New book on two legends of British wrestling, out now from Pitch Publishing
Out in April comes the new book from Steve Bell, via Pitch Publishing, and he tells the story about perhaps the two most influential British wrestlers of all time - Tom Billington and David Smith, universally known as the British Bulldogs.
Bell splits the book into three portions compromising of the Dynamite Kid, the elder of the partnership whose unique brand of gymnastic flair and wrestling prowess toom the world by storm across all countries from the native World of Sport on ITV to the hallowed turf of Japan before settling at Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Canada.
The second part shows Davey Boy Smith's equal rise to fame as four years younger than Tom, and then following his fellow Lancastrian to Calgary where they took the territory by storm before coming to the attention of Vincent Kennedy McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation.
The third act of the book deals with the many setbacks suffered by both men, from poverty to rehab to the untimely death of Davey Boy from cardiac arrest in 2002 and Tom's death on his 60th birthday in 2018.
The British Bulldogs arrived in the WWF as a tag-team entity, shortly after the inaugural Wrestlemania in 1985, they were skyrocketed up the rankings as they became firm fan favourites culminating in a successful title claim at Wrestlemania 2 versus the Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake).
Yet due to Dynamite's first serious injury, their reign had to be curtailed dropping the belts to the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) in January 1987, something Dynamite clamoured for and promised despite his serious injury. The attempts to return to the mountain top were seemingly thwarted by backstage politics and the ambition to work with better quality opponent, the Bulldogs wanted more flexibility to work in Japan yet tied to an exclusive WWF contract their movements were restricted and earning power, Tom especially felt hamstrung and displeased. Their eventual departure in late 1988 after an altercation with the Rougeau brothers ended with Jacques knocking several of Tom's teeth out with a sucker punch, this chapter of the book is enlightening to show the high esteem the Bulldogs were held backstage while the Rougeaus were not so.
Bell writes with such clarity from the multitude of sources at his disposal and he is clear to paint the double act as pioneers in the field of tag team wrestling, admired by many with their use of double teaming in their move set from Davey Boy gorilla pressing Dynamite and dropping him onto a prone opponent.
Cleverly, Bell also writes at length on the long period of development for the Bulldogs and especially Dynamite in Stampede Wrestling and the overall influence of the Hart family upon them from ring psychology to gaining respect from the Canadians as outsiders with Billington practically being adopted as one of their own. Markedly, you are reminded that the Bulldogs firmly belonged in the tradition of kayfabe, that facet of wrestling is real and that storylines should be incorporated into the wrestlers life off screen, for example, you do not talk to heels or interact. Dynamite thought valiantly but sometimes lines can be blurred especially when injuries are suffered and self-prescribing pain relief is used.
For the lay fan, the Bulldogs were fan favourites and Davey Boy's run in 1991-93 as a babyface culminating in headlining Summerslam at Wembley stadium opposite Bret Hart, yet one of the most fascinating aspect of the book is the delving into Dynamite's heel run in Stampede, a facet of their ring personality they wanted to adopt in WWF but to no avail. Yet interestingly, Davey Boy's return to the WWF in 1991 led to him trademarking the British Bulldog name, leaving Dynamite in the cold somewhat and causing friction between the two.
Their influence being smaller in stature to say the behemoths of Hulk Hogan the World Champion always caused a taste of resentment for Dynamite, and when he was out of the loop he would not watch WWF programming. So when Davey Boy offered an olive branch in 1992, one of the first things he told him was that Bret Hart was the champion, Dynamite's response was 'North American champion right', he could not believe Bret was the main man now. It was due to Bret's expert storytelling in the ring that led to him being given the brass ring and the figurehead of the company, something unheard of in the steroid heyday of the company. Following the steroid saga in 1991, WWF needed a new face and Bret was that, yet the Hitman would not be where he was if not for the diligence and work he put in Calgary with Tom Billington.
Sadly, both of the Bulldogs' lives were tainted by the tar of tragedy as the workload of wrestling day-in, day-out with little respite for the body and mind leads to substance abuse of pain medication both prescription and recreational as well as copious alcohol consumption. Dynamite suffered a back injury that ultimately led to him being confined to a wheelchair, while Davey Boy sustained a cardiac arrest, an autopsy showing an enlarged heart.
For two dynamic and athletic personas, whose ability became forebearers and influential to many wrestlers such as Owen Hart and Chris Benoit (two men's whose tragic early departures are touched upon in the book), it is a shame that their lives were so tragic in their conclusion when their influence and performances brought such joy to many.
The British Bulldogs remain one of the most influential tag teams in wrestling history, duos of today such as Young Bucks and FTR use tandem offense to devastating effect, the Bulldogs and the Hart Foundation were there at the start of it for those teams to stand upon their shoulders.
This is a book this reader can heartily recommend for wrestling fans old and new, a treasure trove of back stage gossip, some stories you know and some you might not, you will come away with a greater understanding of the psyche of a professional wrestler and how quickly the pot of gold that can fall in your lap can so cruelly be taken away just as quickly.
Dynamite and Davey is out now from all book providers here
My thanks to the author Steve Bell for the opportunity to preview this book for an honest review.
