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Hamilton musician wants pro wrestler Iron Mike immortalized in stone

Posted: Jan 6th 2017 By: Emma Reilly

He was a larger-than-life Hamiltonian: A 6-foot-5, 275-pound giant whose punch felt like it could stop a truck.

Now, another larger-than-life Hamilton character wants to immortalize him.

Comedic rocker B.A. Johnston — whose song catalogue includes titles like "Jesus is from Hamilton" and "Luke Skywalker Is A Whiney Baby" — has started an online petition asking the city to create a statue of late pro wrestler Iron Mike Sharpe.

Johnston says he grew up watching "Iron Mike" on television among wrestling greats like Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage.

"I almost saw him as a symbol of the city itself — kind of like an avatar, or a walking Hamilton," he said. "It symbolized the dirty grittiness. His obliviousness to the fact that he was going to get pummeled was kind of Hamilton."

So far, Johnston has 207 backers on his petition. Johnston also plans to take the petition on his upcoming tour to garner more signatures on the road.

Sharpe made his professional wrestling debut in 1973 and spent years in the ring wearing his trademark black trunks, boots and a leather forearm brace.

After retiring in the mid-'90s, he opened a wrestling school in New Jersey. He returned home to Hamilton, where he struggled with a string of mental and physical issues, living as a recluse in his basement apartment. He died in January 2016 at age 64.

Johnston, who calls his push for the statue a "personal crusade," said he was waiting to get more signatures before he approaches the city with his idea.

"If they don't build a statue, they should find another way to pay tribute to Hamilton legends that aren't with us any more."

The city is no stranger to controversies over statues of famous Hamiltonians. In 2014, former councillor and one-time mayoral candidate Brian McHattie wanted the city to build a $200,000 memorial statue to Teenage Head singer Frankie "Venom" Kerr in Victoria Park.

The idea was scrapped after neighbourhood residents opposed the high price tag and Kerr's drug use, conviction for domestic assault and some unsavoury lyrics.

Johnston's petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/hamilton-city-council-get-hamilton-to-build-an-iron-mike-sharpe-statue.