Chief Jay Strongbow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chief Jay Strongbow |
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Strongbow in August 1972
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| Birth name | Luke Joseph Scarpa |
| Born | October 4, 1928 Nutley, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | April 3, 2012 (aged 83) Griffin, Georgia, U.S. |
| Children | 2, including Mark Young |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Chief Jay Strongbow Joe Scarpa |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Billed weight | 247 lb (112 kg) |
| Billed from | Pawhuska, Oklahoma |
| Trained by | Chief Don Eagle |
| Debut | 1947 |
| Retired | 1987 |
Luke Joseph Scarpa (born October 4, 1928 – died April 3, 2012) was a famous American professional wrestler. He was best known by his ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. He was also a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.
Chief Jay Strongbow played the part of a Native American wrestler. He would wear a special war bonnet to the ring. When fans cheered him, he would pretend to "go on the warpath" against his opponent. Even though he played a Native American, Luke Scarpa was actually Italian-American. He chose this character to stand out in the wrestling world. He achieved great success in the WWWF, where he won the World Tag-Team Championship four times.
Contents
Professional Wrestling Career
Early Days (1947–1970)
Luke Scarpa started his wrestling career in 1947. He used his real name back then. A famous Native American wrestler named Chief Don Eagle trained him. For many years, Luke wrestled in the Georgia and Florida areas of the National Wrestling Alliance. He became a big fan favorite and won many championships. For example, he won the NWA Southern Tag Team titles in 1965. He also became the first NWA National Television Championship winner. By the time he joined the WWWF, he had already won 12 tag-team and 6 singles championships.
Becoming Chief Jay Strongbow (1970–1979)
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In 1970, Luke Scarpa joined Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). This is when he became Chief Jay Strongbow. His new character was a Native American warrior. He wore a traditional headdress and used special Native-themed wrestling moves.
He had exciting matches against wrestlers like Superstar Billy Graham. He even came close to winning the top title, the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. One famous match was against "Iron Mike" McCord. Strongbow used his special sleeper hold. But McCord's manager, Lou Albano, hit Strongbow with a cast. Strongbow later got his revenge. He beat Captain Lou Albano in front of a huge crowd.
In 1975, Strongbow had a big rivalry with Spiros Arion. Arion was a popular wrestler who suddenly turned bad. He attacked Strongbow and even ripped his headdress. This made Arion a villain.
Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972. His partner was Sonny King. They beat Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. They held the title for about a month.
On December 7, 1976, Strongbow won the tag team title again. This time his partner was Billy White Wolf. They won a tournament to become champions. Their time as champions ended when White Wolf got hurt. In 1978, Strongbow even had a disagreement with his tag team partner, 'High Chief' Peter Maivia.
In 1979, Strongbow had a big fight with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Valentine broke Strongbow's leg in the storyline. They had many matches, including an "Indian Strap match."
Other Promotions (1976-1981)
Chief Jay Strongbow also wrestled for other companies. He had a memorable match in Detroit against "Bulldog" Don Kent. They fought inside a small "shark cage." Strongbow won by being the first to escape the cage.
After nine years in the WWF, Strongbow wrestled in Georgia and Mid-Atlantic. He won the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship in Puerto Rico in 1980.
Return to WWF (1982–1986)
In 1982, Strongbow formed a tag team with his on-screen brother, Jules Strongbow. They were known as The Strongbows. On June 28, they won the tag team championship from Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito. They won the titles again later that year. The Strongbows lost their titles to The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) in 1983. After that, the team broke up.
Retirement and Hall of Fame (1986–2011)
Chief Jay Strongbow retired from full-time wrestling in 1986. But he still made special appearances. He worked behind the scenes for the WWF as a "road agent." This meant he helped organize matches and events.
In 1994, Strongbow helped a new wrestler named Tatanka. Tatanka was a real Native American wrestler. Strongbow was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994. His last appearance in WWE was in 2008. He was introduced to the audience in Atlanta.
Personal Life
Luke Scarpa's son, Joe Jr., also became a wrestler. He wrestled in the 1980s and 1990s. Joe Jr. passed away in 2016. Luke also had a daughter named Connie. After retiring, he lived on a farm in Georgia.
Death
Luke Scarpa had a fall at his home in late 2011. He was taken to the hospital. He passed away in the hospital on April 3, 2012, at 83 years old. He was buried in Griffin, Georgia.
Championships and Accomplishments
- World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation
- WWWF / WWF Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Sonny King (1), Billy White Wolf (1), and Jules Strongbow (2)
- WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1994)
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Chief Little Eagle
- NWA National Television Championship (1 time)
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1973)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1979)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2009
- World Wrestling Council
- WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
See also
In Spanish: Joe Scarpa para niños
