He died in that hospital on April 3, 2012, at the age of 83. That match type was used quite often to settle scores in the 1970s and 1980s, and it involved two wrestlers being tied together by a strap, with the main goal of the match being to drag your opponent around the ring in order to touch all four corners. CopyrightNutley
Strongbow would win more championships in the future, but a challenge for that title is his biggest claim to mainstream fame outside of his WWE Tag Team Championship wins.
Their reign was cut short in August 1977 when the belts were vacated due to White Wolf suffering a neck injury at the hands of Ken Patera's Swinging Full Nelson. The Yukon Lumberjacks", "High Chief Peter Maivia and Chief Jay Strongbow", "Raw: Lumberjacks bring predictable chaos", "NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)", "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chief_Jay_Strongbow&oldid=1129368666, This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 23:54. The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just werent the same. Eventually, Greg Valentine would be brought back, but he was moved down the card, even though he still had entertaining feuds with Don Muraco and Ron Garvin. Check-in
persona of Jules Strongbow. He was inducted into
Just as Don Fargo had been his mentor early in his career, Valentine was teamed with Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake as a top heel team in the company, defeating the U.S. Express of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo for the WWF world tag team titles in August of 1985 and holding those belts until losing them to the British Bulldogs at WrestleMania II in April of 1986.
Valentine wanted to wrestle. "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. The first thing that should be known to just about everyone is that Strongbow wasn't actually Native American. Jay retired in 1985, but took a job in the WWWFs front office. [9] During the match, special guest referee Ivan Putski counted the winning fall, but did not see Fuji's foot draped over the bottom rope. hometown of Nutley and who later went on to win his first title on April
It was in the WWF that Greg Valentine rose to his greatest fame, defeating Tito Santana for the Intercontinental title in September of 1984, kayfabe injuring Santanas leg with the figure-four. People were able to believe in what I was doing.". In 1970, he signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF),
That may lead many people to not know that Strongbow was a bonafide legend of NWA. WWE Hall of Famer Greg Valentine called it in the ring for almost the entirety of his career. Chief Jay Strongbow's success landed him in the WWE hall of fame, something most people would agree is deserved. Born October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Millions Sob As Volkoff Attacks Bruno. His first WWWF Tag Team title came on May 22, 1972 when he teamed with Sonny King to defeat Baron Mikel Scicluna & Curtis Iaukea at New Yorks Madison Square Garden. Chief Jay Strongbow ( July 9, 1970 - November 16, 1987) Joe Scarpa ( September 17, 1957 - June 23, 1970) Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) Weight 247 lbs (112 kg) Born October 4, 1928 Died April 3, 2012 (aged 83) Birth Place Nutley, New Jersey Billed From Pawhuska, Oklahoma Career History Roles Producer ( October 21, 1986 - December 31, 1994) ), Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. .more .more 3 Dislike Share Save. Bad Fads Museum Scarpa's wrestling career began in 1947, under his real name. On April 3, 2012, he died in his home in Griffin . The most notable being the WW(W)F World Tag Team championship, which he won on 4 separate occasions. Dead wrestler database Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. If a wrestler could get past Strongbow, a title opportunity often followed. However, there was , Weve profiled 40 wrestlers who sadly, didnt make it to see age 40, including many enhancement talent names of the , Heart Attack / Heart Failure / Heart Disease, Comprehensive Deceased Wrestlers List (text-only), Comprehensive Deceased Managers List (text-only), 8 Things You May Not Have Known About Rick Rude. When he returned to the Mid-Atlantic territory, his work against Wahoo and later in the WWWF had "made" Greg Valentine as a main event-level heel. Clearly WWE was willing to give back to its talent as Strongbow wound up working as an agent for WWE for a while. Strongbow also competed for The Sheik's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit.
Arion, a popular and seemingly unbeatable babyface, returned to the WWWF after an absence and teamed with Strongbow. His Tomahawk Chop was a weapon to be feared, and led to many victories of the course of his 20 years in the ring. "Winning titles was never the primary goal for Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the ring. "He knew what to do and when to do it, and he was incredibly tough, so I learned just by being around him the Dungeon was different. Joe Jr. died in 2016 at the age of 48. Contact - Nutley Historical Society. That really was on the cover of The Wrestler magazine after Volkoff did exactly that in the Summer of 1979.
Chief Jay Strongbow was born on October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, United States (92 years old). Society, Web site
Wrestling mania seized Nutley. In 1982, Strongbow formed a tag team with his on-screen brother, Jules Strongbow. For those of you who only saw the Valentine feud, it's pretty hard to imagine "Strongbow" hitting flying head and body sciissors, monkey flips, missle and flying dropkicks and somersaults off the turnbuckle. 973-667-1528, Official
Scarpa was a standout in the Georgia and Florida territories of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 1950s and 1960s, winning several championships and becoming a fan favorite. Despite that and despite the general stereotypes involved with his gimmick, it could be said that Strongbow did bring a more positive perception on Native American culture than most people likely had at that time. Lou Albanos rule breaking team quickly regained the title, though, on July 13, 1982. Strongbow enjoyed a successful career and even after his retirement, remained connected to professional wrestling. In 1985, Chief Jay Strongbows career was still going well, but Luke Scarpas health was on the decline. Back then, many pro wrestlers adopted ethnic personas. [3] On June 28, the Strongbows won the tag team championship from the team of Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in New York City's Madison Square Garden. http://media.blubrry.com/sticktowrestling/mcadampod.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/McAdam062.mp3, Episode 238: 1982 Portland Wrestling Review. "Back when I started (with WWE), they were paying us in cash," he said. Apparently, the former professional wrestler fell sometime at the end of 2011 and had to be hospitalized. Luke Joseph Scarpa[2] (October 4, 1928 April 3, 2012) was an American professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. . Late in his career, he took on a tag team partner who had adopted the
Greg Valentine is one of several veteran superstars who appears in the 350 Days documentary, which details what it was really like to live life on the road as a professional wrestler in the 1980s. With an assist from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow was able to escape the shark cage victorious. did a Nutley guy named Luke Scarpa come to wrestle professionally as
His success landed him in the WWE hall of fame, something that most people would agree is deserved even if they dont have the taste for his gimmick. After wrestling in the WWF for 9 years, Strongbow went to work for Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. He feuded with the likes of "The Golden Greek" Spiros Arion, "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, and "Superstar" Billy Graham, nearly winning the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. Standing 6`0 and weighing 245 lbs., Strongbow was a formidable challenge for anyone who faced him in the ring and he often served as a roadblock for future opponents of WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino. He was 83 years old at the time.
Strongbow was the man when it came to Indian Strap matches, however, and when you consider how prominent strap matches once were, he deserves plenty of recognition. Chief Jay Strongbow: Bio When Chief Jay Strongbow went on the warpath, no one was safe; not his opponent, not the referee, nor anyone else unfortunate enough to get in his way. Society,
As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. brought lots of memorabilia; Reprinted from Nutley Neighbors, May 2017; Best Version Media
Street, Nutley N.J. 07110973-667-1528
The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Then, on December 7, 1976 Strongbow regained the tag team championship, this time with partner Billy White Wolf, defeating Nicolai Volkoff & Tor Kamata in the finals of a tournament for the vacant WWWF Tag Team title. On June 28, 1982, Strongbow again brought home the WWF tag team gold, teaming with his nephew Jules Strongbow to defeat the Japanese tandem of Mr. Saito & Mr. Fuji. By 1970, Scarpa was working for Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation and was now known as Chief Jay Strongbow. Chief Jay Strongbow was inducted into the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame. Ask him about the 1980s WWE wrestling scene, and Valentine will tell you that life on the road was difficult, but the money often made up for it. It was alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the locker room, breaking his arm. Later on, of course, they started paying by check, and that was kind ofI dont know. "[Wahoo] was rough," Valentine said.
Next: 10 Things We Miss About Classic NWA Wrestling. Although winning titles was never the primary goal for Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the ring, a wrestler as popular as Jay Strongbow couldnt help but pick up a fair share of championship gold. He was also admitted to the New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011, but it seems he was not well enough to attend that event. more:
And despite working heel for almost the entirety of his career, Valentine has a smile and friendly word for everyone. After seeking revenge on Patera for the loss of his partner, Strongbow then went on to face the WWWF World Heavyweight champion "Superstar" Billy Graham in a top-drawing feud. actor. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. In 1982, they won the WWWF tag team
He had a memorable feud with "Bulldog" Don Kent, which culminated in a "shark cage match"[2] in 1976. Strongbow was an accomplished grappler, as his career . Valentine agreed to a deal, and less than a month after Starrcade, Valentine dropped the U.S. title to Dick Slater and left for New York. In Detroit he feuded with Don Kent once again. Give us sixty minutes and well give you a wicked good podcast. At 6`2 and weighing 260, Strongbow was a formidable opponent for anyone who faced him in the ring.
Chief Jay Strongbow worked as a road agent in the WWF during the 1990s. passed away in Georgia on April 3, 2012. Strongbow retired in 1985, but would still step back into the ring from time to time, most notably for a legends battle royal in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1987. Net Worth: Undisclosed. The most notable is Hulk Hogan, as he would end most of his matches by "hulking up" as he would no-sell his opponent's punches and ultimately end the match with a big boot and a leg drop. Wahoo McDaniel for example, was of both Choctaw and Chickasaw descent, and was the first famed man to use the Native American gimmick long before Strongbow came around. [9] Strongbow and King held the title for a month before losing it to the team of Mr. Fuji and Professor Toru Tanaka on June 27. "Of course, my wife says Im too nice.". Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network. He was a standout in the Georgia and Florida territories of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 1950s and 1960s, winning several championships and becoming a fan favorite. Still one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWF, in the eyes of the fans, Strongbow was now the "elder statesman" for WWF wrestlers, having been with the promotion for so long. Sal Scarpa, brother of Joe AKA Chief Jay Strongbow, who
It was impossible not to, as the feathered war bonnet that he donned to play the role of Chief Jay Strongbow was easy to spot. He wore the Gulf Coast Heavyweight title in 1960, the NWA World Tag Team championship (Mid-America version) with Lester Welch twice in 1961 and the Southern Tag title (with Lee Fields) in 1963. On June 28, the Strongbows won the tag team championship from the team of Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in New York City's Madison Square Garden. He didnt care for a lot of the ga-ga that the WWE was putting on TV at the time.
Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! brought lots of memorabilia;
Millions Sob As Volkoff Attacks Bruno. With a growing reputation as a tough, hard-nosed wrestler, Greg Valentine went into Jim Crocket Promotions in North Carolina and was teamed with another promising young heel: Ric Flair. The Greg Valentine vs Chief Jay Strongbow feud, which started with Strongbow writhing in agony with a broken leg at ringside while the matches went on as scheduled with the heels taunting him. Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. [5] During his time in Georgia he was also the Inaugural NWA National Television Championship when he won an 8-man tournament by beating Assassin #2 in the finals.
The two wrestled all over the WWF circuit, including an "Indian Strap match" at Madison Square Garden on July 30, 1979. He feuded with the likes of "The Golden Greek" Spiros Arion, "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, and "Superstar" Billy Graham, nearly winning the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. His Tomahawk Chop was a weapon to be feared and led to many victories, as did his Sleeper hold and several variations of the suplex. now. While today's comeback sequences aren't as pronounced as Strongbow's, John Cena and many other top stars employ a signature move sequence that they use every match. He eventually challenged WWWF champion Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden, going to a one-hour draw. The Nutley
You havent heard of him, you say?
the National Wrestling Alliance and launched his career under his own
Im going to lead the match, and I just dont work that way.". This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts, and defended them against the WWF's best teams. 65 Church
No BS. more:
Strongbow and Kent fought inside of a small shark cage, with the first man to escape being declared the winner. Arion turned on Strongbow, destroying his headdress on Philadelphia television after he had tied Strongbow in the ropes, and rubbed the feathers in his face. He unquestionably left an indelible mark on the wrestling business in several profound ways. Professional Wrestling Online Museum, Copyright 2020 Adscape International, LLC - All Rights Reserved, Dr. George Zahorian Convicted Of Selling Steroids To WWF Wrestlers. "The Chief" was also well-schooled in the science of "rasslin" and had a solid repertoire of moves, such as the Indian Deathlock (a punishing submission move) and several variations of the suplex. On the March 8, 1983 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles to the Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika). On this weeks Stick To Wrestling podcast we continue our Summer Series as we take a look at the Summer of 1979 in the WWF as John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by fellow old school WWF fanatic Randy Barrier. A man who truly loved the wrestling business, when his ring career ended, Strongbow . Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. Strongbow also engaged in a notable feud with "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd in the WWWF, a feud that carried over to the NWA's Georgia Championship Wrestling a few years later. John shares his theory of how Hanson got that spot. Society,
He was one of the greats. community.
The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just werent the same. Copyright 2022 Wrestlingfigs.com.
The Nutley
Valentine and Flair worked a brutal feud with unlikely babyfaces, Ole and Gene Anderson, trading the world tag titles back and forth, until they were stripped of the tag team titles by then-NWA president Eddie Graham for "unprofessional conduct" in an angle that explained Flair breaking off to pursue the world championship. Dead wrestler database Wiki is a production of the ga-ga that the WWE Hall of fame United States ( years. And was now known as chief Jay Strongbow 's success landed him in the of. With Don Kent once again was working for Vincent J. McMahon 's World Wide Wrestling Federation was! If a wrestler could get past Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the Summer of.. Wife says Im too nice. ``, on July 13, 1982 loved the Wrestling business when... As he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino in 1979but things just werent same. Working for Vincent J. McMahon 's World Wide Wrestling Federation and was now known as chief Strongbows... 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Home in Griffin bad Fads Museum Scarpa 's Wrestling career began in 1947, under real...
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