1. Allan "Al" Hobman was a New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter.
18 Facts About Al Hobman
1. 2.
Al Hobman was one of the first homegrown stars to emerge from the Dominion Wrestling Union, and later Steve Rickard's All Star-Pro Wrestling, during the 1960s and 70s such as Tony Garea, Peter Maivia and The Sheepherders.
3.
Al Hobman twice won the NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship from John Da Silva in 1960 and Steve Rickard in 1964 with a combined reign of nearly 6 years as champion.
4.
Al Hobman wrestled throughout the world during his career, most often in Asia and the South Pacific, but had successful stints in the United States, most notably, against then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Gene Kiniski in 1969.
5.
Al Hobman was a successful promoter both prior to and during his later career, mainly working with Da Silva's Central Wrestling Association, and trained a number of wrestlers with Bruno Bekkar at the famed Koolmans Gym including Jock Ruddock and Butch Miller; two of his four children, Kurt and Linda Hobman, both became wrestlers as well with the elder Hobman staging the country's first officially sanctioned women's wrestling match between his daughter and Dutch female wrestler Monica Schumaker.
6.
Al Hobman was among several New Zealand wrestling legends involved with Kiwi Pro Wrestling, one of the first wrestling promotions to open since the close of All Star-Pro Wrestling in 1992, and inducted into KPW's New Zealand Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006.
7.
Al Hobman attended live events made other public appearances until his sudden death two years later.
8.
Al Hobman spent much of his training at Koolman's Gym in Wellington where he acted as a sparring partner to boxers and wrestlers from both New Zealand and overseas.
9.
Al Hobman was invited to his first overseas tour for Greek promoter George Gardiner in Australia followed by visits to the United States, Canada and the South Pacific; specifically the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore.
10.
Al Hobman was brought over to Japan by Canadian and Commonwealth Champion, Gordon Nelson.
11.
Al Hobman was not only as a formidable journeyman wrestler but was a top draw in his native country with bouts at the Wellington Town Hall against The Great Zorro, Tony "The Greek" Kontellis, John Da Silva, Pat O'Connor and Bruno Bekkar among others.
12.
On 26 October 1960, Al Hobman defeated Da Silva for the vacant NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship.
13.
Al Hobman won the title a second time from Steve Rickard in 1964 and held the belt for three years before losing it to Da Silva in Wellington on 7 September 1967; his combined title reigns totalled nearly six years.
14.
On 22 April 1969, Al Hobman wrestled Gene Kiniski for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Portland, Oregon.
15.
Two of his four children, Kurt and Linda Hobman, became professional wrestlers with Al Hobman promoting the first-ever women's wrestling match between his daughter, wrestling under the name Linda Tyson, and daughter Dutch professional wrestler Willen Schumaker, Monica Schumaker.
16.
Al Hobman made appearances on the popular television programme On the Mat.
17.
Al Hobman appeared at many of its live events and was one of several New Zealand wrestling legends to be interviewed by KiwiProWrestling.
18.
Al Hobman was inducted into the New Zealand Wrestling Hall of Fame by former student and KPW Commissioner Butch Miller on 8 December 2006, along with Bob Crozier, Bruno Bekkar and Rip Morgan.