Tiger Joe Tomasso
{{Short description|Canadian professional wrestler (1922–1988)}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
| name = Joe Tomasso
| image =
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| birth_name = Joseph DiTomasso
| birth_date = 1922
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1988|04|30|1922||}}
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| ring_names = Assassin
Assassin #2
The Bat
Joe Tomasso
Tiger Tomasso
Tiger Joe Tomasso
Tiger 'Tweet Tweet' Tomasso{{cite web |title=Joe Tomasso |url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=1661 |publisher=WrestlingData |accessdate=24 June 2018}}
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| retired = 1976
}}
Joseph DiTomasso (1922 – April 30, 1988) was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Tiger Joe Tomasso. He is most known from his matches in Stampede Wrestling and American Wrestling Association.
Early life
DiTomasso was born in Montreal, Quebec, but moved to Hamilton, Ontario at a young age.{{cite web |title=Joe Tomasso |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/j/joe-tomasso/ |publisher=Online World of Wrestling |accessdate=25 June 2018}}
Professional wrestling career
Tomasso debuted in 1952 for Stampede Wrestling, then known as Big Time Wrestling, where he lost his debut match against George Scott.{{cite web |title=Big Time Wrestling |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=118104 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=24 June 2018}} His second match was against Stu Hart where he once again lost.{{cite web |title=Big Time Wrestling |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=118105 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=24 June 2018}} In his third match, Joe, Chico Garcia and Ripper Leone defeated George Scott, Sandy Scott and Sugy Hayamaka.
During the 1950s, he engaged in a long-running series of NWA regional American midwest grudge matches against Bobby Nelson.{{cite news |last1=staff |title=B. Nelson, The Bat in Mat Feature |work=The Journal Times |date=June 27, 1955}}
In 1960, Tomasso was defeated by Bob Rasmussen in one of his first American Wrestling Association matches.{{cite web |title=AWA |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=65671 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=25 June 2018}}
In 1976, Joe was defeated by Karl von Schotz.{{cite web |title=Stampede |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=156094 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=25 June 2018}} After two years of not wrestling, Tomasso had his last wrestling match in 1980 where he defeated Smith Hart by disqualification.{{cite web |title=Stampede |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=104423 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=25 June 2018}}
Personal life
According to wrestling book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, Tomasso was in a friendly "clique of Alberta wrestlers", including Tiny Mills.{{cite book |last1=McCoy |first1=Heath |title=Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling |date=2005 |publisher=Canwest, later ECW Press |isbn=978-1550227871}}
Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Idaho Heavyweight Championship (2 times){{cite web |title=Joe Tomasso |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=3283&page=11 |publisher=Cagematch |accessdate=24 June 2018}}
- NWA Western Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Western Tag Team Championship/NWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Rocky Monroe, Mitsu Arakawa, Tony Borne and Eric The Great
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Gil Hayes, Earl Black and Dave Ruhl
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995){{Cite episode |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990 |access-date= |series=Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart |series-link=Stu Hart 50th Anniversary Show |first=Ed (host) |last=Whalen |network=Shaw Cable |station=Calgary 7 |date=December 15, 1995 |time=27:55}}{{cite web |title=Official Stampede Wrestling Hall Of Fame (1948-1990) |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/hof.html |website=wrestling-titles |accessdate=24 June 2018}}
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Assassin #1
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Salt Lake Wrestling Club version)}}
{{Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomasso, Tiger Joe}}
Category:Canadian male professional wrestlers
Category:Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent
Category:Professional wrestlers from Hamilton, Ontario
Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni
Category:Professional wrestlers from Montreal
Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers
Category:Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions