Brian Crabtree

Brian W. Crabtree is an English retired professional wrestler, referee and master of ceremonies, known for working alongside his brothers Shirley Crabtree, better known as Big Daddy, and promoter Max Crabtree in the British wrestling business.[1]

Brian Crabtree
BornHalifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
ResidenceHalifax, West Yorkshire

Career

Crabtree, along with his brothers Shirley and Max, got into wrestling after completing his National Service.[2] It was during a match against a Hungarian wrestler that he sustained an injury and never wrestled again, causing him to become a referee.[2][3] Before the mid-1970s, Brian and Max worked together in running 20th Century Promotions, an independent wrestling organisation outside of Joint Promotions, the largest wrestling promotion in the United Kingdom.[4]

He later joined his brothers in Joint Promotions in the 1970s after Max took over as Joint's booker and Crabtree became a referee for Joint as a result.[5] However, on one occasion due to the Crabtree brothers' closeness with each other, Kendo Nagasaki refused to wrestle Big Daddy (Shirley) with Crabtree refereeing.[6] Crabtree was a regular ring announcer on World of Sport.[7][8] He would primarily do ring announcing on television however on occasion he would stand in for Max Ward as the referee for televised matches on ITV.[9] He did get involved in a match in 1979 between Big Daddy and John Quinn where he was knocked out by Quinn after standing on the ring apron.[10] Outside of wrestling, he has acted in a number of films and held an Equity card.[6][11]

Personal life

Brian is the brother of professional wrestler Shirley Crabtree, and promoter Max Crabtree. His nephew Eorl Crabtree is a retired professional rugby league player.[12]

References
  1. "British Wrestlers Reunion". British Wrestlers Reunion. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. Garfield, Simon (2013). "5". The Wrestling. Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0571265459.
  3. "Wrestling Heritage". Wrestling Heritage. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  4. Lister, John (2005). Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991–2004. William Wood & Company. pp. 228–229. ISBN 9781905290109.
  5. Lister, John (2005). Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991–2004. William Wood & Company. pp. 228–229. ISBN 9781905290109.
  6. "New Society". New Society : The Social Science Weekly. Vol. 41–42. 1977. p. 628. ISSN 0028-6729.
  7. World of Sport (TV Series 1964–1985) – IMDb, retrieved 19 December 2020
  8. Teicher, Jordan G. (1 January 1970). "Peter Bryne photographs professional wrestlers in England in the 1980s". Slate.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  9. Cobby, Andrew. "Wrestling". Television Heaven. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. "Grapplevine". All Star Wrestling. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  11. "Brian Crabtree". BFI. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  12. "Wrestling hits Huddersfield but it's not as we remember it". Yorkshire Live. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
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