Billy Two Rivers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Billy Two Rivers |
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Billy Two Rivers, circa 1972
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| Born | May 5, 1935 Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | February 12, 2023 (aged 87) Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Billy Two Rivers |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Billed weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) |
| Trained by | Don Eagle |
| Debut | February 1953 |
| Retired | 1977 |
Billy Two Rivers (whose Mohawk name was Kaientaronkwen) was a famous Canadian Mohawk professional wrestler. He was born on May 5, 1935, and passed away on February 12, 2023.
Billy Two Rivers started his wrestling career in 1953. He wrestled all over the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada. He retired from wrestling in 1977.
After his wrestling days, he became an important leader for the Mohawk nation in Kahnawake. He was also known for his role in the 1990 Oka Crisis, where he helped lead a protest. Besides wrestling and leadership, Billy Two Rivers also appeared in several movies!
Contents
Early Life and Roots
Billy Two Rivers was born in Kahnawake, Quebec, on May 5, 1935. He grew up speaking the Mohawk language at home. He learned English when he went to school.
Wrestling Career Highlights
Billy Two Rivers was trained by Don Eagle, who was also from Kahnawake and a former wrestling champion. Don Eagle took 16-year-old Billy to Columbus, Ohio, to train. Billy trained for two years and gained a lot of strength.
He made his first professional wrestling appearance in February 1953 in Detroit. For several years, he wrestled across the United States. He even teamed up with his trainer, Don Eagle, from 1956 to 1959.
Winning Championships
Billy Two Rivers won his first championship with his tag team partner, George Becker. On April 6, 1959, they won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship. They held this title for three months.
After losing the championship, Billy Two Rivers decided to try wrestling overseas. He flipped a coin to choose between Calgary, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The coin chose the UK, and he moved there in October 1959.
Wrestling in the UK and Beyond
In England and Scotland, Billy Two Rivers became very popular. People loved his unique style, which celebrated his First Nations heritage. He often wore a feathered headdress and had a Mohawk hairstyle. He would even perform a special "war dance" before some of his matches! He was seen as an exciting "attraction" in the wrestling world.
He returned to the United States in 1965 and later wrestled in Japan. In the 1970s, he wrestled in Canada, often teaming with Johnny War Eagle. He also returned to the UK and wrestled in Germany.
Billy Two Rivers retired in 1977. He was happy to end his career feeling healthy. He was later inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Life After Wrestling: Politics and Acting
After his wrestling career, Billy Two Rivers became a respected leader in his community. He served as an elder, chief, and councillor for the Kahnawake reservation.
The Oka Crisis
In 1990, Billy Two Rivers played a big part in the Oka Crisis. This was a major event where the Mohawk people protested against a golf course expansion. The golf course wanted to build on land that the Mohawk people considered sacred. This land included a traditional burial ground and a special grove of pine trees. Billy Two Rivers helped lead the Mohawk nation during this important dispute.
Appearing in Films
Billy Two Rivers also had a career in acting! He appeared in several movies, including Pocahontas: The Legend, Black Robe, and Taking Lives. He was also in a 1973 documentary called The Wrestling Queen.
Personal Life
Billy Two Rivers was the father of British fashion designer Wayne Hemingway. He passed away in Kahnawake, Quebec, on February 12, 2023, at the age of 87.
Billy Two Rivers in Pop Culture
Billy Two Rivers' name became famous in many ways. A British racing horse was named after him. The British band The Dogs D'Amour even wrote a song about him in 1988!
A famous poem by Pulitzer Prize-winner Paul Muldoon, called "My Father and I and Billy Two Rivers," also features him. The poem talks about watching him wrestle.
In 2017, Billy Two Rivers sued singer Van Morrison and his music label. This was because a photo of him was used on the cover of Van Morrison's album, Roll with the Punches, without his permission. They later agreed to settle the issue outside of court.
Championships and Accomplishments
- Grand Prix Wrestling
- GPW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Lutte Internationale
- Canadian International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)
Images for kids
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Billy Two Rivers, circa 1972
