| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph DiTomasso[2] 1922 |
| Died | April 30, 1988(1988-04-30) (aged 65–66) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Assassin Assassin #2 The Bat Joe Tomasso Tiger Tomasso Tiger Joe Tomasso Tiger 'Tweet Tweet' Tomasso[1] |
| Debut | 1952[2] |
| Retired | 1976 |
Joseph DiTomasso (1922 – April 30, 1988) was a Canadianprofessional wrestler, better known by his ring nameTiger Joe Tomasso. He is most known from his matches inStampede Wrestling andAmerican Wrestling Association.
DiTomasso was born inMontreal,Quebec, but moved toHamilton, Ontario at a young age.[3]
Tomasso debuted in 1952 forStampede Wrestling, then known as Big Time Wrestling, where he lost his debut match againstGeorge Scott.[4] His second match was againstStu Hart where he once again lost.[5] In his third match, Joe,Chico Garcia and Ripper Leone defeated George Scott,Sandy Scott and Sugy Hayamaka.[5]
During the 1950s, he engaged in a long-running series ofNWA regional American midwest grudge matches againstBobby Nelson.[6]
In 1960, Tomasso was defeated by Bob Rasmussen in one of his firstAmerican Wrestling Association matches.[7]
In 1976, Joe was defeated byKarl von Schotz.[8] After two years of not wrestling, Tomasso had his last wrestling match in 1980 where he defeatedSmith Hart by disqualification.[9]
According to wrestling bookPain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, Tomasso was in a friendly "clique of Alberta wrestlers", includingTiny Mills.[10]