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Paul Lincoln stood out as a first class promoter and worthy challenger of the Joint Promotions goliaths in so many ways – innovative publicity, investment in the import of overseas stars like Ricky Starr, imaginative creations and oustanding matchmaking. From a relatively small pool of regular workers he inter-weaved their presence in a magical way that drew the fans back to some of the largest halls in the country week after week.
Lincoln’s promotional skills were perhaps seen at their finest in the rivalry of the masked men Dr Death and The White Angel. Lincoln created a headline grabbing demonic bill topper in Dr Death from a run-of-the-mill support wrestler (himself) and the heroic White Angel from a more than capable but hardly sensational friend of his, Al Hayes.
Together they created personas and a rivalry that was familiar to most people in the land, wrestling fans or not. Even more remarkably, all of this was achieved without the aid of television, because as a rival to the Joint Promotions organisation there was no chance whatsoever of Dr Death or the White Angel ever appearing on television.
The rivalry was destined to climax after less than two years but must surely rank alongside those other great rivalries McManus and Pallo, Bartelli and Nagasaki; all of which featured carefully crafted characters eventually brought together following a carefully manipulated schedule of events.
It was during the winter of 1957-1958 that Paul Lincoln made his move. Disenchanted by Joint Promotions, for whom he had worked since coming to Britain from Australia, he set up his own rival company, Paul Lincoln Management. Initially dismissed as another upstart going nowhere Lincoln’s ability for good matchmaking, a superb publicity machinery and a good team of wrestlers that combined youth, experience and overseas talent soon made him a force that was hard to ignore. In the Spring of 1961 that team was joined by Judo Al Hayes, a popular heavyweight whose youthful appearance belied tutorage under the 1930s heavyweight champion Atholl Oakeley.
Hayes was a popular addition to the Lincoln stable, taking his place as vanquishing hero against the Lincoln villains Docker Don Stedman, Charlie Scott, Karl Von Kramer and the like.
Within weeks of making the transition to Paul Lincoln Management Hayes had adopted a dual personality.
Wrestling mythology, or should that be codology, has it that a man wearing a white mask walked into the office of Lou Ravelle, editor of the Wrestling World magazine, handed over a cheque for £500 and a demand that Dr Death should put up an equal sum and the two of them meet in the ring. The winner would take all whilst the humiliated loser would remove his mask. Everything about the White Angel was the opposite of Doctor Death. Fittingly dressed entirely in white, as opposed to the Doctor’s black, the White Angel was the heroic avenger of everything the dastardly Doctor stood for.
The Paul Lincoln Management publicity machine went into first gear. At every opportunity Doctor Death, inevitably feigning reluctance to face the shining knight, was publicly reminded of the White Angel’s challenge. Taunted not just by The White Angel but by Masters of Ceremonies, jeering fans, and the publicity of the Wrestling World magazine and Lincoln’s programmes, the greater the resistance of Doctor Death the more inevitable the match became. Inevitable, of course.
Fans clamoured for the meeting of the two men whose styles were so varied. Doctor Death was destructive, out to win by any means, whilst the White Angel was a scientific wrestler who always kept within the rules. Promoter Lincoln did everything within his powers to build up the expectation until he decided the time was right to make a killing.
A fitting setting for the showdown was selected. The Granada Tooting was a distinguished venue with a modern Italianate styled entrance, it’s four tall pillars topped by Corinthian capitals led to a Gothic style interior with stained glass windows, sculptures and painted murals of medieval figures.
The date was Wednesday 4th April, 1962. Of course, in a world in which all was fair and just the goodly White Angel would demonstrate his supremacy over the evil Doctor. It was a fight to the finish. No rounds, with the winner to be declared only by a knockout. On the side of the White Angel were thousands of cheering fans and righteousness. On the side of Doctor Death skulduggery and his vicious “claw hold” in which he placed pressure on the base of his opponent’s spine.
Cheering fans and righteousness were not enough.
The fairy tale ending should, of course, have resulted in victory for The White Angel. Even in the highly controlled world of professional wrestling life in not always a fairy tale. When the defeated wrestler dramatically removed his mask it was The White Angel that fans discovered was Judo Al Hayes.
Heritage Witness View
from Tony
I thought I would share that great moment at The Granada, Tooting in 1962 when at the ripe old age of twelve I was locked into a remarkable night of wrestling where the highlight of the night was the massive battle between The White Angel and Doctor Death.
How my Dad got tickets I will never know but there we were in a packed auditorium electric with expectation. Six bouts in total and each bout a major attraction in its own way. But there was no doubt why we were all there: “A FIGHT TO THE FINISH – THE LOSER WILL UNMASK”. With the dubious benefit of hindsight and through adult eyes I hope I will never forget that night through the eyes of a ‘star-struck’ lad shouting himself hoarse in support of The White Angel. I had seen the two masked legends previously at the Metropolitan Edgware Road where a Tag match resulted in a win for the White Angel’s pairing with Rebel Ray Hunter, I think. No unmasking there, but it built up such a storm of anticipation for this ‘final’ showdown.
Doctor Death ceremoniously paraded down centre aisle behind the American flag – and yes I do believe he wore a dark purple face mask. He was as near to me in my aisle seat as my Dad was on my other side. The White Angel entered from a side door and across the front of the auditorium – what a contrast, being robed in white including boots and mask. He walked of course behind the Union flag.
The bout lasted amazingly into the fifteenth round. The White Angel took the lead through an early pin-fall and several times virtually had Doctor Death’s mask wrentched from his head but it was a case of ‘close, but no cigar.’ Finally, after an amazing energy-sapping bout the White Angel failed to beat the count after a body slam. The place was in uproar. The famous white mask now discoloured with blood was slowly removed to reveal the White Angel as……..’Judo Al Hayes’. At the time I was unable to hear the announcement above the commotion and only caught the name ‘Al’. What frustration for this lad. Al, who? I wondered. My brother soon put me wise and then of course I had a story and a half to tell. Somehow, my old programme survives to this day and I hope I can upload two pages from this amazing piece of history.
From an evening of high drama I also recall that after the second bout between Professor Adi Wasser and Terry O’Neill, the Professor was brought back into the ring on the stage at the front of the auditorium to ‘re-set ‘ the arm of his opponent which had become dislocated at the end of the bout.
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