Allan Pinfold

Johnny Gilday (born 1929) is a retired weightlifter and professional wrestler and later on referee, best known under the ring name Allan Pinfold, sometimes spelled Alan Pinfold. He was an active wrestler from 1945 until 1975 when he retired and became a referee until 1985. During his 30-year career Pinfold won the Australian Light Heavyweight Championship three times in total and also won the Australian Tag Team Championship while teaming with Allan Sherry.

Allan Pinfold
Birth nameJohnny Gilday
Born1929 (age 91–92)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Allan Pinfold
Alan Pinfold
Allan Roy
Billed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight245 lb (111 kg)
Debut1945
Retired1975

Personal life

Johnny Gilday was born in 1929 in Sydney, Australia where he also grew up. Growing up during the Great Depression in Australia the effects of poverty and bullying propelled him to join a gym and get physically fit as a bodybuilder. Later on he turned to wrestling instead to make money.[1] All throughout his career Gilday held down a day job as well, working as an engineer. Being a fitter and turner by trade he supplemented his income over the years with his wrestling earnings.[1] Gilday retired in 1975, suffering long term effects of his thirty-year career as all the injuries he sustained resulted in him developing severe arthritis in his later years.[1]

Professional wrestling career

After being trained by a wrestler he met in the gym Gilday took the ring name Allan Pinfold (also spelled "Alan Pinfold" at times) in 1943 making his debut against a wrestler called Chesty Bond.[1][2][3] He became a regular of the recently established Australian Wrestling Federation that held most of their shows in the Leichhardt Stadium and covered large parts of the New South Wales state.[1] In early 1953 Pinfold defeated Alf Greer to win the vacant Australian Light Heavyweight Championship as the AWF bookers decided to give him the championship.[4][5] The following month he was forced to give up the championship as he decided to take an offer for an extended tour of India and Ceylon to wrestle.[5] When he returned later that same year Pinfold was teamed up with Bud Cody to compete in a tournament to determine the first ever holders of the Australian Tag Team Championship. The duo lost to John Morrow and Sowy Dowton in the finals on 13 February 1954.[6] In subsequent years Pinfold became the regular tag team partner of British wrestler Allan Sherry, starting a long running program against Morrow and Dowton. The tag team title pursuit was put on hold for several months as Sherry injured his knee.[7] On 18 February 1956 Pinfold and Sherry defeated Morrow an Dowton to win the tag team championship.[6][8] Their reign lasted all of one week before Bob George and Alf Greer won the championship.[6] In 1960 the promoters decided to have Allan Pinfold win the Australian Light Heavyweight Championship for a second time, defeating Col Peters to win the title.[4][5] The second reign lasted well over a year, until 13 January 1962 where wrestler El Greco defeated him for the championship.[4][5] Late in his career, only one year before his retirement Allan Pinfold won the Australian Light Heavyweight Championship for a third time on 4 October 1974 as he defeated Ken Medlin for the championship more than 20 years after he won it for the first time.[4][5] Medlin would defeat Pinfold a month later to end the third and final reign of Pinfold's career.[4][5] In 1975 Pinfold retired from in ring competition and became a referee instead, working for various Sydney based wrestling promotions for approximately 10 years.[1][3]

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References
  1. "1999, English, Sound, Interview, lecture, talk edition: Interview with Allan Pinfold, professional wrestler / interviewer, Barry York. [sound recording]". Trove. National Library of Australia. 30 March 1999. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. Cliff, Paul (1999). "wrestling". A Sporting Nation: Celebrating Australia's Sporting Life. National Library Australia. p. 23. ISBN 0-64210704-1.
  3. Dalgleish, Mark. "Profile: Allan Pinford". Australian Wrestling. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  4. Ayoub, Libnan (1980). 100 Years of Australian Professional Wrestling. Topmil publishing. ISBN 978-1876270308.
  5. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Australian Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Australian Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. ""Tag" team back again". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 December 1954. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  8. "Wrestling". The Sydney Mornining Herald. 5 December 1954. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
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