Whipper Billy Watson William Potts ( July 25 , 1915 – February 4 , 1990 ) , was a Canadian professional wrestler best known as Whipper Billy Watson . He was a two - time world heavyweight wrestling champion . Early life . Watson was born in 1915 in East York , Ontario ( now part of Toronto ) to an English - born father , John Potts and a Canadian - born mother , Alice Mary Wilken . Watson began wrestling in Toronto under his real name . He was a member of the Scarborough Athletic Club in the mid - 1930s and was wrestling on what were billed as amateur wrestling shows in Toronto . Professional wrestling career . Exposure to wrestling . For four years as a teenager , Watson sold the Toronto Daily Star at the corner of Danforth and Dawes Road . He was convinced by his brother George to play hooky from piano lessons one Saturday to attend a wrestling session at the All Hallows Anglican Church gymnasium . The event changed Watson ’ s life . He furthered his wrestling training with Phillip Lawson at the Bowles Athletic Club and later the Central YMCA . In 1936 , wrestling as Bill Potts , Watson appeared on cards at British Consols Stadium in Toronto that were advertised as amateur wrestling shows . In June of that year , he went on a tour of the United Kingdom along with fellow Toronto wrestlers Tommy Nelson , Al Korman , and Ken " Tiger " Tasker and their manager , Harry Joyce . English wrestling often involved hard - nosed shooting and he was sidelined for six months with a fractured shoulder and numerous broken ribs . It was on this tour that William Potts became Billy Watson . Booked by former Olympic Gold Medalist George de Relwyskow , Watson traveled through England and Ireland . He was one of the best wrestlers in the world . Star attraction at Maple Leaf Gardens . After four years abroad , Watson and his wife returned to Canada , and he began wrestling at Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto under 27 - year - old promoter Frank Tunney . Watson made his Gardens debut in the opening match of the October 3 , 1940 . Newspaper reports in November said Watson was frustrated with not getting a main event match in his first six appearances at the Gardens . He appeared in one Gardens main event in February 1941 but his big push came two months later . According to storyline , Watson filed a lawsuit against Tunney for breach of contract , claiming that he had been signed to wrestle a main event against Masked Wolf . When Tunney held an open tournament to determine the number one contender for the world title on May 1 , 1941 , Watson entered ; filing a copy of his entry form with the Ontario Athletics Commission so that Tunney couldn ' t claim he didn ' t enter , and then won four matches in one night to win the tournament . From that point on , Watson was positioned as a legitimate main event performer , a position that was cemented during Watson ' s feud with Nanjo Singh , which began in January 1942 . Watson soon became a crowd favourite and within a few years was a mainstream celebrity and one of Toronto ' s most popular citizens . Frank Tunney estimated that Whipper Watson drew more than five million people in main events of shows in Toronto . As one of the most popular wrestlers in the city ’ s history , Watson spent 31 years entertaining fans . His debut at Maple Leaf Gardens was on October 3 , 1940 , and his last match was held on November 28 , 1971 . Championship runs . Watson defeated Nanjo Singh for the British Empire title on April 30 , 1942 . He feuded with Bill Longson , Lou Thesz , Yvon Robert , Gene Kiniski , Gorgeous George , and The Sheik , among many others . Watson earned a reputation as someone who was willing to lose clean in the ring . He earned an “ everyman ” image and Watson went on to hold the city of Toronto ’ s regional title and the British Empire title on a regular basis . Tunney cut Watson in on the business side of things . Their combined booking efforts resulted in large fortunes for the two of them . With connections to St . Louis promoter Tom Packs , Watson ’ s notoriety resulted in Watson ending Longson ’ s four year title reign with a victory at the Kiel Auditorium in St . Louis on February 21 , 1947 . The territory of St . Louis became a home away from home for Watson . More than 10 , 000 St . Louis fans watched local hero Lou Thesz beat Watson for the world title on April 25 , 1947 . After Packs retired in 1948 , Tunney bought into the territory in St . Louis and this resulted in many more matches for Watson in the city . Watson became one of a small group of wrestlers to have membership in the National Wrestling Alliance . In 1955 , Watson expanded his business ventures by purchasing the Seattle territory from Bob Murray . Wrestlers from Toronto such as Doug Hepburn and Sky - Hi Lee wrestled for Watson in Seattle . Ken Kenneth ran the day - to - day operations for Watson and imported wrestlers from San Francisco to compete in Seattle . The territory folded a few months later . On March 15 , 1956 , Watson ended Thesz ’ s six - year reign as World Champion in front of 15 , 000 fans . Former boxing champion Jack Dempsey was the referee in the match . Watson traveled throughout North America and took on legends such as Gorgeous George , Pat O ' Connor , Dick Hutton , Richard Dempk , Bobo Brazil , Hans Schmidt , Fritz Von Erich , Killer Kowalski and Buddy Rogers . Thesz regained the title from Watson on November 9 , 1956 in St . Louis . He also trained several wrestlers , including Farmer Brooks , a midget professional wrestler , and Rocky Johnson , a multiple - time tag team champion and father of The Rock . Outside of wrestling , Watson considered playing football for the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1950s . Watson tested the waters of politics as the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidate in York East in the 1965 federal election . Watson placed second with 32 % of the vote , falling about 2 , 500 votes behind Liberal Party of Canada candidate Steve Otto . Watson also promoted his own soft drink brand . The end of the road . On November 28 , 1971 , he teamed with Bulldog Brower at the Gardens to beat Diego the Sundowner and Man Mountain Cannon in less than five minutes . Watson was hit by an out - of - control car while placing a fireplace screen in the trunk of his car on November 30 on Rogers Road in Toronto . After a three - hour surgery at Northwestern Hospital , his knee eventually recovered , but Watson could never wrestle again . Although he nearly lost a leg , he continued his fundraising activities into his retirement . Watson was well known for his contributions to charity . He raised millions for campaigns such as the Easter Seals and was responsible for having 150 , 000 children join a safety club . He made many public appearances across Canada in support of children with physical disabilities and held an annual Easter Seals skate - a - thon at the Gardens . In 1974 , he also started the “ Whipper Watson Snowarama for Timmy ” to raise money for the construction of a therapeutic pool . To date , Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids has raised over 16 . 1 million dollars provincially to help support children and youth with physical disabilities . Today , his campaign to build The Whipper Watson Therapeutic Pool at Southlake Regional Health Centre is illustrated in a mural in the facility . As Watson was quoted in the Sault Star on Jan . 31 , 1979 , “ They deserve a chance to live life as normally as you or I and we can help them do it . We can tear down some of those needless barriers that the handicapped face everyday . We can give thanks that our kids and families aren ’ t afflicted and we can get out and sincerely work hard to make the 1979 Snowarama the most successful yet . ” His legacy is well - remembered in York Region where he lived . W . J . Watson Public School in Keswick , Ontario is named in his honour . Whipper Billy Watson was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 . Over the course of the next twelve years , Watson gained 130 pounds to weigh 350 pounds . He died on February 4 , 1990 in Orlando , Florida . Politics . Watson was the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ' s candidate in York East in the 1965 federal election , losing by 3 , 000 votes .