John Anson
Encyclopedia
John Anson is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name "Handsome" John Anson, who competed in North American and Japanese promotions from the mid-1960s until the early-1980s, including International Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling
, NWA All-Star Wrestling, Pacific Northwest Wrestling
and Stampede Wrestling
.
As Karl Von Schotz, he and Kurt Von Hess
were one of the most hated "heels
" in the Detroit-area while feuding with Fred Curry
& Tony Marino
over the NWA World Tag Team Championship
during 1973-74.
in 1972, Anson began teaming with Bill Terry
as German brothers Karl Von Hess and Karl von Shotz later facing Gino Brito
, Tony Parisi
and Dominic DeNucci
in a 6-man tag team match with Hans Schmidt
at the All-Star Wrestling Stadium Show at Jarry Park
in Montreal, Quebec on August 28, 1972.
Defeating Jacques Rougeau
& Gino Brito
for the International Tag Team Championship in September, they would remain one of the top tag teams in the promotion regularly appearing at Maple Leaf Gardens
between October 1972 and September 1973. They would also wrestle for promoter Ed Farhat
in Detroit later that year defeating Ben Justice & The Stomper for the NWA World Tag Team Championship on December 9, 1972.
After losing the tag team titles to Fred Curry
and Tony Marino
that same month, they would feud with Curry and Marino winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship 3 more times until finally losing the titles to Tony Marino & Bobo Brazil
in early 1974. While in the National Wrestling Federation
, they would also Win the NWF World Tag Team Championship in May and held the titles until the promotions close later that year. While touring New Japan Pro Wrestling
, he and Von Hess defeating Johnny Powers
& Pat Patterson for the NWA North American Tag Team Championship before losing the titles to Antonio Inoki
& Seiji Sakaguchi
in Los Angeles, California
on August 16, 1974.
After he and Terry split up in 1975, he competed in southern Ontario before returning to British Columbia the following year. Defeating Frankie Laine for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in Calgary on February 6, he feuded with Eddie Morrow trading the title with him later that year. Teaming with Don Leo Jonathan
while in NWA All-Star Wrestling, he defeated John Quinn
and Kinji Shibuya
for the NWA Canadian tag Team Championship in Vancouver on September 4, 1976. However, facing his former tag team partner Kurt von Hess, he and Jonathan lost the titles later that month to John Quinn and Kurt von Hess on September 28. Splitting with Don Leo Jonathan after this loss, he and Sky Hi Morse would defeat Don Leo Jonathan & Dutch Savage
for the tag team titles on March 7 although the titles were vacated the following month.
Losing the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship to The Stomper on July 2, 1977, Anson would move on to Pacific Northwest Wrestling
where he and Ron Bass defeated Moondog Mayne & Les Thornton
for the PNW Tag Team Championship on August 7. Anson would eventually be replaced by Moondog Mayne however, leaving the promotion before the end of the year.
Holding the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship before dropping the title to "Playboy" Buddy Rose
while touring Hawaii in early 1978, he would also tour Newfoundland
and Japan during the late 1970s. Anson would spend his last years in Stampede Wrestling
and Pacific Northwest Wrestling
before his retirement in 1983.
He would have a brief stint promoting in Ontario and Newfoundland with Ed Farhat and Jack Kane during the 1980s, although he later opened a marina and resort near Vancouver.
Maple Leaf Wrestling
Maple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
, NWA All-Star Wrestling, Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
and Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
.
As Karl Von Schotz, he and Kurt Von Hess
Bill Terry (wrestler)
Bill Terry was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Kurt Von Hess, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1970s and '80s, including International Wrestling Enterprise, Maple Leaf Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling...
were one of the most hated "heels
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
" in the Detroit-area while feuding with Fred Curry
Fred Curry (wrestler)
Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. better known by his ring name ”Flyin'” Fred Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. The son of "Wild Bull" Curry, Fred Koury was one of the most popular stars in the Midwest United States during the 1960s.-Career:In the 1960s, Koury, Jr. took up...
& Tony Marino
Tony Marino
Tony Silipini is a former American born Italian professional wrestler who is best known as Tony Marino.-Early career:Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the...
over the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)
The Detroit, Michigan version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1964 until 1980, when the Detroit promotion closed.-Title history:...
during 1973-74.
Career
In 1966, John Anson made his professional debut at age 17 against Ivan Koloff. Leaving Calgary for Maple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf Wrestling
Maple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
in 1972, Anson began teaming with Bill Terry
Bill Terry (wrestler)
Bill Terry was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Kurt Von Hess, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1970s and '80s, including International Wrestling Enterprise, Maple Leaf Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling...
as German brothers Karl Von Hess and Karl von Shotz later facing Gino Brito
Gino Brito
Louis Gino Acocella , better known by his ring name Gino Brito is a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a popular wrestler in Montreal, and was one of the promoters in the city in the 1980s...
, Tony Parisi
Tony Parisi
Tony Parisi may refer to:*Antonio Pugliese , Italian wrestler*Tony Parisi , software developer...
and Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.-Early career:...
in a 6-man tag team match with Hans Schmidt
Hans Schmidt (wrestler)
Guy Larose , better known by his ring name of Hans Schmidt, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler famous in the 1950s and '60s.-Wrestling career:...
at the All-Star Wrestling Stadium Show at Jarry Park
Jarry Park
Jarry Park is an urban park in the Villeray neighbourhood of Montreal. From 1969 to 1976, the former Jarry Park Stadium was the home of the Montreal Expos, Canada's first Major League Baseball team. It also hosted a mass by Pope John Paul II...
in Montreal, Quebec on August 28, 1972.
Defeating Jacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau Jr. is a retired French-Canadian professional wrestler from Saint-Sulpice, Quebec, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s with the World Wrestling Federation under his own name, and as The Mountie. Rougeau has held fifteen championships during his career...
& Gino Brito
Gino Brito
Louis Gino Acocella , better known by his ring name Gino Brito is a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a popular wrestler in Montreal, and was one of the promoters in the city in the 1980s...
for the International Tag Team Championship in September, they would remain one of the top tag teams in the promotion regularly appearing at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
between October 1972 and September 1973. They would also wrestle for promoter Ed Farhat
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
in Detroit later that year defeating Ben Justice & The Stomper for the NWA World Tag Team Championship on December 9, 1972.
After losing the tag team titles to Fred Curry
Fred Curry (wrestler)
Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. better known by his ring name ”Flyin'” Fred Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. The son of "Wild Bull" Curry, Fred Koury was one of the most popular stars in the Midwest United States during the 1960s.-Career:In the 1960s, Koury, Jr. took up...
and Tony Marino
Tony Marino
Tony Silipini is a former American born Italian professional wrestler who is best known as Tony Marino.-Early career:Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the...
that same month, they would feud with Curry and Marino winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship 3 more times until finally losing the titles to Tony Marino & Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
in early 1974. While in the National Wrestling Federation
National Wrestling Federation
The original National Wrestling Federation was a wrestling promotion based in Buffalo, New York and owned by promoter Pedro Martínez. It ran from 1970-1974. The promotion was then revived in 1986 by Robert Raskin...
, they would also Win the NWF World Tag Team Championship in May and held the titles until the promotions close later that year. While touring New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, he and Von Hess defeating Johnny Powers
Johnny Powers
Johnny Powers is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, known by his legally changed ring name Johnny Powers...
& Pat Patterson for the NWA North American Tag Team Championship before losing the titles to Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
& Seiji Sakaguchi
Seiji Sakaguchi
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler who was a mainstay of New Japan Pro Wrestling and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance....
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
on August 16, 1974.
After he and Terry split up in 1975, he competed in southern Ontario before returning to British Columbia the following year. Defeating Frankie Laine for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in Calgary on February 6, he feuded with Eddie Morrow trading the title with him later that year. Teaming with Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
while in NWA All-Star Wrestling, he defeated John Quinn
John Quinn (wrestler)
John Quinn is a retired Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including NWA All-Star Wrestling, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling during the 1960s and early 1970s...
and Kinji Shibuya
Kinji Shibuya
Kinji Shibuya was an American professional wrestler and actor.-Professional wrestling career:In 1952, promoter Al Karasick suggested Shibuya try professional wrestling. He was originally given a villainous gimmick of a Japanese bad guy after World War II. He wrestled in the United States and...
for the NWA Canadian tag Team Championship in Vancouver on September 4, 1976. However, facing his former tag team partner Kurt von Hess, he and Jonathan lost the titles later that month to John Quinn and Kurt von Hess on September 28. Splitting with Don Leo Jonathan after this loss, he and Sky Hi Morse would defeat Don Leo Jonathan & Dutch Savage
Dutch Savage
Frank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:...
for the tag team titles on March 7 although the titles were vacated the following month.
Losing the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship to The Stomper on July 2, 1977, Anson would move on to Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
where he and Ron Bass defeated Moondog Mayne & Les Thornton
Les Thornton
Les Thornton is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in European and North American regional promotions throughout the 1970s and 1980s including Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance...
for the PNW Tag Team Championship on August 7. Anson would eventually be replaced by Moondog Mayne however, leaving the promotion before the end of the year.
Holding the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship before dropping the title to "Playboy" Buddy Rose
Buddy Rose
Paul Perschmann was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Playboy" Buddy Rose.-Career:Paul Perschmann was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s...
while touring Hawaii in early 1978, he would also tour Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and Japan during the late 1970s. Anson would spend his last years in Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
and Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
before his retirement in 1983.
He would have a brief stint promoting in Ontario and Newfoundland with Ed Farhat and Jack Kane during the 1980s, although he later opened a marina and resort near Vancouver.
Championships and accomplishments
- International Wrestling
- International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Karl Von Hess
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
(2 times) - with Don Leo JonathanDon Leo JonathanDon Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
(1) and Ski Hi Morse (1)
- NWA Detroit
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)The Detroit, Michigan version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1964 until 1980, when the Detroit promotion closed.-Title history:...
(4 times) - with Karl Von Hess
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version)NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version)This version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship was a major tag team championship that was primarily defended in the National Wrestling Alliance affiliated New Japan Pro Wrestling and NWA Hollywood Wrestling. The title essentially served as New Japan's primary tag team title though it...
(1 time) - with Kurt Von Hess
- NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Hawaii Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and is defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which is still currently defended, began in1935...
(1 time)
- National Wrestling FederationNational Wrestling FederationThe original National Wrestling Federation was a wrestling promotion based in Buffalo, New York and owned by promoter Pedro Martínez. It ran from 1970-1974. The promotion was then revived in 1986 by Robert Raskin...
- NWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Kurt Von Hess
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(1 time) - with Ron Bass
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(2 times)