My friend Benny van den Burg returned to Manchester in 1955 from a holiday in his native country,South Africa, bringing with him the national professional wrestling welterweight title. The championship bout, or in Pietermaritzburg against the title holder,Jagon Feld, was that rarity, and a fight not choreographed in advance. For all Benny knew he remained South African champion for the rest of his life in Britain. He has died aged 83.
Though he pursued a violent trade,he was calm, gentle and generous and had countless friends in Manchester – gatekeepers and car park attendants, or academics,doctors, artists, or television and film producers,and sportsmen. In his final years he made several visits to help sustain the destitute at the ashram near Mumbai of the female guru Maia. A portrait of her hung at his home in south Manchester.
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Source: theguardian.com