Chief Jay Strongbow

Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

Real name: Joe Luke Scarpa
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 265 lbs.
Date of birth: October 4, 1928
Date of death: April 3, 2012
From: Georgia
Pro debut: 1947
Trained by: Don Eagle
Finishing move: Tomahawk Chop

Biography

– Scarpa began his career working as Joe Scarpa for a variety of NWA affiliates
– On March 29, 1962, Scarpa & Don Curtis defeated The Von Brauners (Karl & Kurt) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On December 5, 1967, Scarpa defeated Johnny Valentine to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On April 23, 1968, Scarpa & Jose Lothario defeated Bronko Lubich & Aldo Bogni to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On July 30, Scarpa defeated The Great Malenko to win the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– On October 8, Scarpa & Jose Lothario defeated The Infernos (1 & 2) to regain the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
– On April 23, 1969, Scarpa defeated The Great Malenko to regain the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– On September 19, Scarpa defeated Paul DeMarco to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On November 22, Scarpa defeated The Assassin #2 to win the vacant NWA Georgia Television Title
– In July 1970, Scarpa joined the WWWF, where he was repackaged as ‘Chief Jay Strongbow’
– On May 22, 1972, Strongbow & Sonny King defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna & King Curtis Iaukea to win the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On June 20, Strongbow & King defeated Jimmy Valiant & The Black Demon to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On June 23, Strongbow & King defeated Toru Tanaka & The Blue Demon to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– In the summer of 1975, Strongbow left the WWWF but kept the gimmick as he moved into GCW. He would be back with the WWWF by May of 1976
– On December 7, 1976, Strongbow & Billy White Wolf defeated Tor Kamata & Nikolai Volkoff in the final of a tournament to win the vacant WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On January 17, 1977, Strongbow & Wolf defeated The Executioners (1 & 2) to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On February 8, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Doug Gilbert & Mikel Scicluna to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– The next day, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Mikel Scicluna & Joe Joe Andrews to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On February 14, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Nikolai Volkoff & Frank Monroe to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On February 25, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Ken Patera & Tor Kamata to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On March 7, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Tor Kamata & Stan Stasiak to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On March 14, Strongow & Wolf defeated The Executioners to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On April 8, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Tor Kamata & Stan Stasiak to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On May 4, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Johnny Rodz & Jan Nelson to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On May 18, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Stan Stasiak & Baron Von Raschke to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On May 26, Strongbow & Wolf defeated Ken Patera & Doug Gilbert to retain the WWWF Tag Team Titles
– On August 1, Strongbow & Wolf were forced to vacate the WWWF Tag Team Titles after Wolf suffered a neck injury
– Strongbow left the WWF again at the end of 1979 and would turn up in Big Time Wrestling early the next year
– On October 11, 1980, Strongbow defeated Luke Graham to win the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title, but would lose it to Danny Condrey in his first defense
– In June 1982, Strongbow returned to the WWF and formed a tag team with ‘brother’ Jules
– On June 28, 1982, The Strongbows defeated Mr Fuji & Mr Saito to win the WWF Tag Team Titles, but would lose them back two weeks later
– On October 26, The Strongbows defeated Fuji & Saito to regain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– On December 7, The Strongbows defeated Tony Colon & Tito Senza to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– On December 28, The Strongbows defeated Mr Fuji & Mr Saito in a Texas Death Match to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– On the January 1983 house shows, The Strongbows defended their WWF Tag Team Titles against The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika)
– On February 3, The Strongbows defeated Mr Fuji & Charlie Fulton to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– Two days later, The Strongbows defeated Johnny Rodz & The Blue Demon to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– On March 2, The Strongbows defeated The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
– Strongbow retired from active competition at the end of 1986, though would come out of retirement for a Legends Battle Royal in November 1987
– In retirement, Strongbow worked as a road agent for the WWF
– In 1994, Strongbow was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
– Scarpa’s health deteriorated after a fall at his home in 2011 and he would pass away on April 3 of the following year