Luke Scarpa, the most famous professional wrestler who ever called Nutley Born Luke Joseph Scarpa, he was an Italian-American man from New Jersey. There was even a Greek Adonis kind of guy called The Golden Greek.. Chief Jay Strongbow worked as a road agent in the WWF during the 1990s. After failing in regaining the belts, the Strongbows disbanded. He achieved great success in matches in Georgia and Florida. Much like his contemporary Wahoo McDaniel, he portrayed a Native American wrestler, who wore a war bonnet to the ring and would "go on the warpath" when the fans started cheering him against an opponent. He also has a daughter Connie Pacheco of Portland, Oregon. So when Greg Valentine and Tito Santana met on July 6th, 1985, in a steel cage in Baltimore, Maryland, it was a perfect opportunity to put the belt out to pasture. Chief Jay Strongbow was born on October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, United States (92 years old). That match type was used quite often to settle scores in the 1970s and 1980s, and it involved two wrestlers being tied together by a strap, with the main goal of the match being to drag your opponent around the ring in order to touch all four corners. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! He's won multiple awards for reporting and opinion writing, and his sports journalism has garnered several Associated Press Managing Editors Awards. [2][3] He also participated in a 1994 storyline in which he mentored Tatanka (an actual Native American of the Lumbee tribe). The most notable championship of his career was the WWWF Tag Team title, which he won on four separate occasions. Actor: Spectrum Wrestling. Next: 10 Things We Miss About Classic NWA Wrestling. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Soon, he found the moniker that stuck: Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. development & maintenanceprovided at no cost to Nutley Historical sponsored by: Then he feuded with Baron Von Raschke in Georgia. Scarpa got his leg broken in one match, and he broke the arm of at least one other wrestler. 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. After several years of traveling to various promotions and gaining experience, he first made his mark in the business while competing in the southern portion of the country, namely, Alabama and Tennessee. Friends and fans have left tributes about his time both in and out of the ring online on many websites. Facebook Much like his contemporary Wahoo McDaniel, he portrayed a Native American wrestler, who wore a war bonnet to the ring and would "go on the warpath" when the fans started cheering him against an opponent. [10][11], In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Strongbow was inducted by Tatanka, who Strongbow was managing at the time. Just as Don Fargo had been his mentor early in his career, Valentine was teamed with Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake as a top heel team in the company, defeating the U.S. Express of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo for the WWF world tag team titles in August of 1985 and holding those belts until losing them to the British Bulldogs at WrestleMania II in April of 1986. A word about "the Hammer": Valentines finishing move was the figure-four leglock. dance, and applying an Indian Death Lock hold to an opponent. On the table this week: Pat Patterson wins the North American title, and then wins the Intercontinental Title. 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. He was also admitted to the New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011, but it seems he was not well enough to attend that event. In 1981 he went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he feuded with Kevin Sullivan. to change. It was alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the locker room, breaking his arm. The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just werent the same. "Of course, my wife says Im too nice.". Related: 10 Women Who Held The NWA Women's Championship. Valentine works a lot of autograph and convention shows these days. 2 heel in the company, just as he had been for Crockett. His Tomahawk Chop was a weapon to be feared, and led to many victories of the course of his 20 years in the ring. Although his Native American persona was fictional, as a role model for people of all races, there were none better and The Chief proudly wrestled his entire career as a beloved fan favorite. What are you waiting for? Born Luke Joseph Scarpa, he was an Italian-American man from New Jersey. He golfed and fished and lived a peaceful life on his farm in Griffin, Georgia. A memorable match against "Iron" Mike McCord featured Strongbow applying his sleeper hold. This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts and defended them against the WWFs best teams until, after nearly a half-year as champions, The Strongbows were defeated by another Albano-led team, this time the impressive and dangerous Wild Samoans. -The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just weren't the same. Many people have wondered about his heritage over the years, and unfortunately he wasnt native at all. 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. [1] He won the NWA (Georgia) Southern Tag Team titles with Chief Little Eagle in Georgia Championship wrestling in 1965. more: Apparently, the former professional wrestler fell sometime at the end of 2011 and had to be hospitalized. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. I dont know about you, but give me cash every time!". "Dont you think people would have paid for a picture with that belt?" And despite working heel for almost the entirety of his career, Valentine has a smile and friendly word for everyone. "But he liked it if you gave it back to him, he respected you. When he returned to the Mid-Atlantic territory, his work against Wahoo and later in the WWWF had "made" Greg Valentine as a main event-level heel. During the decades before the gimmick, Scarpa wrestled under his real name and saw a lot of success with championships. He died in that hospital on April 3, 2012, at the age of 83. Strongbow was the man when it came to Indian Strap matches, however, and when you consider how prominent strap matches once were, he deserves plenty of recognition. January 7, 1989 - AWA: Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Mike Enos. brought lots of memorabilia; It seems clear that the Chief Strongbow gimmick was a flashy idea to bring more attention to Scarpa, but it doesn't seem like it was one that was all that necessary. Following his retirement, he lived in a farm in Georgia. Late in his career, he took on a tag team partner who had adopted the Copyright & While he was able to be released from the hospital, he never really recovered from the incident. In fact, he once resigned because the WWE wanted to involve him in an angle where Valentine and Dino Bravo would "kidnap" the Bulldogs mascot, Matilda. After seeking revenge on Patera over the intentional injury of his partner, Strongbow then went on to face the reigning WWWF Heavyweight champion Superstar Billy Graham in a top-drawing feud. Valentine again won the world tag titles, this time with Baron Von Rasche. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. It was different. Arion turned on Strongbow, destroying his headdress on Philadelphia television after he had tied Strongbow in the ropes, and rubbed the feathers in his face. Valentine then found himself in an interesting position. [9] They defeated the team of Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. Only sparse details about the death of Chief Jay Strongbow have been made known to the public. Working with the Bulldogs could be a challenge, becauseespecially at the timethey were one of the newer breeds of teams who wanted to plan spots out in advance. In 1970, he signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), Actor: Spectrum Wrestling. Scarpa fell at his home in late 2011 and was hospitalized. This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts, and defended them against the WWF's best teams. Name: Joseph Luke Scarpa Preferred Name: Chief Jay Strongbow Date Of Birth: Oct 4th 1928 Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Nationality: USA Gender: Male Matches: 119 (0 Pay Per View) Date Of Death: Apr 3rd 2012 Place of Death: Atlanta, Georgia, United States Ring Name(s): Chief Jay Strongbow, Jay Strongbow, Joe Scarpa People were able to believe in what I was doing.". News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. If that quote is true, WWE Hall-of-Famer the status of Greg Valentine as a performer inside the squared circle is unquestionable. "club" wrestling team at Nutley High School (1961) the first varsity Nutley wrestling coach Mike DiPiano, and former Nutley Strongbow would win more championships in the future, but a challenge for that title is his biggest claim to mainstream fame outside of his WWE Tag Team Championship wins. And all the while, Valentine was learning. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Cameron Miller is a writer with over five years of creative writing experience - both personally and for clients around the world. October 4, 1932, The most notable is Hulk Hogan, as he would end most of his matches by "hulking up" as he would no-sell his opponent's punches and ultimately end the match with a big boot and a leg drop. He has covered Division I college athletics and professional sports including MLB and NFL games. Webmaster A man who truly loved the wrestling business, when his ring career ended . It makes some wonder how much more success he would have had if he took up the Native American character much sooner. Strongbow settled the score in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, beating Captain Lou Albano convincingly. They defeated the team of Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. Strongbow picked up a win at Madison Square Garden in the summer of 1970, shortly after he entered the WWWF, pinning top contender Crusher Verdu, who was managed by Lou Albano. Chief Jay Strongbow. I made sure he respected me!". Sal Scarpa, brother of Joe AKA Chief Jay Strongbow, who Luke Joseph Scarpa (October 4, 1928 - April 3, 2012) was an American professional wrestler who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow.Scarpa portrayed a Native American wrestler, who wore a war bonnet to the ring and would "go on the warpath" when the fans started cheering him against an opponent. Their brief argument was enough for Maivia to turn on Strongbow, leaving him to take a serious beating from their would-be opponents that night. 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. Chief Jay Strongbow is a Wrestler, zodiac sign: Libra. No BS. Get the occasional email with the latest wrestling tributes and memorials, Search by ring name, real name, cause of death, organization, time period (2000s, etc) or specific year, WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude was an amazing individual in and out of the ring. Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network. Contact - Nutley Historical Society "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. 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. He had a memorable feud with "Bulldog" Don Kent, which culminated in a "shark cage match"[2] in 1976. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! A lot of people can forget about wrestling accomplishments that aren't from WWE, WCW, or any of the various popular independent promotions of today. Meet Chief Jay Strongbow, Nutleys Most Famous Pro Wrestler. When Luke Scarpa stepped into the wrestling ring, everyone noticed. [3] On June 28, the Strongbows won the tag team championship from the team of Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in New York City's Madison Square Garden. passed away in Georgia on April 3, 2012. Strongbow settled the score in front of a sold out crowd at Madison Square Garden, beating Captain Lou Albano convincingly. Bad Fads Museum Without question, Chief Jay Strongbow was a consistent box office draw and, arguably, the most famous and beloved Native American wrestler of all time. Working in Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York, the Fargo "brothers" would cut a swath of destruction. Many people have wondered about his heritage over the years, and unfortunately he wasn't native at all. Street, Nutley N.J. 07110973-667-1528 Millions Sob As Volkoff Attacks Bruno. Give us sixty minutes and well give you a wicked good podcast. Chief Jay Strongbow character is often seen as a bit of a misstep in terms of respect for cultures due to Scarpa not actually being Native American, but he commited to it in and out of the ring. For over 30 years, Strongbow has been a role model for his fans, a teacher and friend to his co-workers, and a fair and respected boss to the wrestlers on the road. It was alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the locker room, breaking his arm. Why a If the Chief started his War Dance, the tens of thousands of fans in attendance knew the end was near, because no one could (or, perhaps more appropriately, was allowed to) stop him once Strongbow began circling his opponent with his "ancient tribal dance. .more .more 3 Dislike Share Save. There was so much talent with Crockett. passed away in Georgia on April 3, 2012. In retirement, Strongbow became a WWF road agent and worked in the company's front office. Nutley Sons Honor "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. Chief Jay Strongbow? Born Jonathan Anthony Wisniski, Jr., the younger Valentine didnt immediately capitalize on his fathers name. But if the Bulldogs wanted to work spots, they would get with [Brutus] to do it, because I wasnt going to. "Winning titles was never the primary goal for Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the ring. Apparently, the former professional wrestler fell sometime at the end of 2011 and had to be hospitalized. 973-667-1528 But Lou Albano, McCord's manager, interfered by smashing a cast on the Chief's forehead. Fuji). The Nutley Luke Joseph Scarpa (October 4, 1928 - April 3, 2012) was an American professional wrestler who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. http://media.blubrry.com/sticktowrestling/mcadampod.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/McAdam062.mp3, Episode 238: 1982 Portland Wrestling Review. But his stiff style had earned him the respect of fans and other wrestlers, and the clubbing elbow drop from Valentine was dubbed "the Hammer" for how hard he seemed to be hitting people. He had a memorable feud with "Bulldog" Don Kent, which culminated in a "shark cage match" in 1977. 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. [9] Strongbow and King held the title for a month before losing it to the team of Mr. Fuji and Professor Toru Tanaka on June 27. Clearly WWE was willing to give back to its talent as Strongbow wound up working as an agent for WWE for a while. In Detroit he feuded with Don Kent once again. With an assist from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow was able to escape the shark cage victorious. 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. He currently lives in suburban Birmingham, Alabama and can be reached on Twitter @bamawriter. The Native American duo of Strongbow & White Wolf then held the title for over eight months before being forced to vacate the championship when White Wolfs neck was broken by Ken Pateras devastating finisher, the Swinging Neckbreaker. For those of you who only saw the Valentine feud, it's pretty hard to imagine "Strongbow" hitting flying head and body sciissors, monkey flips, missle and flying dropkicks and somersaults off the turnbuckle. Strongbow also competed for The Sheik's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit. 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. On the July 13 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles back to Fuji and Saito,[3] 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. 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