In Jan 1938 wrestler Bob Gregory arrived at New York with his new bride Valerie Brooke, the former Princess Baba, said to heading for their 'Hollywood honeymoon' with a plan to launch a film career for Gregory.
The story had similarities to the wrestling world even if Gregory had not been a wrestler.
Gregory, an English light-heavyweight had married the daughter of Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, the white Rajah of Sarawak- of Borneo.
This trip notably marked the introduction of Gregory to his brides mother the Rani of Sarawak who claimed to be pleased of the nuptials, although Gregory's manager said that it took 2 hours to persuade her to meet her new son-in-law.
Although her mother had previously expressed displeasure she now denied any problem on her part by proclaiming 'There was no opposition on my part, or my husbands to this marriage. Bob is so good looking he looks more like a boxer than one of these gorilla wrestlers. He should have taken up boxing.'
The year previous when they had been married the Star covered it and quoted the Princess's father as saying they wouldn't like him 'even if he was a good wrestler.'
Upon departure in New York, when the bride was asked about the then 26 year old Gregory's' wrestling career continuing, she replied with a quick 'No.'
On Feb 14 they arrived in Montreal via Boston and Gregory wrestled Les Ryan in the semi-final of a card which had a main of Dan O'Mahony vs Yvon Robert. Mrs. Gregory was to present the championship belt to the winner (Robert) of the big bout.
Their next stop was Toronto for the Feb 17 MLG card with the main to be champ Robert vs Vic Christie with Gregory as special referee for the bout. Robert, who was the World Champ (Montreal) won the bout and was awarded a new championship belt by the Mrs. Gregory. This title became a Toronto World Title for a short time.
The day after the Toronto bout in the Star, Gregory wrote up his own take of the bout calling it the 'fastest bout I've ever seen.' The bout which had no time limit actually went 1 hr 15 min before Robert used a rolling short-arm scissor to force Christie to submit.
Joe Perlove wrote the long form results recap and said Robert was presented with a $7,500 belt by the beautiful Princess. Perlove, in his usual manner said he was rather disappointed with Gregory. Not for his refereeing, but with all the stories of his athletic prowess he fully expected Gregory to separate the wrestlers by 'flinging them into the blue seats using only the thumb and index finger of each hand.'
Apart from all of this Gregory had another tie to the Toronto mat scene. He had appeared in a few movies in the UK and one of those, the1937 film 'The Rat,' also had one of Gregory's wrestling traveling partners. Our own Whipper Watson who was doubling for star Anton Walbrook. Watson, of course was wrestling in the UK at the time where he met and married his wife Eileen and brought her back to Canada with him. Our own 'Prince and Princess.'
Gregory continued to wrestle a bit around the U.S at least up to about 1946 but never set foot again in a Canadian ring as far as I can see. His pal Whipper continued to ply his trade in the UK set to return to Toronto rings in 1940.Gregory had also teamed in England with Northland Wrestling stalwart Herb Parks.
They continued to appear in the local press with one photo of the two lounging at at a California pool said to be planning to buy an island for Gregory to become Rajah. 'What with?' asked the mother of the Princess.
In July 1938 an item had the brides father formally declaring his three daughters were no longer Princesses. Another daughter married a Jazz musician. No wrestler but still...
If you google Gregory and his princess there are some very informative and entertaining articles on the two and her family.
-AC
