 Sweet Daddy Siki tries to remove Bulldog Brower's headgear. Photos by Roger Baker. |
Digging into the archives of writer/photographer Roger Baker, we revisit a Wrestling Revue magazine article from January 1968 on Sweet Daddy Siki taking on Dick "Bulldog" Brower. Check out Roger's story -- which we vet for the kayfabe of the era (in red) -- and his cool photo gallery of Sweet Daddy Siki.
It is often said in boxing circles: "Put George Chuvalo in a telephone booth with any heavyweight fighter in the world and he would quickly whittle away the contenders till he'd be the only one left."
This may be one way for Dick "Bulldog" Brower and Sweet Daddy Siki to settle up once and for all.
For the past several months Siki has been basking in the limelight around Toronto. He's a country and western music recording star now, and has been invited to make guest appearances on TV shows at least a dozen times. His current LP record is a best-seller in Toronto and offers for singing engagements have been coming in from night clubs.
Siki's popularity is reminiscent of another wrestler who also was showered with publicity in Canada, back in 1962 and '63. That wrestler was Dick Brower, the Delaware Destroyer.
Brower, who now calls Toronto home, had been away a few months on a successful tour. During that time Siki, who also lives in Toronto, had built up a new following of western music fans who were turning out every Sunday night at Maple Leaf Gardens to see the Sweet Man wrestle.
One day, Siki phoned Moose Latreck, the country western disc jockey for Toronto radio station CFGM, and demanded to know why Moose was not playing Siki's record on his show. NOTE #1
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Bulldog Brower in his protective headgear.
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Latreck did just that. But instead of a second, he brought just about the biggest and toughest guy in the wrestling business, Bulldog Brower. Since Moose only weighs 120 pounds in wet socks, obviously he wasn't going to take on the muscular Siki.
However, Brower did. Latreck followed Bulldog into the ring with an entourage of pretty girls who sprayed the ring with perfume and livened up the show considerably. Moose pulled off his shirt and in a mock gesture, struck a "muscular" pose in front of Siki. The fans howled with glee. Siki then threw out his chest, and Latreck made a beeline out of the ring.
Sweet Daddy must have been inspired, what with so many people in the recording business being on hand to watch. He literally tore Brower apart, cutting him on the forehead with repeated head-butts. At the end, Brower was counted out and Siki was awarded the match, his blond hair coated with Brower's blood.
The following week they met again. This bout was billed in the papers as a grudge match. Also, under Brower's name, in small print appeared four small words--(What's in the Box?)
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Siki dropkicks Brower.
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Finally Bulldog came out of his dressing room and slowly made his way along the catwalk toward the ring, clutching a small cardboard box under his arm. After considerable stalling on Brower's part, and to Siki's obvious displeasure, out came the contents of the box -- a headgear worn by a boxer in training. Brower also produced a letter from Ontario Athletic Commissioner Merv Mackenzie, giving him permission to wear it.
The following pictures depict highlights of this grudge match, which was won by Brower after 16 minutes of non-stop action that saw Brower on the verge of defeat a number of times.
Bulldog Brower died September 15, 1997 at age 64. Siki continues to live in Toronto, and still performs as a host for karaoke.
RELATED LINKS
Roger Baker was a writer and photographer for magazines like The Wrestler, Inside Wrestling, Wrestling Revue, and Boxing Illustrated from 1958 to 1973. An archive of his contributions to SLAM! Wrestling are here. Email him at rbbaker@rogers.com.