I have a request and need your help
I am wondering if you would have ever come across a professional wrestling night at the Carleton Place arena in the 1970’s. I can remember that there was a live bear. And I would just like to know an approximate date and who wrestled the bear.
Can you help?
Terrible Ted (born 1949 or 1950 was a Canadian American black bear, known as a professional wrestler. He wrestled for various North American promotions from the 1950s into the 1970s.
UPDATE
My daughter-in-law Stephanie Seccaspina said it was her uncle Randy McGonegal wrestled the bear at the Carleton Place arena.. and he still has the news clipping. She said she would get him to call me to update this. Stay tuned.
Tom Edwards-Bennie and Billy McGuire Ask and you shall receive Linda Seccaspina. We were there at the wrestling that night. The whole family. My father loved wrestling. When the bear was wrestling, my mom and my sister became the main event. My poor mother was terrified that the bear was coming into the crowd. She grabbed my sister and hauled poor Sue Edwards over probably three rows of benches. Mother wasn’t fooling. She bailed. Jim Edwards Sue and I laughed of this often.
Bennie and Billy McGuire Ask and you shall receive Linda Seccaspina. We were there at the wrestling that night. The whole family. My father loved wrestling. When the bear was wrestling, my mom and my sister became the main event. My poor mother was terrified that the bear was coming into the crowd. She grabbed my sister and hauled poor Sue Edwards over probably three rows of benches. Mother wasn’t fooling. She bailed. Jim Edwards Sue and I laughed of this often.
1971 September
Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 11 Jun 1968, Tue, Page 19
On July 13, 1966, McKigney offered $3,000 to anyone who could pin Ted. The challenge was accepted and met by John Szigeti (a 36-year-old welder who wanted the money for truck repairs), who pinned Ted “for maybe 15 seconds” before McKigney pried him free. McKigney and promoter Howard Darvin refused to pay the prize, so Szigeti sued them in May 1968.
Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 07 May 1968, Tue, Page 19
By BRET ‘HITMAN’ HART – SLAM! Wrestling
When I was five, my dad had a wrestling bear living in a cage under the back porch steps. I’d let my ice cream drip on my bare toes and dangle my feet between the wooden steps so the bear could lick it off. Us Hart kids thought that was pretty cool. I figured it was a good way to keep my feet clean and it kind of tickled, too.
It just so happened I was invited to the next-door neighbour’s birthday party, which was going to be held at CFCN on a kiddie program called The Headhunter Show.
I’d never been to a birthday party or been on a TV show, so I was hyped when I got on the set and took my seat on the bench.
Suddenly, out from behind the curtain came Terrible Ted — the very same bear that lived under our porch.
The bear handler scuffled around with Ted just long enough to amuse us kids.
Some were scared but not me. Heck, me and Ted were practically on a first-name basis and he no doubt appreciated the ice cream drips.
By the end of the show, Headhunter, the host, came around interviewing various kids. When he came to me, he innocently asked: “Wouldn’t you like to have a bear like that in your backyard?”
It seemed like a pretty stupid question.
I matter-of-factly told him: “I already have a bear like that living in my backyard.”
Well, he kind of winked at the camera and chalked it up to the overactive imagination of a five-year-old boy. This was all the opening he needed to have a little fun, as I found myself pleading with him to believe I really did have a bear just about that exact same size living at my house.
He had some more fun with me and when the show ended, I felt really annoyed nobody believed me.
I remember getting home only a few minutes later, since CFCN was so close, and my mom gave me a big warm hug and smiled: “Aw dawling, no one ever believes me when I tell them what goes on around here either!”
You might be wondering where the heck I’m going with this. Well, I wanted to tell you about Buck Shot, which is the show that replaced Headhunter.
I was at a Flames game a few weeks ago when the happy-go-lucky face of Buck Shot himself, Ron Barge, appeared on the
Jumbotron. Dick Clark’s got nothing on Buck Shot, who looks the same as he did 25 years ago.
While I was leaving, some drunk spotted me and, in quite a dissing give-me-a-break tone, he pointed and bellowed: “First Buck Shot and now The Hitman!”
I wanted to respond with a wisecrack but as I made my way to my truck, I realized it was a huge compliment to be seen in the same light as Buck Shot.
For kids to have heroes is an important thing and I always took that part of my job seriously. I always took great pride in knowing if young kids were watching The Hitman, they were in good hands.
I met Buck Shot many times over the years, mostly when I was a kid hanging around CFCN and he was always as gentle and kind as he was on TV.
Author’s Note– It killed me to see this poor bear being wrestled. Thank goodness this no longer happens:(
Bill Slade
I recall a wrestling bear and troupe at the Almonte Arena very late 70’s early 80’s. All I can recall is the smell when the bear entered. There were midgets wrestling. After the “matches”, they all went to the lobby for autographs and to sell the usual junk. Whoever wrestled the bear, he would get his arms around the bear and the bears around him. Then the bear flicked him like a flea out of the ring. A greasy, smelly bear, what a way to make a living.
The Pro Wrestling World
Obscure wrestling post.
A few weeks back a friend of mine and I went down an obscure YouTube wrestling rabbit hole. We learned of the wrestler who makes Jade Cargill’s streak look silly and makes Goldberg’s streak look laughable. A wrestler praised by the often critical Jim Cornette. He was a member of Stampede wrestling and famously licked fudge off of Bret Hart’s toes and ripped a man’s hand off during a match. Some have his record at 1400-0.
I’m speaking of course about Victor the Wrestling Bear. Yes this is real and is worth a YouTube search. There was a bear that went around the territories and worked with many legendary performers, from Bobby Heenan to The Destroyer. After every victory he’d enjoy a Coca Cola to the roar of the crowd. He even appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.
What started out as mindless entertainment after a night out turned dark as we dove deeper down this hole. Victor had his license suspended several times (seriously), at times was horribly mistreated, and his successor killed his owner’s wife, which pretty much put an end to bear wrestling forever. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t done a Dark Side of the Ring on this. (If they do, remember I called it.) What is this crazy thing that we all love to watch?
– JB
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lindaseccaspina 