Shirley Crabtree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shirley Crabtree |
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Big Daddy, c. 1983
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| Birth name | Shirley Crabtree Jr. |
| Born | 14 November 1930 Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 2 December 1997 (aged 67) Halifax, West Yorkshire, England |
| Website | shirleycrabtree.co.uk |
| Professional wrestling career | |
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| Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Billed weight | 26 st 9 lb (170 kg; 375 lb) |
| Trained by |
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| Debut | 1946 |
| Retired | December 29, 1993 |
Shirley Crabtree Jr. (born November 14, 1930 – died December 2, 1997), was a famous English professional wrestler. He was much better known by his ring name, Big Daddy. He worked for wrestling companies like Joint Promotions and the British Wrestling Federation.
Big Daddy first appeared on TV as a "heel," which means a wrestling villain. He often teamed up with another wrestler called Giant Haystacks. Later, he became a "face," or a hero, and was loved by fans. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, he was one of the biggest stars in British wrestling.
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Early Life and His Unique Name
Shirley Crabtree Jr. was the first child of his family. He was born weighing about twelve pounds. He was named Shirley, just like his father. His father was a professional rugby league player for Halifax R.L.F.C.. He even helped his team win the Challenge Cup in 1931.
The name Shirley was traditionally a boy's name. However, it became popular for girls after a famous book called Shirley was written. In the 1930s, a child movie star named Shirley Temple also made the name popular for girls. Because of this, young Shirley Crabtree was often teased and bullied at school.
His father left the family when Shirley was seven years old. The bullying he faced helped him become tougher. He later said that he learned to fight back twice as hard against those who picked on him.
Big Daddy's Wrestling Journey
Starting His Wrestling Career
Shirley Crabtree Jr. decided to follow his father's path in sports. He became a professional wrestler in 1952. He first became well-known in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Back then, he was known as "Blond Adonis Shirley Crabtree." He was a "blue-eye," meaning a good guy that fans cheered for.
He won the European Heavyweight Championship and a British Heavyweight title. In 1966, he stopped wrestling for about six years. This was after some difficult times at wrestling shows. During the 1960s, Crabtree also owned a nightclub in Bradford.
The Famous Comeback
In 1972, Crabtree returned to wrestling. This time, he was a villain. His new character was called the Battling Guardsman. This was based on his time serving in the British Army's Coldstream Guards. It was during this period that he first appeared on the TV show World of Sport.
Soon after, Shirley's brother, Max, started working for Joint Promotions. Max helped turn Shirley into the "Big Daddy" character everyone remembers. The character was inspired by an actor named Burl Ives in a movie. Big Daddy first appeared in late 1974, still as a villain. His wrestling outfits had a big "D" on them. His wife, Eunice, even made them from their own sofa!
Big Daddy became very popular in 1975. He formed a tag team with Giant Haystacks. They were known for defeating their opponents. However, fans started cheering for Big Daddy, even though he was a villain. This happened especially when he fought against the masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki. Big Daddy even pulled off Nagasaki's mask during a TV match in 1975.
By mid-1977, Big Daddy had fully become a hero. His tag team with Haystacks broke up, and they started a long rivalry. This feud lasted until the early 1990s. Big Daddy became a huge favorite, especially with children. He would come to the ring wearing a sparkly cape or a Union Flag jacket and top hat.
Besides Haystacks, Big Daddy also had big matches against Canadian wrestler "Mighty" John Quinn. He wrestled in major events at Wembley Arena. In the 1980s, he also had feuds with wrestlers like Dave "Fit" Finlay and Drew McDonald.
A Sad Event and Retirement
In August 1987, during a tag team match, Big Daddy wrestled against King Kong Kirk. After Big Daddy performed his finishing move, Kirk became unwell. He was rushed to the hospital but sadly passed away. An investigation found that Kirk had a serious heart condition. Shirley Crabtree was cleared of any blame, but he was very upset by what happened.
Big Daddy continued to wrestle regularly into the early 1990s. He finally retired from wrestling in 1993. He spent the rest of his life in his hometown of Halifax. During his career, even important people like Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Elizabeth II said they were fans of Big Daddy.
Big Daddy's Life Outside the Ring
Shirley Crabtree was also a professional rugby league player. He played for teams like Bradford Northern and Halifax. He also worked as a coal miner and served in the British Army with the Coldstream Guards.
Wrestling was a family affair for the Crabtrees. His brother Brian Crabtree was a wrestling referee. Another younger brother, Max, helped plan wrestling matches and later owned Joint Promotions. Shirley's nephews, Steve and Spencer Crabtree, also became wrestlers. They often teamed up with their uncle. Another nephew, Eorl Crabtree, became a professional rugby league player for England.
Shirley Crabtree passed away from a stroke on December 2, 1997, in Halifax. He was 67 years old. He was survived by his second wife, Eunice, and his six children.
Big Daddy in Other Media
Big Daddy had his own comic strip in the Buster comic book in the early 1980s. In 1982, a TV show called Big Daddy's Saturday Show was planned. It was meant to replace a popular children's show. However, Big Daddy decided not to do the show at the last minute.
A stage play about Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks, called Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks, started in 2011. It later toured around Great Britain. In late 2021, a special action figure of Big Daddy was released by Chella toys.
Video Game Appearances
| Year | Title | Notes |
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| 2002 | Legends of Wrestling II | This was his first video game appearance. He was only in the European version of the game. |
Championships and Accomplishments
- British Wrestling Federation
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- British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- European Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
Images for kids
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Big Daddy in the 1980s.
See also
In Spanish: Shirley Crabtree para niños
