Don Eagle
Encyclopedia
Carl Donald Bell better known by his ring name
Chief Don Eagle, was a Mohawk
Native American
professional wrestler during the 1950s and 1960s. Originally from Kahnawake, Quebec
, Eagle became an AWA Boston World Champion.
In his first year, Eagle competed in 22 contests and won 17. He beat the established Red Dawson
by pinfall in just under 16 minutes.
Being something of a rarity in Canada, Eagle quickly gained attention as a superb technical and innovative wrestler, renowned for escaping from and reversing many holds placed on him. Traveling from area to area, Eagle was known for his flamboyant long Cadillac
which housed a 20-foot canoe on top. His passion for outdoor sports, fishing and hunting was well-known among his fellow wrestlers.
Eagle competed with and knew some of the greatest and most proficient wrestlers of his day, regularly tangling with the likes of Buddy Rogers and Lou Thesz
. In early 1950, Eagle became the first person to throw World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Primo Carnera
off his feet. He fought Antonino Rocca
to a titanic 60-minute draw on May 19, 1951 at the Chicago Stadium.
at the age of 23 in a best-of-three falls. Sexton was just over a year into a near-four-year reign of the Boston version of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
.
Three days later, Eagle appeared on television without the championship belt to face Gorgeous George
in another best-of-three falls match in the Chicago area. Eagle put in an extremely impressive performance, dominating George and quickly making him submit to the vaunted death lock, making a swift end to fall one.
For the second, Don continued to dominate and launched himself outside the ring with a flying shoulder block. He was then counted out by an arguably fast-counting Earl Mullihan, the appointed referee, to level proceedings at one fall each.
In the final fall, George managed to catch Eagle with a backyard cradle. Mullihan, who could clearly see that Eagle had a single shoulder off the mat, proceeded to administer another fast count and declared the match over. The crowd was furious and began to riot, throwing objects into the ring. Eagle punched Mullihan with considerable force while Mullihan hastened to leave the ring and the arena. As Mullihan ran up the aisle, Eagle hit him forcefully again between the shoulderblades. Gorgeous George was clearly unprepared for the animosity of the crowd and waited for police assistance to escort him from the ring.
Eagle was suspended by the Illinois State Athletic Commission for putting his hands on a referee, but managed to regain the title on August 31, 1950. The title was declared vacant in November 1950 due to Eagle's inactivity because of injury and was replaced by the AWA Eastern Heavyweight Title.
During a 1953 match with the notorious Hans Schmidt, Eagle was thrown over the top rope and into the ringside chairs, damaging several spinal discs and breaking two ribs. This left him in a full-body cast and doctors told him that he would never wrestle again. But Eagle's belief, faith and love of wrestling pulled him through this time; as he recuperated, he created new moves in his mind which he believed would make him even more technically competent than before. He took a year off in total, during which time he began training a teenage Billy Two Rivers
. Eagle gave Two Rivers a further year's training after he himself had returned to wrestling, occasionally tagging with the young wrestler. Billy Two Rivers made his full debut in 1953.
Due to continuing back problems, Eagle became semi-retired and wrestled infrequently in various regions over the next three years, still maintaining a big following wherever he travelled. In the end, Eagle decided that he could take no more and decided to retire permanently in 1963. He was 38 years old.
, and a $12 million Indian Center near Montreal. Billy Two Rivers was the last professional wrestler to visit him shortly before his death, noting that he was still suffering from his previous back injuries and that he struggled with retirement. However, those closest to him doubted that he took his own life to this day.
His selfless charity work, traditional costumes, competitive spirit and showmanship live on in the hearts and minds of those who saw him compete.
Chief Jack (his eldest son) is based in Anaheim, California and runs the successful Mohawk Radio Show. However, the relations of Chief Jack has yet to be biologically proven and stands questionable. Don Eagle was never an Iroquoian chief, only referred to the Chief Don Eagle in the wrestling ring... and "that's showbiz." To this date, the eldest, legally remains John Kim Bell. His youngest, Flint Eagle, is a well-known stuntman who has worked on many major motion pictures of the last 20 years.
Biological children of Donald Carl Bell Eagle are as follows by first name to date: John Kim, Kevin Hamilton, Lance, Hunter, Star Louise, Pam, Flint Tecumseh.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Chief Don Eagle, was a Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
professional wrestler during the 1950s and 1960s. Originally from Kahnawake, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Eagle became an AWA Boston World Champion.
Career
Don Eagle began his boxing career in 1945, after a brief time working in the steel and construction industry. He had been trained solely by his father, Chief Joseph War Eagle (John Bell, who died from natural causes on August 27, 1979 aged 80), a former ring veteran and former Junior Heavyweight Champion himself, although Joe War Eagle never gained the attention his son later achieved.In his first year, Eagle competed in 22 contests and won 17. He beat the established Red Dawson
Red Dawson
Lowell Potter "Red" Dawson was an American football coach for the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Tulane Green Wave at the collegiate level and the AAFC's Buffalo Bills at the professional level. He learned the craft of football coaching at the University of Minnesota under Bernie Bierman...
by pinfall in just under 16 minutes.
Being something of a rarity in Canada, Eagle quickly gained attention as a superb technical and innovative wrestler, renowned for escaping from and reversing many holds placed on him. Traveling from area to area, Eagle was known for his flamboyant long Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
which housed a 20-foot canoe on top. His passion for outdoor sports, fishing and hunting was well-known among his fellow wrestlers.
Eagle competed with and knew some of the greatest and most proficient wrestlers of his day, regularly tangling with the likes of Buddy Rogers and Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
. In early 1950, Eagle became the first person to throw World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Primo Carnera
Primo Carnera
Primo Carnera was an Italian boxer, nicknamed the Ambling Alp, who became the world heavyweight champion.-Biography:...
off his feet. He fought Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca was an Italian-born Argentine professional wrestler. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities with both Italian-American and especially Hispanic audiences, his following was exceptionally large and loyal.He had a love for opera and was apparently described as having an excellent...
to a titanic 60-minute draw on May 19, 1951 at the Chicago Stadium.
Controversy over AWA World Title (Boston)
Eagle's biggest match was arguably on May 23, 1950 when he wrestled and defeated Frank SextonFrank Sexton
Frank Sexton was an American professional wrestler in the early to mid-twentieth century. Along with Orville Brown, Bill Longson, and Lou Thesz, he was one of the biggest stars of the 1940s...
at the age of 23 in a best-of-three falls. Sexton was just over a year into a near-four-year reign of the Boston version of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
AWA World Heavyweight Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association. All AWA trademarks, including the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, are now owned by WWE...
.
Three days later, Eagle appeared on television without the championship belt to face Gorgeous George
George Wagner
George Raymond Wagner was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Gorgeous George...
in another best-of-three falls match in the Chicago area. Eagle put in an extremely impressive performance, dominating George and quickly making him submit to the vaunted death lock, making a swift end to fall one.
For the second, Don continued to dominate and launched himself outside the ring with a flying shoulder block. He was then counted out by an arguably fast-counting Earl Mullihan, the appointed referee, to level proceedings at one fall each.
In the final fall, George managed to catch Eagle with a backyard cradle. Mullihan, who could clearly see that Eagle had a single shoulder off the mat, proceeded to administer another fast count and declared the match over. The crowd was furious and began to riot, throwing objects into the ring. Eagle punched Mullihan with considerable force while Mullihan hastened to leave the ring and the arena. As Mullihan ran up the aisle, Eagle hit him forcefully again between the shoulderblades. Gorgeous George was clearly unprepared for the animosity of the crowd and waited for police assistance to escort him from the ring.
Eagle was suspended by the Illinois State Athletic Commission for putting his hands on a referee, but managed to regain the title on August 31, 1950. The title was declared vacant in November 1950 due to Eagle's inactivity because of injury and was replaced by the AWA Eastern Heavyweight Title.
Semi-retirement
Despite the controversy and subsequent suspension, Eagle's match against Gorgeous George gave him guaranteed main-event status for several years at promotions across the country.During a 1953 match with the notorious Hans Schmidt, Eagle was thrown over the top rope and into the ringside chairs, damaging several spinal discs and breaking two ribs. This left him in a full-body cast and doctors told him that he would never wrestle again. But Eagle's belief, faith and love of wrestling pulled him through this time; as he recuperated, he created new moves in his mind which he believed would make him even more technically competent than before. He took a year off in total, during which time he began training a teenage Billy Two Rivers
Billy Two Rivers
Billy Two Rivers , born May 5, 1935, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He began wrestling professionally in 1953 and competed until 1977. During his career, he wrestled in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada. After retiring from wrestling, he became a leader of the...
. Eagle gave Two Rivers a further year's training after he himself had returned to wrestling, occasionally tagging with the young wrestler. Billy Two Rivers made his full debut in 1953.
Due to continuing back problems, Eagle became semi-retired and wrestled infrequently in various regions over the next three years, still maintaining a big following wherever he travelled. In the end, Eagle decided that he could take no more and decided to retire permanently in 1963. He was 38 years old.
Death
Don Eagle began to fade from the public eye and lost touch with a great many friends and colleagues. Wrestling Revue reported Don Eagle's death on March 17, 1966, stating that it appeared the Native American had died from a self-inflicted gun wound. Contemporary newspaper reports indicated that he had been despondent over some construction project setbacks: namely, a Logan County (Ohio) Indian village, an expansion program in the Zane Shawnee CavernsZane Shawnee Caverns
The Zane Shawnee Caverns is a cave system in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio, United States. The caverns are a show cave, presently owned by the United Remnant Band of the Shawnee Nation...
, and a $12 million Indian Center near Montreal. Billy Two Rivers was the last professional wrestler to visit him shortly before his death, noting that he was still suffering from his previous back injuries and that he struggled with retirement. However, those closest to him doubted that he took his own life to this day.
Legacy
Don Eagle will be known as one of the most popular Native American wrestlers of all time. His influence, training and guidance of many of the leading lights of the day, including Chief Jay Strongbow, Edward "Moose" Cholak, Billy Two Rivers and many more, will be remembered and appreciated for many years to come. Even today, people refer to his trademark Mohawk hairstyle as a "Don Eagle" haircut.His selfless charity work, traditional costumes, competitive spirit and showmanship live on in the hearts and minds of those who saw him compete.
Chief Jack (his eldest son) is based in Anaheim, California and runs the successful Mohawk Radio Show. However, the relations of Chief Jack has yet to be biologically proven and stands questionable. Don Eagle was never an Iroquoian chief, only referred to the Chief Don Eagle in the wrestling ring... and "that's showbiz." To this date, the eldest, legally remains John Kim Bell. His youngest, Flint Eagle, is a well-known stuntman who has worked on many major motion pictures of the last 20 years.
Biological children of Donald Carl Bell Eagle are as follows by first name to date: John Kim, Kevin Hamilton, Lance, Hunter, Star Louise, Pam, Flint Tecumseh.
Professional wrestling
- American Wrestling Association (Boston)
- AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version) (1 time)