Billy Riley
Encyclopedia
For the rockabilly musician, see Billy Lee Riley
.
For the 19th-century baseball player, see Billy Riley (baseball)
.
Billy Riley was a practitioner and teacher of Catch Wrestling
. As a trainer in the sport, Riley taught some of the leading post-World War II figures in Catch Wrestling at his gymnasium, nicknamed "The Snake Pit" in Wigan
, Greater Manchester
, England
.
, Billy Riley trained with the miners in the art of Lancashire catch-as-catch-can wrestling
, one of the roughest and most loved sports of the region.
The tough Wigan native soon began showing extraordinary submission skills. Riley was known to be a devastating "hooker" and it showed in his wrestling matches as he soon gained notoriety for breaking his opponent's arms. During the 1920s Riley travelled to Africa to capture a British Empire championship from Jack Robinson.
The gym soon became popular for producing some of the most skilled catch wrestlers in the world. Men such as Karl Gotch (Istaz), Bert Assirati
, Melvin Riss (Harold Winstanley), John Foley, Jack Dempsey
(Tommy Moore), Billy Joyce (Bob Robinson), Billy Robinson
, and Billy Riley's son Ernie Riley all attended The Snake Pit.
Teaching the children was a new concept for both Roy and Riley. The results though, soon showed that the teaching at the Snake Pit was still world class. By the age of 10, Darren had won the British Championships alongside local children Paddy Govan, Kevin Govan, Tony Leyland and Neil Maxwell who were also Riley's wrestlers. After competitions, the children would go round to see Riley and his wife, and take the medals and trophies which they had won.
Riley died in 1977. Roy Wood and Tommy Heyes kept the Snake Pit running, and the children visited Riley's wife to show her the trophies and achievements made possible by the efforts of her husband.
This led to a Sports Council
offer to rebuild the site. At the time there were various problems, and it was decided that it would be best to relocate the gym. Roy, therefore, bought a new building a couple of miles up the road in Aspull. It then became named the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club (AKA Riley's). Osamu Matsunami, a Japanese
wrestler with a very keen interest in the history of wrestling, saw the documentary and then saved up and came to England. He spent 6 month periods at a time wrestling at AOWC. He then went on to coach with Billy Robinson
in Japan.
Roy Wood was soon recognized in Japan as one of the premiere trainers of submission wrestling. Roy was invited to train at the Yokohoma Arena. He was asked to prolong his stay in Japan, where he could train some of the finest athletes in the world, but Roy opted to stay in Wigan.
The Aspull Wrestling Club has since then become a hotbed for youngsters and athletes who want to train in submission wrestling catch-as-catch-can
style.
Billy Lee Riley
Billy Lee Riley was an American rockabilly musician, singer, record producer and songwriter. His most memorable recordings included "Rock With Me Baby," and "Red Hot".-Biography:...
.
For the 19th-century baseball player, see Billy Riley (baseball)
Billy Riley (baseball)
William James Riley , nicknamed "Pigtail Billy", was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the 1875 Keokuk Westerns and the 1879 Cleveland Blues.-External links:...
.
Billy Riley was a practitioner and teacher of Catch Wrestling
Catch wrestling
Catch wrestling is a style of folk wrestling that was developed and popularised in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents...
. As a trainer in the sport, Riley taught some of the leading post-World War II figures in Catch Wrestling at his gymnasium, nicknamed "The Snake Pit" in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Early days
During his days as a moulder in the Lancashire mining town of WiganWigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Billy Riley trained with the miners in the art of Lancashire catch-as-catch-can wrestling
Lancashire wrestling
Lancashire wrestling is an historic wrestling style from Lancashire in England. Many consider it the foundation of catch wrestling, professional and amateur wrestling....
, one of the roughest and most loved sports of the region.
The tough Wigan native soon began showing extraordinary submission skills. Riley was known to be a devastating "hooker" and it showed in his wrestling matches as he soon gained notoriety for breaking his opponent's arms. During the 1920s Riley travelled to Africa to capture a British Empire championship from Jack Robinson.
The Snake Pit
Billy Riley decided to teach catch wrestling in Wigan. He bought a small plot of land in the 1950s on Pike Street in the town and with the help of his students, built a gymnasium on the land. Billy Riley's gym became known as the Snake Pit.The gym soon became popular for producing some of the most skilled catch wrestlers in the world. Men such as Karl Gotch (Istaz), Bert Assirati
Bert Assirati
Bartolomeo Esserati , also known as Bert Assirati, was an English professional wrestler who became a multiple time British Heavyweight Champion, and, posthumously, a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame...
, Melvin Riss (Harold Winstanley), John Foley, Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey (wrestler)
Thomas Moore was a British professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Jack Dempsey, who was active in North American and European regional promotions from the 1930s to the 1960s....
(Tommy Moore), Billy Joyce (Bob Robinson), Billy Robinson
Billy Robinson
Billy Robinson is a British professional wrestler and catch wrestling instructor. Robinson was well known in Japan where he has trained mixed martial arts fighters in catch wrestling...
, and Billy Riley's son Ernie Riley all attended The Snake Pit.
Reopening
When the son of a former student, Roy Wood, and the son of Wood's friend wanted to learn wrestling they traveled to Wigan, only to see the school in complete disrepair. The roof had literally caved in. With the help of locals, Roy Wood managed to get the gym started again. Riley's gym was reopened. However, this time, since Roy's son Darren and nephew Paul had wanted to learn, the gym was opened to children. Riley decided to take a seat by the mat and let Wood coach.Teaching the children was a new concept for both Roy and Riley. The results though, soon showed that the teaching at the Snake Pit was still world class. By the age of 10, Darren had won the British Championships alongside local children Paddy Govan, Kevin Govan, Tony Leyland and Neil Maxwell who were also Riley's wrestlers. After competitions, the children would go round to see Riley and his wife, and take the medals and trophies which they had won.
Riley died in 1977. Roy Wood and Tommy Heyes kept the Snake Pit running, and the children visited Riley's wife to show her the trophies and achievements made possible by the efforts of her husband.
The Aspull Wrestling Club
The next major change for the gym came in the mid 1980s, when Yorkshire TV filmed the documentary "First Tuesday - The Wigan Hold". The focus of the film was on the lack of resources available to the otherwise world class British wrestlers.This led to a Sports Council
Sport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
offer to rebuild the site. At the time there were various problems, and it was decided that it would be best to relocate the gym. Roy, therefore, bought a new building a couple of miles up the road in Aspull. It then became named the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club (AKA Riley's). Osamu Matsunami, a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
wrestler with a very keen interest in the history of wrestling, saw the documentary and then saved up and came to England. He spent 6 month periods at a time wrestling at AOWC. He then went on to coach with Billy Robinson
Billy Robinson
Billy Robinson is a British professional wrestler and catch wrestling instructor. Robinson was well known in Japan where he has trained mixed martial arts fighters in catch wrestling...
in Japan.
Roy Wood was soon recognized in Japan as one of the premiere trainers of submission wrestling. Roy was invited to train at the Yokohoma Arena. He was asked to prolong his stay in Japan, where he could train some of the finest athletes in the world, but Roy opted to stay in Wigan.
The Aspull Wrestling Club has since then become a hotbed for youngsters and athletes who want to train in submission wrestling catch-as-catch-can
Catch wrestling
Catch wrestling is a style of folk wrestling that was developed and popularised in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents...
style.