{{infobox wrestler|name	Shirley Crabtree
Names	Big DaddyThe Blonde AdonisMr. UniverseThe Battling Guardsman
Height
Weight	26 stone 9 lb(170 kg or 375 lb)
Birth date	November 14, 1930
Death date	December 02, 1997
Birth place	Halifax, West Yorkshire
Death place	Halifax, West Yorkshire
Billed	Halifax, West Yorkshire
Trainer	George Hackenschmidt
Debut	1952
Retired	1993 }}

Shirley Crabtree, Jr, better known as Big Daddy (14 November 1930 – 2 December 1997) was a British professional wrestler famous for his record-breaking 64 inch chest. Known for wearing his various Big Daddy leotards, Crabtree's original one was emblazoned with just a large "D" and was fashioned by his wife Eunice from their chintz sofa.

Shirley Crabtree's brother Brian was a wrestling referee and his nephew Eorl Crabtree is an England international rugby league footballer.

Career

Crabtree, a former Rugby League player for league club Bradford Northern who never made an appearance for the first teams due to his fiery temper often forcing him off the pitch early, would have stints as a coal miner and with the British Army's Coldstream Guards before following in his father, Shirley Crabtree, Sr.'s footsteps and becoming a professional wrestler in 1952.

Crabtree, Jr. became a big hit in the late 1950s and early 1960s with heel gimmicks, calling himself The Blonde Adonis, Mr. Universe and The Battling Guardsman. Crabtree won two titles in the British Wrestling Federation before he quit out of frustration and retired for roughly 15 years.

With the rising popularity of the spectacle on television (''World of Sport'' on ITV), Shirley's brother, Max, one of the most powerful wrestling promoters in British history, brought Shirley back to wrestling with Joint Promotions under the persona he would best be remembered for.

Based originally on the character of the same name played by actor Burl Ives in the 1958 screen adaptation of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Big Daddy was first given life by Crabtree in the later 1970s, initially playing the bad guy. On 24 April 1976, he teamed up with Giant Haystacks, vs Steve Veidor and Tibor Szakacs (the good guys), for a tag team bout, but laterly played the ''good guy''. A firm fan favorite, Big Daddy came to the ring in his signature Union Flag jacket and top hat to a theme tune in the form of "We Shall Not Be Moved" by The Seekers, in 1980 Shirley Crabtree recorded his own version on EMI Records backed by rock guitarist Legendary Lonnie.

Big Daddy feuded with Mick McManus, Steve Veidor and Giant Haystacks among others and would also be noted as the first man to remove the mask from Kendo Nagasaki during a televised match.

As Big Daddy, Crabtree would often team with many rising stars within the country including Sammy Lee, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, and Steven Regal. Crabtree was also instrumental in starting the pro wrestling career of former Judo great Christopher Adams in 1978.

Though Big Daddy's weight and age precluded many more novel wrestling moves; making him a frequent user of many generic wrestling throws, body slams, etc. he would be met by cheers whenever he wrestled. Big Daddy's more famous attacks would involve his large abdomen to great effect often using "Belly-Butts" (thrusting his pelvis forward to slam his belly into an oncoming opponent) before finishing off opponents with his "belly-splash" in which he jumped vertically down onto the body of a fallen opponent. These more memorable moves in Daddy's arsenal were often met with chants of "''Easy, Easy''" and "''Who's the Daddy''" from the crowd.

In 1982 ITV planned to build a children's TV programme around Big Daddy as a replacement for the popular Tiswas. A pilot for "Big Daddy's Saturday Show" was shot and a series announced but Crabtree pulled out at the last moment, leaving the hastily-renamed "The Saturday Show" presented by Isla St Clair and Tommy Boyd.

In August 1987, Big Daddy bowed out of the professional wrestling spotlight after a turn of events during the final moments of the match against Mal "King Kong" Kirk. After Big Daddy had delivered his belly-splash, rather than selling the impact of the finishing move, Kirk turned an un healthy colour and was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Despite the fact that the inquest into Kirk's death found that he had a serious heart condition and cleared Crabtree of any responsibility, Crabtree was devastated and nevertheless blamed himself for Kirk's death.

He continued to make sporadic appearances into the early 90s, but removed the belly-splash and other moves from his repertoire and generally only appeared in tag-team matches where his sole involvement would be standing firm while opponents attempted to body-charge him and simply bounced off. Crabtree eventually retired from wrestling altogether to spend the remainder of his days in his hometown of Halifax.

Then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was said to be a fan of Big Daddy.

Crabtree died of a stroke in December 1997 in Halifax General Hospital. He was survived by his second wife of 31 years, Eunice and six children.

In popular culture

Big Daddy had his own comic strip in ''Buster'' during the early 80s drawn by Mike Lacey.

The European version of the multi-format game Legends of Wrestling II featured Big Daddy as an exclusive extra Legendary Wrestler.

Crabtree's 64 inch chest earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

When wrestling in England years after Crabtree's death, Colt Cabana occasionally wore a singlet similarly styled after Big Daddy's and imitating many of his trademark mannerisms, calling himself "Colt Daddy".

A play by Brian Mitchell and Joseph Nixon, ''Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks'' premieres at the Brighton Festival Fringe in East Sussex, England between 26–28 May 2011.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

:*''Big Daddy Splashdown'' (Standing or a running splash)

Signature moves

:*''Belly-Butt'' (Body block) :*Scoop slam

Championships and accomplishments

British Wrestling Federation

:*British Heavyweight Championship (1 time) :*European Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

Notes

External links

British Wrestling

Obituary in ''The Independent''

BBC.co.uk's h2g2 article - The Immortal Legends of British Professional Wrestling

Profile at Online World of Wrestling

"Money For Nothing" by Big Daddy

Category:1929 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Coldstream Guards soldiers Category:English professional wrestlers Category:People from Halifax, West Yorkshire

es:Shirley Crabtree

Name	Malcolm Kirk
Names	King Kong KirkKojak Kirk
Height	1.86 m
Weight	140-160 kg
Birth date	December 18, 1936
Death date	August 24, 1987 (aged 50)
Death place	Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
Billed	West Yorkshire, England
Debut	1950s
Website	}}

Malcolm (Mal) Kirk (18 December 1936 – 24 August 1987) was an English professional wrestler who went by the ring name King Kong Kirk.

His height was 1.86m (6' 1") and his weight ranged between 140 and 160 kg (approximately 22-25 stone).

Biography

Prior to turning to professional wrestling Kirk was a coal miner and a professional rugby league player. From 1954 he played 38 first team matches at prop forward (number 8) for Featherstone Rovers, scoring one try, and afterwards for the struggling Doncaster club where he was a team mate of another future professional wrestler, Ted Heath.

Bald and fearsome looking, Kirk was usually cast as the "bad guy" and often tagged with the superheavyweight Giant Haystacks. Kirk's work rose to its prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to the popularity of televised wrestling in the United Kingdom.

Death

In August 1987, Kirk died after a tragic turn of events during the final moments of the match at the hippodrome circus in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk against British wrestling legend Shirley "Big Daddy" Crabtree. After Big Daddy had delivered his signature belly-splash, Kirk turned an unhealthy colour and was rushed to the James Paget hospital in Gorleston in Norfolk, but was pronounced dead on arrival. The inquest into Kirk's death found that he had a serious heart condition and cleared Crabtree of any responsibility.

References

Category:1936 births Category:1987 deaths Category:English professional wrestlers Category:Professional wrestling deaths Category:Sport deaths in England Category:Featherstone Rovers players Category:English rugby league players

Peter Joseph "Pete" Ross is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comic books published by DC Comics. He was introduced in ''Superboy'' #86 (January 1961).

Pre-Crisis

In the original comics, Pete was the childhood best friend of Clark Kent in Smallville. One night when they were camping together, Pete secretly saw Clark changing into Superboy to attend to an emergency. Pete kept his knowledge of the superhero's secret identity to himself, not even telling Clark. Furthermore, Pete resolved to use this knowledge to help his friend, such as creating distractions to allow Clark to slip away without raising suspicion.

The Legion of Super-Heroes were aware of Pete's assistance to Clark and made him an honorary member during his teenage years (as shown in ''Superboy'' #98). During the Legion's battle with Mordru in ''Adventure Comics'' #370 ("The Devil's Jury"), it was stated that Pete Ross's knowledge of Superboy's secret identity would one day end up saving Superman's life (explaining why the Legion allowed Pete to retain that knowledge); however, no Superman story ever followed up on this detail until the very end of this continuity.

As an adult, Pete was established as a widower who had a son named Jonathan, who also learned the secret of Superman's dual identity (as shown in ''Action Comics'' #457). When Pete's son was kidnapped by an alien race (''DC Comics Presents'' #13), Pete revealed to Clark his knowledge of his friend's dual identity, imploring Superman's help. When Clark was unable to provide this help, Pete suffered a nervous breakdown and attempted to discredit his former friend. Pete resided in a mental institution until his son was eventually saved, at which point the Ross family faded into anonymity. The breach in the childhood friendship apparently never fully recovered.

In Alan Moore's non-canon story ''Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow'', Pete was captured by the Toyman and the Prankster and tortured into revealing Superman's true identity before being killed and stuffed in a toychest for Superman to find. Eventually, Superman discovered they were being manipulated by Mister Mxyzptlk.

Death

Following the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' limited series, mainstream DC continuity was altered, such that Superman no longer had a teenage career as Superboy. However, the Legion of Super-Heroes was dependent upon the existence of Superboy as its primary inspiration. In an attempt to resolve the paradox, a Superman/Legion story was crafted, explaining that Superboy (and all his supporting characters, including Pete Ross) actually inhabited a "pocket universe" created by the Time Trapper, and that the Trapper had protected this universe from being destroyed in the Crisis. Later, the villain decided to destroy the pocket universe Earth. Superboy saved his homeworld, but at the cost of his own life.

Following Superboy's disappearance from the pocket universe Earth, the Lex Luthor of that world is tricked into releasing Kryptonian criminals General Zod, Quex-Ul and Zaora from the Phantom Zone. They proceed to lay waste to the planet, eventually killing its entire population -- including Pete Ross. Having been summoned from the regular universe by Luthor and Supergirl, Superman executes the genocidal killers using green kryptonite, and brings Supergirl (a protoplasmic duplicate of Lana Lang) with him back to his own Earth.

Post-Crisis

The modern version of Pete is a far more minor character in the Superman comics, who eventually married Lana Lang, with the two having a son, Clark Peter Ross, although the relationship is occasionally strained due to Lana's knowledge of Clark's secret and Pete feeling that he was fundamentally Lana's second choice. The two are presently divorced, even after briefly reuniting following the Ruin storyline (see below). Pete was Vice-President of the United States under Lex Luthor and briefly served as President following Luthor's impeachment but quickly resigned.

In the modern comic book continuity, Pete was not initially aware of Clark's secret. However, the secret was known by the villainous Manchester Black, who informed then-President Luthor of the secret, only later to wipe his memory of it. Prior to losing the knowledge of Clark's secret, Lex informed Pete that his close friend Clark Kent is in fact Superman. While Pete initially refrained from telling Clark about his knowledge he did eventually tell him in ''Adventures of Superman'' #641.

Recently it appeared that Ross had become a villain named "Ruin", but it was later revealed that he had instead been kidnapped by the real Ruin, Professor Emil Hamilton. Hamilton also kidnapped Pete's wife and child. Superman defeated the insane Professor Hamilton, rescued Pete, Lana, and their child, and exonerated Pete of the charges against him.

Pete has returned to Smallville without Lana to raise their son. He was seen attending the funeral of Jonathan Kent.

Pete appears in ''Blackest Night: Superman'' #1, he works at the general store.

Other versions

He appears in ''Superman: Red Son'', though his name is changed to Pyotr Roslov. In this story, he is an illegitimate son of Joseph Stalin and is head of the KGB. He executes the alternate versions of Thomas and Martha Wayne (in that world, anti-communist protesters), leading to Batman vowing to overthrow the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

In other media

''Superman: The Animated Series''

Pete Ross was shown in a brief, non-speaking cameo in part two of the three-part opening episode of the 1990s television cartoon ''Superman: The Animated Series'', titled "The Last Son of Krypton". He was also mentioned in the comic book based on the series when Kara Kent is being raised as the adoptive daughter of the Kents. Ma Kent emails Clark to say it is a small world to see Kara become the classmate of Susan Ross, Pete Ross' little sister.

''Smallville''

Pete Ross appears in the first three seasons of the 2000s/2010s television series ''Smallville'', and is portrayed by Sam Jones III. Along with Chloe Sullivan, he is one of Clark Kent's best friends. Pete hates the Luthors for what he sees as their theft of his family's creamed corn business, and resents Clark's relationship with Lex Luthor (and later relationship with Lex's father Lionel). Unlike the comic book continuity, Ross is depicted as an African-American on the series.

Pete is the first person outside of the Kent family with whom Clark shares the secret of his powers (albeit to prevent Pete telling the general public about the discovery of his spaceship, which had been lost in a recent tornado before Pete discovered it in a field). Although Pete is usually supportive of Clark and keeps this secret, their friendship is tested when he occasionally gets into trouble and relies on Clark to resolve his difficulties. The character was written out of the series at the end of the third season, when Pete is brutally interrogated about Clark by an FBI agent. To protect the both of them, he moves to Wichita to live with his mother, who has just accepted a federal judgeship.

Pete returns in the seventh season episode "Hero", having temporarily gained Elastic Lad-like powers after chewing gum imbued with Kryptonite, and he saves Kara and aids Chloe from a manipulating Lex.

''DC Universe Online''

Pete Ross appears in ''DC Universe Online'', voiced by Mike Smith, as a supporting character for the heroes.

References

External links

Pete Ross: Honorary Legionnaires - Hero History

Category:Smallville characters Category:Comic book sidekicks Category:DC Comics characters Category:Fictional characters from Kansas Category:Fictional Presidents of the United States Category:Fictional Vice Presidents of the United States Category:Fictional African-American people Category:Comics characters introduced in 1961 es:Pete Ross fr:Pete Ross it:Pete Ross no:Pete Ross pt:Pete Ross th:พีต รอสส์

Name	Drew McDonald
Names	Drew McDonaldBen Doon McDonaldMad McDonaldComrade McDonaldThe SpoilerThe Ultimate Chippendale
Height
Weight
Birth date	1955
Birth place	Perth, Scotland
Billed	Glasgow, Scotland
Trainer	Ian Law
Debut	1983
Retired	}}

Drew McDonald (born Charles Shaw)changed his name by deed poll to Drew McDonald is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is best known for wrestling on the independent circuit in the United Kingdom since the 1980s.

Professional wrestling career

McDonald first got into wrestling when friend of his who ran a school in Perth for wayward children was promoting a wrestling show to make funds for the school. Ian Law who held a splinter claim to the British Middleweight Championship at the time (the main lineage being held by Brian 'Goldbelt' Maxine) was helping his friend to run the show. One of the wrestlers had got himself seriously injured two weeks out from the show and his friend asked McDonald if he would stand in for the missing man, like nearly everyone, McDonald was convinced that wrestling was all show and that anyone could do it, but McDonald was in for a shock, he had a two week crash course before first pro match against Wild Angus, The match lasted 5 rounds with Angus beating McDonald by the final bell.

McDonald stayed in Scotland wrestling for another year after that first match, in April 1984 he went down to England to work for Joint Promotions; the biggest promoters at that time (in the United Kingdom).

The next 5 years saw McDonald wrestle against the likes of Ray Steele and Gill Singh. McDonald would also develop friendships with the likes of Danny Boy Collins, Dave Finlay and referee Jeff Kaye.

McDonald at one point would join the army at the Guards Depot at Pirbright where he joined with the Scots Guards. During his time there he would met Dave Taylor of WCW fame, who had enlisted in the same regiment as McDonald, as a bandsman on the same day.

McDonald would wrestle though out all the top promotions in the UK, including armdrag matches with The American Dream Steve Adonis as well as traveling all over the world, wrestling for promotions like Canada's Stampede Wrestling under the name Ben Doon McDonald feuding with stars like Chris Benoit. When World Championship Wrestling was in England, Drew wrestled on their show, WCW worldwide, but was defeated by Buff Bagwell.

Back in the UK Drew McDonald would win many top titles including Scottish Championship Wrestling's Scottish Heavyweight Championship, and All Star Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship. McDonald won the British title when he defeated Robbie Brookside in Croydon on the 7 July 2005.

McDonald would also team up with many long time wrestlers, including Dave Finlay (in the Catch Wrestling Association), Ulf Herman, and Robbie Brookside. Later McDonald would team with rookie stars like Thunder, and Raj Gosh. During a time when both Thunder and Gosh wrestled in Frontier Wrestling Alliance at the same time as McDonald the group banded together under the stable name "The Triad."

During January 2006, Steve Sonic defeated McDonald in a ladder match for All Star Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship. Throughout 2006 McDonald would continue to wrestle in All Star as well as with other British independent promotions. McDonald also runs his own wrestling school along with former wrestler and referee Jeff Kaye in Stanningley, Leeds.

.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

*''Celtic Crusher'' (Sitout three-quarter facelock jawbreaker)

Nicknames

*"The Highlander From Hell"

*"The Highlander"

*"Mad McDonald"

*"Comrade McDonald"

*"The Spoiler" (Wearing a mask)

*"Ben Doon McDonald"

*"The Ultimate Chippendale"

Championships and accomplishments

All Star Promotions

:*ASW British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

European Wrestling Promotion

:*EWP Iron Man Tournament winner (2005)

Frontier Wrestling Alliance

:*FWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ulf Herman

Scottish Championship Wrestling

:*SCW Glasgow Championship (1 time) :*SCW Hardcore Championship (1 time) :*SCW Scotland Games winner :*SCW Scottish Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

The Wrestling Alliance

:*TWA British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References

External links

Official Site

Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:People from Perth, Scotland Category:Scottish professional wrestlers

Name	Martin Ruane
Names	Giant HaystacksLoch NessThe Loch Ness Monster
Height
Weight
Birth date	October 10, 1946
Death date	November 29, 1998
Birth place	Camberwell, London, England
Debut	1967

Martin Ruane (October 10, 1946 - November 29, 1998) was an English professional wrestler of Irish descent. Best known by his ring name, Giant Haystacks, he wrestled in such places as England, the United States, Canada, India, and Zimbabwe. Ruane was known for his massive physical size, standing tall and weighing at his heaviest.

Early life

Martin Ruane was born in London, England to parents originally from County Mayo in Ireland. When he was 3, in 1949, Ruane and his family moved north from London to Salford, which remained his home. He worked as a labourer and as a nightclub bouncer before a friend suggested he take up professional wrestling as a career.

Career

Under the promoter Brian Dixon, Ruane was billed as Giant Haystacks, after the American wrestling star William Calhoun who had wrestled in NWA All-Star Wrestling and the World Wide Wrestling Federation under the name Haystacks Calhoun.

Ruane began wrestling in 1967, establishing himself as a household name during the 1970s and 1980s, while wrestling all over the world. He had a long-running feud with Big Daddy, resulting in high ratings on Britain's ITV any time they battled one another. He also had a long feud with Kendo Nagasaki.

Ruane wrestled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion as The Loch Ness Monster, managed by J.R. Foley from Liverpool, England.

In 1996, Ruane debuted in the United States for World Championship Wrestling, under the ring name Loch Ness. He served as a member of the Dungeon of Doom and feuded with Hulk Hogan. However, the feud was short-lived, ending abruptly when Ruane was diagnosed with cancer and returned to the United Kingdom.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

*Standing or running Elbow drop

*Standing splash

Championships and accomplishments

British Wrestling Federation :*BWF European Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Joint Promotions British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Stampede Wrestling :*Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 time w/Dynamite Kid and Bret Hart)

Life outside wrestling

Ruane was a deeply religious man and refused to wrestle on Sundays.

Ruane appeared in the 1981 movie ''Quest for Fire''' and the 1984 movie ''Give My Regards To Broad Street'', written by Paul McCartney, who was a noted Giant Haystacks fan.

Martin Ruane invested, unsuccessfully, in the motor trade and ran, more successfully, a debt collection agency. He died of cancer on Sunday, November 29, 1998 at the age of 52.

One of his sons, Noel, is the founder of a successful British construction company called 'The Freemont Group' having studied for a degree in Construction Management at the University of Salford.

In popular culture

A play by Brian Mitchell and Joseph Nixon, ''Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks'' premieres at the Brighton Festival Fringe in East Sussex, England between 26-28 May 2011.

References

External links

OWW Profile

British Wrestling

Category:1947 births Category:1998 deaths Category:English professional wrestlers Category:English Christians Category:People from County Mayo Category:People from Camberwell Category:Cancer deaths in England

de:Giant Haystacks nl:Martin Ruane