Peter Fatouros

{{Short description|Greek-Australian wrestler}} {{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Peter Fatouros | image = Peter Fatouros.png | image_size = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Speros Peter Fatouros | birth_date = c. 1891 | birth_place = Greece | death_date = 1953 | death_place = Melbourne, Australia | death_cause = | residence = | alma_mater = | spouse =  | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | family = | website =  | ring_names = | height =  | weight =  | billed = | trainer = Clarence Weber | debut = 1914 | retired = 1931 }} '''Peter Fatouros''' (1891 - 1953) was a Greek-Australian wrestler who was active in the 1920s and 1930s and was a contender for the Australian Heavyweight Championship. He was also known for running a fish and chips shop in Melbourne.

==Biography== Fatouros was born in Greece in approximately 1891 and moved to Australia in 1912.<ref name=two>{{Cite news |date=12 August 1931|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182542637 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=12}}</ref> He began wrestling after arriving in Australia, training under Clarence Weber and Oscar Wasem. He had matches in Melbourne in 1914 and 1915, however the First World War led to a significant decline in the professional wrestling industry in Australia.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 June 1914 |title=Advertising|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242139208 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Herald|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 April 1915 |title=Advertising|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242351678 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Herald|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=4}}</ref>

In the early 1920s, Australian professional wrestling experienced a revival, and Fatouros began training with visiting American Walter Miller and Con Keatos in 1924. In April that year he achieved a small level of fame when he secured a match against Australian heavyweight champion Billy Meeske,<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 April 1924 |title=Giant Greek|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/185063613 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 August 1924 |title=A Present From Walter|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/185068443 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=10}}</ref> however the match was cancelled when Meeske injured his hand.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 April 1924 |title=Meeske Hurt|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/185063013 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=9}}</ref> He did not have a match until September when he wrestled in a loss to Charles Honroth,<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 September 1924 |title=Honroth Wins|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243883705 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Herald|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=3}}</ref> and afterwards he began training with Meeske.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 November 1924 |title=Chatter from the Gymnasiums|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/185073201 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=11}}</ref>

In April 1925, Fatouros assisted American wrestler Ted Thye when Thye toured Australia,<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 April 1925 |title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63714098 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Register|location=Adelaide, SA|page=4}}</ref> serving as a cornerman during his matches.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 April 1925 |title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140772905 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Australasian|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=35}}</ref> In July he was promoted as a sparring partner of Al Karasick,<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 July 1925|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184963092 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Daily Standard|location=Brisbane, Qld|page=5}}</ref> and billed as the heavyweight champion of Victoria when he visited Queensland to wrestle Jim Sank in a victory.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 July 1925|title=Advertising|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184963060 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Daily Standard|location=Brisbane, Qld|page=5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=24 September 1925|title=Boxing and Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20963082 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Brisbane Courier|location=Brisbane, Qld|page=13}}</ref> He next wrestled in Broken Hill, New South Wales, in January 1926 in a loss to Mahomet Ali Sunni,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 February 1926|title=Wrestling Sunni Defeats Fatouros|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45925099 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Barrier Miner|location=Broken Hill, NSW|page=3}}</ref> then defeated Hughie Whitman in February.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 February 1926|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45925674 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Barrier Miner|location=Broken Hill, NSW|page=3}}</ref> While in Broken Hill he also worked with Billy Kopsch to perform wrestling exhibitions to promote the industry,<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 February 1926|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45926479 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Barrier Miner|location=Broken Hill, NSW|page=1}}</ref> and wrestled in another loss to Sunni at the end of February.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 February 1926|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43910740 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Advertiser|location=Adelaide, SA|page=11}}</ref> He next wrestled in May in a draw with Sam Burmister in Melbourne.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 May 1926|title=Interesting Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/274800800 |access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Sun News|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=8}}</ref> thumb|left|Louis Pergantas applying a toehold to Fatouros, 1927. As of November 1926, Fatouros had become the owner of a Cafe on Punt Road in Melbourne and that month he and two of his employees were involved in a brawl with four customers,<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 November 1926|title=Cafe Brawl|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/275052817|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Sun News|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=16}}</ref> when Fatouros informed them they could not drink alcohol at the Cafe and they then refused to pay for their food.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 November 1926|title=Row at St. Kilda Cafe|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165180839|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Prahran Telegraph|location=Prahran, Vic|page=1}}</ref> He was not involved in wrestling publicly again until June 1927 when he gave a wrestling exhibition with Louis Pergantas,<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 June 1927|title=Rough Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243967059|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Herald|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=11}}</ref> to promote the fellow Greek wrestler who he was training.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 July 1927|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140798635|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Australasian|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=41}}</ref> In September he became manager of the Whiteway Fish Cafe on Sydney Road in Melbourne,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 September 1927|title=Rough Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/280229955|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Brunswick and Coburg Leader|location=Brunswick, Vic|page=6}}</ref> and he wrestled Burmister again this time in South Australia in a draw at the end of October.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 October 1927|title=Rough Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77711318|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Border Watch|location=Mount Gambier, SA|page=1}}</ref> In December he lost to heavyweight champion Billy Meeske in a match in Yarrawonga, Victoria.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 December 1927|title=Towel Came In|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/275340984|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Sun News|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=23}}</ref>

In January 1928 Fatouros wrestled in a loss to former heavyweight champion Clarence Weber in Tasmania,<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 January 1928|title=The News in Brief|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/24192703|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Mercury|location=Hobart, Tas|page=6}}</ref> and in April and May he wrestled losses to American Jack Sorensen in Newcastle.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 April 1928|title=Sorensen Defeats Fatouros|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127891674|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Referee|location=Sydney, NSW|page=10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=28 April 1928|title=Won On Foul|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163758267|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Newcastle Sun|location=Newcastle, NSW|page=4}}</ref> In June he wrestled in Newcastle again in a match billed as being for qualification for a title match against Meeske,<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 June 1928|title=For Title|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163765540|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Newcastle Sun|location=Newcastle, NSW|page=2}}</ref> losing to Socks McKenna.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 1928|title=Pete Fatouros Defeated|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125250932|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Maitland Daily Mercury|location=Maitland, NSW|page=7}}</ref> He wrestled in Newcastle again in July losing to Scotty McDougall however the match was described as a disappointment due to Fatouros dominating until losing in the final round,<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 July 1928|title=Like a Novice|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163976212|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=The Newcastle Sun|location=Newcastle, NSW|page=5}}</ref> and in October he wrestled in Sydney losing to Count Zarynoff.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 October 1928|title=Injured Ankle|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/166774737|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sydney Sportsman|location=Sydney, NSW|page=11}}</ref>

In February 1929 Fatouros publicly complained publicly about not being booked to wrestle,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 February 1929|title=Weber's Title|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/164026775|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Newcastle Sun|location=Newcastle, NSW|page=7}}</ref> and at the end of the month he organized a fundraiser for Jack Brown, a boxer who had become blind.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 February 1929|title=To Help Jack Brown|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183977782|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=8}}</ref> In July he wrestled in a draw against Bert Asker in Melbourne in what was his last match for a few years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 July 1929|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216857451|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Beaudesert Times|location=Beaudesert, Qld|page=3}}</ref> He returned to the ring for his last match in 1931 when he was booked to face heavyweight champion Billy Meeske in Brunswick,<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 August 1931|title=Wrestling|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182542637|access-date=13 September 2024 |work=Sporting Globe|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=12}}</ref> however as he was known in the suburb for owning a local fish and chips shop the audience laughed when he was announced with the match, won by Meeske, being viewed as a comedy bout,<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 August 1931 |title=Wrestling Bout|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139629137 |access-date=12 September 2024 |work=Mirror|location=Newcastle, NSW|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=17 August 1931 |title=Comedy Entertainment at Brunswick Stadium|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/264293257|access-date=12 September 2024 |work=Sunraysia Daily|location=Mildura, Vic|page=1}}</ref> and afterwards the promoter refused to pay Fatouros.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 August 1931 |title=Wrestler's Earnings|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203030585|access-date=12 September 2024 |work=The Age|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=12}}</ref>

After his match with Meeske Fatouros focused on his cafe but retained some fame with a visit he made to Broken Hill in 1945 receiving coverage in a local newspaper due to his former wrestling career.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 1945|title=About People|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141464072|access-date=12 September 2024 |work=Barrier Daily Truth|location=Broken Hill, NSW|page=2}}</ref> He died in Melbourne in 1953.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 May 1953|title=Advertising|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206433571|access-date=12 September 2024 |work=The Age|location=Melbourne, Vic|page=7}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fatouros, Peter}} Category:Australian male professional wrestlers Category:Greek male professional wrestlers Category:1891 births Category:1953 deaths Category:Greek emigrants to Australia Category:Sport wrestlers from Melbourne

Peter Fatouros

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