Wrestling with a mystery no longer

Stash of photos found in a homeless encampment will be donated to hall of fame in Tampa

At least two good things have emerged from the mystery of the cache of wrestling photos we wrote about in this column on Nov. 21.

First, the mystery has been solved.

Second, even before it was, the story inspired wrestler Justin Graves (real name Justin Coleman) to call me about a wrestling-themed fundraiser for Mission Services he’s staging, of which more shortly.

As we mentioned in the Nov. 21 column, Hamilton Police Services officer Pete Wiesner of the crisis response and social navigation unit found the treasury of photos, negatives, contact sheets and newsletters, from the late 1970s and early 1980s, in a travelling bag as he was helping dismantle a temporary encampment near Main West and Highway 403.

He put out feelers but was

coming up with no leads.

All he knew was the photographs were taken by a Jim Irvine, based in Calgary at the time. The column ran. Pete got calls.

Two or three callers pointed to a man named Jim Irvine, who worked for years at Macassa Bay Yacht Club.

One caller noted that the Jim Irvine from the club died this past summer, in his 70s; his partner, Debbie Kay, lives in Hamilton. A number was left. Pete called and Debbie said that her Jim had indeed been a wrestling photographer in Calgary but gave up the camera and the wrestling world when he moved to Hamilton in the mid-1980s.

“She hadn’t read the article when I called, so she was startled,” says Pete, “but when I explained, she said it was making sense.” (She hadn’t even realized the bag was missing.)

After Jim died in the summer, Debbie was clearing out the house preparatory to moving and there was a dumpster out front.

“Scrappers came around,” says Pete, as they do. “It was in the summer, a hot day, and she (Debbie) being the sweet lady she is, invited some in for a drink of water.” That, apparently, is when the bag went missing.

When officer Pete returned the bag, he told Debbie about his friend Terry Morgan, former pro wrestler, now Hamilton barber and owner of Emerson Studio, still very connected to the wrestling world, the Cauliflower Alley reunions in Las Vegas and the pro wrestling Hall of Fame.

Pete consulted Terry after he found the bag, hoping he and his contacts in the wrestling world could furnish a clue. Terry asked everyone, with no luck.

Until this week Pete didn’t tell Terry he’d cracked the case.

He revealed it as they were both being interviewed by CBC Toronto about the story, at which time Const. Pete told him not only that he’d found out what happened to Jim Irvine, but also that Debbie was donating the photos and memorabilia to Terry to give to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Tampa Bay.

Terry was overcome. It’s nice to see Jim Irvine and his photos remembered this way.

(Const. Pete asks you to remember the annual police “coat drive,” on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, 7 to 9 p.m., Urban Core, 71 Rebecca, Hamilton. There are 450 coats and other winter clothes that people can pick up.)

Justin Graves is also interested in all things wrestling. He’s been at it for 12 years now.

“I’ve always been a fan of the wrestling scene,” he says.

He put on a wrestling fundraiser last year for the Davies family, about whom I wrote.

For those who love it, pro wrestling is a great entertainment but it’s not an easy life, and Justin, who also works security, knows firsthand that many wrestlers have their demons and struggles, mental illness and addiction being among them.

Justin himself spent several months last year at Mission Services’ men’s shelter and Suntracs Addictions Treatment Program due to problems arising from his alcohol use.

“I needed help,” he tells me. He got it. “They were there,” says Justin. “I’m 13 months now without a drink.”

The event, raising money for the program, happens Dec. 16 and the card will feature Ryan Swift, Josh Alexander and many more.