Sports legend Andy Robin, who introduced the world to Hercules the bear, has been inducted into Scotland’s Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The 81-year-old received the top honour on the steps of Perth’s City Hall, the scene of some of his biggest championship battles.
One of his most famous bouts in the Fair City was against America’s Harold Sakata, better known as Odd Job from the James Bond movie Goldfinger.
Robin, from Auchterarder, is the second to be installed on the hall of fame after Dundee’s George Kidd in 2015.
He said: “I really appreciate this honour, its great to get things like this. It means so much.”
Robin said his return to city hall brought back some precious memories. “I used to love being here. I remember the crowd chanting: Andy, Andy, Andy. It was just great.”
Wrestling historian Bradley Craig, who founded the hall of fame, said: “Andy makes a fantastic addition to our hall because he was completely different to George Kidd in every way.
“He was a power-based wrestler who had the most devastating move in wrestling history — the power lock.
“He won countless titles and travelled all over the world. Quite simply, he is one of the few remaining wrestlers of the golden era and its fantastic to be able to give him this award.”
As a young man Robin became a familiar face on the Highland Games circuit. He was crowned the World Cumberland Wrestling champ by the age of 20.
He went on an extensive two-and-a-half year tour of the North America and Canada before returning to Scotland where, in 1964, he secured the British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship.
His career flourished further thanks to being featuring in ITV’s massively popular World of Sport programme.
But a major turning point for Robin was when he took part in a novelty bout with Terrible Ted, an eight foot black bear. Robin won $1,000 for successfully spending 15 minutes in the ring with the animal.
It started an obsession with bears, which led to Robin and his wife Maggie adopting Hercules from the Kincraig Wildlife Park in 1975.
Hercules, who the couple raised like their son, became one of the biggest stars of wrestling. He went on to win praise from US president Ronald Reagan and even fought against Roger Moore in the James Bond film Octopussy.
The kind-natured grizzly famously disappeared while filming an advert for Kleenex on the Hebridean isle of Benbecula.
It is hoped that a plaque, confirming Robin’s place on the hall of fame, will go on permanent display in Perth.