Chief Jay Strongbow: Bio When Chief Jay Strongbow went on the warpath, no one was safe; not his opponent, not the referee, nor anyone else unfortunate enough to get in his way. He laughs, but its easy to see hes only half-kidding. He didnt care for a lot of the ga-ga that the WWE was putting on TV at the time. leg broken in one match, and he broke the arm of at least one other "Don was good because he could lead the match while I was learning in the ring," Valentine said. Swede Hanson gets a main event in Madison Square Garden, Pat Patterson gets an unprecedented four match series against Bob Backlund, and Roddy Piper gets the shaft. He feuded with the likes of "The Golden Greek" Spiros Arion, "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant, and "Superstar" Billy Graham, nearly winning the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. After wrestling in the WWF for 9 years, Strongbow went to work for Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. In 1981 he went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he feuded with Kevin Sullivan. "And one day when I saw him a few years ago, I asked whatever became of that belt, because Tito kept it after that angle. [3] After failing in regaining the belts, the Strongbows disbanded. development & maintenanceprovided at no cost to Nutley Historical A memorable match against "Iron Mike" McCord featured Strongbow applying his sleeper hold. He was better than he gets credit for being. Working for NWA for over two decades, he managed to pick up nearly 20 championships across the various areas that NWA ran. In 2009, Chief Jay Strongbow was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Famein Texas. But the feud with JYD was just to keep him busy until his feud with Santana resumed. community magazine serving the residents of Nutley, N.J. Read 2017. In 2009 he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Still, getting the rub from past Native American characters likely helped Tatanka even if the moments were brief. Why a He first began using the gimmick for the WWWF in the early '70s, and would continue with it for the rest of his career. In 1982, Strongbow formed a tag team with his on-screen brother, Jules Strongbow. Born October 4, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. the Nutley Hall of Fame in 2013. born right here in Nutley on The most notable being the WW(W)F World Tag Team championship, which he won on 4 separate occasions. [9] On the March 8, 1983 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles to The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika). Both of us were young guys, and we were working hard every night. One presented himself as an Arab (The Iron Sheik), and another was a His larger than life persona as a Native American wrestler ran from 1947 to 1985. By now, Valentine was ready for his first marquee singles feud, taking on Wahoo McDaniel and, in a memorable angle, "breaking" Wahoos leg. In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. Chief Jay Strongbow. Although he was billed for the majority of his career as being a native of Pawhuska, Oklahoma., Chief Jay Strongbow was actually born Luke Joseph Scarpa on October 4, 1928 in Nutley, New Jersey, The Italian-American made his professional debut in 1947, wrestling as Joe Scarpa, a variation of his real name. He told me his wife threw it out! Have a comment about Chief Jay Strongbow? After losing their belts, the Strongbows remained a top WWF tag team, until Jules left the promotion. Strongbow aka Joe Scarpa, achieved fame in his persona of a Native-American grappler during the 1970s and 1980s, whose war dance foretold the downfall of his opponents, died last Tuesday. It wouldn't be unfair to credit Strongbow with the advent of such a concept. Say what you will about the WWE Hall of Fame being a joke due to the inclusions of Koko B. Ware, Pete Rose and Drew Carey, but the fact of the matter is that it is a tremendous honor to be inducted. -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. It's likely that he was best suited as a talent since he was constantly brought back to help the newer stars. As a role model - for people of all races - there was none better, and "The Chief" proudly wrestled his entire career as a beloved fan favorite. "It was just incredible how much you would get paid, and then you had all of this money on you. Our 77th Year Like Ricky Steamboathe was tremendous. On the July 13 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles back to Fuji and Saito, 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. "Vigilante" who wrestled his first match on April 13, 2013, in his He was inducted into If a wrestler could get past Strongbow, a title opportunity often followed. Piper won that match non-title since it wasnt officially sanctioned by the NWAbut Valentine got his heat back by beating Piper down afterward and leaving him laying in the ring. Street, Nutley N.J. 07110973-667-1528 While Strongbow was at odds with plenty of iconic performers, many of the men who clashed with were performers that modern fans may not recognize at all. more: 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. (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function(){viAPItag.display("vi_937032466")}). born right here in Nutley on .more .more 3 Dislike Share Save. wrestling in its many forms professional wrestlers from our town, great Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. "He knew what to do and when to do it, and he was incredibly tough, so I learned just by being around him the Dungeon was different. In retirement, Strongbow became a WWF road agent and worked in the company's front office. Contact - Nutley Historical Society Discover Chief Jay Strongbow's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Late in his career, he took on a tag team partner who had adopted the He was inducted into The first thing that should be known to just about everyone is that Strongbow wasn't actually Native American. He spoke later in life about the stress of his role as a supervisor backstage at WWF events. Just a tremendous babyface.". Without question, Chief Jay Strongbow was a consistent box office draw and, arguably, the most famous and beloved Native American wrestler of all time. In 2010, Scarpaattended a wrestling convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, where reportedly he was tired and largely unable to interact both with friends and with fans. He never recovered and died on April 3, 2012 at the age of 83. When things seemed to settle, Maivia came up behind Strongbow and clubbed him on the back of the head before walking off back to the dressing room leaving Strongbow to be assaulted by the Yukon Lumberjacks. "[Wahoo] was rough," Valentine said. 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. 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. 2 babyface, Chief Jay Strongbow, where he broke Strongbow's leg. 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. Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in a famous match in Madison Square Garden. Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972 with partner Sonny King. more: His Tomahawk Chop was a weapon to be feared and led to many victories, as did his Sleeper hold and several variations of the suplex. STICK TO WRESTLING! Andre The Giant was the first inductee following his tragic death in 1993, but the first official class came in 1994, of which Strongbow was a part. Then dropped the title on December 20 to Danny Condrey. Wrestling Legend Chief Jay Strongbow Dead at 83. photo: wwe.com. ), Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. If that quote is true, WWE Hall-of-Famer the status of Greg Valentine as a performer inside the squared circle is unquestionable. 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. Chief Jay Strongbow. He has covered Division I college athletics and professional sports including MLB and NFL games. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. What went wrong? Valentine and Flair worked a brutal feud with unlikely babyfaces, Ole and Gene Anderson, trading the world tag titles back and forth, until they were stripped of the tag team titles by then-NWA president Eddie Graham for "unprofessional conduct" in an angle that explained Flair breaking off to pursue the world championship. Born Jonathan Anthony Wisniski, Jr., the younger Valentine didnt immediately capitalize on his fathers name. "Wahoo was a tremendous athlete," Valentine said. While it didn't translate into all that many championships at that point, he was still considered one of the greatest stars of that decade. wrestling team (1962) and head coach for the NHS wrestling team (1994 to Eventually, though, nearly forty years after his pro debut, Scarpa retired from active competition in 1986. Society, If the Chief started his War Dance, the fans in attendance knew the end was near because no one could (or, perhaps more appropriately, was allowed to) stop him once a fired-up Strongbow began circling his opponent. When you think about it, though, there haven't been many wrestlers in WWE history who have been attached to a certain match type. Email Copyright 2022 Wrestlingfigs.com. Actor: Spectrum Wrestling. the National Wrestling Alliance and launched his career under his own 973-667-1528, Official Luke Joseph Scarpa[2] (October 4, 1928 April 3, 2012) was an American professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. Eventually, Greg Valentine would be brought back, but he was moved down the card, even though he still had entertaining feuds with Don Muraco and Ron Garvin. "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. Many people have wondered about his heritage over the years, and unfortunately he wasnt native at all. [3] In reality (and unlike McDaniel, who was an actual Choctaw-Chickasaw Native-American), Jay was an Italian-American who much like actor Iron Eyes Cody[4] portrayed an Indian to stand-out more. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Although he was billed for the majority of his career as being a native of Pawhuska, Oklahoma., "Chief" Jay Strongbow was actually born Luke Joseph Scarpa on October 4, 1928 in . persona of Jules Strongbow. Shortly thereafter, the WWE awarded Santana a new belt, the iconic Intercontinental design still in use by the WWE today. October 4, 1932, 50 Years of Nutley Wrestling guest speakers included sponsored by: This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy! brought lots of memorabilia; Reprinted from Nutley Neighbors, May 2017; Best Version Media brought lots of memorabilia; The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. "club" wrestling team at Nutley High School (1961) the first varsity He won the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship defeating Luke Graham on October 11, 1980 in Puerto Rico. These days, Valentine still wrestles fairly regularly while also working the convention and autograph circuit. 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. Officers 12, 2014; 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. Chief Jay Stongbow - The Microscope - Pro Wrestling Only Listen to any guy who grew up in the 1970s watching WWWF TV and one of the first names they'll come out with is Chief Jay Strongbow, and usually they love him. Great Female Inventors "But he liked it if you gave it back to him, he respected you. This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts, and defended them against the WWF's best teams. 50 Years of Nutley Wrestling guest speakers included Professional Wrestling Online Museum, Copyright 2020 Adscape International, LLC - All Rights Reserved, Dr. George Zahorian Convicted Of Selling Steroids To WWF Wrestlers. Strongbow could also brawl with the best of them, especially once his fiery temper had been ignited. 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. Strongbow and Kent fought inside of a small shark cage, with the first man to escape being declared the winner. The former wrestler was laid to rest in Griffin, Georgia. "Back when I started (with WWE), they were paying us in cash," he said. Luke Scarpa, the most famous professional wrestler who ever called Nutley While he was able to be released from the hospital, he never really recovered from the incident. to change. Ask him about the 1980s WWE wrestling scene, and Valentine will tell you that life on the road was difficult, but the money often made up for it. [2][3] He also participated in a 1994 storyline in which he mentored Tatanka (an actual Native American of the Lumbee tribe). After Scarpa had taken on the persona of a Native American, the Chief did venture outside the parameters of the WWWF on occasion, and was, for a time, a high-profile figure in The Sheiks Detroit promotion and on TBSs Georgia Championship Wrestling. Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serve now. The team quickly fizzled out, and they were separated shortly after being unable to win the titles for a third time. 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. His age was listed as 79 0r 83 and his family declined to say how he died nor provide a cause. 2007) and won more than 100 matches. Back then, many pro wrestlers adopted ethnic personas. "Of course, my wife says Im too nice.". Native American? 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. Ironic, because Strongbow didnt have a drop of Native American DNA in his blood. 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. Corrected June When Luke Scarpa stepped into the wrestling ring, everyone noticed. home. [9] The team won the title in a three-team tournament, defeating The Executioners and Nikolai Volkoff and Tor Kamata. Scarpa got his It was just a basement in Stu Harts house with wrestling mats on the floor. "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. Then Vince McMahon came calling. McMahon was expanding his fathers old territory, planning to take his promotion national. He had a memorable feud with "Bulldog" Don Kent, which culminated in a "shark cage match"[2] in 1976. [10][11], In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972 with partner Sonny King. When You Visit, 65 Church Still one of the more popular wrestlers in the World Wrestling Federation, in the eyes of the fans, Strongbow was now an elder statesman for WWF wrestlers, having been with the promotion for so long. But The Strongbows were not to be denied, and they regrouped, again defeating Fuji & Saito on October 26, 1982. Jim Crockett always paid by check, but in the early WWF, they always paid cash. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. community magazine serving the residents of Nutley, N.J. Nationality: United States. Joe Jr. died in 2016 at the age of 48. 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. One performer he fought with is actually the grandfather of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. History of Spies 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. A And, like all great wrestlers, past and present, he never allowed his ego to get the best of him. 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. Four and a half years later, on December 7, 1976, Strongbow won his second WWWF World Tag Team Championship, this time with partner Billy White Wolf. Facebook DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY! There may not yet be a physical Hall of Fame, but enshrinement still means a lot, as it places a performer among the immortals. On June 28, 1982, Strongbow again brought home the WWF tag team gold, teaming with his nephew Jules Strongbow to defeat the Japanese tandem of Mr. Saito & Mr. Fuji. 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