Sal Scarpa, brother of Joe AKA Chief Jay Strongbow, who His father was still working, and promoters were afraid that the name would imply the elder Valentine was too old to be in the ring. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. In 1970, he signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), At one point he even tag teamed with a storyline brother who was actually Native American, Jules Strongbow. A man of both character and talent, the Ring Chronicle is proud to induct this important figure from wrestling history into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. While a lot of fans look back fondly on the career of Chief Jay Strongbow, it is fair to say that his gimmick is definitely a relic of the era. History of Spies In 1981 he went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he feuded with Kevin Sullivan. Society, Web site That is the case with Strongbow, as he was one of the first ever inductees way back in 1994. He wore the Gulf Coast Heavyweight title in 1960, the NWA World Tag Team championship (Mid-America version) with Lester Welch twice in 1961 and the Southern Tag title (with Lee Fields) in 1963. Many people have wondered about his heritage over the years, and unfortunately he wasn't native at all. In 1985, Chief Jay Strongbows career was still going well, but Luke Scarpas health was on the decline. Valentine again won the world tag titles, this time with Baron Von Rasche. the National Wrestling Alliance and launched his career under his own Following his retirement, he lived in a farm in Georgia. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! And like all of the greatest champions in pro wrestling, he never allowed his ego to get the best of him. championship title from. 973-667-1528 Strongbow understood how the wrestling business works, and was never above "doing the job" in order to help "the team." But Strongbow & Sonny would only hold the belts for a short time, as they were defeated by the powerful duo of Prof. Tanaka & Mr. Fuji on June 27, 1972. Many of today's wrestling fans may not know much about Strongbow, but he had a hand in the development of many legendary wrestlers and did many things in the ring that are still being done today. coach Carmen LoRe who resides in Nutley and was a member of the original If a wrestler could get past Strongbow, a title opportunity often followed. Native American? John shares his theory of how Hanson got that spot. Ask him about the 1980s WWE wrestling scene, and Valentine will tell you that life on the road was difficult, but the money often made up for it. Despite his advancing age (and subsequent reduction in ring prowess) Strongbow was still one of the promotions bigger draws as the 1980s rolled on and the WWF evolved into a national entity. Bet youve heard of him While today's comeback sequences aren't as pronounced as Strongbow's, John Cena and many other top stars employ a signature move sequence that they use every match. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Although winning titles was never the primary goal for Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the ring, a wrestler as popular as Jay Strongbow couldnt help but pick up a fair share of championship gold. His larger than life persona as a Native American wrestler ran from 1947 to 1985. He feuded with the likes of "The Golden Greek" Spiros Arion, "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, and "Superstar" Billy Graham, nearly winning the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. A man who truly loved the wrestling business, when his ring career ended, Strongbow displayed his professionalism in another important, but far less glamorous role - that of a WWF road agent. Us to change. Valentine started out as "Babyface Nelson" before getting an early opportunity to work as one of the Fabulous Fargo brothers, teaming with Don Fargo from 1971-74. On April 3, 2012, Joe Chief Jay Strongbow Scarpa passed away at the age of 83. A Late in his career, he took on a tag team partner who had adopted the persona of Jules Strongbow. Follow/Like Us on But if the Bulldogs wanted to work spots, they would get with [Brutus] to do it, because I wasnt going to. Strongbow was an accomplished grappler, as his career . persona of Jules Strongbow. A man who truly loved the wrestling business, when his ring career ended, Strongbow . [2][3] He also participated in a 1994 storyline in which he mentored Tatanka (an actual Native American of the Lumbee tribe). Bad Fads Museum Despite his advancing age (and subsequent reduction in ring prowess) Strongbow was still one of the WWF's top draws as the 1980's rolled on. Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network. the Nutley Hall of Fame in 2013. born right here in Nutley on The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! It's likely that he was best suited as a talent since he was constantly brought back to help the newer stars. Oftentimes when a heel was getting the better of him, Strongbow would "go on the warpath." Read If the Chief started his War Dance, the fans in attendance knew the end was near because no one could (or, perhaps more appropriately, was allowed to) stop him once a fired-up Strongbow began circling his opponent. "It was just incredible how much you would get paid, and then you had all of this money on you. This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts, and defended them against the WWF's best teams. The Greg Valentine vs Chief Jay Strongbow feud, which started with Strongbow writhing in agony with a broken leg at ringside while the matches went on as scheduled with the heels taunting him. [10][11], In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Greg Valentine is one of several veteran superstars who appears in the 350 Days documentary, which details what it was really like to live life on the road as a professional wrestler in the 1980s. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. "I think folks are surprised when Im nice," he said, laughing. A year later and a state away, Scarpa captured the Georgia Heavyweight championship in 1969 and, less than six months later, the Georgia TV title. While Strongbow was at odds with plenty of iconic performers, many of the men who clashed with were performers that modern fans may not recognize at all. "You can always judge a man by the quality of his enemies.". ), Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. While he was able to be released from the hospital, he never really recovered from the incident. What he responded with broke my heart. Born October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Chief Jay Stongbow - The Microscope - Pro Wrestling Only Listen to any guy who grew up in the 1970s watching WWWF TV and one of the first names they'll come out with is Chief Jay Strongbow, and usually they love him. Swede Hanson gets a main event in Madison Square Garden, Pat Patterson gets an unprecedented four match series against Bob Backlund, and Roddy Piper gets the shaft. Chief Jay Strongbow: Profile & Match Listing - Internet Wrestling Database (IWD) Chief Jay Strongbow Profile & Match Listing Facts & Stats PWI Ratings Opponents & Partners Win/Loss Record Star Ratings Win Types Relations PPV WWWF matches wrestled by Chief Jay Strongbow Promotion Search: All MLW (Canada) NJPW NWA WWF WWWF Working in Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York, the Fargo "brothers" would cut a swath of destruction. Still, having a plan once a career is over is always a good idea. . Although the strap match is still used on occasion, it certainly isn't as common as it once was. Street, Nutley N.J. 07110973-667-1528, Contact Room Rental, via phone, not email, Call Nationality: United States. Soon, he found the moniker that stuck: Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Actor: Spectrum Wrestling. Professional Wrestling Online Museum, Copyright 2020 Adscape International, LLC - All Rights Reserved, Dr. George Zahorian Convicted Of Selling Steroids To WWF Wrestlers. On this weeks Stick To Wrestling podcast we continue our Summer Series as we take a look at the Summer of 1979 in the WWF as John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by fellow old school WWF fanatic Randy Barrier. Shortly after this angle, Valentine started doing shots for the WWWF (the precursor of todays WWE) as a wrestler who broke the leg of each opponent. One presented himself as an Arab (The Iron Sheik), and another was a Their reign was cut short in August 1977 when the belts were vacated due to White Wolf suffering a neck injury at the hands of Ken Patera's Swinging Full Nelson. Why a From that point forward, it was back to singles wrestling for Jay. Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972 with partner Sonny King. On the table this week: Pat Patterson wins the North American title, and then wins the Intercontinental Title. He was a standout in the Georgia and Florida territories of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 1950s and 1960s, winning several championships and becoming a fan favorite. When you think about it, though, there haven't been many wrestlers in WWE history who have been attached to a certain match type. Grappling great CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW has died of unknown causes. On the table this week: Pat Patterson wins the North American title, and then wins the Intercontinental Title. Chief Jay Strongbow. Eventually, Greg Valentine would be brought back, but he was moved down the card, even though he still had entertaining feuds with Don Muraco and Ron Garvin. He also had a program with Greg's dad, when he was Joltin' Joe. On the July 13 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles back to Fuji and Saito, but on the October 26 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows defeated Fuji and Saito for their second WWF Tag Team Championship reign as a team. About Ric Flair & Greg Valentine in 1976, after defeating Gene and Ole Anderson to win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles in Greensboro, North Carolina, ending the Andersons fourth reign. October 4, 1932, Trivia. During this time, Strongbow was seemingly impervious to pain as he would absorb strikes, but continue to dance around the ring before finishing off his opponent. Wrestling mania seized Nutley. [13], World Wide Wrestling Federation (19701979), NWA Georgia / Mid-Atlantic and other territories (1980-1981), Last edited on 24 December 2022, at 23:54, NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version), NWA Mid-America World Tag Team Championship, PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation, "Wrestler Profiles: Chief -->Jay Strongbow", "Chief Jay Strongbow's WWE Hall of Fame Profile", "Joe Scarpa, Who Gained Wrestling Fame as Chief Jay Strongbow, Dies", "Daily Pro Wrestling History (11/22): Starrcade 1984 - The Million Dollar Challenge", Joe Scarpa, Who Gained Wrestling Fame as Chief Jay Strongbow, Dies, "World Tag Team Championship official title history", "Chief Jay Strongbow & High Chief Peter Maivia vs. His success landed him in the WWE hall of fame, something that most people would agree is deserved even if they dont have the taste for his gimmick. Born Luke Joseph Scarpa, he was an Italian-American man from New Jersey. Dead wrestler database Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. He was buried in Griffin, Georgia. Copyright 2022 Wrestlingfigs.com. Like Ricky Steamboathe was tremendous. Meet Chief Jay Strongbow, Nutleys Most Famous Pro Wrestler. 10 Wrestlers WWE Wrongfully Fired In The Past: Where Are They Now? Swede Hanson gets a main event in Madison Square Garden, Pat Patterson gets an unprecedented four match series against Bob Backlund, and Roddy Piper gets the shaft. Then, on December 7, 1976 Strongbow regained the tag team championship, this time with partner Billy White Wolf, defeating Nicolai Volkoff & Tor Kamata in the finals of a tournament for the vacant WWWF Tag Team title. Strongbow's last appearance in WWE was a brief appearance on the November 17, 2008 episode of Monday Night Raw when Stephanie McMahon introduced him to the audience in Atlanta. Society, "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. Strongbow could also brawl with the best of them, especially once his fiery Native American temper was ignited. 2017. His age was listed as 79 0r 83 and his family declined to say how he died nor provide a cause. His son, Joe Jr. wrestled in the 1980s and early 1990s mainly as Mark Pyle and Mark Young in the WWF from 19861990 and Vince Young in WCW. now. It was impossible not to, as the feathered war bonnet that he donned to play the role of Chief Jay Strongbow was easy to spot. Scarpa suffered a fall at his home in late 2011 and was hospitalized. The two wrestled all over the WWF circuit, including an "Indian Strap match" at Madison Square Garden on July 30, 1979.[3]. Just like with Wahoo, Valentine did an angle with the territorys No. With an assist from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow was able to escape the shark cage victorious. 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