Billy Red Lyons

Billy Red Lyons
Lyons as the AWA British Empire Heavyweight Champion
Born	(1932-05-17)17 May 1932 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died	22 June 2009(2009-06-22) (aged 77)
Family	Kurt Beyer (nephew) Dick Beyer (brother-in-law)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Billy Red Lyons William Lyons William Snip
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight	240 lb (110 kg)
Trained by	Jimmy Simms
Debut	1956
Retired	1984

William Snip (17 May 1932 – 22 June 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler, who used the stage name Billy Red Lyons. He was an active wrestler between 1956 and 1984, and won numerous championship throughout his career. He worked for promotions in both Canada and the United States, particularly in Ontario, California, Minneapolis, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma. He won numerous tag team championships throughout his career, including with Dick Beyer, who was his real-life brother-in-law, as well as Fritz Von Erich, Bill Watts, and Ray Gunkel. He also won singles championships, including the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship.

After his retirement from in-ring competition, he would work for Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto and the World Wrestling Federation.

Snip made his debut in 1956, under the name Billy Lyons, but soon became known as Billy Red Lyons, due to the colour of his hair. During ths first years of his career, he wrestle against future world champions, including Buddy Rogers and Gene Kiniski.

During his career, he held several tag team championships with Dick Beyer, who was his real-life brother-in-law, as well as Fritz Von Erich, Bill Watts, and Ray Gunkel. He won his first championship in February 1958, when he teamed with Ray Gunkel to win the NWA International Tag Team Championship. Three years later, he won the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship with Ilio DiPaolo, by defeating Stan Kowalski and Tiny Mills on January 26, 1961. Lyons and DiPaolo were the last champions, however, as the championships was abandoned and replaced with the Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship a few months later. Lyons eventually won this championship with Whipper Billy Watson on March 28, 1962, by defeating Chris and John Tolos. They lost the championship to Bulldog Brower and Sweet Daddy Siki five days later on April 2. On March 27, 1965, Lyons teamed with Beyer, who was using the ring name The Destroyer, to win the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Don Manoukian and Ray Stevens. On June 3, 1965, they won the All Asia Tag Team Championship in the Japan Wrestling Association from Giant Baba and Toyonobori. They lost the championship to Baba and Tonobori just over a month later on July 15, 1965. While wrestling in the American Wrestling Association in the 1960s, Lyons was billed as the AWA British Empire Heavyweight Champion.