Obituary: Mormon bishop Ernie Moore ‘liked being a bad guy’ in professional wrestling
Ernie Moore was probably the most unlikely person to ever become a heavyweight in professional wrestling.
Moore - who died Nov. 23 at age 82 in Stoney Creek - was known as The Executioner" in the square ring in the late 1960s and 1970s. He travelled to different parts of North America riling up wrestling fans behind a dark mask.
He was a devout member and bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also sang in a tuxedo with the Harlequin Singers. He worked as a weekend bouncer at such downtown bars as Mellows and The Junction, but told The Spectator in 2007 he always tried to first negotiate with troublemakers and read The Book of Mormon" while monitoring the front door. He and his wife adopted children after having two sons.
When he first started wrestling in 1957 at age 16 in a tag team with friend Jack Hill, Moore got the name Baby Face Ernie. In 1965, while wrestling in Michigan (another story has it in Sudbury), he stepped into the shoes of bad guy The Hangman" when that wrestler couldn't make it to a bout.
I near caused a riot," Moore told Slam Wrestling in 1999. I liked being a bad guy."
He told The Spec, I barely made it back into the dressing room in one piece."
The Executioner" was born soon after. Moore retired from wrestling in 1979 after he suffered a knee injury in a car accident.
Moore's day job was in the production department of The Hamilton Spectator. He retired as a distribution supervisor in 1994 after 38 years at the paper. He then did security work at Carmen's Banquet Centre and was a bodyguard for such people as Sophia Loren, Tony Bennett and Harry Belafonte.
He stayed involved with wrestling by training up-and-comers at the Empire Wrestling Federation in Burlington, Powerslam Academy of Wrestling in Stoney Creek and Living Legends Wrestling Academy on the east Mountain. He also organized lunches with former colleagues like Willem Snip (Billy Red Lyons), William Terry (Kurt Von Hess) and Johns Evans (Reggie of the Love Brothers.)
Dennis Concordia, 74, had known Moore since they were teenagers and worked with him at The Spectator and Carmen's. He visited him in the hospital a month ago.
He was one of the mildest, kindest, sweetest gentlemen you'd ever want to meet," said Concordia. He was a strong man, but he always took the quiet approach. He was very respectful and a humble man. He made everyone around him feel better."
Peter Mercanti, founder of Carmen's Banquet Centre, said Moore was the kindest and humblest person he had ever met.
He was special," said Mercanti. He never said a bad word about anybody. He never responded in anger. I loved him."
Moore was born Dec. 21, 1939, to Ernest and Alice Moore. While he was not scrawny, he got picked on while growing up because he wouldn't fight to honour his mother's wish to stay out of trouble. When he was about 10, he came home beaten up one day and his mother gave him permission to defend himself. He told The Spec he punched the next bully who went after him right in the nose.
Moore was introduced to wrestling by twins Bob and Maurice Grimbly, known as the tag team Hurricane and Cyclone Smith." He met them when he started working at The Spec in 1956. They got him interested in training at Al Spittle's downtown gym.
Moore is survived by his wife Georgie, children Peter, Matthew, Catherine, Candace, Suzanne and Ricky, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Diane.
Daniel Nolan can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com