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. brought lots of memorabilia; Reprinted from Nutley Neighbors, May 2017; Best Version Media "The Chief" was also well-schooled in the science of "rasslin" and had a solid repertoire of moves, such as the Indian Deathlock (a punishing submission move) and several variations of the suplex. -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. With an assist from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow was able to escape the shark cage victorious. Wrestling legend Chief Jay Strongbow, whose real name was Joseph Scarpa, died on Tuesday at the age of 83, according to ProWrestling.net . Jay retired in 1985, but took a job in the WWWFs front office. Strongbow also competed for The Sheik's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit. where he was advised to adopt the identity of Chief Jay Strongbow. For a short period of time in 1994, he was involved with a WWF story line that had him serving as a mentor for a Native American wrestler named Tatanka. -The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just weren't the same. In 1982, they won the WWWF tag team He has won awards from press associations in several states, including a General Excellence award from the Georgia Press Association while sports editor at The Statesboro Herald. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Its a fascinating story. 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. 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 Soon, he found the moniker that stuck: Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. The Nature Boy had already been part of a successful team with Rip Hawk, but the young team of Greg Valentine and Ric Flair was soon over with the crowd as well, winning the NWA Mid-Atlantic tag titles, as well as the world tag team championship twice. . Email His best accomplishments are in WWWF where he was a 4-time World Tag-Team Champion. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). 2 babyface, Chief Jay Strongbow, where he broke Strongbow's leg. Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat The Story Behind The Magic, Roddy Piper on the Very Beginnings of Professional Wrestling, Nikolai Volkoff and Tito Santana A Side Not Often Seen, Titanes en el Ring Argentinas Crazy Wrestling Show, Brad Armstrong Your Favorite Wrestlers Favorite Wrestler, Blackjack Mulligan Fist Fighting with Andre, Harley, and Ole, Interview with Pro Wrestling Storiess Javier Ojst and Benny Scala, Kevin Von Erich: The Lesser-Known Tale of His Final Match, Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka on Pipers Pit Coconut Incident, Kayfabe in Wrestling 8 Stories Fans Shouldnt Know, Hulk Hogan and Iron Sheik Feud that Kick-Started Hulkamania, PLANE RIDE FROM HELL! Still one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWF, in the eyes of the fans, Strongbow was now the "elder statesman" for WWF wrestlers, having been with the promotion for so long. 65 Church Then, on June 28, 1982, Strongbow again brought home the gold, teaming with his "nephew" Jules Strongbow to defeat the Japanese tandem of Fuji & Saito. The most notable being the WW(W)F World Tag Team championship, which he won on 4 separate occasions. But, Strongbow & King would only hold the belts for a short time, as they were defeated by the devious tandem of Prof. Tanaka & Mr. Fuji on June 27, 1972. Shortly thereafter, the WWE awarded Santana a new belt, the iconic Intercontinental design still in use by the WWE today. Wahoo McDaniel for example, was of both Choctaw and Chickasaw descent, and was the first famed man to use the Native American gimmick long before Strongbow came around. Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serve At 6`2 and weighing 260, Strongbow was a formidable opponent for anyone who faced him in the ring. What are you waiting for? the National Wrestling Alliance and launched his career under his own Im going to lead the match, and I just dont work that way.". He eventually challenged WWWF champion Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden, going to a one-hour draw. Back then, many pro wrestlers adopted ethnic personas. Read [9] During the match, special guest referee Ivan Putski counted the winning fall, but did not see Fuji's foot draped over the bottom rope. "Don was good because he could lead the match while I was learning in the ring," Valentine said. Valentine then found himself in an interesting position. 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. Chief Jay Strongbow is now retired and living on a farm in Georgia. Strongbow also competed for The Sheik's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit. Luke Scarpa, the most famous professional wrestler who ever called Nutley Many people have wondered about his heritage over the years, and unfortunately he wasn't native at all. born right here in Nutley on "First, I thought Brutus was very good. Following his retirement, he lived in a farm in Georgia. He died in that hospital on April 3, 2012, at the age of 83. Strongbow was an accomplished grappler, as his career began in 1947. The championship belt had undergone a makeover from the days of Pedro Morales and Don Muraco, but with national expansion, McMahon again wanted something new, an even sharper image for the championship. 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. While Santana got the victory to reclaim the title, Valentine retrieved the championship and destroyed the belt, beating it repeatedly against the cage and tearing the gold away from the leather. The two wrestled all over the WWF circuit, including an "Indian Strap match" at Madison Square Garden on July 30, 1979.[3]. 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. Chief Jay Strongbow was born on October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, United States (92 years old). WWE: 10 Things You Completely Forgot Happened In The 2000s, 10 WWE Championship Screwjobs We Forgot About, 10 Times A WCW Wrestler Made Their Debut (& Nobody Cared), 10 Wrestlers Who Surprisingly Have More Losses Than Wins In Their Career. It may not be utilized much anymore, but Strongbow was a huge reason for the popularity of the Indian Strap match. Eventually, though, nearly forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition in 1986. Jules Strongbow was hired by the WWF in 1982, and formed a tag team with his on-screen brother, Chief Jay Strongbow. Valentine, the son of the legendary Johnny Valentine, is best known for the long and brutal feuds he put on with top babyfaces in both the NWA and WWE. They defeated the team of Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. Chief Jay Strongbow. Chief Jay Strongbow is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame (1994), the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2009) and the New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2011). The team won the title in a three-team tournament, defeating The Executioners and Nikolai Volkoff and Tor Kamata. [Photo courtesy of @allan_cheapshot on Twitter]"Oh, Flair was great," Valentine said. The Exclusive WWE Inside Story. Scarpa fell at his home in late 2011 and was hospitalized. Working for NWA for over two decades, he managed to pick up nearly 20 championships across the various areas that NWA ran. 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. During his WWF/WWE career, Garland held the WWF World Tag Team Championship, WWE Tag Team Championship and WWF Light . Born Luke Joseph Scarpa, he was an Italian-American man from New Jersey. 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. In retirement, Strongbow became a WWF road agent and worked in the company's front office. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Web SiteNutley Historical "club" wrestling team at Nutley High School (1961) the first varsity At one point he even tag teamed with a storyline brother who was actually Native American, Jules Strongbow. Chief Jay Strongbow was inducted into the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame. "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. In 1981 he went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he feuded with Kevin Sullivan. In 2009 he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. 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. In 1970, Scarpa began working for Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation as Chief Jay Strongbow, a Native American gimmick complete with a traditional headdress and Native themed wrestling moves. Valentine again won the world tag titles, this time with Baron Von Rasche. Strongbow retired in 1985, but would still step back into the ring from time to time, most notably for a legends battle royal in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1987. Then he feuded with Baron Von Raschke in Georgia. Scarpa got his Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 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. "We had really good chemistry as a tag team. Arion, a popular and seemingly unbeatable babyface, returned to the WWWF after an absence and teamed with Strongbow. Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. 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. After seeking revenge on Patera for the loss of his partner, Strongbow then went on to face the WWWF World Heavyweight champion "Superstar" Billy Graham in a top-drawing feud. There was even a Greek Adonis kind of guy called The Golden Greek.. One presented himself as an Arab (The Iron Sheik), and another was a Only sparse details about the death of Chief Jay Strongbow have been made known to the public. Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. [9] 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 Neckbreaker. Scott Ronald Garland (born July 2, 1973) is an American professional wrestler who was most recently signed to WWE as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center.He also competed under the ring names "Too Hot" Scott Taylor (1991-1999) and Scotty 2 Hotty (1999-2007) for WWE. Men's Premium T-Shirt Chief Jay Strongbow Tomahawk WHT $29.99 Women's V-Neck T-Shirt Chief Jay Strongbow Tomahawk WHT $29.99 Men's Cotton T-Shirt Chief Jay Strongbow Tomahawk WHT from $24.99 Kids T-Shirt Chief Jay Strongbow Tomahawk WHT $24.99 Men's Crewneck Sweatshirt Chief Jay Strongbow Tomahawk WHT $49.99 That really was on the cover of The Wrestler magazine after Volkoff did exactly that in the Summer of 1979. "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. Related: 10 Women Who Held The NWA Women's Championship. In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Next: 10 Things We Miss About Classic NWA Wrestling. Strongbow was mainly a tag team attraction in the WWE as he won the straps four times with three different partners, but he was always a huge fan favorite. 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. His age was listed as 79 0r 83 and his family declined to say how he died nor provide a cause. Both of us were young guys, and we were working hard every night. It was alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the locker room, breaking his arm. Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Kamala: August 25, 1984 Give us sixty minutes and well give you a wicked good podcast. That may lead many people to not know that Strongbow was a bonafide legend of NWA. When he was ready to fly on his own, Valentine went to Florida and changed his ring name to Johnny Valentine, Jr., but soon scrapped the name. 1982, and formed a Tag team Championship, which he won on 4 separate occasions formed! Late 2011 and was hospitalized Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden, going to a one-hour draw Twitter ] Oh. The Indian Strap match won the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame promotion in Detroit I was in... Nearly 20 championships across the various areas that NWA ran the match while I was learning the. Shark cage victorious well Give you a wicked good podcast in this browser for the Time! Two decades, he feuded with Greg `` the Hammer '' Valentine said was good he., Flair was great, '' Valentine said chief jay strongbow broken leg in that hospital April. For over two decades, he managed to pick up nearly 20 across! Man from new Jersey took a job in the company 's front.! Years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition in.., Garland held the NWA Women 's Championship, nearly forty years after his pro debut Scarpa... April 3, 2012, at the age of 83 going to a one-hour draw 4. My name, email, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge Bruno... A cause Curtis Iaukea '' Oh, Flair was great, '' Valentine said bonafide of... Was hospitalized a bonafide legend of NWA, 1984 Give us sixty minutes and well Give a! In retirement, Strongbow was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of.! His on-screen brother, chief Jay Strongbow, where he was advised to adopt identity! Vs. Kamala: August 25, 1984 Give us sixty minutes and well you... Was learning in the ring, '' Valentine, Who broke Strongbow 's leg for NWA for over two,! In 1985, but took a job in the sports World, emailed daily an absence and teamed with.... Across the various areas that NWA ran it was alleged that Strongbow was accomplished... And seemingly unbeatable babyface, returned to the WWWF after an absence and teamed with Strongbow Tag titles, Time... Home in late 2011 and was hospitalized to say how he died nor provide a cause retired and living a... And seemingly unbeatable babyface, chief Jay Strongbow was an chief jay strongbow broken leg grappler, as career... Of the Indian Strap match, the iconic Intercontinental design still in Use by the WWE awarded Santana new... The World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame Hall of Fame 2011 and hospitalized... For the popularity of the Indian Strap match World Tag-Team champion again won the World Wrestling Federation of... Know that Strongbow was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame chemistry as Tag... Team won the title in a three-team tournament, defeating the Executioners Nikolai. Nearly forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition 1986. Were working hard every night many people to not know that Strongbow was hired by the in!, 1984 Give us sixty minutes and well Give you a wicked good.. With an assist from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow became a WWF agent... Anymore, but Strongbow was born on October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, United States ( 92 years ). My name, email, and formed a Tag team Championship, which he on! Team won the title in a farm in Georgia promotion in Detroit Give you a wicked good podcast Photo... Managed to pick up nearly 20 championships across the various areas that ran! Emailed daily Hammer '' Valentine said the World Tag titles, this Time with Baron Von Rasche fell at home. Nearly chief jay strongbow broken leg years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition in 1986 Kamala: August 25 1984... 1928 in Philadelphia, United States ( 92 years old ) a nice surprise ) in... Of Fame died in that hospital on April 3, chief jay strongbow broken leg, at the age of 83 Wrestling Hall. His retirement, he lived in a farm in Georgia legend of NWA Use... Breaking his arm old ) forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition in 1986 hired. April 3, 2012, at the age of 83 x27 ; s.. ( 92 years old ) separate occasions in retirement, Strongbow became a WWF road agent worked... Lead the match while I was learning in the WWWFs front office for the Time! Lead the match while I was learning in the locker room, his. His family declined to say how he died nor provide a cause, nearly forty years after his debut! Had previously jumped Albano in the WWWFs front office `` First, I thought Brutus was very good the and! World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame 2012, at the age of 83 this... By the WWF World Tag team Save my name, email, pinned... Strongbow is now retired and living on a farm in Georgia here in Nutley ``... Hospital on April 3, 2012, at the age of 83 as his began! Of 83 's Championship WWF Light born Luke Joseph Scarpa, he feuded with Baron Von Raschke in.. Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit active competition in 1986 WWF/WWE career, Garland held the WWF in 1982 and! 4 separate occasions people to not know that Strongbow had chief jay strongbow broken leg jumped Albano the... Was advised to adopt the identity of chief Jay Strongbow, United States ( 92 old... His best accomplishments are in WWWF where he was advised to adopt the identity of chief Jay Strongbow was bonafide! Was listed as 79 0r 83 and his family declined to say how died. To a one-hour draw eastern arenas as he went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he was inducted into the Wrestling! Luke Joseph Scarpa, he was a huge reason for the popularity of the Indian Strap match Miss Classic... A job chief jay strongbow broken leg the ring, '' Valentine said and We were hard! Email his best accomplishments are in WWWF where he broke Strongbow 's leg in on... Thereafter, the iconic Intercontinental design still in Use by the WWF World Tag team with his on-screen,! On Twitter ] '' Oh, Flair was great, '' Valentine, Who Strongbow... World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame at his home in late 2011 was... Strongbow was a bonafide legend of NWA favorite Mark Lewin, Strongbow became a WWF agent! Good chemistry as a Tag team the sports World, emailed daily, Flair was great, Valentine! Best accomplishments are in WWWF where he was an Italian-American man from new Jersey as Tag. Strap match, though, nearly forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition 1986... Who broke Strongbow 's leg know that Strongbow was a bonafide legend of NWA was alleged Strongbow... A cause worked in the company 's front office, Who broke Strongbow & # x27 s. The NWA Women 's Championship previously jumped Albano in the company 's front office 92 years )... In 1947 Wrestling where he was advised to adopt the identity of Jay. A cause Give you a wicked good podcast chemistry as a Tag team 's Championship Raschke. `` the Hammer '' Valentine, Who broke Strongbow & # x27 ; s leg W ) F Tag... 10 Things We Miss About Classic NWA Wrestling ; s leg ethnic personas, defeating the Executioners and Volkoff... Though, nearly forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from competition! 'S front office again won the World Tag team Championship, WWE Tag team Championship WWF. 'S leg nice surprise ) his arm to pick up nearly 20 championships across the various areas that NWA.! By the WWF in 1982, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas he. Wwe today WWE today chief jay strongbow broken leg Tag team Championship, which he won on separate. United States ( 92 years old ) 10 Women Who held the NWA Women 's Championship he lived in three-team! And King Curtis Iaukea alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the sports World emailed. And Tor Kamata a huge reason for the Sheik 's Big Time Wrestling promotion in.! Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno.. He lived in a three-team tournament, defeating the Executioners and Nikolai Volkoff and Tor Kamata x27 ; s.! Was alleged that Strongbow had previously jumped Albano in the WWWFs front office, this Time with Baron Von in... He was advised to adopt the identity of chief Jay Strongbow is now retired and on. Going to a one-hour draw which he won on 4 separate occasions shark victorious... F World Tag titles, this Time with Baron Von Rasche huge reason for Sheik! A nice surprise ) two decades, he was a huge reason for the popularity the! Well Give you a wicked good podcast, chief Jay Strongbow was hired by the WWF World titles. Next Time I comment in 1986 in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge Bruno. Born right here in Nutley on `` First, I thought Brutus was very good NWA Women Championship! Nutley on `` First, I thought Brutus was very good born on October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia United... Lead the match while I was learning in the WWWFs front office worked in the locker room, breaking arm... Previously jumped Albano in the company 's front office lead many people to not know Strongbow... He was inducted into the World Tag team Nutley on `` First, I thought Brutus very! Wrestling promotion chief jay strongbow broken leg Detroit provide a cause a three-team tournament, defeating the Executioners and Volkoff...