Whipper Billy Watson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whipper Billy Watson |
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| Birth name | William John Potts |
| Born | June 25, 1915 East York, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | February 4, 1990 (aged 74) Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Billy Potts Billy Watson |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
| Trained by | Phil Lawson |
| Debut | 1940 |
| Retired | 28 November 1971 |
William John Potts (born June 25, 1915 – died February 4, 1990) was a famous Canadian professional wrestler. Most people knew him as "Whipper" Billy Watson. He was a world champion twice, winning important titles like the National Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance championships. Billy Watson was also known for his amazing charity work, helping many children throughout his life.
Contents
Early Life and Wrestling Start
Billy Watson was born in 1915 in East York, Ontario, which is now part of Toronto. His father, John Potts, was from England, and his mother, Alice Mary Wilken, was Canadian. Billy started wrestling in Toronto using his real name, Bill Potts.
Discovering Wrestling
When he was a teenager, Billy sold the Toronto Daily Star newspaper. One Saturday, his brother George convinced him to skip piano lessons. Instead, they went to watch wrestling at a church gym. This event changed Billy's life forever! He loved wrestling so much that he trained more with Phillip Lawson at different clubs.
In 1936, Billy wrestled in Toronto as Bill Potts. He then went on a wrestling tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland. This was a tough tour, and he got injured, breaking his shoulder and ribs. It was during this trip that William Potts became "Billy Watson." He also got his famous nickname, "Whipper," because he often used a move called the "Irish Whip." This move involved throwing an opponent into the ropes and then over his back.
Becoming a Wrestling Star
After four years of wrestling abroad, Billy Watson and his wife came back to Canada. He started wrestling for Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto, which was run by promoter Frank Tunney.
Rising to Fame
Billy Watson first wrestled at Maple Leaf Gardens on October 3, 1940. At first, he didn't get to wrestle in the main events. But soon, things changed! In 1941, he entered a special tournament to find the best wrestler. Billy won four matches in one night to become the top contender!
From then on, Billy Watson became a huge star. He was very popular with the fans and became a well-known person in Toronto. Frank Tunney, the promoter, believed that over five million people came to watch Billy Watson wrestle in Toronto. Billy entertained fans for 31 years, with his last match on November 28, 1971.
Winning Championships
Billy Watson won many wrestling titles during his career. He defeated Nanjo Singh for the British Empire title in 1942. He wrestled against many famous wrestlers like Bill Longson, Lou Thesz, and Gorgeous George. Billy was known for being fair and willing to lose cleanly in the ring. This made him seem like an "everyman" hero to his fans.
Billy also worked with Frank Tunney on the business side of wrestling. Their teamwork helped them both earn a lot of money. Billy even became a member of the National Wrestling Alliance, a big wrestling organization.
One of his biggest wins was on February 21, 1947, when he beat Bill Longson for a world title in St. Louis. Then, on March 15, 1956, Billy Watson ended Lou Thesz's six-year reign as World Champion! Over 15,000 fans watched this exciting match, with former boxing champion Jack Dempsey as the referee. Billy traveled all over North America, wrestling against legends like Bobo Brazil and Killer Kowalski.
Billy Watson also helped train other wrestlers. He trained Farmer Brooks, a midget professional wrestler, and Rocky Johnson. Rocky Johnson later became a multiple-time tag team champion and is the father of famous actor and wrestler The Rock.
Life Outside the Ring
Besides wrestling, Billy Watson was interested in other things. He thought about playing football for the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1950s. He even tried to get into politics, running for a political party in 1965. He came in second place in that election. Billy also had his own brand of soft drink!
Helping Others
Billy Watson was very well known for his charity work. He raised millions of dollars for important causes like the Easter Seals. He helped 150,000 children join a safety club. He often made public appearances across Canada to support children with physical disabilities. He even held an annual Easter Seals skate-a-thon at the Maple Leaf Gardens.
In 1974, he started the "Whipper Watson Snowarama for Timmy." This event raised money to build a special therapeutic pool. Today, the Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids has raised over $16.1 million to help children and young people with physical disabilities. The Whipper Watson Therapeutic Pool is now at Southlake Regional Health Centre, and there's a mural there to honor him.
Billy Watson once said, "They deserve a chance to live life as normally as you or I and we can help them do it. We can tear down some of those needless barriers that the handicapped face everyday." He truly believed in helping others.
Later Life and Legacy
On November 28, 1971, Billy Watson wrestled his last match. Just two days later, on November 30, he was hit by a car in Toronto. He had a three-hour surgery, and his knee eventually recovered, but he could never wrestle again. Even though he was injured, he kept working hard for his charity activities.
In his later years, Billy gained weight, reaching 350 pounds. He passed away on February 4, 1990, in Orlando, Florida. Billy Watson is still remembered in York Region, where he lived. A school in Keswick, Ontario, W.J. Watson Public School, is named in his honor. He was also inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
Championships and Awards
Billy Watson won many championships and received several awards for his wrestling career:
- International Wrestling Association (Montreal)
- IWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Maple Leaf Wrestling
- NWA British Empire Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version) (9 times)
- NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (15 times) - with different partners like Pat Flanagan, Yvon Robert, and Bobo Brazil
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version) (9 times) - with partners like Yukon Eric and Bruno Sammartino
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Association
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time) - with Dan Miller
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2015
- Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
- Class of 1995
- Stampede Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) (1 time)
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
Images for kids
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Whipper Billy Watson in his wrestling prime.
