Pittsburgh/Buffalo/Cleveland #2 Page #2
Chief White Owl was a popular Indian wrestler who enjoyed success in the mid 1960's in Pittsburgh. He would move to the Cleveland territory and stay there until the NWF folded in 1974. He would make the occasional venture into Pittsburgh in the early 1970's. White Owl had some good matches in Pittsburgh with Johnny Powers during his heel run. One of first wrestlers to use the Indian War dance, as a comeback move.
Billy Red Lyons had great success in Buffalo and later the end of the Pittsburgh Territory. Red Lyons feuded with Stan Stasiak for the North American Title and had Stasiak beaten in the sleeper hold on a TV match as time expired. Billy had success in tag action with Dewey Robertson (mainly in Toronto), but would venture into Buffalo on a regular basis. In the pre NWF era Billy Red Lyons was one of the top baby faces and even had his hand in the booking in the early and mid 1960's.
I will not go on about all the babies from these areas, but Ernie Ladd enjoyed success as a baby as well as a heel in the NWF, as did Johnny Valentine, Dr. Bill Miller was the same in Pittsburgh, sometimes a baby sometimes a heel. These mentioned were among the most recognized in this era. I also feel I need to mention Luis Martinez, who wrestled in both areas but was far more popular in the NWF than in his Pittsburgh run. Let's not forget Jacques & Ray Rougeau, Frank Holtz, Bobby Hurricane Hunt, Victor Rivera, Pete Sanchez & Manuel Soto, Bobo Brazil, Tex McKenzie and Fred Curry. Many of the Cleveland wrestlers would come from the Detroit promotion.
NEXT MONTH:
I will take a look at the heels from both promotions.