Big Daddy talks about the Death of King Kong Kirk during a bout.

In 1985 ITV cancelled the British wrestling programmes in favour of showing the American World Wrestling Federation (WWF) programmes. However Big Daddy made live appearances and performed in wrestling bouts around the country.


In 1987, during a wrestling bout with Big Daddy Mal "King Kong" Kirk turned blue during a Belly Splash and died in hospital from heart problems. Though Big Daddy was cleared at a coroner's inquest he retired from wrestling.

Shirley Crabtree aka Big Daddy died of a stroke on December 2nd 1997. He was aged 67 years.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• WWE
• Wrestling
• Big Daddy
• King Kong Kirk
• ITN
• British Wrestling

[Yorkietash83]

I'm Mal Kirk's daughter (the baby in the pic!) & of course Big Daddy didn't directly kill my dad no, BUT the reason he had a "health issues" was because he was having to take on more & more matches to makes ends meet, this naturally in the long run takes its toll. Nobody in the industry (i.e. the ones who knew what he was really like) could stand Big Daddy, in reality he wasn't the cuddly nice bloke everyone thinks & he "won" matches because he was cast as a "goodie" not cos he had skill!

[kirkwanglers32]

Kirk was from Yorkshire Pontifract.

RIP And Big Daddy was in the British army Guards.

[johnsammyanfal]

It's a measure of just what a vile old scumbag 'Big Daddy' was that he fought a match the following week after Mal Kirk's tragic death. The Crabtree combo destroyed British wrestling by having absolutely no business flair whatsoever and paying such poverty wages to other wrestlers that they killed it as a career for any upcoming talent. Any youthful talent made their way straight to North America as British wrestling floundered, losing its TV rights and then vanishing into final oblivion.

[Kevin107ish]

I don't think anbody really blieved the hype, even in the 70s and early 80s. Big Daddy was just a wrestling version of Gary Glitter, ie a glorified showman who was all hype and no substance. Giant Haystacks (Martin Ruane) would obviously have kicked Shirley Crabtree's head in if they had ever had a real fight.

[MrWrightey]

Mad to think that William regal was one time tag partner with big daddy! Easy Easy!!!

[MrWrightey]

Toothandbbfan...they were best mates.

[MrWrightey]

Shiftwork... A bit like vincent Kennedy McMahon runs the empire nowadays.

[MrWrightey]

Classie60... What the funk!!!try brodus clay...he ain't exactly randy ortan.. Long live the memory of the great entertainer big daddy..halifax's own

[wwe52891]

british wrestling suckes american wrestling (wwe) is well by far better and to prove it giant hstacks went to wwe to become a 3 time world heavy weight champion

[joshuadeclantudgay]

Even now, well over thirty years on in life, Jim Breaks proved and showed himself in reality; far from being the ''bad boy villian'' of the ring, to be in fact, very much a complete and total gentleman in every sense of the word ~~~~~ and yes!! I still to this very day proudly own the old paperback (''Grease'') with the absolutely prized autograph.

[joshuadeclantudgay]

My fiancee at the time and I happened to spot the two Crabtree brothers sat alone in a deserted cafeteria. I couldn't believe as to how aloof and arrogant was their manner, as we calmly and civilly approached them. On the other hand at approximately the same time, I had the honour and pleasure to share a four hour journey with ''Cry Baby'' Jim Breaks; to the extent that he enthusiastically chatted away with me; autographed a paperback that I was carrying, and warmly shared his sandwiches and tea

[shiftwork]

@Yorkietash83 Well I tend to believe you are Mr Kirk's daughter as it was reported in the papers at that time that Mal Kirk's wife said exactly the same as you did - that the pay was shocking, and if I remember correctly the wrestlers also sometimes had to pay their own way to the venues. It was all really about the three Crabtree brothers.