Wild Angus Campbell

By the early 1980s Angus' career had reached its twilight years. This didn't stop him having a couple of cracking world title eliminators against Wayne Bridges at the Royal Albert Hall. On 25th February, 1981, the match became almost uncontrollable and ended with the referee disqualifying both Bridges and Angus. Bridges won the return contest a month later on 18th March.

One of the mysteries of post war professional wrestling must be why some wrestlers seem to have a pre-determined destiny of huge success whilst others inexplicably find success but don't quite receive the recognition they seem to deserve. Wild Angus fell into this latter category. He topped bills for twenty years, he engaged with the fans in a way that few could match, was able to change his style to suit the occasion, could wrestle, had success around the world, beat the best in North America, and yet still failed to receive the recognition he deserved. Our conclusion is that Angus got it right, but the promoters got it wrong and failed to realise the potential of one of their greatest assets. From the early 1980s, Wild Angus Campbell's appearances became less frequent until he finally disappeared from the wrestling scene.

The day of  21st April, 2005, is remembered as the day the world lost this great character of post-war British wrestling. Whilst the name Francis Patrick Hoy may have been known to only a few wrestling fans the heavyweight wrestler who bore the name had an international  reputation and was known to millions.

He was a man who came from an age when wrestlers were known more for their wrestling knowledge than their ability to perform pre planned manoeuvres. He was a man who combined wrestling skill with phenomenal strength and knew how to use just the right amount of skulduggery to enrage fans. 

The wrestling fans of Europe, North America and Asia all admired and hated this great wrestler. He had the ability to arouse emotions and passions amongst fans of all ages. Respect and admiration for his skill and strength alongside anger and fury for his blatant disregard for rules. To class this wrestler as a just another villain of the ring, though, would be an over-simplification of the man. Here was a complex man,  one of the few who could accurately be described as mean, moody and magnificent. 

To some he was known as Wild Angus or Angus Campbell, to others he was Black Angus, whilst in some parts he was the mysterious masked man, Rasputin.

To writers at Wrestling Heritage he will always be simply Angus, for there can be no other. Whatever the name by which he was known it is true to say that Frank Hoy, who died at his home in Stranraer, Scotland, was one of the twentieth century's most unpredictable and outlandish heavyweight wrestlers. We should not have been surprised that following his retirement the Ulsterman who had spent most of his life trying to convince us he was a Scotsman should ultimately pass away almost apocryphally north of the border. He was a giant in a sport of giants, a star that outshone other stars of his day, and a man with an  immense ring  presence.

The death of Frank Hoy left a void not only for wrestling fans around the world, but also for his many friends, who have attested to his warmth and generosity of spirit.

“He was a true friend and I was devastated to hear of his demise,” Earl Black told us.  “The friendship he gave me was one of a kind and I miss him dearly,” added Percival A. Friend,

Above all things Frank Hoy was a family man, and he left behind his wife, Celia, children Steven, Colin, Brian, Marie, Christine and Jackie, three sisters, one brother and countless grandhildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces. Daughter Christine wrote to us,

“He was my dad and very much loved by his family. He is sadly missed by my mum who loved him dearly. My brothers and sisters miss him too. Rest in Peace Wild Angus (dad). "