Lord James Blears, British professional wrestler, Died at 92

  Sports

Lord Blears. James Ranicar Blears was born on August 13, 1923, in Tyldesley, England and died on March 3, 2016.

He was a British/American professional wrestler, ring announcer, promoter, actor, mariner, and surfing personality.

He was a successful swimmer in school, he was selected for the British swimming team for the 1940 Summer Olympics but was unable to compete due to World War II.

He had enlisted in the Merchant Navy in 1940 during World War II, with his knowledge of Morse code leading to him being made a radio officer.

Lord James Blears learned to wrestle at the YMCA, debuting in 1940 at the age of 17.

James wrestled sporadically around the world during his wartime service in the merchant navy.

He stopped wrestling full-time in 1965.

In 1950, James Blears made his first acting appearance, playing a dramatized version of himself in an episode of The Buster Keaton Show.

He relocated to the United States in the mid-1940s and ultimately successfully applied for United States citizenship.

When he was living in Chicago, Blears met Leonora “Lee” Adelaina (died 2007), who he would ultimately marry.

They had four children, they are all professional surfers.

One on his son died in 2011.

James legally changed his name to “Lord Blears.

Lord James Blears passed away at 92 yrs old.