Tiger Joe Tomasso
| Joe Tomasso | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joseph DiTomasso[1] |
| Born | 1922 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | April 30, 1988 (aged 65–66) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Assassin Assassin #2 The Bat Joe Tomasso Tiger Tomasso Tiger Joe Tomasso Tiger 'Tweet Tweet' Tomasso[2] |
| Debut | 1952[1] |
| Retired | 1976 |
Joseph DiTomasso (1922 – April 30, 1988) was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Tiger Joe Tomasso. He is most known from his matches in Stampede Wrestling and American Wrestling Association.
Early life
DiTomasso was born in Montreal, Quebec, but moved to Hamilton, Ontario at a young age.[3]
Professional wrestling career
Tomasso debuted in 1952 for Stampede Wrestling, then known as Big Time Wrestling, where he lost his debut match against George Scott.[4] His second match was against Stu Hart where he once again lost.[5] In his third match, Joe, Chico Garcia and Ripper Leone defeated George Scott, Sandy Scott and Sugy Hayamaka.[5]
During the 1950s, he engaged in a long-running series of NWA regional American midwest grudge matches against Bobby Nelson.[6]
In 1960, Tomasso was defeated by Bob Rasmussen in one of his first American Wrestling Association matches.[7]
In 1976, Joe was defeated by Karl von Schotz.[8] After two years of not wrestling, Tomasso had his last wrestling match in 1980 where he defeated Smith Hart by disqualification.[9]
Personal life
According to wrestling book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, Tomasso was in a friendly "clique of Alberta wrestlers", including Tiny Mills.[10]
Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Idaho Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[11]
- NWA Western Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[11]
- NWA Western Tag Team Championship/NWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times)[11] - with Rocky Monroe, Mitsu Arakawa, Tony Borne and Eric The Great
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (4 times)[3][11] - with Gil Hayes, Earl Black and Dave Ruhl
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)[12][13]
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times)[11] - with Assassin #1
References
- ^ a b "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Tiger 'Tweet Tweet' Tomasso". SLAM!. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ "Joe Tomasso". WrestlingData. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Joe Tomasso". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
- ^ "Big Time Wrestling". Cagematch. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Big Time Wrestling". Cagematch. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ staff (June 27, 1955). "B. Nelson, The Bat in Mat Feature". The Journal Times.
- ^ "AWA". Cagematch. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
- ^ "Stampede". Cagematch. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
- ^ "Stampede". Cagematch. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
- ^ McCoy, Heath (2005). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. Canwest, later ECW Press. ISBN 978-1550227871.
- ^ a b c d e "Joe Tomasso". Cagematch. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ Whalen, Ed (host) (December 15, 1995). "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990". Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart. Event occurs at 27:55. Shaw Cable. Calgary 7.
- ^ "Official Stampede Wrestling Hall Of Fame (1948-1990)". wrestling-titles. Retrieved 24 June 2018.