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Entry of the Gorgeous Gael
The press gave column inches to boxer “Gorgeous Gael” Jack Doyle as he prepared for his wrestling debut, a February 7th, 1950, match against Martin Bucht, “the Human Gorilla” at Harringay Stadium.
The tournament was promoted by Atholl Oakeley, under his British Wrestling Association banner, so little wonder this was a gorgeous one confronting a gorilla, Atholl knew the meaning of the word promotion. Oakeley was at the time attempting to revive his pre war wrestling business, presenting lavish shows using his International Catch as Catch Can rules and not the new fangled Lord Mountevans style.
It was claimed nine and a half thousand fans packed Harringay Stadium, paying between 3/6 and three guineas. The Human Gorilla was first into the ring. He didn’t look too gorilla like, though a deformed ear could be noticed at close quarters.
The gorilla stood confidently in his corner. A fanfare of trumpets sounded, and was repeated again and again. The trumpeters were beginning to think if Doyle didn’t appear soon they would be getting paid overtime. Six times they played before the Gorgeous Gael made a belated entrance, resplendent in a white and green satin dressing gown, white shorts embroidered with his initials and a good coating of sun tan lotion. Side by side Bucht may well have been something of a disappointment.
Not just the lack of sun tan lotion, “The Human Gorilla” was shorter and lighter than Doyle, and not only that but he turned out to be a familiar figure to fans of the 1930s, having wrestled in Britain extensively under the name Padvo Peltonin. Not so much the Human Gorilla versus the Gorgeous Gael this was more Old What’s ‘is Name against the Blarney King.
Hardly surprisingly the match did little for the credentials of professional wrestling. Doyle was mostly occupied through the first round by being thrown around the ring and stretched by Bucht. There was no sign of his often heralded forearm smash. The bell rang to save Doyle from further humiliation. The Gorilla taunted the crowd during the interval, Doyle was concerned about the heat of the lights making his tan run. It seemed to be going the same way in the second until a sudden flurry of activity gave hope for the Gorgeous Gael, only to be extinguished by Bucht pinning him to take a fall.
Could the Gorgeous Gael survive against the Human Gorilla? This is wrestling, of course he could. Round three began and Doyle rushed from his corner, felling Bucht with a forearm smash. The Gorilla rose to his feet, only to collide with a shoulder charge as Doyle charged across the ring. A second followed, and a third. The Gorilla could take no more. Who would have believed it? The count of the referee was the signal for Irish pipers to appear and accompany the triumphant Doyle back to the dressing room. Newspapers claimed Doyle received £2000 for his ten minutes of work.
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