Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith | |
---|---|
Birth name | David Smith |
Born | Golborne, Lancashire, England | 27 November 1962
Died | 18 May 2002 Invermere, British Columbia, Canada | (aged 39)
Cause of death | Heart attack |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 2; including Davey Boy Smith Jr. |
Family | Billington Hart (by marriage) |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) |
|
Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 260 lb (118 kg)[1] |
Billed from |
|
Trained by |
|
Debut | 1978 |
David Smith (27 November 1962 – 18 May 2002) was an English
Smith won titles within the WWF in three decades, from the 1980s to the 2000s. Though he was never a
Early life
Smith was born in Golborne,[3] where he grew up with his father Sid, mother Joyce, his brother, Terrence and sisters, Joanne and Tracy.[4] Joyce's nephew was Tom Billington, also known as the Dynamite Kid, who was Smith's frequent tag-team partner.[5] He was born with measles in his eyes, which led to him often being the subject of bullying at his school, but he got laser surgery in his 30s.[6][7] Smith enjoyed cricket, football and diving as hobbies.[7]
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1978–1984)
Smith started his training with Ted Betley at 13 after his grandfather and father noticed he needed to be involved in a positive activity. He started competing on
During his time in Stampede, he began a feud with the Dynamite Kid,
World Wrestling Federation (1984–1988)
The Bulldogs, along with Smith's brothers-in-law
The Bulldogs held the titles for nearly nine months, feuding with the Dream Team and
Later in 1988, The Bulldogs left the WWF, in part due to backstage problems, specifically between the Dynamite Kid and the Rougeau Brothers. The Bulldogs had allegedly pulled a number of ribs (pranks) on the Rougeaus. Curt Hennig also pranked the duo, who, assuming that the Bulldogs were behind that prank as well, retaliated: Jacques Rougeau knocked out four of Dynamite Kid's teeth with a fist filled with a roll of quarters.[18] Though there are various accounts of this situation, many suggest that Billington drew first blood by bullying Rougeau (among many others including The Honky Tonk Man, whom Dynamite brought to tears) in Miami.[19] No disciplinary action was taken against Jacques. Billington shortly afterwards quit the WWF over a dispute with WWF management over the issuance of complimentary plane tickets, over which he resigned from the company, and Smith followed suit.[20]
Stampede Wrestling; All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–1990)
After leaving the WWF, the Bulldogs returned to Stampede Wrestling, and also to
Return to World Wrestling Federation (1990–1992)
British sensation (1990–1992)
Smith returned to the WWF in 1990,
Over the next two years, Smith was a
Intercontinental Champion (1992)
In 1992, due to Smith's newfound popularity in the United Kingdom, the WWF decided to hold its annual
Eastern Championship Wrestling later known as Extreme Championship Wrestling (1992–1993)
Shortly after leaving the World Wrestling Federation, Smith debuted in
World Championship Wrestling and All Japan (1993)
In January 1993, Smith signed with
Upon returning from Japan, Smith formed an alliance with top protagonist
Return to England (1994)
In January 1994, Smith returned home to the United Kingdom and wrestled for Ring Wrestling Stars (formerly Joint Promotions). He was brought into the company by Max Crabtree to be his next top star after Big Daddy retired in December 1993 after suffering a stroke. During his time in RWS, Smith wrestled the likes of Jimmy Ocean, Ricky Knight, Drew McDonald, Karl Krammer, Kamikazi, Black Bart, Johnny Angel, Dale Preston, and Iron Duke Lynch, while primarily teaming with Tony Stewart.[39]
World Wrestling Federation (1994–1997)
Allied Powers (1994–1995)
Smith returned to the WWF at
After entering the
Camp Cornette, teaming with Owen Hart (1995–1997)
On 22 October at In Your House 4 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Smith received a WWF Championship shot against Diesel, winning by disqualification after Bret Hart interfered.[45] At Survivor Series on 19 November, Smith participated in the Wild Card eight-man elimination match, teaming with Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, and Sycho Sid and facing WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, Dean Douglas, Owen Hart, and Yokozuna, which they won.[46] On 17 December at In Your House 5, Smith was granted a title shot against new WWF Champion Bret Hart, but was unsuccessful in winning. A notable incident from this match was that Hart bled during the match, which was controversial because WWF outlawed bleeding at the time.[47] Smith entered the Royal Rumble on January 21, 1996, where he made it to the final four before being eliminated by Michaels.[48] On 18 February at In Your House 6, he lost to Yokozuna by disqualification after Vader interfered.[49] At WrestleMania XII on 31 March, he teamed with Vader and Owen Hart to defeat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake Roberts.[50]
In 1996, after
Hart Foundation (1997)
Hart and Smith later joined forces with
Return to World Championship Wrestling (1997–1998)
Smith rejoined WCW in late 1997, and began a feud with
World Wrestling Federation (1999–2000)
Smith returned to the WWF in September 1999. In keeping with the company's new "
Smith defeated
Late career (2002)
Before his death on 18 May 2002, Smith had been training with the intent of resuming his career and came out of retirement wrestling in three tag-team matches with his son, Harry Smith the previous weekend in Manitoba, Canada.[5][6] He had also considered another return to the WWF.[10]
Professional wrestling style and persona
Due to his training in Stu Hart's Dungeon, Smith was renowned for both his technical skill along with his power moves, frequently performing multiple gorilla press slam variations and a delayed vertical suplex, where he would often hold the opponent in the air for an extended length of time to emphasize his strength. His finishing manoeuvre was a Running powerslam.[1]
Personal life
Some writers have claimed that Smith's middle name was actually "Boy", supposedly as the result of one of his parents mistaking the middle name field on Smith's birth certificate for the gender field.[63][64] This story is undoubtedly apocryphal - not only was "Davey Boy" a common nickname in England during Smith's youth for boys named David,[65][66][67] but British birth certificates are completed by a registrar for the General Register Office, not the child's parents.[68]
Smith married his wife Diana at the
Death
Smith died on 18 May 2002
Other media
Smith made his video game debut in WWF Super WrestleMania. He later appeared in numerous video games including WWF In Your House, WWF War Zone, Legends of Wrestling II, Showdown: Legends of Wrestling, WCW/nWo Revenge, WWF No Mercy, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 (as DLC), WWE '13, WWE 2K16, WWE 2K17, WWE 2K18, WWE 2K19, WWE 2K22, WWE 2K23 and WWE 2K24. He also appears in the first two seasons of the WWE SuperCard mobile game as well as the WWE Champions mobile game.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- 2 January Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner in 1989
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fighting Spirit Award (1984, 1985) – with Dynamite Kid[76]
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League Skills Award (1989) – with Dynamite Kid[76]
- Independent Wrestling Association
- IWA Heavyweight Champion (1 time)[79]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Match of the Year (1992) vs. Bret Hart at SummerSlam
- Ranked No. 15 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1993[80]
- Ranked No. 53 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[81]
- Ranked No. 5 and No. 84 of the top 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" with the Dynamite Kid and Owen Hart, respectively, in 2003[81]
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bruce Hart[82]
- 1 time)[12]
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with the Dynamite Kid[82]
- 2 times)[83]
- 1 time)[84]
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)[85]
- World Wide Wrestling Alliance
- WWWA Intercontinental Champion (1 time)[79]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Wrestling Maneuver (1984) Power clean dropkick
- The Hart Foundation vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Most Unimproved (1991)[86]
- Tag Team of the Year(1985) with the Dynamite Kid
- World Wrestling Federation
- WWF European Championship (2 times, inaugural)[54]
- WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with the Dynamite Kid (1) and Owen Hart (1)[55]
- Battle Royal at the Albert Hall (1991)[28]
- WWF European Championship tournament (1997)
- WWF World Tag Team Championship Tournament (1997)– with Owen Hart
- Class of 2020)[2]
See also
- Allied Powers
- British Bulldogs
- Hart Foundation
- John Hindley
- List of premature professional wrestling deaths
References
Citations
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Bibliography
- Meltzer, Dave (2004). Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Wrestlers. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-58261-817-3.
Further reading
- Mick Foley (2000). ISBN 0061031011.
External links
- British Bulldog on WWE.com
- Davey Boy Smith's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database
- Davey Boy Smith at IMDb