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263:
to challenge once again for the TWWA Tag Team Titles held by
Thunder Sugiyama and Toyonobori, but were unsuccessful in securing the Best Two Out of Three Falls victory. On 11 May, Lees wrestled his former tag teammate Bill Robinson in a Best Two Out of Three Falls match for the European Heavyweight
195:
Lees debuted in bodybuilding shows in 1949, placing 3rd at Mr. Britain. Four years later, he won the 1953 Mr. Britain. He pursued the Mr. Universe title for four years, finishing in the top three before finally winning the title in 1957. He received the winners' trophy from movie legend
47:
271:
related an interview with Lees in which he addressed competing with a severely injured elbow as well as the physical demands of the business. In the same article, a pair of photographs show Lees in the ring against an opponent described as an
294:
In retirement, Lees operated a gym called John Lees
Fitness Centre in Stalybridge, until it was destroyed by a fire in 2005. He died on 14 November 2021, at the age of 91. He is survived by a daughter named Tina and two grandchildren.
228:), and enjoyed a successful string of victories, despite no wrestling titles being involved. In his final IBV match held on 14 October 1959, Lees defeated Franz Orlik. From 1959 to 1970, Lees travelled the world, wrestling in
251:-based International Wrestling Enterprise promotion as part of a 14-night national tour. On 17 April, during the sixth night of the tour, Lees along with Welsh wrestler "Checkmate" Tony Charles challenged reigning champions
168:
While in his early teens, Lees began bodybuilding. His early method of training entailed lifting bags of cement in each hand during work. He also trained with the East
Cheshire Harriers athletic club.
259:
for the TWWA Tag Team titles in a Best Two Out Of Three Falls match, but lost after eighteen minutes. On 8 May, during the twelfth night of the tour, Lees teamed with fellow
Manchester wrestler
165:, to John and Elsie Lees. At age 14, Lees left St Peter's RC School and began working for his father's building firm. He attended night school during which he studied joinery and bricklaying.
264:
title but did not win. He finished the tour on 12 May, teaming with Colin
Joynson in a losing effort against Thunder Sugiyama and Toyonobori in a non-title tag team match.
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named Felix
Kerschitz. Northern News apparently shared these photographs as well as the match result originally reported by another publication called the
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220:, wrestling German wrestler James Brown to a draw. From July 1959 to October 1959, Lees wrestled all 59 of his matches for the German promotion
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Two years after his 1957 Mr. Universe victory, Lees began his wrestling career. Nicknamed "Big", Lees debuted on 22 July 1959 in
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With a total of 224 matches, Lees wrestled his final match on 13 August 1970, winning a victory over Hektor van Mullen.
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283:, indicating Lees scored a victory against Kerschitz by knockout. No date was given as to when this match occurred.
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444:"Former Mr Universe and Stalybridge gym owner John Lees dies aged 91"
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Between April and May 1968, while in Japan, Lees worked for the
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Lees participated in the following bodybuilding competitions:
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Lees continued his interest in health and fitness during his
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http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/classicbodybuildersl.html
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Lees was born in the Castle Hall district of
Stalybridge in
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http://www.musclememory.com/showArticle.php?mb561111
145:(17 January 1930 – 14 November 2021) was an English
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at
Wrestling Furnace.site. Retrieved March 21, 2023
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53:
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226:International Professional Wrestlers Federation
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267:Lees was featured in an article published in
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313:1950: Mr Universe - NABBA, Medium-Tall, 1st
1100:
563:
554:
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470:
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406:at Cagematch.net. Retrieved March 31, 2023
149:and later a professional wrestler who won
45:
27:
340:1957: Mr Universe - NABBA, Overall Winner
222:Internationaler Berufsringkämpfer-Verband
19:For other people with the same name, see
1319:People associated with physical culture
391:at GetBig.com. Retrieved March 21, 2023
350:
1329:Sportspeople from Tameside (district)
7:
507:Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths
337:1957: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 1st
334:1956: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 2nd
331:1955: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 3rd
328:1954: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 2nd
325:1953: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 2nd
316:1952: Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 2nd
14:
130:
115:
94:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
1272:
1271:
442:Bugby, Tony (16 December 2021).
191:Professional bodybuilding career
183:(PTI), during his time spent in
16:English bodybuilder (1930–2021)
319:1953: Mr Britain - HSL, Winner
1:
204:Professional wrestling career
584:Edward William Barton-Wright
224:(IBV) (English translation:
181:Physical training instructor
310:1950: Mr Britain - HSL, 3rd
307:1949: Mr Britain - HSL, 3rd
1345:
532:Francisco Amorós y Ondeano
18:
1309:English male bodybuilders
1266:
102:231 lb (105 kg / 16.5 st)
44:
35:
446:. Tameside Correspondent
1324:People from Stalybridge
1314:English male wrestlers
1204:Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao
1228:Battle of the Systems
1072:Warren Lincoln Travis
837:Marie Bjelke Petersen
644:Edith Margaret Garrud
512:Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
416:Northern News article
322:1953: Mr Europe - 4th
157:Early life and career
1189:Seetharaman Sundaram
1151:Kodi Rammurthy Naidu
1136:Jatindra Charan Guho
1032:Dudley Allen Sargent
654:George Hackenschmidt
517:Johann Baptist Krebs
360:Classic Bodybuilders
689:Jørgen Peter Müller
429:"U is for Universe"
299:Competitive history
134:Mr. Universe (1957)
107:Professional career
1131:Ambika Charan Guha
1047:Genevieve Stebbins
724:Clara Schlaffhorst
431:. 8 December 2010.
163:Greater Manchester
132:Mr. Britain (1953)
69:Greater Manchester
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1285:
1243:Muscular religion
1216:
1215:
1212:
1211:
1090:
1089:
1042:Amos Alonzo Stagg
977:Bernarr Macfadden
942:Annette Kellerman
887:Keene Fitzpatrick
792:Marguerite Agniel
771:Emily Diana Watts
739:Lionel Strongfort
639:Gustav Frištenský
614:Launceston Elliot
604:François Delsarte
404:"John "Big" Lees"
140:
139:
1336:
1275:
1274:
1248:Yoga as exercise
1101:
1052:Alois P. Swoboda
962:Diocletian Lewis
937:George F. Jowett
882:Carrica Le Favre
872:Ludwig Durlacher
862:C. Ward Crampton
734:Mary Bagot Stack
669:F. A. Hornibrook
664:Oscar Heidenstam
609:Edmond Desbonnet
564:
555:
527:Franz Nachtegall
522:Pehr Henrik Ling
493:Physical culture
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253:Thunder Sugiyama
173:National service
85:
82:14 November 2021
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1253:Natural hygiene
1233:Fitness culture
1208:
1179:Krishnamacharya
1165:
1116:Ramesh Balsekar
1086:
987:William Muldoon
957:W. R. C. Latson
877:George Eiferman
842:William Blaikie
807:Sanford Bennett
780:
634:Bob Fitzsimmons
589:Zishe Breitbart
579:William Bankier
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62:17 January 1930
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832:Drexel Biddle
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802:Clarence Bass
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776:Freddie Welsh
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629:Eileen Fowler
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542:Thomas Topham
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372:Muscle Memory
371:
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269:Northern News
265:
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261:Bill Robinson
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54:Personal info
52:
48:
43:
39:
34:
29:
26:
22:
1270:
1161:Monotosh Roy
1141:Guru Hanuman
1111:Manohar Aich
1104:Bodybuilding
1057:Armand Tanny
1027:Tony Sansone
1012:Steve Reeves
952:Jack LaLanne
852:Alan Calvert
719:Arthur Saxon
714:Eugen Sandow
678:
624:Juan Ferrero
537:Adolf Spiess
448:. Retrieved
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423:
411:
365:
353:
302:
293:
285:
281:Scots Corner
280:
268:
266:
246:
225:
221:
207:
194:
177:British Army
170:
167:
160:
151:Mr. Universe
142:
141:
84:(2021-11-14)
25:
1304:2021 deaths
1299:1930 births
1156:Chandgi Ram
1126:B. C. Ghosh
1067:John Terpak
1037:Larry Scott
1022:Joe Rollino
932:Bob Hoffman
917:John Grimek
892:Mark Forest
754:Monte Saldo
709:Joan Rhodes
674:Thomas Inch
619:Tony Emmott
599:Victor Dane
500:Antecedents
389:"John Lees"
232:, England,
198:Errol Flynn
147:bodybuilder
65:Stalybridge
38:Bodybuilder
1293:Categories
1238:Gymnastics
1146:K. V. Iyer
1077:Al Treloar
1017:Leo Robert
1007:Bill Pearl
997:Kid Parker
967:Gilman Low
847:Paul Bragg
822:Joe Bonomo
817:Mark Berry
684:Dan McLeod
594:Niels Bukh
450:31 January
345:References
290:Retirement
257:Toyonobori
210:Regensburg
117:Mr Britain
1062:Vic Tanny
972:Dan Lurie
785:New World
744:Maxalding
679:John Lees
277:strongman
153:in 1957.
143:John Lees
112:Pro-debut
31:John Lees
21:John Lees
1277:Category
699:Reg Park
567:European
274:Austrian
127:Best win
1258:Pilates
1221:Related
1082:Turners
897:Ed Fury
761:Vulcana
559:Western
551:Systems
242:Austria
230:Germany
218:Germany
214:Bavaria
185:Germany
175:in the
73:England
1199:Tiruka
1096:Indian
749:Maxick
234:France
99:Weight
91:Height
1171:Yogic
729:Sokol
249:Tokyo
238:Japan
179:as a
452:2022
255:and
240:and
120:1949
79:Died
59:Born
1295::
396:^
377:^
244:.
236:,
216:,
212:,
200:.
187:.
71:,
67:,
485:e
478:t
471:v
454:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
