Gil Hayes
Encyclopedia
Gilbert "Gil" Hayes is a retired Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American promotions during the 1960s and 1970s including All Star Wrestling
and Stampede Wrestling
where he would remain a mainstay for the majority of his 17-year career. One of the first Canadian professional wrestlers to compete in Puerto Rico
, he also frequently toured Japan
with International Wrestling Enterprise during the mid-to-late 1970s.
He was also the first man to simultaneously hold two Canadian wrestling championships, the Stampede North American Heavyweight
and International Tag Team Championship, at one time.
, Erwin Hayes was a fan of professional wrestling as a child (as was his mother) and was later involved in amateur wrestling and boxing during his teenage years. In 1966, after meeting Gene Kiniski
following a wrestling event in Fort Frances, Ontario
, Hayes began training in the basement of a local church for almost a year before making his professional wrestling debut at the St. Boniface Club in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
.
during the late 1960s. Developing a following among fans as an egotistical anti-hero
during the next several years, he teamed with Bill Dromo to defeat Jerry and Bobby Christy for the Stampede International Tag Team Championship on February 13, 1970.
Successfully defending the titles against Gordon Ivey, Mighty Ursus and "Cowboy" Dan Kroffat, he and Dromo eventually lost the titles back to Jerry and Bobby Christy on March 6. Hayes continued facing Jerry and Bobby Christy in tag-team and single matches during the next weeks, as well as facing Stu Hart
and Bob Lueck in a tag team match with Buck Jones on March 24, before teaming with Bob Sweetan
to recapture the titles from the Christy Brothers on July 3. Defeating Jerry and Bobby Christy in later rematches, Hayes and Sweetan held the tag team titles for over two months before losing them to Bud and Ray Osborne on September 4. Fighting to a time limit draw against Danny Babich on October 30, he also faced Paul Peller and Bob Prire later that year.
In early 1971, Hayes faced Bob Sweetan in several matches in January and twice teamed with Jean Antone in a mixed tag team match against Betty Niccoli
& Paul Peller in early February. Also teaming with Danny Babich against Joe Tommaso & Ed Sullivan, Hayes also faced Buck Jones, The Stomper, the Quebec Giant, Dan Kroffat and Stampede North American Champion Les Thornton
, losing to him on April 23.
In September, he would also face Carlos Belafonte
, Dick Medrano and Frank Butcher before teaming with Dick Medranto against Ed Sullivan & Frank Butcher on October 1. Fighting to a draw against Earl Black on October 9, he would also team with John Anson
against Earl Black & Joe Tomasso on October 23 only to face his tag team partner several days later teaming with Dick Medrano and Nick Pacchiano against Anson and Sterling Gaylord.
He would team with Danny Babich later during the year although they would lose to Stampede International Tag Team Champions Chin Lee & Sugi Sito
on November 19. He and Babich would continue teaming together against Sterling Gaylord & Bob Pirie and also defeated Karl Krupp by disqualification on December 4, 1971. He would also team with Bob Pringle and Gordon Ivey in a 6-man tag team match losing to Eddie Sullivan, Joe Tomasso and Paul Peller later that month.
Fighting to a time limit draw against Danny Babich on February 2, later that month he teamed with Bob Pringle to defeated Frank Butcher & Eddie Sullivan and also challenged Stampede International Tag Team Champions Chin Lee & Sugi Sito fighting them to a double disqualification with Carlos Belafonte on February 19. He would later have a falling out with Pringle however, defeating him on April 15. After winning the tag team titles with Sonny Rogers, Hayes would also face Pringle in several tag team matches with Tiger Joe Tomasso during the next few weeks. On June 24, he and Tomasso would also team with Beautiful Bruce in a 6-man tag team match losing to Dave Ruhl
, Geoff Portz and Les Thornton.
and "Bulldog" Bob Brown
against Buck Ramstead, Dutch Savage
and Dean Higuchi
on August 21.
Facing Buck Ramstead, Dean Higuchi and Tito Montez in singles matches during late August and early September, later that month Hayes also teamed with John Quinn to defeat Duncan McTavish & Eddie Morrow on September 18. Defeating Fred Barron on September 25, he and Ray Glenn lost to Buck Ramstead & Steven Little Bear on October 2. Teaming with Ray Glenn and Dan Morgan over the next several weeks, he would wrestle his last match in the promotion losing to Buck Ramstead on October 16.
in Swift Current, Saskatchewan
on November 30, they would defend their titles in rematches against Dan Kroffat & Lennie Hurst as well as George Gordienko
& Lindy Calder before losing the titles to Michel Martel & Danny Babich on December 15, 1972.
The following year, he would face Dan Kroffat once again defeating Kroffat & Bill Cody for the Stampede International Tag Team titles with Benny Ramirez in July and, the following month, defeated him for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in Lethbridge
, Alberta
on August 27. Three days later however, he and Ramirez would lose the tag team titles to The Samoans
(Afa
& Sika
) on August 31.
Feuding over the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship with Dan Kroffat throughout the fall, he would briefly lose the title to Kroffat on October 13 before regaining it several weeks later. He would eventually lose the title to Omar Atlas on November 9, 1973.
with the World Wrestling Council
later becoming the first WWC North American Heavyweight Champion in April 1974. During the next several months, with the promotion in financial trouble, Hayes suggested bringing in a trained bear as an opponent to defend his title against. Agreeing to the idea, the match received considerable press coverage and was later aired on television with Hayes defeating Victor, the Wrestling Bear in the main event on June 29, 1974. Hayes would wrestle on and off for WWC during the next several years and eventually defeated Jose Rivera
for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
on October 21. After losing the title to Chief War Cloud on November 25, he would eventually part with the company on bad terms.
Losing the WWC North American Heavyweight title to Carlos Colon
in Caguas, Puerto Rico
the following month, he enjoyed a short stay in Championship Wrestling from Florida fighting to a time limit draw against Johnny Gray
in Miami Beach, Florida
on August 21. During the next several months, he would face Vic Rosettani, Tony Parisi
and Dominic DeNucci
before leaving the area by late November. before returning to Stampede Wrestling in late 1974.
Failing to defeat to Stampede International Tag Team Champions Pat and Mike Kelly with Gordon Ivey on December 27, he would briefly feud with Ivey facing him in a singles match on January 24, 1975. Also facing former tag team partner Benny Ramirez the following week, he began teaming with Mr. Hito facing Lindy Calder & Roy Callender on February 7, he and Mr. Hito would lose to Callender and Wayne Bridges in Melville, Saskatchewan
on April 22. Splitting from Mr. Hito for a time, he would face Frankie Laine, Keith Hart and Bill Cody before teaming with Jack Pesek against Bill Cody & Nick Pacchiano on May 23. He would team once more with Pesek against Bill Cody & Keith Hart on May 30.
He and Mr. Hito would eventually begin teaming together facing Larry Lane & Alo Leilani on August 8. With Dutch Savage
, he and Mr. Hito would also face Larry Lane, Bob Pringle and Keith Hart in a 6-man tag team match on September 20. Later that year, he would win the vacant Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team titles with Mr. Hito in a championship tournament on December 12, 1975. Losing the titles to Ed & Jerry Morrow later that month, he and Mr. Hito would regain the titles once more defeating Keith Hart & Bob Pringle in Calgary on April 10.
, Ontario
on April 25, he would also begin touring Japan with International Wrestling Enterprise later that year as he and Gypsy Joe would losing to the Great Kusatsu & Mighty Inoue in a 2-of-3 match for the IWA World Tag Team Championship at the Yamato Shatai-kogyo Gym in Kanagawa, Japan on December 4, 1976. Although Gypsy Joe scored the first fall over the Mighty Inoue, he and Gypsy Joe forfeited the second fall via disqualification with Hayes being pinned by Inoue to take the third fall. While in Japan, he would become close friends with fellow Canadian wrestler Archie Gouldie.
, John Foley, Gama Singh, Gypsy Joe, Mr. Hito, Ed & Jerry Morrow, the Cuban Assassins (Cuban Assassin
& Bad News Allen) and Bruce
& Keith Hart. The winner was to receive a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am.
During the next few weeks, Hayes would face Killer Tim Brooks
, Higo Hamaguchi, Gypsy Joe, Don Gagne and, teaming with Frenchy LaMonte, defeated Don Gagne & Wee Willie Wilson on March 11. Later that month, he would also defeat Mr. Hito and The Royal Kangaroos
(Jonathan Boyd
& Norman Frederick Charles III) in a 6-man tag team match with Keith Hart and Alo Leilani on March 27. Failing to win the Stampede International Tag Team titles from The Fabulous Kangaroos with Keith Hart and Larry Lane in April, he also faced Mr. Hito and U.F.O. in single and tag team matches later that month. In October, he would also face Oki Shikuna and Kasavudu.
Back in Calgary by the end of the year, Hayes defeated Louis Laurence on December 29, 1978. Two days later, he would participate in a 20-man battle royal involving Big Daddy Ritter, Mr. Hito, Dynamite Kid
, Mr. Sakurada
, Norman Frederick Charles III, Louis Laurence, John Foley, Sandy Scott
and the Hart brothers Keith, Bruce and Bret Hart
. Defeating Norman Frederick Charles III on January 6, he would face Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion Big Daddy Ritter in several close matches and defeating Ritter by disqualification on January 26. Teaming with Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart
, he also defeated Ritter and Hercules Ayala in a tag team match on February 9.
Facing Ritter in a 6-man tag team match with Keith Hart and Jake "The Snake" Roberts
against Ritter, Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada on March 3, he was unable to defeat Ritter for the championship losing to eventually lost to Ritter in a no disqualification match on March 9. He and Jim Neidhart would lose to Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada on March 16 and, facing The Cuban Assassin over the next several weeks, he would eventually face him in his last match in the promotion losing to The Cuban Assassin in Calgary on March 23, 1979.
Less active during the next several years, he finally retired from active competition in 1981 after blowing out both of his knees while touring Hawaii
. He would make occasional appearances until late 1985, fighting Dan Kroffat to a no contest on December 25 and, two days later, losing to Bruce Hart by disqualification on December 29, 1985.
. Hayes has two Children son -James Craig(Jim) born 1968, and daughter - Toni Wynne born 1964. After Bruce and Ross Hart reopened Stampede Wrestling in 1999, Hayes would appear in the promotion as a referee although his involvement was limited following the Hart brothers limiting their involvement in Stampede Wrestling in 2005.
In April 2007, he and several other Stampede Wrestling alumni including John Cozman
, Bob Leonard, Bret and Ross Hart were honored at a special banquet held in Las Vegas, Nevada
by the Cauliflower Alley Club
. Hosted by Scott D'Amore
and Greg Oliver, other Canadian honorees included Maurice
and Paul Vachon
, Killer Kowalski
, Don Leo Jonathan
, Angelo Mosca
, Pepper Martin
, Michelle Starr, Jack Laskin, Billy Two Rivers
, "Beautiful" Bruce Swayze, Pat Patterson and Nick and Jerry Kozak.
All Star Wrestling
All Star Wrestling is a British Professional wrestling promotion also known as All Star Promotions, Superslam Wrestling and Big Time Wrestling and originally known as Wrestling Enterprises , run by Brian Dixon and based in Liverpool, England...
and Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
where he would remain a mainstay for the majority of his 17-year career. One of the first Canadian professional wrestlers to compete in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, he also frequently toured Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with International Wrestling Enterprise during the mid-to-late 1970s.
He was also the first man to simultaneously hold two Canadian wrestling championships, the Stampede North American Heavyweight
Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
The Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
and International Tag Team Championship, at one time.
Early career
Growing up in Renwer, ManitobaRenwer, Manitoba
Renwer is a small hamlet in the Canadian Province of Manitoba. It is located 9 miles east of Minitonas in the RM of Minitonas. It is an unorganized hamlet. The Duck Mountains are just a couple miles south of the townsite. Renwer was originally known as Fisher Siding.- History :The railroad arrived...
, Erwin Hayes was a fan of professional wrestling as a child (as was his mother) and was later involved in amateur wrestling and boxing during his teenage years. In 1966, after meeting Gene Kiniski
Gene Kiniski
Eugene Nicholas "Gene" Kiniski was a Canadian professional wrestler and the father of wrestlers Nick Kiniski and Kelly Kiniski. "Canada's Greatest Athlete" as he billed himself for promotional purposes was born outside of Edmonton, Alberta...
following a wrestling event in Fort Frances, Ontario
Fort Frances, Ontario
Fort Frances is a town in, and the seat of, Rainy River District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. The population as of the 2006 census was 8,103 and Fort Frances' population peaked in 1971 at 9,947...
, Hayes began training in the basement of a local church for almost a year before making his professional wrestling debut at the St. Boniface Club in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
Stampede Wrestling
Hayes spent two years wrestling in Winnipeg as well as a brief stint in NWA Central States before moving to Calgary-based Stampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
during the late 1960s. Developing a following among fans as an egotistical anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
during the next several years, he teamed with Bill Dromo to defeat Jerry and Bobby Christy for the Stampede International Tag Team Championship on February 13, 1970.
Successfully defending the titles against Gordon Ivey, Mighty Ursus and "Cowboy" Dan Kroffat, he and Dromo eventually lost the titles back to Jerry and Bobby Christy on March 6. Hayes continued facing Jerry and Bobby Christy in tag-team and single matches during the next weeks, as well as facing Stu Hart
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
and Bob Lueck in a tag team match with Buck Jones on March 24, before teaming with Bob Sweetan
Bob Sweetan
Bob Sweetan better known as "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan or "Mr. Piledriver" Bob Sweetan, after his signature finishing maneuver, was born in 1940. Bob was a professional wrestler who over his long career held numerous titles. Bob enjoyed tremendous success with the National Wrestling Alliance...
to recapture the titles from the Christy Brothers on July 3. Defeating Jerry and Bobby Christy in later rematches, Hayes and Sweetan held the tag team titles for over two months before losing them to Bud and Ray Osborne on September 4. Fighting to a time limit draw against Danny Babich on October 30, he also faced Paul Peller and Bob Prire later that year.
In early 1971, Hayes faced Bob Sweetan in several matches in January and twice teamed with Jean Antone in a mixed tag team match against Betty Niccoli
Betty Niccoli
Betty Jo Niccoli is an American former female professional wrestler. She wrestled in the United States, Canada, and Japan. She was also influential in helping lift the ban of women's wrestling in the state of New York....
& Paul Peller in early February. Also teaming with Danny Babich against Joe Tommaso & Ed Sullivan, Hayes also faced Buck Jones, The Stomper, the Quebec Giant, Dan Kroffat and Stampede North American Champion Les Thornton
Les Thornton
Les Thornton is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in European and North American regional promotions throughout the 1970s and 1980s including Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance...
, losing to him on April 23.
In September, he would also face Carlos Belafonte
Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
, Dick Medrano and Frank Butcher before teaming with Dick Medranto against Ed Sullivan & Frank Butcher on October 1. Fighting to a draw against Earl Black on October 9, he would also team with John Anson
John Anson
John Anson is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name "Handsome" John Anson, who competed in North American and Japanese promotions from the mid-1960s until the early-1980s, including International Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling, NWA All-Star Wrestling, Pacific Northwest...
against Earl Black & Joe Tomasso on October 23 only to face his tag team partner several days later teaming with Dick Medrano and Nick Pacchiano against Anson and Sterling Gaylord.
He would team with Danny Babich later during the year although they would lose to Stampede International Tag Team Champions Chin Lee & Sugi Sito
Sugi Sito
Francisco Javier Mar Hernández was a Mexican professional wrestler known as Sugi Sito, nicknamed El Orgullo de Oriente . He was born in León, Guanajuato to a Mexican father and Chinese mother...
on November 19. He and Babich would continue teaming together against Sterling Gaylord & Bob Pirie and also defeated Karl Krupp by disqualification on December 4, 1971. He would also team with Bob Pringle and Gordon Ivey in a 6-man tag team match losing to Eddie Sullivan, Joe Tomasso and Paul Peller later that month.
Fighting to a time limit draw against Danny Babich on February 2, later that month he teamed with Bob Pringle to defeated Frank Butcher & Eddie Sullivan and also challenged Stampede International Tag Team Champions Chin Lee & Sugi Sito fighting them to a double disqualification with Carlos Belafonte on February 19. He would later have a falling out with Pringle however, defeating him on April 15. After winning the tag team titles with Sonny Rogers, Hayes would also face Pringle in several tag team matches with Tiger Joe Tomasso during the next few weeks. On June 24, he and Tomasso would also team with Beautiful Bruce in a 6-man tag team match losing to Dave Ruhl
Dave Ruhl
Dave Ruhl was a Canadian professional wrestler who during his near 30-year career competed in North American regional promotions in Western Canada and the Canadian Prairies as well as in Japan and other international promotions...
, Geoff Portz and Les Thornton.
All-Star Wrestling
During the summer of 1972, Hayes began wrestling in the Vancouver-area for promoter Sandor Kovacs. Fighting to a draw against Buck Ramstead on July 31, he would also face Jack Bence and Eddie Morrow in early August, also fighting to a draw with Morrow on August 14. A week later, Hayes lost a 6-man tag team match with John QuinnJohn Quinn (wrestler)
John Quinn is a retired Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including NWA All-Star Wrestling, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling during the 1960s and early 1970s...
and "Bulldog" Bob Brown
Bob Brown (wrestler)
Robert Harold Brown was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Bulldog" Bob Brown.- Early life :...
against Buck Ramstead, Dutch Savage
Dutch Savage
Frank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:...
and Dean Higuchi
Dean Higuchi
Dean Higuchi is a retired American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Dean Ho, who competed in North American regional promotions including Pacific Northwest Wrestling, the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance, specifically the Hawaii-based Big Time...
on August 21.
Facing Buck Ramstead, Dean Higuchi and Tito Montez in singles matches during late August and early September, later that month Hayes also teamed with John Quinn to defeat Duncan McTavish & Eddie Morrow on September 18. Defeating Fred Barron on September 25, he and Ray Glenn lost to Buck Ramstead & Steven Little Bear on October 2. Teaming with Ray Glenn and Dan Morgan over the next several weeks, he would wrestle his last match in the promotion losing to Buck Ramstead on October 16.
Return to Calgary
By early November, he had returned to Stampede Wrestling and soon began teaming once again with Tiger Joe Tomasso winning the tag team titles from "Cowboy" Dan Kroffat & Lennie Hurst later that month. Facing Carlos Belafonte, Geoff Portz and Gino Caruso in a 6-man tag team with Tomasso and Tor KamataTor Kamata
McRonald Kamaka was an American/Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several Heavyweight and Tag Team championships, including one World Tag Team title. He was a classic "bad guy" wrestler...
in Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
on November 30, they would defend their titles in rematches against Dan Kroffat & Lennie Hurst as well as George Gordienko
George Gordienko
George Gordienko was a Canadian professional wrestler and artist. Born of first generation Ukrainian and Cossack-Canadian parents in North Winnipeg, Manitoba, by age 17 Gordienko had received numerous awards for his physical prowess...
& Lindy Calder before losing the titles to Michel Martel & Danny Babich on December 15, 1972.
The following year, he would face Dan Kroffat once again defeating Kroffat & Bill Cody for the Stampede International Tag Team titles with Benny Ramirez in July and, the following month, defeated him for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
on August 27. Three days later however, he and Ramirez would lose the tag team titles to The Samoans
Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in Mid-South Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation . The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.-Gimmick:...
(Afa
Afa Anoa'i
Arthur "Afa" Anoa'i, Sr. is a Samoan American retired professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. Since retiring in the 1990s, he has operated the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion and trained wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Facility.-Early life:Anoa'i was born in Samoa, but...
& Sika
Sika Anoa'i
Leati "Sika" Anoa'i is a former professional wrestler and a member of the Anoa'i family.-Career:Sika teamed with his brother Afa to form the tag team the Wild Samoans. They teamed in various promotions including WWF and Mid-South. In 1979, they signed with the World Wrestling Federation...
) on August 31.
Feuding over the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship with Dan Kroffat throughout the fall, he would briefly lose the title to Kroffat on October 13 before regaining it several weeks later. He would eventually lose the title to Omar Atlas on November 9, 1973.
World Wrestling Council
From Calgary, he would also begin to compete outside of Canada during the mid-1970s and became one of the first Canadians to wrestle in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
with the World Wrestling Council
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
later becoming the first WWC North American Heavyweight Champion in April 1974. During the next several months, with the promotion in financial trouble, Hayes suggested bringing in a trained bear as an opponent to defend his title against. Agreeing to the idea, the match received considerable press coverage and was later aired on television with Hayes defeating Victor, the Wrestling Bear in the main event on June 29, 1974. Hayes would wrestle on and off for WWC during the next several years and eventually defeated Jose Rivera
Jose Rivera
Jose Rivera may refer to:*José Antonio Primo de Rivera , Spanish politician*José Eustasio Rivera , Colombian politician and writer*José Rivera , American playwright...
for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
on October 21. After losing the title to Chief War Cloud on November 25, he would eventually part with the company on bad terms.
Losing the WWC North American Heavyweight title to Carlos Colon
Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
in Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
the following month, he enjoyed a short stay in Championship Wrestling from Florida fighting to a time limit draw against Johnny Gray
Johnny Gray
John Lee Gray, Jr. was an American 800 m runner of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1985 he set the US record of 1:42.60 min at a meet in Koblenz. That time puts Gray as the #11 performer of all time...
in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
on August 21. During the next several months, he would face Vic Rosettani, Tony Parisi
Tony Parisi
Tony Parisi may refer to:*Antonio Pugliese , Italian wrestler*Tony Parisi , software developer...
and Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.-Early career:...
before leaving the area by late November. before returning to Stampede Wrestling in late 1974.
Failing to defeat to Stampede International Tag Team Champions Pat and Mike Kelly with Gordon Ivey on December 27, he would briefly feud with Ivey facing him in a singles match on January 24, 1975. Also facing former tag team partner Benny Ramirez the following week, he began teaming with Mr. Hito facing Lindy Calder & Roy Callender on February 7, he and Mr. Hito would lose to Callender and Wayne Bridges in Melville, Saskatchewan
Melville, Saskatchewan
Melville is a small Canadian city located in the east-central portion of Saskatchewan. It was declared a city by the province in 1960. The city is north east of the provincial capital of Regina and south west of Yorkton. According to The World Gazetteer, it has a 2004 population of approximately...
on April 22. Splitting from Mr. Hito for a time, he would face Frankie Laine, Keith Hart and Bill Cody before teaming with Jack Pesek against Bill Cody & Nick Pacchiano on May 23. He would team once more with Pesek against Bill Cody & Keith Hart on May 30.
He and Mr. Hito would eventually begin teaming together facing Larry Lane & Alo Leilani on August 8. With Dutch Savage
Dutch Savage
Frank Stewart is a former professional wrestler and wrestling promoter, best known for his time spent competing in Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name Dutch Savage.-Career:...
, he and Mr. Hito would also face Larry Lane, Bob Pringle and Keith Hart in a 6-man tag team match on September 20. Later that year, he would win the vacant Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team titles with Mr. Hito in a championship tournament on December 12, 1975. Losing the titles to Ed & Jerry Morrow later that month, he and Mr. Hito would regain the titles once more defeating Keith Hart & Bob Pringle in Calgary on April 10.
Japan
Appearing at an event for the World Wide Wrestling Federation in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on April 25, he would also begin touring Japan with International Wrestling Enterprise later that year as he and Gypsy Joe would losing to the Great Kusatsu & Mighty Inoue in a 2-of-3 match for the IWA World Tag Team Championship at the Yamato Shatai-kogyo Gym in Kanagawa, Japan on December 4, 1976. Although Gypsy Joe scored the first fall over the Mighty Inoue, he and Gypsy Joe forfeited the second fall via disqualification with Hayes being pinned by Inoue to take the third fall. While in Japan, he would become close friends with fellow Canadian wrestler Archie Gouldie.
Later career and retirement
Returning to Stampede Wrestling in late 1976, he began feuding with his former tag team partner Mr. Hito facing him on December 26. Facing him several times during the next month, he also faced him in a no countout/disqualification match on January 2. Fighting him to a no contest at the Victoria Pavilion in Calgary several days later, he would also participate in battle royal later that night which included Leo BurkeLeo Burke
Leonce Cormier is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He was born in Dorchester, New Brunswick. He competed across Canada, in several American promotions, and wrestled internationally for both Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council and the National Wrestling Alliance in New Zealand...
, John Foley, Gama Singh, Gypsy Joe, Mr. Hito, Ed & Jerry Morrow, the Cuban Assassins (Cuban Assassin
David Sierra
Fidel Sierra David Cannell is a professional wrestler, better known as David Sierra, who is best known as a longtime veteran of the Puerto Rico-based World Wrestling Council as well as for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling and Pacific Northwest Wrestling during the 1980s and 90s...
& Bad News Allen) and Bruce
Bruce Hart (wrestler)
Bruce Dennis Luis Hart is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the large Hart wrestling family.Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.-Career:...
& Keith Hart. The winner was to receive a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am.
During the next few weeks, Hayes would face Killer Tim Brooks
Killer Tim Brooks
Timothy Paul Brooks is a retired American professional wrestler, better-known by his ring name "Killer Tim Brooks". He competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling during the 1970s and...
, Higo Hamaguchi, Gypsy Joe, Don Gagne and, teaming with Frenchy LaMonte, defeated Don Gagne & Wee Willie Wilson on March 11. Later that month, he would also defeat Mr. Hito and The Royal Kangaroos
The Royal Kangaroos
The Royal Kangaroos was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of cousins “Lord” Jonathan Boyd and Norman Frederick Charles III. The duo played off their Australian heritage which included using a boomerang as their weapon of choice...
(Jonathan Boyd
Jonathan Boyd
Jonathan Barry Boyle was an Australian professional wrestler who is known worldwide under the name "Lord" Jonathan Boyd. Initially Boyd competed both in North American and international promotions as part of the Royal Kangaroos with his cousin Norman Frederick Charles III...
& Norman Frederick Charles III) in a 6-man tag team match with Keith Hart and Alo Leilani on March 27. Failing to win the Stampede International Tag Team titles from The Fabulous Kangaroos with Keith Hart and Larry Lane in April, he also faced Mr. Hito and U.F.O. in single and tag team matches later that month. In October, he would also face Oki Shikuna and Kasavudu.
Back in Calgary by the end of the year, Hayes defeated Louis Laurence on December 29, 1978. Two days later, he would participate in a 20-man battle royal involving Big Daddy Ritter, Mr. Hito, Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
, Mr. Sakurada
Kazuo Sakurada
, better known as Mr. Sakurada and as the Japanese version of , is a retired Japanese professional wrestler. He is best known, under various monikers, for his work in Stampede Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling. Sakurada is also highly regarded by Bret Hart as...
, Norman Frederick Charles III, Louis Laurence, John Foley, Sandy Scott
Sandy Scott
Angus Mackay Scott , better known by his ring name Sandy Scott, was a Canadian professional wrestler. He worked with his older brother George from the 1950s until the 1970s as The Flying Scotts in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, particularly the Midwest...
and the Hart brothers Keith, Bruce and Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
. Defeating Norman Frederick Charles III on January 6, he would face Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion Big Daddy Ritter in several close matches and defeating Ritter by disqualification on January 26. Teaming with Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart
Jim Neidhart
James Henry "Jim" Neidhart is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva Natalya...
, he also defeated Ritter and Hercules Ayala in a tag team match on February 9.
Facing Ritter in a 6-man tag team match with Keith Hart and Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
against Ritter, Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada on March 3, he was unable to defeat Ritter for the championship losing to eventually lost to Ritter in a no disqualification match on March 9. He and Jim Neidhart would lose to Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada on March 16 and, facing The Cuban Assassin over the next several weeks, he would eventually face him in his last match in the promotion losing to The Cuban Assassin in Calgary on March 23, 1979.
Less active during the next several years, he finally retired from active competition in 1981 after blowing out both of his knees while touring Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He would make occasional appearances until late 1985, fighting Dan Kroffat to a no contest on December 25 and, two days later, losing to Bruce Hart by disqualification on December 29, 1985.
Recent years
Hayes would later work as a city official for Edmonton involved in the streets department following his retirement as well as becoming an amateur woodworker producing wooden toys such as trains and puzzles later sold on consignmentConsignment
Consignment the act of consigning, which is placing any material in the hand of another, but retaining ownership until the goods are sold or person is transferred. This may be done for shipping, transfer of prisoners, to auction, or for sale in a store Consignment the act of consigning, which is...
. Hayes has two Children son -James Craig(Jim) born 1968, and daughter - Toni Wynne born 1964. After Bruce and Ross Hart reopened Stampede Wrestling in 1999, Hayes would appear in the promotion as a referee although his involvement was limited following the Hart brothers limiting their involvement in Stampede Wrestling in 2005.
In April 2007, he and several other Stampede Wrestling alumni including John Cozman
John Cozman
John Cozman is a Canadian professional wrestler and trainer, known by his ring name "Principal" Richard Pound who competes in North American independent promotions, most notably as a mainstay of Stampede Wrestling during the 1980s and late 1990s.-Career:Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Cozman became...
, Bob Leonard, Bret and Ross Hart were honored at a special banquet held in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
by the Cauliflower Alley Club
Cauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
. Hosted by Scott D'Amore
Scott D'Amore
Scott Francis D'Amore is a Canadian professional wrestler, manager, promoter, booker and entrepreneur. He formerly managed Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was also the former head of the creative team...
and Greg Oliver, other Canadian honorees included Maurice
Maurice Vachon
Maurice Vachon is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Mad Dog" Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestler Luna Vachon...
and Paul Vachon
Paul Vachon
Paul "Butcher" Vachon is a former professional wrestler. He is a member of the Vachon wrestling family.-Professional wrestling career:Paul Vachon grew up as one of thirteen children of Ferdinand Vachon, a Montreal police officer...
, Killer Kowalski
Killer Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
, Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
, Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca is a former Canadian Football League player and professional wrestler. He is also known by the wrestling nicknames King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules...
, Pepper Martin
Pepper Martin
Johnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager. He was known as the Wild Horse of the Osage because of his daring, aggressive baserunning abilities. Martin played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman and an outfielder for the St...
, Michelle Starr, Jack Laskin, Billy Two Rivers
Billy Two Rivers
Billy Two Rivers , born May 5, 1935, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He began wrestling professionally in 1953 and competed until 1977. During his career, he wrestled in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada. After retiring from wrestling, he became a leader of the...
, "Beautiful" Bruce Swayze, Pat Patterson and Nick and Jerry Kozak.
Championships and accomplishments
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (6 times) - with Bill Dromo (1), Bob SweetanBob SweetanBob Sweetan better known as "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan or "Mr. Piledriver" Bob Sweetan, after his signature finishing maneuver, was born in 1940. Bob was a professional wrestler who over his long career held numerous titles. Bob enjoyed tremendous success with the National Wrestling Alliance...
(1), Tiger Joe Tomasso (1), Benny Ramirez (1) and Mr. Hito (2) - Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(2 times) - Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC Caribbean Heavyweight ChampionshipWWC Caribbean Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship is a secondary title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council ....
(1 time) - WWC North American Heavyweight ChampionshipWWC North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWC North American Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship defended in the Puerto Rican promotion, the World Wrestling Council. Created in 1974, it was the primary singles championship of the promotion until the creation of the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship...
(1 time)
Further reading
- "Gil Hayes". The Wrestler. August 1971
- "Mother's Advice Made Hayes Mat Meanie". The Big Book of Wrestling. July 1977