John Joseph Murphy (December 7, 1930 – March 23, 1970) was a Canadian

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

, better known by his

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname 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 ...

Skull Murphy. He began his career wrestling in Canada and later worked at

Jim Crockett Promotions Jim Crockett Promotions, at times branded as Eastern States Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, is a Family business, family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United Sta ...

and

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...

in the United States. In the 1960s, he teamed with Brute Bernard in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and won championships in several

professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event. Within ...

s. In his later career, he worked primarily in Australia.

Early life

John Joseph Murphy was raised in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a 2021 Canadian census, population of 569,353 (2021), and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which encompasses ...

. As a child, he developed a disease that prevented him from growing any hair on his body. He attended Hamilton Central Technical School, where he met professional wrestler Chuck Molnar. Molnar convinced Murphy to become a wrestler, and Murphy began training at the Hamilton Jewish

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

under Jimmy Simms. Author

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

states that Murphy told him that he rubbed

baby oil Baby oil is an inert oil used to keep Human skin, skin soft and supple, named for its use on babies and also often used on adults for skincare and massage. The skin of an infant, especially a Preterm birth, premature one, is sensitive, thin, a ...

on his bald head before matches to reduce irritation from the ring floor.

Career

Early career (1952–1961)

Murphy began competing in Welland, Ontario, as well as Larry Kasaboski's Northland Wrestling Enterprises in northeastern Ontario. He soon began competing for promotions on the east coast of the United States, including

, and was billed as living in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. By 1959, Murphy was competing for

(GCW), where he feuded with Dickie Gunkel. Professional boxer Joey Maxim was the referee for one match between Murphy and Gunkel. After Gunkel won, Murphy challenged Maxim to a "wrestler vs. boxer" match the following week, which Murphy won. He competed in GCW for several years and won five championships in 1961, which included three reigns with the Georgia version of the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. He also formed a

tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...

with Gypsy Joe and won both the NWA International Tag Team Championship and the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship.

Teaming with Brute Bernard (1961–1965)

In addition to singles competition, Murphy competed in a tag team with fellow Canadian Brute Bernard in the early 60s, having met in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

. During matches, they would take an autograph book handed out by a member of the audience and tear it into shreds. Competing together in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), on May 16, 1963, they defeated Buddy Austin and Great Scott to capture the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship. Murphy and Bernard held onto the titles until being dethroned by

Gorilla Monsoon Robert James "Gino" Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Sports commentator, play-by-play commentator, and Glossary of profess ...

and

Killer Kowalski Wladek Kowalski (born Edward Władysław Spulnik; October 13, 1926 – August 30, 2008) was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Killer Kowalski. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the ...

in November. They also wrestled for

Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...

, winning the Florida version of the

NWA World Tag Team Championship The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...

on two occasions in 1964. Murphy and Bernard then moved to

World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, where in 1966, they held the IWA World Tag Team Championship twice.

Australia and reunion with Bernard (1965–1970)

Murphy remained in Australia while Bernard returned to the United States; during this time, he had two reigns as IWA World Heavyweight Champion. He also formed a tag team with

and won the IWA World Tag Team Championship twice more, defeating

Red Bastien Rolland "Red" Bastien (January 27, 1931 – August 11, 2012) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his time in Capitol Wrestling Corporation, Capital Wrestling Corporation where he was a three-time WWWF ...

and

Mario Milano Mario Bulfone (15 May 1935 – 9 December 2016), better known by his ring name Mario Milano, was a professional wrestler. Milano got his start in wrestling in Venezuela and later competed in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, Mexico a ...

for the title both times. Bernard later came back to Australia and reunited with Murphy, winning the tag team belts again. After this, the team returned to the United States, where they worked in

. While there, they wrestled as heels (villains) against other heel teams in an unusual series of matches. These "Battle of the Bullies" matches pitted them against such teams as the pairing of Swede Hanson and Rip Hawk or the Anderson Brothers (

Gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

and

Ole OLE, Ole or Olé may refer to: * Olé, a cheering expression used in Spain * Ole (name), a male given name, includes a list of people named Ole * Overhead lines equipment, used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains Co ...

). The majority of Murphy's remaining career, however, was spent in Australia. In 1968, he had two more reigns as IWA World Tag Team Champion, pairing with Killer Karl Kox and Toru Tanaka. He also held the IWA World Heavyweight Championship again after winning the belt from

Tex McKenzie Frank Hugh McKenzie (July 21, 1930 – May 31, 2001) was an American professional wrestler. During his career, he appeared in the American Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling (Australia), IWA Australia, National Wrestling Federati ...

on November 18, 1968. A few months prior in July, Murphy worked for

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, teaming with Klondike Bill to win the

All Asia Tag Team Championship The is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Originally, it was the top tag team title in the JWA, but its status became secondary once the NWA International Tag Team Championship was brou ...

. His final title came on December 5, 1969, when he reunited with Bernard once again for his final reign with the IWA World Tag Team Championship.

Death

On March 23, 1970, Murphy's wife found him dead in their apartment, having overdosed on sleeping pills in an apparent suicide; he was 39 years old and survived by two children. Early reports listed his cause of death as a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. Murphy had been upset about his health, and on the day of his death, he and Bernard were set to face The Kentuckian and Mr. Wrestling.

Legacy

Another wrestler billed as Skull Murphy wrestled for the Memphis-based

Continental Wrestling Association Continental Wrestling Association (later the Championship Wrestling Association) was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually ...

, where he won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship three times with Gypsy Joe Dorsetti in 1980 The team were managed by

Jimmy Hart James Ray Hart (born January 1, 1944) is an American professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician. He is signed to WWE in a Legends deal. He is best known for his work in WWE when it was still known as the World Wrestling ...

. British wrestler Peter Northey (the son of wrestler Charles "Roy Bull Davies" Northey) also adopted the "Skull Murphy" name along with a shaven-headed image. This version of Murphy won the 1984 Grand Prix belt tournament on television and later held the British Light Heavyweight Championship in 1995, and also formed the Riot Squad tag team with

Fit Finlay David John Finlay (, born 31 January 1958) is a Northern Irish former professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a trainer and assistant coach at the Performance Center, as well as a producer. He is best known for his tenures with World Cha ...

, together winning the 1982 '' World of Sport'' Top Tag Team Tournament.'' TV Times'' 27th November - 3rd December 1982, ITV listings for Saturday 27th November 1982, panel for '' World of Sport''

Championships and accomplishments

Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance The , also known as the Japan Pro Wrestling Association and the Japanese Wrestling Association (JWA), was the first professional wrestling promotion to be based in Japan. It operated from 1953 to 1973. History JWA under Rikidōzan (1953–1963 ...

( 1 time) - with Klondike Bill *

** NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'' ( 2 times) - with Brute Bernard *

** NWA International Tag Team Championship ''(Georgia version)'' (1 time) - with Gypsy Joe ** NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Georgia version)'' ( 3 times) ** NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Georgia version)'' (1 time) – with Gypsy Joe *

World Championship Wrestling (Australia) World Championship Wrestling was an Australian professional wrestling promotion that ran from 1964 until 1978. History The promotion gained publicity through television programs on the Nine Network, which were presented at noon on Saturdays an ...

** IWA World Heavyweight Championship ( 3 times) ** IWA World Tag Team Championship ( 9 times) - with Brute Bernard (5),

(2), Killer Karl Kox (1), and Toru Tanaka (1) * World Wide Wrestling Federation ** WWWF United States Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) - with Brute Bernard

References

External links

Profile at Online World of Wrestling
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Skull 1930 births 1970 suicides 1970 deaths 20th-century male professional wrestlers 20th-century Canadian professional wrestlers Canadian male professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Hamilton, Ontario Stampede Wrestling alumni Drug-related suicides in North Carolina All Asia Tag Team Champions NWA World Tag Team Champions (Florida version) IWA World Heavyweight Champions (Australia) IWA World Tag Team Champions (Australia) WWWF United States Tag Team Champions 20th-century Canadian sportsmen