I was just informed today that Bill Hughes, a long-time wrestler and early contributor to the WrestleMen site, died on Sat, March 10th, after a bout with cancer. I never had the chance to meet Bill, but I did talk to him on the phone several times. As a matter of fact, Bill was the first person I spoke to in April 2004 when I began the forthcoming STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary. Though he declined to be interviewed on camera, I hoped to convince him as the film progressed.As many of you know, Bill was a feisty man, and that was what was most attractive about him. A good heart inside a feisty wrestler's body. Bill hosted many wrestling matches in his gym in Long Beach, CA for years. If you are a member of the WrestleMen.com site, Matches #6 and #10 were photos contributed by Bill to the site in 1997. He will surely be missed, but not forgotten.
Please feel free to click on the comments link below to leave your condolences and share your memories with Bill.
Vic
6 comments:
I never knew or even corresponded with "Iron Cross", but I knew he was an icon in the wrestling community. He had a pretty good website. He will be sorely missed.
I am sorry to hear of Bill Hughes passing. I have comunicated with him intermittently since I started wrestling some 10 years ago. I have also spoken with a few of the men who have trained with him. The one that comes to mind is Dan in Missouri who also calls himself ROUDY. I am sure Dan will miss Bill greatly!
Bill will live on here at my home, as he sent me several of the pictures I now have on the walls over my mat at home. His stories will live on in my memory, and so will he.
Tony(snjboxrslr) Southern New Jersey.
I had the privilege of wrestling Bill twice in his basement mat room. I never knew Bill when he had his ring. That would have been more fun but his gym burned to the ground several years ago. Bill was always fun; we wrestled just as men should: stripped to the waist in trunks and wrestling shoes/boots. Our matches always lasted a couple of hours and the mat room smelled of man sweat constantly. Bill outweighed me by a good 25-30 lbs but let me get control for a while. In the end, he'd always come back for the final 1-2-3 pin. He was made of iron and could beat anyone but always did it in fun. I'll never forget his cauliflower ears that he got from years of wrestling in the ring. In Bill's day, men wrestled and wrestled hard. The action was real. The punches were real. The holds were real and applied with full force. The pain was real and if you got clobbered, you'd better damn be able to take the pain. Bill was truly the Grand-daddy of wrestling. I'll miss you, Bill. It was an honor to call you "Friend."
It is now 05/01/2013.. I've never forgotten Bill. When I was 15 yrs old 1969 about.. Bill tought me the game of handball at the Long Beach YMCA. He would always either play me a game or step out and let me play. He was such a nice person to me and as I have spoken of him often throughout my life I will never forget his kindness. Dennis M. Hogan Fr8logix@yahoo.com
It is now 05/01/2013.. When I was 15 yrs old I used to hitch hike to the Long Beach YMCA where Bill was there alot and he tought me the game of handball. Bill alwys would either play me a game or step out and let me play the other person. Bill is a person I have always hand good memories and have spoken of him on many occassion. He even offered to help me buy an apt complex but I didn't want to take advantage of his friendship. Hehe when I moved from Ca back to Fla. Bill bought me these God awful bell bottom pants as a going away present. But I sure cherrished them because they were from him. Good night Bill. I look forward to seeing you in heaven.. I know your there
More than a decade later and we were remembering Bill Iron Cross Hughes today. I searched his name and here I am reading authentic recollections of him. I am another man with whom he was gracious with his time and skills on his basement mats in Long Beach. We stayed in touch after I moved to Florida. It was sad, those years ago now, receiving an email telling me of his passing. But those who carry love in their hearts are not forgotten.
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