John Foti
John Foti | |
---|---|
Birth name | John Fotie |
Born | (1928-03-13)March 13, 1928[1] Regina, Saskatchewan[1] |
Died | April 29, 1969(1969-04-29) (aged 41)[1] Calgary, Alberta[1] |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | John Foti Bobby Bell |
Billed weight | 100 kg (220 lb) |
Billed from | Buffalo, New York Hamilton, Ontario |
Debut | 1954 |
John Fotie (March 13, 1928 – April 29, 1969) was a Canadian professional wrestler and a painter, better known by his ring name, John Foti. He was best known in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary from 1955 to 1969. He also wrestled in the American Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance.[1]
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan and alter raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He worked in the gym where he befriended George Scott, Sandy Scott, Skull Murphy and Billy Red Lyons. Got into wrestling he started his career in upstate New York and Ontario. In 1957 he wrestled for the American Wrestling Association in Minnesota.
Stampede Wrestling
In 1955 Foti debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta where he became a household name for the territory. Billed from Hamilton, Foti would draw sellouts crowds in matches against Whipper Billy Watson, Lou Thesz, and Killer Kowalski. On June 6, 1959, Foti won the NWA Calgary Canadian Heavyweight Title by defeating Charro Azteca. He feuded with Mad Dog Vachon, and Vachon's brother Paul. The title was vacated in July of that year. In 1960 he won the Stampede International Tag Team titles with Don Kindred and dropped the titles to Luther Lindsay and Oattman Fisher. Foti once again won the NWA Calgary Canadian Heavyweight Title as he defeated John Smith on June 9, 1961, and lost the title to Killer Kowalski on November 17. In 1963 he left Calgary to wrestle for other territories in Canada and the United States.
In 1966 he returned to Stampede where he feuded with Gil Hayes from 1967 to 1969, and Bob Sweetan in 1969.
Later career
Foti spent time in Buffalo's National Wrestling Federation, Vancouver's All-Star Wrestling, and Portland's Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Between 1963 and 1966 he wrestled in Toronto's Maple Leaf Wrestling. In 1964 he wrestled in the Northeast territory for World Wide Wrestling Federation as a journeyman.
Personal life and death
He was also a painter. He struggled with alcoholism in his later years. On April 29, 1969, Foti committed suicide in his home in Calgary. He was 41.[1]
Championships and accomplishments
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship – with Don Kindred[2]
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) (2 times)
- NWA Alberta Tag Team Championship – with John Paul Hennig
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Canoe -- Slam! Sports - Wrestling - John Foti was talented artist, matman". slam.canoe.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
- ^ "Stampede International Tag Team Title (Alberta & Saskatchewan)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
External links
- John Foti's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com
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- The Kalmikoffs (Ivan Kalmikoff and Karol Kalmikoff)
- The Tolos Brothers (Chris Tolos and John Tolos)
- The Flying Scotts (George Scott and Sandy Scott)
- The Vachons (Maurice Vachon and Paul Vachon)
- Chico Garcia and Chet Wallick
- Shag Thomas and Mighty Ursus
- Al Mills and Don Kindred
- Don Kindred and John Foti
- Oattem Fisher and Luther Lindsay
- Tarzan Tourville and Mighty Ursus
- Jim Wright and Gypsy Joe
- Jim Wright and Chico Garcia
- Tiny Mills and Jack Daniels
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- Alexis Bruga and Aldo Bogni
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- Jim Wright and Mike Sharpe Sr.
- Dominic Bravo and Ron Etchison
- Jim Wright and Luke Graham
- Jerry Graham and Jim Wright
- Jim Wright and Masked Destroyer
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- Ron Etchison and Dan Miller
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- The Christys (Bobby Christy and Jerry Christ)
- The Beast and Bob Sweetan
- Jos LeDuc and Paul LeDuc
- Bud Osborne and Ray Osborne
- Bob Sweetan and Fred Sweetan
- Clem St. Louis and Jack Pesek
- Gil Hayes and Bill Dromo
- Gil Hayes and Bob Sweetan
- Bob Sweetan and Paul Peller
- Earl Black and Tiger Joe Tomasso
- Dan Kroffat and Bill Cody
- Michel Martel and Danny Babich
- Chin Lee and Sugi Sito
- Tiger Joe Tomasso and Dave Ruhl
- Chin Lee and Sugi Sito
- Geoff Portz and Jeff Atcheson
- Tor Kamata and Sugi Sito
- Dan Kroffat and Lenny Hurst
- Tiger Joe Tomasso and Gil Hayes
- George Gordienko and Super Hawk
- Carlos Belafonte and Gino Caruso
- Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika)
- Chatti Yokouchi and Yasu Fuji
- Bob Pringle and Bill Cody
- The Kiwis (Sweet William and Nick Carter)
- Tokyo Joe and Great Saki
- Stan Kowalski and Duke Savage
- Rick Martel and Lenny Hurst
- Pat Kelly and Mike Kelly
- Frankie Laine and Len Thornton
- Mr. Hito and John Quinn
- Mr. Hito and Gil Hayes
- Ed Morrow and Jerry Morrow
- Ripper Collins and Don Gagne
- Lumberjack Luke and Prince Tapu
- Ripper Collins and Bobby Bass
- Gama Singh and Crary Stevenson
- Ed Morrow and Gama Singh
- Mr. Hito and Higo Hamaguchi
- Ripper Collins and Larry Sharpe
- The Cuban Assassins (Cuban Assassin #1 and Cuban Assassin #2)
- Leo Burke and Keith Hart
- The Royal Kangaroos (Jonathan Boyd and Norman Frederick Charles III)
- Leo Burke and Bobby Burke
- Mr. Hito and Michel Martel
- Jerry Morrow and George Wells
- Norman Frederick Charles III and Cuban Assassin
- Keith Hart and Hubert Gallant
- The Castillo Brothers (Raul Castillo and Fidel Castillo)
- The Hart Family (Keith Hart and Bret Hart)
- Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada
- Leo Burke and Keith Hart
- Dory Funk Jr. and Larry Lane
- Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada
- Dynamite Kid and Sekigawa
- Dynamite Kid and Loch Ness Monster
- Dynamite Kid and Kasavubu
- Kasavubu and Mr. Sakurada
- Jim Neidhart and Hercules Ayala
- Duke Myers and Bobby Bass
- Leo Burke and Bobby Burke
- Duke Myers and Mike Sharpe Jr.
- Duke Myers and Kerry Brown
- Bruce Hart and Davey Boy Smith
- Nightmare Danny Davis and Hubert Gallant
- The British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith)
- Honky Tonk Wayne and Ron Starr
- Leo Burke and Ron Ritchie
- Chris Benoit and Ben Bassarab
- Wayne Ferris and Cuban Assassin
- Chris Benoit and Keith Hart
- Ben Bassarab and Owen Hart
- The Viet Cong Express (Hiroshi Hase and Fumihiro Niikura)
- Bad Company (Bruce Hart and Brian Pillman)
- Karachi Vice (Makhan Singh and Jerry Morrow)
- The Cuban Commandos (Jerry Morrow and Cuban Assassin)
- Chris Benoit and Lance Idol
- Karachi Vice (Makhan Singh and Vokkan Singh)
- Chris Benoit and Biff Wellington
- Bob Brown and Kerry Brown
- Benkei Sasaki and Sumo Hara
- The Blackhearts (Apocalypse and Destruction)
- Greg Pawluk and Johnny Devine
- Dick Raines and Frank Einstein
- Bruce Hart and Teddy Hart
- Bruce Hart and TJ Wilson
- Harry Smith and Apocalypse (II)
- Apocalypse (II) and Dave Swift
- Harry Smith and Kirk Melnick
- Duke Durango and Karnage
- New Karachi Vice (Gama Singh Jr. and Tiger Raj Singh)
- Duke Durango and Chris Steele
- Randy Myers and Pete Wilson
- Juggernaut and Pete Wilson
- Juggernaut and TJ Wilson
- The A-Team (Dusty Adonis and Michael Avery)
- Funky Bunch (Marky Mark and Phoenix Taylor)
- The Elite (Chris Steele and Pete Wilson)