British wrestling posters

July 21, 2011 6:48 AM

British Wresting Posters: a Flickr set. See also British wrestling photos, and the British wrestling archive. (Via everlasting blort)
posted by OmieWise (24 comments total)

I'm a typography nerd, and I love the looks of those. I remember seeing a Street Fighter shirt a while back that was done in the same style, but upon searching can't seem to find it.
posted by mean cheez at 6:57 AM on July 21, 2011

BIG DADDY!!!!

That is all.
posted by Elmore at 6:58 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I want a 'Hand Hat' like this guy has got. I would be the envy of the kids in Harajuku.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:00 AM on July 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

And yeah, Big Daddy fuckin RULES.

OK.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:00 AM on July 21, 2011

I guess it makes sense that this existed, but it really seems like "British" and "wrestling" are opposites.
posted by DU at 7:07 AM on July 21, 2011

it really seems like "British" and "wrestling" are opposites.

I hear you... "grappling" seems more appropriate.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:10 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

To see some names that had success in the American pro-wrestling scene after they were in these fights in England reminds me of where and how the sport started in more of an off-shoot of boxing, before liberal amounts of kayfabe, entertainment value, and steroids were pushed on top of the genre as we know (and I still love) today.

Seeing Greg Valentine and Fit Finlay in these just made me smile hard.
posted by deezil at 7:19 AM on July 21, 2011

The older 'Bills and Results' pages at the archive site are weird little time capsules, with mention of wrestlers nicknamed The Eagle, The Comet Kid, Masked Top Hat, The Moonraker Kid, Farmers Boy, Half Nelson Keyes. Milo the Greek, Karloff Manoogian, The Red Shadow, The Ghoul, Dai the Miner & Gypsy Benito...
posted by misteraitch at 7:27 AM on July 21, 2011

I guess it makes sense that this existed, but it really seems like "British" and "wrestling" are opposites.

There's a soft spot in my heart for British wrestling, though it tended to be a bit different from the US stuff - certainly in style, if nothing else. Every story I've heard about it suggests that with a few exceptions, the style is much more physical and much more stiff. A couple years ago, the people I lived with at the time were watching a WWE pay-per-view and a last-minute substitution match was put on between Steven Regal and Dave Finlay, and it was so much fun to watch. They just got out there and in addition to wrestling a really good match, they just beat the hell out of each other. It was great.

And I can't really argue with the philosophy of the style: A really good way to make it look like you're hitting someone really hard is to hit them really hard.

I don't hear much about non-WWE wrestling from the other side of the pond but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the local character of it is fading - Vince McMahon kind of did a lot to influence what the public expects of a wrestling show, and you've got to go where the money is.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:29 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I don't hear much about non-WWE wrestling from the other side of the pond

EDIT: somewhere in there should be the word "anymore."
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:31 AM on July 21, 2011

Big Daddy's real name was 'Shirley Crabtree'. Trufact.
posted by metaxa at 7:33 AM on July 21, 2011

Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks! Truly giants walked the earth!

seriously tho, this is a great example of a visual language dedicated to a genre event. The sparseness of the layout with the kick of a large dramatic figure. Very Circus poster-y

Great Post!
posted by djrock3k at 7:58 AM on July 21, 2011

Saturday afternoon, 1980s, wrestling and then A-Team on telly. It was a golden time to be a kid.
posted by Jehan at 8:07 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

A really good way to make it look like you're hitting someone really hard is to hit them really hard.

Mick Foley had an anecdote in one of his books about how much he admired Terry Funk, because he made his punches look so realistic. Then he had his first match with Funk. Afterward, he went to Terry and said "Hey, were you hitting me as hard as you can?" and Funk said "Its the only way I can make it look right."
posted by Billiken at 8:09 AM on July 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

Needs more Dickie Davies!

Reminds of the days when telly stopped during the day, except on Saturday.

Top Cat in the mornings, followed by The Amazing Spider-Man, then (if we were lucky) Space 1999. In the afternoon, wrestling on 'World of Sport' hoping there'd be a Big Daddy v Giant Haystacks bout. Even better if it was tag-team. Finishing off with the football scores, my dad shouting at the kids to shut up whilst he checked his pools.

Great days.
posted by veedubya at 8:26 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I want to see the bottom-billed match here more than I have ever wanted to see anything in my life.
posted by penduluum at 8:33 AM on July 21, 2011

I never thought I'd see this on MetaFilter: Big Daddy versus Giant Haystacks.
posted by Xurando at 8:34 AM on July 21, 2011

I want to see the bottom-billed match here more than I have ever wanted to see anything in my life.

The poster you linked to also includes The Gay One "Uncrowned Queen of the Ring", and another has a bout with Ted Heath.
posted by Jehan at 9:10 AM on July 21, 2011

Big daddy's obituary
posted by Xurando at 11:08 AM on July 21, 2011

The Gay One, "Uncrowned Queen of the Ring," reminds me so much of the Gender Bender.
posted by ignignokt at 11:42 AM on July 21, 2011

Look out, he's Canadian! And not much else, it appears. Quite the gimmick!
posted by ignignokt at 11:44 AM on July 21, 2011

Gold stars, nothin'. Next time the mods need a bonus, mathowie should offer wrestling titles.

posted by jessamyn Pride of Vermont. Uncrowned Queen of the Mods. at 10:00 on July 21 [+] [!]

posted by cortex Wily ring general. Fan favourite. at 14:44 on July 21 [+] [!]

Actually, I've half a mind to write a greasemonkey script right now.
posted by zamboni at 12:11 PM on July 21, 2011

EAS-EH! EAS-EH! EAS-EH!
posted by Quantum's Deadly Fist at 9:12 PM on July 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

George Kidd, the Lightweight Champion of the World.
posted by the cuban at 9:29 AM on July 22, 2011