oklahoma..
  • 1974-78: Billy Lyons wrestled in a tag team with Dewey Robertson (aka Missing Link) as the Crusadersin Toronto..

Match Results:

  • November 17, 1956– Dick Hutton defeated Billy Red Lyons in Buffalo, New York..
  • January 18, 1957– Mr. Moto & Mr. Hito defeated Billy Red Lyons & Dick Beyer in Buffalo, New York..
  • February 1, 1957– Pat Flanagan defeated Billy Red Lyons in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 18, 1957– Georgia Championship Wrestling: Billy Red Lyons defeated Black Monster..
  • October 25, 1957– GCW: Billy Red Lyons & Bill Melby defeated Baron Gattoni & Mike Paidousis..
  • November 15, 1957– GCW: Baron Gattoni defeated Billy Red Lyons..
  • November 29, 1957– GCW: Stan & Reggie Lisowski defeated Billy Red Lyons & Ray Gunkel..
  • December 20, 1957– GCW: Jack Steele, Bibber McCoy & Mike Paidousis defeated Billy Red Lyons, Tarzan White & Bob Nandor..
  • January 10, 1958– GCW: Nicoli & Boris Volkoff defeated Billy Red Lyons & Tarzan White..
  • February 14, 1958– GCW: Billy Red Lyons & Ray Gunkel defeated Mighty Yankee & Al Galento ..
  • March 7, 1958– GCW: Karl Heinkler & Kurt von Brauner defeated Rocky Columbo & Billy Red Lyons..
  • March 31, 1958– GCW: Billy Red Lyons & Ray Gunkel defeated Karl Heinkler & Kurt von Brauner in a Best of 3 Falls Match..
  • April 4, 1958– GCW: Mighty Yankee & Don Lee beat Billy Red Lyons & Ray Gunkel to win the Georgia International Tag Team titles..
  • April 25, 1958– GCW: Don Lee defeated Billy Red Lyons..
  • August 27, 1959– Billy Red Lyons defeated Chief Chewacki in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • September 3, 1959– Billy Red Lyons defeated Frank Fozo in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • October 22, 1959– Billy Red Lyons defeated Ramon Lopez in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • November 12, 1959– Billy Red Lyons defeated Dan Miller in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • December 10, 1959– Billy Red Lyons defeated Chief Chewacki in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • January 1, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Fritz Von Erich in Buffalo, New York..
  • January 7, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Sandor Kovacs in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • January 13, 1960– Fritz Von Erich defeated Billy Red Lyons in Rochester, New York..
  • February 4, 1960– Billy Red Lyons & Don Eagle defeated Waldo & Fritz Von Erich in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • March 4, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Dan Miller in Buffalo, New York..
  • March 23, 1960– Fritz Von Erich defeated Billy Red Lyons in Rochester, New York..
  • April 14, 1960– Mike & Doc Gallagher defeated Billy Red Lyons & Dick Beyer in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • April 22, 1960– Mike & Doc Gallagher defeated Billy Red Lyons & Angelo Poffo in Buffalo, New York..
  • April 29, 1960– Billy Red Lyons & Ilio DiPaolo defeated Angelo Poffo & Bronko Lubich in Dunkirk, New York..
  • May 4, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Waldo Von Erich in Rochester, New York..
  • May 27, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Bronko Lubich in Buffalo, New York..
  • June 2, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Howard Martin in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • June 29, 1960– Chris & John Tolos defeated Billy Red Lyons & Sandor Kovacs in Rochester, New York..
  • July 14, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Herb Gerwig in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • August 4, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Danno O` Shocker in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • September 8, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Waldo Von Erich in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • October 13, 1960– Billy Red Lyons & Hercules Romero defeated Chris & John Tolos in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • November 25, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Cyclone Smith in Buffalo, New York..
  • December 9, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Bob Ellis in Buffalo, New York..
  • December 29, 1960– Billy Red Lyons defeated Frank Valois in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • January 20, 1961– Sato & Duke Keomuka defeated Billy Red Lyons & Ilio DiPaolo in Buffalo, New York..
  • February 3, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Reggie Parks in Buffalo, New York..
  • February 15, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Mike Valentino in Rochester, New York..
  • March 3, 1961– Mike & Doc Gallagher defeated Billy Red Lyons & Miguel Perez in Buffalo, New York..
  • March 22, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Don Juan in Rochester, New York..
  • April 14, 1961– Chris & John Tolos defeated Billy Red Lyons & Bobby Dane in Buffalo, New York..
  • May 3, 1961– Chris & John Tolos defeated Billy Red Lyons & Chet Wallick in Rochester, New York..
  • June 30, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Duke Keomuka in Buffalo, New York..
  • September 1, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Sato Keomuka in Buffalo, New York..
  • September 8, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Taro Keomuka in Buffalo, New York..
  • September 29, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Crusher Verdu in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 27, 1961– Billy Red Lyons defeated Titanic Thompson in Buffalo, New York..
  • November 17, 1961– Karol & Ivan Kalmikoff defeated Billy Red Lyons & Vince Bryant in Buffalo, New York..
  • December 1, 1961– Billy Red Lyons beat Hans Hermann in Buffalo, New York..
  • January 16, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Doc Gallagher in Utica, New York..
  • February 9, 1963– Hans Schmidt & The Beast defeated Billy Red Lyons & Ilio DiPaolo in Utica, New York..
  • March 2, 1963– Billy Red Lyons & Ilio DiPaolo defeated Dick the Bruiser & Hans Schmidt in Utica, New York..
  • April 6, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Dick the Bruiser in Utica, New York..
  • April 20, 1963– Bulldog Brower & Johnny Valentine defeated Billy Red Lyons & Tony Marino in Utica, New York..
  • September 21, 1963– Hans Schmidt defeated Billy Red Lyons in Utica, New York..
  • September 27, 1963– Art Thomas & Billy Red Lyons defeated The Beast & Hans Schmidt in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 5, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Donn Lewin in Utica, New York..
  • October 11, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Great Mephisto in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 26, 1963– Mike & Doc Gallagher defeated Billy Red Lyons & Tony Marino in Utica, New York..
  • November 2, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Great Mephisto in Utica, New York..
  • November 8, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Joe Christie in Buffalo, New York..
  • November 29, 1963– Billy Red Lyons defeated Angelo Savoldi in Buffalo, New York..
  • December 27, 1963– Mike & Doc Gallagher defeated Billy Red Lyons & Johnny Barend in Buffalo, New York..
  • January 3, 1964– Billy Red Lyons & Johnny Barend defeated Great Mephisto & Hans Schmidt in Buffalo, New York..
  • February 7, 1964– Billy Red Lyons & Ilio DiPaolo defeated Moose Cholak & The Beast in Buffalo, New York..
  • May 25, 1965– JWA: Billy Red Lyons defeated Michiaki Yoshimura..
  • June 5, 1965– JWA: Billy Red Lyons defeated Umanosuke Ueda..
  • June 19, 1965– JWA: Billy Red Lyons defeated Kokichi Endo..
  • July 2, 1965– JWA: Giant Baba defeated Billy Red Lyons..
  • July 7, 1965– JWA: Billy Red Lyons defeated Umanosuke Ueda..
  • July 15, 1965– JWA: Toyonobori defeated Billy Red Lyons..
  • October 13, 1965– Billy Red Lyons & Antonio Inoki defeated Don Duffy & Louie Tillet in San Antonio, Texas..
  • May 11, 1966– Gene Kiniski defeated Billy Red Lyons to retain the NWA World Heavyweight title in San Antonio, Texas..
  • May 16, 1970– NWA Tri State: Billy Red Lyons defeated Eduardo Perez..
  • October 11, 1971– NWA Tri State: Billy Red Lyons defeated Bob Demon..
  • December 3, 1971– NWA Tri State: Billy Red Lyons & Tom Jones defeated Rosario & Don Duffy..
  • January 7, 1973– JWA: Billy Red Lyons defeated Seiji Sakaguchi..
  • January 17, 1973– JWA: Billy Red Lyons & The Spoiler defeated Seiji Sakaguchi & Masa Saito..
  • August 16, 1973– Billy Red Lyons beat Magnificent Zulu in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • September 19, 1973– Billy Red Lyons defeated Mike Loren in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 6, 1973– Billy Red Lyons & Tex McKenzie defeated Frankie Laine & Eric the Animal by D.Q in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • October 27, 1973– Billy Red Lyons defeated Gypsy Joe in Detroit, Michigan..
  • December 1, 1973– The Mongols defeated Billy Red Lyons & Sonny King in Cleveland, Ohio..
  • January 5, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Bobby Bass in Hamilton, Ontario..
  • January 19, 1974– Billy Red Lyons & Sweet Daddy Siki defeated Duke Alexander & Hartford Love in Hamilton, Ontario..
  • February 23, 1974– Billy Red Lyons & Steve Bolus defeated Jim Lancaster & Chris Tolos in Hamilton, Ontario..
  • March 2, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Emmanuel Beech in Hamilton, Ontario..
  • March 31, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Johnny Fargo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
  • April 20, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Al Bell in Erie, Pennsylvania..
  • June 15, 1974– The Love Brothers defeated Billy Red Lyons & Danny Robinson in Hamilton, Ontario..
  • June 28, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Cowboy Parker in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
  • September 22, 1974– Billy Red Lyons & Tony Parisi defeated Jim Grabmire & The Executioner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
  • October 9, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Larry Sharpe in Buffalo, New York..
  • October 22, 1974– Billy Red Lyons defeated Mr. Fuji in Syracuse, New York..
  • June 5, 1977– Billy Red Lyons & Dewey Robertson defeated Don Kent & Reginald Love in Toronto, Ontario..
  • July 10, 1977– Billy Red Lyons & Dewey Robertson defeated Chris Tolos & Reginald Love to retain the International Tag titles..
  • August 7, 1977– Billy Red Lyons & Dewey Robertson defeated Don Kent & Reginald Love in Toronto..

The life and death of Billy Red Lyons:

  • 1984: Billy Lyons retired from the ring, and joined the offices of Frank and Jack Tunney, Toronto‘s long-time promoters..
  • Billy Lyons hosted WWF’s Maple Leaf Wrestling (in Canada), with his famous catch phrase was “Don’tcha dare miss it!”
  • Billy Lyons was the real life brother-in-law of The Destroyer (Dick Beyer)..
  • June 22, 2009: Billy Red Lyons passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 77..

    Mike Mooneyham wrote: Billy “Red” Lyons was an extremely popular performer and one of many who came out of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I’ll remember him most for the team he formed with Red Bastien as The Flying Redheads. The two were main-eventers in Texas during the late 60s and early 70s and unmasked The Spoiler as Don Jardine there. He was also a pretty good ice hockey player before turning to wrestling. A very respected name in the wrestling business for many years.

 

Updated:

Social Media

Twitter:

Trained By

Debut

1959

Birthday

Hometown

Hamilton, Ontario

Gender

Height

6'2"

Weight

240 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Tomahawk Chop

Favorite Move(s)

Notable Feuds

Status