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A Blast from the Past: Chief Jay Strongbow

Posted: Mar 19th 2025 By: Robert Segedy - RingTheDamnBell.Wordpress.com

A staple of the WWWF in the 70’s, Chief Jay Strongbow was a perennial fan favorite, even though his true heritage was a gimmick. Born Luke Joseph Scarpa, on October 4, 1928, he hailed from Nutley, New Jersey, however he was billed as being from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. He was trained by Chief Don Eagle and made his debut in 1947. When his career started, he initially appeared under his legitimate name. Starting out his career in the Georgia and Florida territories of the National Wrestling Alliance throughout the 50’s and 60’s, he won many championships becoming a fan favorite. He won the NWA (Georgia) Southern Tag Team titles with Chief Little Eagle in Georgia Championship in 1965. He was also the inaugural NWA National Television Champion as a result of winning an 8-man tournament. By the time he debuted in WWWF, he had already was a 12-time tag-team champion and 6 times singles champion.

Scarpa started working for Vincent J. McMahon’s World-Wide Wrestling Federation as Chief Jay Strongbow using a native American gimmick complete with a traditional native headdress and native themed wrestling moves. He had many memorable feuds with a wide assortment of headliners: Strongbow feuded with “the Golden Greek” Spiros Arion, “Handsome Jimmy” Valiant and Superstar Billy Graham, nearly winning the WWWF Heavyweight Championship.

Strongbow won his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 22, 1972, with partner Sonny King. The duo defeated the team of Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea. They held the belts for a month before dropping the titles to Mr. Fuji and Professor Toru Tanaka on June 27, 1972.

Four and a half years later on December 7, 1976, Strongbow won his second WWWF World Tag Team Championship this time with Billy White Wolf. They lost the belts due to a neck injury as the result of Ken Patera’s Swinging Neck Breaker. In October 1978, Strongbow came to blows with ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia in a match with the Yukon Lumberjacks because they could not agree on who should start the match. Maivia clubbed Strongbow from behind and returned to the dressing room leaving Strongbow to be double teamed by the Yukon Lumberjacks. In 1979, Strongbow feuded with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine who broke Strongbow’s leg. The feud continued all over the WWF circuit, concluding in an “Indian Strap” Match at Madison Square Garden on July 30, 1979.

Big Time Wrestling (1976)

Strongbow competed for The Sheik’s Big Time Wrestling promotion in Detroit. He feuded with “Bulldog” Don Kent, which culminated in a “shark cage match.” In July 1976, the two men fought inside a small shark cage with the first man to escape the cage being declared the winner. Strongbow was victorious due to the assistance from fellow fan favorite Mark Lewin.

NWA Georgia/Mid Atlantic and other territories (1980-1981)

After wrestling in the WWF for nine years, Strongbow departed the organization to work for Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. In Detroit, he feuded with Don Kent once again. Next, he feuded with Baron Von Raschke in Georgia. He won the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship by defeating “Crazy” Luke Graham on October 11, 1980, in Puerto Rico. He dropped the title on December 20 to Danny Condrey. In 1981, Strongbow went to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling where he feuded with Kevin Sullivan.

World Wrestling Federation (1982-1986).

In 1982, Strongbow formed a tag team with his on-screen brother, Jules Strongbow. On June 28, the duo won the tag team championship from the team of Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito in Madison Square Garden. During the match, special guest referee Ivan Putski, counted the winning fall, but he neglected to notice that Fuji’s foot was draped over the bottom rope. On July 13, the Strongbow’s lost the titles back to Fuji and Saito, but then on the October 26 episode of Championship Wrestling, the Strongbow’s lost the titles to The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika). After failing to regain the titles, the Strongbow’s disbanded and Chief Jay became a jobber.

Retirement (1986-2011)

Strongbow retired in 1986, but would occasionally return to the ring, especially for a legends battle royal in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1987. During this time, Strongbow became a WWF road agent and worked in the company’s front office. However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Strongbow. He made many enemies behind the scenes. Strongbow was a man that was described by “Macho Man” Randy Savage as having “killed more young wrestler’s careers than drugs!” Jim Cornette, described Strongbow as “perpetually Vince McMahon Sr.’s number two babyface.” Strongbow won the PWI most popular Wrestler of the year in 1973, but in 1983, he was voted by The Wrestling Observer’s most washed-up wrestler award. Scarpa as an agent was one of Vince’s right-hand men, with Scarpa often referring to McMahon as “the emperor” or as “Caesar.”

Jim Cornette has often commented on the laziness of Strongbow whose job was to bring enhancement talent. Freddie Blassie paints a picture of Scarpa as being a tight wad with money, not only his own but with the company’s funds as well. Chief Jay Strongbow had some clout in the hiring and firing of talent as well. It was Scarpa that was responsible for the firing of Doctor D, David Schultz.

One person that Scarpa crossed was the legendary manager, Gary Hart. “I didn’t want to put myself in a situation where my future depended on someone like Chief Jay Strongbow-who was clearly out for revenge for what happened between us in Georgia nine years ago.” Hart was referring to firing Strongbow from his Georgia territory. Randy Savage said about Strongbow “he was a disgrace to the business.”

Strongbow was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 by Gorilla Monsoon. He was also inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009.

Scarpa fell at home in 2011, and he was hospitalized. He died on April 3, 2012, at the age of 83.