Steve Casey

Stephen "Steve" Casey (December 4, 1908 – January 10, 1987) was an Irish sport rower and world champion professional wrestler. He was the second Irish wrestler, after Danno O'Mahoney, to become a world champion.

Casey was the eldest of seven sons of Mike Casey, a bare-knuckle boxer. Steve Casey rowed in the Sneem senior crew with his father and the O'Connor Brothers. The Sneem/Casey Team won the Tug-O-War Munster Championship in 1932. Casey went on to win the Salter Challenge Cup with his brothers during 1930 to 1933. In 1936, he became the All-England Rowing Champion with his brothers Paddy, Tom and Mick. In the same year, the Caseys qualified for the Olympics in rowing but were disqualified for Steve and Paddy being professional wrestlers because Steve had wrestled two professional matches before the Olympics.

In 1935, Steve and his brother Paddy Casey joined the British Amateur Wrestling Team. Steve Casey debuted as a professional wrestler on March 3, 1936 by beating the Irish Canadian Heavyweight Champion Paul Duveen in a non-title match. In October 1936, Boston promoter Paul Bowser brought Casey to the United States.

On February 11, 1938, he received the biggest victory of his career when he defeated the legendary Lou Thesz to win the National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship. On August 26, he wrestled Danno O'Mahony to a draw after ten five-minute rounds in the European style. In September 1938, Casey was stripped of the NWA title, officially for being out of the country. He continued to be recognized as champion by the Boston-based American Wrestling Association. On September 18, he beat O'Mahony in Munster in a finish match in 18 rounds and 97 minutes.

On March 2, 1939, Casey lost the AWA World Championship to Marvin Westenberg in Boston. On March 29, he beat Gus Sonnenberg to start his second reign as AWA champion, losing the title to Ed Don George on April 18 in Albany, New York. He defeated George to win his start his third reign as AWA World Champion on November 29, 1939, dropping the title to The French Angel on May 13, 1940. In the same year, he beat Richard Codman for the Governor's Cup in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He defeated the U.S. boxing champion Tiger Warrenton and issued a challenge to Joe Louis which went unanswered. On November 12, 1941, he challenged Earl McCready for the British Empire Heavyweight Championship but the match was fought to no contest.

On May 13, 1942, Casey beat French Angel for his fourth reign as AWA champion. While still champion, Casey joined the United States Army during World War II, serving from 1942 to 1944. On June 6, 1945 in Boston, he defeated Frank Sexton to start his sixth reign as AWA champion and re-lost the title to Sexton three weeks later. In 1947, he announced his retirement at age 38. He opened a liquor store near Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts.

In 1983, the Casey family organized a family reunion in Sneem, Ireland. On January 10, 1987, he died at age 78.

In 1982, Casey was awarded the Irish Hall of Fame award by 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist Ronnie Delaney.

Sport rowing

• Tug O' War Munster Championship (1932)
• All-England Rowing Championship (1936)

Professional wrestling

• American Wrestling Association (Boston)
  • AWA World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
• National Wrestling Association
  • NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Other titles
  • Governor's Cup (1940)