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Billy Watson

 

Billy Watson

title history

  • Canadian Heavyweight title defeating Earl McCready (June 5, 1941);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Nanjo Singh (April 30, 1942);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Hevyweight title defeating Nanjo Singh (January 28, 1943);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Yvon Robert for vacant title (June 10, 1943);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title (July 1944);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Frank Sexton (October 26, 1944);
  • NWA (National Wrestling Association) World Heavyweight title defeating Bill Longson (Febuary 21, 1947);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Nanjo Singh (June 3, 1948);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Fred Atkins (August 2, 1949);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Yvon Robert (November 17, 1949);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Yvon Robert (October 12, 1950);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Pat Flanagan defeating Athol Layton & Hans Hermann (August 28, 1952);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Yvon Robert defeating Tiny & Al Mills (January 12, 1953);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Hombre Montana defeating Tiny & Al Mills (January 7, 1954);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Tex McKenzie defeating Tiny & Al Mills (June 16, 1954);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Paul Baillargeon defeating Karol & Ivan Kalmikoff (December ??, 1954);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Lord Athol Layton defeating Karol & Ivan Kalmikoff (July 14, 1955);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Ilio DiPaolo defeating Karl Von Schober & Fritz Von Erich (December 8, 1955);
  • NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) World Heavyweight title defeating Lou Thesz (March 15, 1956);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Pat O` Connor defeating Ed & Bill Miller (May 9, 1957);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (June 6, 1957);
  • NWA (Calgary) Canadian Heavyweight title won a tournament (1958);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Yukon Eric defeating Fritz Von Erich & Gene Kiniski (Febuary 13, 1958);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Bobo Brazil defeating Stan & Reggie Lisowski (May 22, 1958);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Bernard Vignal defeating Stan & Reggie Lisowski (August 28, 1958);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Yukon Eric defeating Nikita & Ivan Kalmikoff (November 13, 1958);
  • NWA (Toronto) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (June 18, 1959);
  • NWA (Vancouver) British Empire Heavyweight title (July 1959);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Ilio DiPaolo defeating Don Leo Jonathan & Gene Kiniski (December 21, 1959);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Ilio DiPaolo defeating Karol & Ivan Kalmikoff (April 21, 1960);
  • NWA (Toronto) Canadian Open Tag Team titles w/Ilio DiPaolo defeating Mike & Doc Gallagher (August 18, 1960);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Pacfic Coast Tag Team titles w/Roy McClarty defeating Ivan & Karol Kalmikoff (November 6, 1961);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Yukon Eric defeating Chris & John Tolos (December 28, 1961);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Bill Soloweyko defeating Chris & John Tolos (January 18, 1962);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Pacfic Coast Tag Team titles w/Mr. Kleen defeating Killer Kowalski & Gene Kiniski (March 5, 1962);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Billy Red Lyons defeating Chris & John Tolos (March 28, 1962);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Pacfic Coast Tag Team titles w/Bearcat Wright defeating Hard Boiled Haggerty & Gene Kiniski (July 9, 1962);
  • NWA (Vancouver) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Gene Kiniski (August 23, 1962);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Bruno Sammartino defeating Sweet Daddy Siki & Bulldog Brower (September 27, 1962);
  • NWA (Vancouver) British Empire Heavyweight title defeating Mike Sharpe (December ??, 1962);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team titles w/Dan Miller defeating Sweet Daddy Siki & Kinji Shibuya (November 11, 1963);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Johnny Valentine defeating Fred Atkins & Professor Hiro (August 13, 1964);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Johnny Valentine defeating Fred Atkins & Professor Hiro (October 9, 1964);
  • NWA (Winnipeg) International Tag Team titles w/Don Leo Jonathan defeating Roy Heffernan & Al Costello (January 9, 1965);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Bulldog Brower defeating Masked Yankees (July 10, 1966);
  • NWA (Tornonto) International Tag Team titles w/Bulldog Brower Awarded (December ??, 1967);
  • NWA (Toronto) International Tag Team titles w/Mark Lewin defeating Tiger Jeet Singh & Bull Curry (August 25, 1968);

Career Highlights

England:

  • 1936: Billy Watson wrestled in England along with fellow Canadians Al Kormann and Tiger Tasker..
  • Billy Watson was given the name “Whipper” by newspapers in England after adopting ‘the irish whip’ as one of his moves..
  • July 1940: Billy Watson and his first wife, Patricia, left England just as the WWII was starting up, and returned to North America..

Toronto:

  • Whipper Watson began wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1940, starting a long relationship with promoter Frank Tunney..
  • Whipper Watson was one of the first wrestlers to cross into mainstream celebrity becoming one of Toronto’s most popular citizens..
  • February 21, 1947: Whipper Watson defeated “Wild” Bill Longson for the NWA World title and lost it to Lou Thesz two months later..
  • November 12, 1953 – Toronto: Billy Watson & Yvon Robert wrestled Al & Tiny Mills with Boxing Champion Joe Louis as referee..
  • March 15, 1956: Whipper Watson defeated Lou Thesz to recapture the NWA World title, but lost it back to Thesz on November 9, 1956..
  • Whipper Watson best-remembered matches may be a series against Gorgeous George in 1959..
  • ~~~The feud led to both George and his wife/valet having their head shaved in the ring after Watson defeated George..
  • Whipper Watson was very active in the offices of the NWA: Maple Leaf (Toronto) territory along side Frank Tunney..
  • Billy Watson continued to wrestle in Toronto until November 1971 (age 55), when he nearly lost his left leg after being hit by a car..
  • Billy Watson did have a series of bouts against The Sheik in Maple Leaf Gardens, which Watson always lost by DQ or countout..
  • 1970s: Billy Watson mostly wrestled in tag matches..

Retirement:

  • November 30, 1971: Billy Watson was injured when a car slid into him and nearly severed his leg ending what had been a 40 year career..
  • ~~~Billy Watson retired after the accident but still made appearances at shows to promote his protege Dewey Robinson..
  • 1978: There was a “Whipper Watson Appreciation” Event promoted in Toronto at the Maple Leaf Gardens
  • Billy Watson held an annual Easter Seals skate-a-thon at the Toronto Gardens..
  • February 4, 1990: Billy Watson died after suffering a heart attack while in Florida..
Updated:

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Trained By

Phil Lawson

Debut

1936 vs Tony Bear

Birthday

July 25, 1917

Hometown

East York, Ontario

Gender

Height

Weight

Finishing Move(s)

Canuck Commando Unconscious (Sleeper Hold)

Favorite Move(s)

The Irish Whip

Notable Feuds

Gorgeous George
Gene Kiniski
Lord James Blears
Hans Schmidt
The Sheik
Dick the Bruiser
Earl McCready

Status