John Fotie (March 13, 1928 – April 29, 1969) was a Canadian

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

and a painter, better known by his

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...

, John Foti. He was best known in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary from 1955 to 1969. He also wrestled in the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...

and

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA ...

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan and alter raised in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

. He worked in the gym where he befriended George Scott,

Sandy Scott Sandy may refer to: People and fictional characters *Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Sandy (surname), a list of people *Sandy (singer), Brazilian singer and actress Sandy Leah Lima (born 1983) * (Sandy) ...

, Skull Murphy and Billy Red Lyons. Got into wrestling he started his career in upstate New York and Ontario. In 1957 he wrestled for the

in Minnesota.

Stampede Wrestling

In 1955 Foti debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta where he became a household name for the territory. Billed from Hamilton, Foti would draw sellouts crowds in matches against

Whipper Billy Watson William John Potts, (June 25, 1915 to February 4, 1990) was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name "Whipper" Billy Watson. He was a two-time world champion, having held both the National Wrestling Association title and the ...

, Lou Thesz, and Killer Kowalski. On June 6, 1959, Foti won the NWA Calgary Canadian Heavyweight Title by defeating Charro Azteca. He feuded with Mad Dog Vachon, and Vachon's brother Paul. The title was vacated in July of that year. In 1960 he won the Stampede International Tag Team titles with Don Kindred and dropped the titles to Luther Lindsay and Oattman Fisher. Foti once again won the NWA Calgary Canadian Heavyweight Title as he defeated John Smith on June 9, 1961, and lost the title to Killer Kowalski on November 17. In 1963 he left Calgary to wrestle for other territories in Canada and the United States. In 1966 he returned to Stampede where he feuded with

Gil Hayes Gilbert Lee Hayes (October 20, 1939 – July 28, 2022) was a Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American promotions during the 1960s and 1970s including All-Star Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling where he remained a mainstay fo ...

from 1967 to 1969, and

Bob Sweetan Robert Carson (born Robert Beier, July 4, 1940 – February 10, 2017), better known by his ring name Bob Sweetan, was a Canadian professional wrestler and convicted sex offender. Sweetan was nicknamed "Bruiser" and "Mr. Piledriver", the latter i ...

in 1969.

Later career

Foti spent time in Buffalo's National Wrestling Federation, Vancouver's All-Star Wrestling, and Portland's

Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. T ...

. Between 1963 and 1966 he wrestled in Toronto's Maple Leaf Wrestling. In 1964 he wrestled in the Northeast territory for World Wide Wrestling Federation as a journeyman.

Personal life and death

He was also a painter. He struggled with alcoholism in his later years. On April 29, 1969, Foti committed suicide in his home in Calgary. He was 41.

Championships and accomplishments

* Stampede Wrestling ** Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship – with Don Kindred ** NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) (2 times) **

NWA Alberta Tag Team Championship In professional wrestling, the Alberta Tag Team Championship was a tag team Professional wrestling championship, championship promoted by the Calgary, Alberta, Canada-based professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling in the mid-1950s. Hi ...

– with John Paul Hennig

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Foti, John 1928 births 1969 deaths 20th-century professional wrestlers Canadian male professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Saskatchewan Sportspeople from Regina, Saskatchewan Stampede Wrestling alumni NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champions (Calgary version) Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions