Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972 with partner Sonny King. Still, getting the rub from past Native American characters likely helped Tatanka even if the moments were brief. He also had a program with Greg's dad, when he was Joltin' Joe. People were able to believe in what I was doing.". Chief Jay Strongbow's success landed him in the WWE hall of fame, something most people would agree is deserved. One presented himself as an Arab (The Iron Sheik), and another was a In Detroit he feuded with Don Kent once again. ), Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Anthony Bowens AKA That really was on the cover of The Wrestler magazine after Volkoff did exactly that in the Summer of 1979. Wrestling legend Chief Jay Strongbow, whose real name was Joseph Scarpa, died on Tuesday at the age of 83, according to ProWrestling.net. Street hosted 50 Years of Nutley Wrestling, a program that explored Nutley Web SiteNutley Historical 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. Joe Jr. died in 2016 at the age of 48. [2][3] He also participated in a 1994 storyline in which he mentored Tatanka (an actual Native American of the Lumbee tribe). He never recovered and died on April 3, 2012 at the age of 83. There was so much talent with Crockett. "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. In retirement, Strongbow became a WWF road agent and worked in the company's front office. Strongbow was no slouch when it came to picking up championships, earning over 20 titles throughout his career. In 2009, Chief Jay Strongbow was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Famein Texas. Our 77th Year And despite working heel for almost the entirety of his career, Valentine has a smile and friendly word for everyone. Sal Scarpa, brother of Joe AKA Chief Jay Strongbow, who "But he liked it if you gave it back to him, he respected you. But Lou Albano, McCord's manager, interfered by smashing a cast on the Chief's forehead. His career started in 1947, and he wouldnt get the Strongbow character until 1970. By now, Valentine was ready for his first marquee singles feud, taking on Wahoo McDaniel and, in a memorable angle, "breaking" Wahoos leg. Scarpa got his leg broken in one match, and he broke the arm of at least one other wrestler. brought lots of memorabilia; Then, on December 7, 1976 Strongbow regained his tag team campionship, this time with partner Billy White Wolf. His best accomplishments are in WWWF where he was a 4-time World Tag-Team Champion. 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. was winning world fame, he adopted a ring name and wrestling persona He spoke later in life about the stress of his role as a supervisor backstage at WWF events. Jim Crockett always paid by check, but in the early WWF, they always paid cash. family when he was a boy. 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. It's always difficult to say how or where certain things originated in wrestling, but a very common occurrence in many matches can easily be linked to Chief Jay Strongbow. Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network. "Throughout his long, prestigious career, Strongbow feuded with some of the biggest names in the wrestling business; Billy Graham, Ken Patera, George Steele, Ernie Ladd, the Wild Samoans, Larry Zbyszko, Ivan Koloff, Harley Race, Mr. Fuji, and many, many others. Apparently, the former professional wrestler fell sometime at the end of 2011 and had to be hospitalized. 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. Strongbow also engaged in a noteworthy series with The Big Cat Ernie Ladd in the WWWF, a feud that carried over to the NWAs Georgia Championship Wrestling a few years later. community magazine serving the residents of Nutley, N.J. Read Chief Jay Strongbow. 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 But if the Bulldogs wanted to work spots, they would get with [Brutus] to do it, because I wasnt going to. During the decades before the gimmick, Scarpa wrestled under his real name and saw a lot of success with championships. Cameron Miller is a writer with over five years of creative writing experience - both personally and for clients around the world. a call to action that he was all too glad to answer by doing a war A memorable match against "Iron" Mike McCord featured Strongbow applying his sleeper hold. It may not be utilized much anymore, but Strongbow was a huge reason for the popularity of the Indian Strap match. Officers 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. When he received the news about his health, he made the decision to permanently separate from the WWF. He first began using the gimmick for the WWWF in the early '70s, and would continue with it for the rest of his career. Society, "club" wrestling team at Nutley High School (1961) the first varsity McCord was disqualified, but Strongbow was cut wide open by Albano's blows. Arion was now a heel, and pinned Strongbow in eastern arenas as he went on to challenge champion Bruno Sammartino. "Winning titles was never the primary goal for Strongbow, especially during his latter years in the ring. This time, the Native American duo held on to the title belts, and defended them against the WWF's best teams. Im going to lead the match, and I just dont work that way.". [13] Strongbow was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame class of 1994 by Gorilla Monsoon. The first thing that should be known to just about everyone is that Strongbow wasn't actually Native American. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! Roddy Piper and Greg Valentine Their Lauded Feud & Dog Collar Match, Championship Belt Maker Dave Millican Shares His Pieces of History, Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine | Rhythm and Blues (and Unkept Promises, Too! In 1982, they won the WWWF tag team championship title from Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in a famous match in Madison Square Garden. And all the while, Valentine was learning. The first thing that should be known to just about everyone is that Strongbow wasn't actually Native American. However, there was , Weve profiled 40 wrestlers who sadly, didnt make it to see age 40, including many enhancement talent names of the , Heart Attack / Heart Failure / Heart Disease, Comprehensive Deceased Wrestlers List (text-only), Comprehensive Deceased Managers List (text-only), 8 Things You May Not Have Known About Rick Rude. Reprint Information If a wrestler could get past Strongbow, a title opportunity often followed. passed away in Georgia on April 3, 2012. Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network. Contact NHS via email did a Nutley guy named Luke Scarpa come to wrestle professionally as At 6`2 and weighing 260, Strongbow was a formidable opponent for anyone who faced him in the ring. During his matches, his fans would whoop for him to go on the warpath DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY! He also participated in a 1994 storyline in which he mentored Tatanka. It was different. -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. Luke Scarpa, Although there is no timetable set, there will inevitably be an actual Hall of Fame that fans can visit one day, and Strongbow will be among the first plaques that people see. Strongbow's career started in 1947, using . 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. [6][7]By the time he went over to WWWF, he was already a 12 Tag-Team and 6 Time singles champion. October 4, 1932, coach Carmen LoRe who resides in Nutley and was a member of the original It was in the WWF that Greg Valentine rose to his greatest fame, defeating Tito Santana for the Intercontinental title in September of 1984, kayfabe injuring Santanas leg with the figure-four. Instead, Greg got his start training in Stu Harts dungeon, in addition to timely advice from his father. to change. 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, he signed with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), 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. Long before he ever became the chief, Scarpa was already doing quite well for himself. .more .more 3 Dislike Share Save. And like all of the greatest champions in pro wrestling, he never allowed his ego to get the best of him. Finally, after nearly half a year as champions, The Strongbows were defeated by another Lou Albano-led teamthis time the impressive and dangerous Wild Samoans.After losing the title, The Strongbows remained a top WWF tag team, until Jules left the promotion. [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. Grappling great CHIEF JAY STRONGBOW has died of unknown causes. Mini Bio (1) "Chief" Jay Strongbow was arguably the most famous, beloved Native American wrestler of all time, and a consistent box office draw. Street, Nutley N.J. 07110973-667-1528, Contact Room Rental, via phone, not email, Call As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. Check-in CopyrightNutley Nationality: United States. now. The thing that makes the two famous gimmicks that took place before and after him different were that they were actually Native American. 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. His first WWWF Tag Team title came on May 22, 1972 when he teamed with Sonny King to defeat Baron Mikel Scicluna & Curtis Iaukea at New Yorks Madison Square Garden. As both a main event and mid-card performer, Strongbow was one of the most reliable, professional wrestlers of his, or any, day. But with the creation of Titan Sports, and the transfer of the WWF from Vince Sr. to Vince Jr., Strongbow decided to pursue new challenges in the wrestling business. 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. The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979but things just werent the same. 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. 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. 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. What are you waiting for? you think that it was all a harmless charade, it wasnt. He was buried in Griffin, Georgia. 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. In 1982, they won the WWWF tag team There may not yet be a physical Hall of Fame, but enshrinement still means a lot, as it places a performer among the immortals. Actor: Spectrum Wrestling. Both of us were young guys, and we were working hard every night. The Yukon Lumberjacks", "High Chief Peter Maivia and Chief Jay Strongbow", "Raw: Lumberjacks bring predictable chaos", "NWA Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (Alabama version)", "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chief_Jay_Strongbow&oldid=1129368666, This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 23:54. Standing 6`0 and weighing 245 lbs., Strongbow was a formidable challenge for anyone who faced him in the ring and he often served as a roadblock for future opponents of WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino. 10 Things WWE Fans Should Know About Chief Jay Strongbow, his gimmick is definitely a relic of the era, 10 Things Fans Should Know About Butch Reed, no slouch when it came to picking up championships, the general stereotypes involved with his gimmick, but he commited to it in and out of the ring, 10 Things Wrestling Fans Should Know About Lou Thesz, mostly forgettable despite him seeing plenty of tag team success, 10 Women Who Held The NWA Women's Championship, far above the worst performers of the era, 10 Things We Miss About Classic NWA Wrestling, 10 Things Fans Should Know About The Mickey Rourke Movie, The Wrestler, 10 Cringey Moments From Ric Flair's Career Fans Should Know, 10 WCW Wrestlers Whose Careers Ended In The Worst Way, Top 10 What If Scenarios Involving The Undertaker. He was one of the greats. The former wrestler was laid to rest in Griffin, Georgia. 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. 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. Wrestling legend Chief Jay Strongbow, whose real name was Joseph Scarpa, died on Tuesday at the age of 83, according to ProWrestling.net . In 1979, he feuded with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, who broke Strongbow's leg. Strongbow enjoyed a successful career and even after his retirement, remained connected to professional wrestling. Before Scarpa even became Strongbow he had carved out an incredible career for himself. He was well enough to appear at the event, but he was only able to give a brief speech due to his poor health. Nutley wrestling coach Mike DiPiano, and former Nutley This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. [9] They defeated the team of Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. About (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); No spam. development & maintenanceprovided at no cost to Nutley Historical Millions Sob As Volkoff Attacks Bruno. Related: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Butch Reed. 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 quietly faded away, while Joe Scarpa settled into his new life as a WWF "suit. An unfortunate truth about Strongbow is that the end of his career is mostly forgettable despite him seeing plenty of tag team success. While today's comeback sequences aren't as pronounced as Strongbow's, John Cena and many other top stars employ a signature move sequence that they use every match. dance, and applying an Indian Death Lock hold to an opponent. Museum Store 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. 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. Holding the IC title at that time meant that Valentine wasto a large portion of the US audiencethe second-best wrestler in the world. Links are subject 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. Truly, "Chief" Jay Strongbow was a consummate wrestlerStrongbow began his career in the mid-1960s, and worked primarily for Vince McMahon Sr. and the World Wide Wrestling Federation. 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. The Native American duo of Strongbow & White Wolf held the title for over 8 months before being forced to vacate the championship when White Wolf's neck was "broken" by Ken Patera's devastating finisher, the Swinging Neckbreaker. "Dont you think people would have paid for a picture with that belt?" 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. 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. Chief Jay Strongbow was inducted into the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame. [9] On the March 8, 1983 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbows lost the titles to The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika). History of Spies He also has a daughter Connie Pacheco of Portland, Oregon. Then, on December 7, 1976 Strongbow regained the tag team championship, this time with partner Billy White Wolf, defeating Nicolai Volkoff & Tor Kamata in the finals of a tournament for the vacant WWWF Tag Team title. The thing is, Strongbow didn't end up helping Tatanka find any success during his run with the company. 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.