Why big daddy was deemed as a nice man, absolutely baffles me. Big Daddy was often arrogant and rude off stage. I know that as I were a ring builder, and seen his behaviour towards people he never even knew- who only wanted to meet him and shake his hand, before the wrestling was opened to the public. Unbelievably one of the nicest of all Wrestlers was Martin Ruane (Giant Haystacks) A proper God fearing true Gentleman out of the ring. A VERY likeable man.
MATE I CAN SEE IT IN HIS EYES AND WAS LOOKING TO SEE IF ANYONE NOTICES HIS DISCOMFORT ON MEETING SOME OF THE GUESTS BROUGHT IN , LIKE ITS SOME IN JOKE THAT TIYL WAS ACTUALLY BRINGING VICTIMS IN TO HUMILIATE
@@vaseofflowers4619Sadly he was!! When he wrestled at Southampton Pier or our Guildhall he was often seen pushing children to one side and even swearing at them to leave him alone....My late Mother saw this happen many a time and she said Giant Haystacks was a gentleman that lifted children up,let them take photos with him etc...BD acted nice for the cameras most of the time. So clearly not a very nice man
I did look up Brian Crabtree some years ago, and did wonder whether he was still alive, have just looked him up again, and he’s alive, aged 86, well done Brian!.
I use to watch every Saturday afternoon with my Dad & woman sitting on the side of the ring. Waiting to bash any man who fell out of the ring with their hand bags. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@patricaoreilly2143 I was about 9 or 10 when my mum introduced me to Kent Walton etc. There was Mighty John Quinn, Rollerball Mark Rocco, Mick MacManus and Jim Brakes plus of course Kendo Nagasaki unmasking !!!!
It cannot be underestimated how big this all was in 70's My father took me a couple of times to Kings Hall,Belle Vue Manchester, and the only memory was Big Pat Roach,The myth around Kendo Nagasaki was huge, the fact that all those names were there is huge respect....as it happens the big man lived not far away from me,use to drive a Granada with his seat in the back...Giant Haystacks of course.
I never missed a Saturday watching the wrestling. I remember Big daddy tag teamed with a new wrestler called Davey Boy Smith who then became known as the British Bulldog in America.
Physically and well as metaphorically. Big Daddy may have been crap in the ring and the total opposite to Dynamite Kid, Mark ‘Rollerball’ Rocco and Marty Jones who were 3 of the best wrestlers ever in the ring but they never got over with the crowd like Big Daddy
Big Daddy may have been crap in the ring and the total opposite to Dynamite Kid, Mark ‘Rollerball’ Rocco and Marty Jones who were 3 of the best wrestlers ever in the ring but they never got over with the crowd like Big Daddy. I heard William Regal talking to Stone Cold Steve Austin about Big Daddy and William Regal said “you will never understand just how much of a national treasure Big Daddy was”
my gran who was a very strict christian woman, loved Big Daddy and the way she used to get upset at those baddies he fought...like Giant Haystacks...she would use expletives like a bissum...and that was saying something for her lol...he was brilliant..he inspired a lot of positivity in people no matter what age you were..a golden age for sure...
Used to love all this. Haystacks was also a gentle giant outside the ring . Daddy was at lot larger than this (as was Haystacks) when Wrestling ended here in the early - mid 80s. Haystacks was only 33 here! I guess most of these people have passed away now.
Wow....When I worked as a Porter in Royal Crescent Hotel, Brighton way back in late 70's I served BD, his wife and daughter every night when they returned after a show. She had a pot of tea and he always had an ice cold bottle of milk. Lovely polite family. I also remember him going to the beach for a swim every early morning
He comes across as a really nice humble bloke who just cared about entertaining the crowds. Shame he is not in the hall of fame because if there is one name to pick as a British wrestler everyone remembers him. He sold out venues.
... Yeah, and cried a little, wishing the world, that warm, comfortable, unspoilt memories of being a child watching the wrestling every Saturday afternoon with my parents, and enjoying every second of it, would never end...
This guy toured the country going to tiny towns appearing in school gyms and town halls..dedicated they were. Everyone got to see them live on a Saturday afternoon from their home or TV.
"I noticed that Giant Haystacks never smiled once on the show, didn't know if that was real or an act but British Wrestling was more believable than over here in the U.S. ,very good
I think hes maintaining kayfabe - if you look at the start hes applauding harder than any other. Both understood the business better I guess than Eamonn
@@nebularain3338 yeah true didn't Bret Hart British bulldog and dynamite kid wrestle with these guys. Also William regal Bunch of actors non of them are wrestlers
Shirley Crabtree aka Big Daddy was my first hero in life, the ultimate good guy and the only man in the country that barred Paul Sykes from a nightclub.
I remember as a kid picking up a copy of a tatty rag called TVTimes. There was a double page spread with a picture of what Big Dady eats in a day. Incredible. Two whole chickens. Four large baked potatos. Rice pasta meat veg more veg more meat and more pints. And repeat several times a day lol. A sporting legend the likes of which Americans can only dream of emulating lol. Love to you all.
Thanks for posting this. This was beautiful nostalgia. I love how grateful and happy Big Daddy was to be 'caught'. World of Sport wrestling was always fun, even believable...unlike the rubbish from the USA
I took young relatives to see Big Daddy at Local Town Hall he was superb he played to the audience and little kids what fun they had good clean fun. Seems another World !!!!
I miss this time as well I grew up in the 80s: just seemed more innocent and fun. Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks are legends. Wrestling on ITV on Saturdays was always a good bit of entertainment
I remember has a child watching the likes of Big Daddy and Giant Haystack years ago. Can't remember when , it was either late 1970"s or early 1980"s. And him them days it was all about wrestling and boxing and we loved it It's not like that now.
Mr crabtree seemed a nice man.i saw him wrestle at a show in weardale county durham in about 1972 , there was another wrestler there too called masambula.
they say haystacks was really a very nice man church on sunday. nothing like the guy in the ring. big daddy the man who hated kids but put up with them
I Smiled all the way through that. Looked like he genuinely enjoyed every minute of that unlike some of the celebs they used to have on the show. . Heard he could be a bit of a diva behind the scenes though.
I remember I was a young kid on an exchange. In St. Albans' town hall there were wrestling matches, among them were Big Daddy and "Mr. TV"Jack Pallo. I wanted to see them, but the lady I was staying with, opted for a Charlie Chaplin film instead. I never forgave her 😒
HEY BBC , On behalf of a very large part of uk tv audience...... Come on do the decent thing.... listen to your viewers..... BRING back "This is your life"
I remember when he lived near me and knew his stepson Paul. A really nice bloke. He used to drive a mini. And everytime he got out it would raise on the suspension nearly a foot
