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| ==Championships and accomplishments== | ==Championships and accomplishments== | ||
| *''']''' | |||
| ===World title=== | |||
| :*] (1 time) | |||
| #]: Won from ] on ] ] in ]; Lost to ] on ] ] in ] | |||
| *''']''' | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| *'''World''' | |||
| #Won from Nanjo Singh on ] ] in ]; Lost to John Katan on ] ] in ] | |||
| :*] (]) | |||
| #Defeated Nanjo Singh on ] ] in ] after Katan no-showed his title defense; Lost to Yvon Robert on ] ] in ] | |||
| *'''National''' | |||
| #Defeated Yvon Robert on ] ] in ]; Lost to Nanjo Singh on ] ] in ] | |||
| :*NWA International Tag Team Championship ''(Toronto version)'' (9 times) - with Yukon Eric (1), Bill Soloweyko (1), Billy Red Lyons (1), ] (1), ] (2), Bulldog Brower (2), and ] (1) | |||
| #Defeated Nanjo Singh on ] ] in ]; Lost to Fred Atkins on ] ] in ] | |||
| :*NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (12 times) - with Pat Flanagan (1), Yvon Robert (1), Hombre Montana (1), Tex McKenzie (2), ] (1), ] (1), Yukon Eric, (2), ] (1), Bernard Vigal, (1), and Ilio Dipaolo (1) | |||
| #Defeated Fred Atkins on ] ] in ], Canada; Lost to Yvon Robert on ] ] in ], ], Canada | |||
| *'''Regional''' | |||
| #Won from Yvon Robert on ] ] in ]; Lost to Yvon Robert on ] ] in Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |||
| ⚫ | :*NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship ''(Toronto version)'' (9 times) | ||
| #Won from Yvon Robert on ] ] in ]; Title vacated on ] ] when Watson wins the ] | |||
| #Won from ] on ] ] in ]; Lost to ] on ] ] in ] | |||
| #Won from ] on ] ] in ]; Final champion, title abandoned in 1967 | |||
| ===Canadian Open tag team title=== | |||
| #With Pat Flanagan, defeated Lord Athol Layton and Hans Hermann in a tournament final on ] ] in ] (first champions); Lost to Lou Plummer and Dick Raines on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Yvon Robert, won from Al and Tiny Mills on ] ] in ]; Lost to Al and Tiny Mills on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Hombre Montana, won from Al and Tiny Mills on ] ] in ]; Lost to Al and Tiny Mills on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Tex McKenzie, won from Al and Tiny Mills on ] ] in ]; Lost to Great Togo and ] on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Antonino Rocca, won from Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff on ] ] in ]; Vacated title in November 1955 | |||
| #With Tex McKenzie, defeated Fritz Von Erich and Karl Von Schober for the vacant title on ] ] in ]; Lost to Fritz Von Erich and Karl Von Schober on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With ], won from Ed and Bill Miller on ] ] in ]; Lost to ]]] and Fritz Von Erich on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Yukon Eric, won from ] and Fritz Von Erich on ] ] in ]; Lost to ] and Stan Lisowski on ] ] | |||
| #With ], won from Reggie and Stan Lisowski on ] ] in ]; Lost to Ivan and Nikita Kalmikoff on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Bernard Vignal, won from Reggie and Stan Lisowski on ] ] in ]; Lost to Ivan and Nikita Kalmikoff on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Yukon Eric, won from Ivan and Nikita Kalmikoff on ] ]; Lost to ] and ] on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Ilio DiPaolo, won from ] and ] on ] ] in ]; Lost to Tiny Mills and Stan Kowalski on ] ] in ] | |||
| ===International tag team title (Toronto version)=== | |||
| #With Yukon Eric, won from Chris and ] on ] ] in ]; Lost to Chris and John Tolos on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Bill Soloweyko, won from Chris and John Tolos on ] ] in ]; Lost to Chris and John Tolos on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Billy Red Lyons, won from Chris and John Tolos on ] ] in ]; Lost to Bulldog Brower and Sweet Daddy Siki on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With ], won from Bulldog Brower and Sweet Daddy Siki on ] ] in ]; Lost to ] and Bulldog Brower on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With ], won from Professor Hiro and Fred Atkins on ] ] in ]; Lost to Professor Hiro and Fred Atkins on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With ], won from Professor Hiro and Fred Atkins on ] ] in ]; Lost to Masked Yankees on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Bulldog Brower, won from The Masked Yankees on ] ] in ]; Lost to ] and Fred Atkins on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With Bulldog Brower, billed as champions in December ] after the titles had been inactive; Lost to ] and Bull Curry on ] ] in ] | |||
| #With ], won from ] and Bull Curry on ] ] in ]; title abandoned soon after | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 20:32, 7 March 2007
Whipper Billy Watson (July 25, 1915 – February 4, 1990), born William Potts, was a Canadian professional wrestler and two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.
Career
Born in East York, Ontario (now part of Toronto), Watson began wrestling in Toronto under his real name. He was a member of the Scarborough Athletic Club in the mid-1930s and was wrestling on what were billed as amateur wrestling shows in Toronto.
In June 1936, Watson was one of four Toronto wrestlers to go to England with their manager, Harry Joyce. While working there, Potts was renamed Whipper Billy Watson. After four years, Watson and his wife returned to Canada, and he began wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto under 27-year-old promoter Frank Tunney. Watson made his Gardens debut in the opening match of the October 3, 1940 card and worked his way to his first Gardens main event about four months later. He soon became a crowd favorite, and within a few years, was a mainstream celebrity and one of Toronto's most popular citizens. Watson held the British Empire title throughout the 1940s and 1950s; in 1947 he was National Wrestling Association world champion and in 1956, he became National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion.
Watson was known for his charity work. He made many public appearances across Canada in support of crippled children, and held an annual Easter Seals skate-a-thon at the Gardens. For a number of years, he was director of the Ontario Society for Crippled Children.
Watson retired from wrestling in 1971, when he was struck by a car and nearly lost a leg, but he continued his fundraising activities into his retirement. He died on February 4, 1990 at his winter home in Florida after suffering a heart attack.
Profile
- From: East York, Ontario, Canada
- Born: July 25, 1915
- Died: February 4, 1990
- Debut: 1936 vs. Tony Bear
- Trained by: Phil Lawson
- Finishing/Signature moves: Sleeper Hold; The Irish Whip
- Other names: Billy Potts
Championships and accomplishments
- World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version) (9 times) - with Yukon Eric (1), Bill Soloweyko (1), Billy Red Lyons (1), Bruno Sammartino (1), Johnny Valentine (2), Bulldog Brower (2), and Mark Lewin (1)
- NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (12 times) - with Pat Flanagan (1), Yvon Robert (1), Hombre Montana (1), Tex McKenzie (2), Antonio Rocca (1), Pat O'Connor (1), Yukon Eric, (2), Bobo Brazil (1), Bernard Vigal, (1), and Ilio Dipaolo (1)
- Regional
- NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version) (9 times)