Gil Hayes

Gilbert Lee Hayes (October 20, 1939 – July 28, 2022) was a Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American promotions during the 1960s and 1970s including All-Star Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling where he remained 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.

Early life Hayes was born in Fort Frances, Ontario on October 20, 1939. before moving to Calgary-based Stampede Wrestling during the late 1960s. Developing a following among fans as an egotistical anti-hero during the next several years,

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 also faced 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 Quinn 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 wrestled his last match in the promotion losing to Buck Ramstead on October 16. Hayes wrestled 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 eventually parted with the company on bad terms. before returning to Stampede Wrestling in late 1974.

Failing to defeat Stampede International Tag Team Champions Pat and Mike Kelly with Gordon Ivey on December 27, he briefly feuded 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 lost to Callender and Wayne Bridges in Melville, Saskatchewan on April 22. Splitting from Mr. Hito for a time, he faced Frankie Laine, Keith Hart and Bill Cody before teaming with Jack Pesek against Bill Cody & Nick Pacchiano on May 23. He teamed once more with Pesek against Bill Cody & Keith Hart on May 30.

He and Mr. Hito eventually began teaming together facing Larry Lane & Alo Leilani on August 8. With Dutch Savage, he and Mr. Hito also faced Larry Lane, Bob Pringle and Keith Hart in a 6-man tag team match on September 20. Later that year, he won 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 regained the titles once more defeating Keith Hart & Bob Pringle in Calgary on April 10. he also began touring Japan with International Wrestling Enterprise later that year as he and Gypsy Joe lost 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 became close friends with fellow Canadian wrestler Archie Gouldie.

Recent years Hayes later worked 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 consignment. Hayes has two children: a daughter, Toni Wynne, born in 1964; and a son, James Craig (Jim), born in 1968. After Bruce and Ross Hart reopened Stampede Wrestling in 1999, Hayes appeared in the promotion as a referee, although his involvement was limited following the Hart brothers limiting their involvement in Stampede Wrestling in 2005. 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. Hayes died from a heart attack on July 28, 2022, while visiting his family in Fort Frances, Ontario. Gil Hayes was posthumously honored at the 50th anniversary show of the World Wrestling Council.

Championships and accomplishments Stampede Wrestling NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (6 times) – with Bill Dromo (1), Bob Sweetan (1), Tiger Joe Tomasso (1), Benny Ramirez (1) and Mr. Hito (2) Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times) Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame

World Wrestling Council WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (1 time) WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)