Luther Lindsay
Luther Lindsay | |
---|---|
Birth name | Luther Jacob Goodall |
Born | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | December 30, 1924
Died | February 21, 1972 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | (aged 47)
Cause of death | Myocardial infarction |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Luther Lindsay Luther Lindsey |
Billed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) |
Billed from | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Trained by | Stu Hart |
Debut | c. 1951 |
Luther Jacob Goodall (December 30, 1924 – February 21, 1972) was an American professional football player and wrestler, known by his ringname Luther Lindsay or Lindsey, who competed throughout the United States with the National Wrestling Alliance as well as international promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling, Joint Promotions and Stampede Wrestling.
One of the first
For much of the early 1950s and '60s, Lindsay was billed as the U.S. Colored (or Negro) Heavyweight Champion and took part in the first interracial professional wrestling matches held in the United States. Between 1953 and 1956, he faced
He was considered one of the top submission wrestlers of his day working with Don Leo Jonathan and Stu Hart.[3] Lindsay was one of the few men who bested him in the infamous "Hart Dungeon" and later became one of Hart's best friends. Hart reportedly carried a picture of him in his wallet until his death.[4] He was held in high regard by his fellow wrestlers[5] such as Lou Thesz, J. J. Dillon, Rip Hawk[6] and Les Thatcher.[7]
Career
Early career
Luther Goodall was born on a farm outside
As early as 1953, Lindsay was billed as the U.S. Colored or Negro Heavyweight Champion. He was one of the few African-Americans in professional wrestling and, in accordance with state segregation laws at the time, he was only allowed to travel with and compete against other African-American wrestlers during his early career.
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
In early 1953, he appeared in Washington where he faced
On October 10, Lindsay defeated
He was one of several wrestlers who challenged the Seattle Ramblers to a football game known as the "Muscle Bowl" at Lincoln Bowl on October 11. The event was attended by 7,265 fans and was successful in raising as much as $5,000 for the Associated Boys' Clubs of the Tacoma-area. Among the wrestlers who participated, a half-dozen were former collegiate football stars including Lindsay, Pepper Gomez and Frank Stojack. Bronko Nagurski also participated in a dozen plays. Other wrestlers included Ivan Kameroff, the Masked Marvel, Dr. John Gallagher, The Ram, Abe Yourist and Glen Detton. Despite the addition of several players loaned by the Seattle Ramblers, most notably Mel Light, they lost the game 20–6. Lindsay injured his right pinky finger during the game, however the wrestlers later celebrated at Steve's Restaurant.
On October 16, he took part in a 7-man battle royal involving Don Kindred, Bronko Nagurski, Dale Kiser, "Red" Vagnone, Jack O'Reilly, Jack Kiser and the eventual winner Carl Engstrom. Lindsay was the fifth man eliminated in the battle royal and, that same night, fought Jack O'Reilly to a draw.[16] He faced Lou Thesz again in a series of matches during late-November. Their first meeting in Tacoma, on November 24, resulted in another draw however he lost to Thesz in Tacoma on November 27 and in Eugene the next night.[15]
On January 10, he won his first major title winning the vacant NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship with Bobby Burns in Honolulu. He faced Thesz again the following spring where they fought to another draw in Portland on April 29 and Seattle on April 1, 1954. On April 9, he lost to Thesz via disqualification in Yakima.[17]
Later that year, he toured Northern Ontario with Ricky Waldo and The Black Panther.[18] He and Jack Claybourne won the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team titles from Tosh Togo and Pat Fraley (substituting for Great Togo) in Toronto on September 28. Later that year, he wrestled for promoter Ed Don George making occasional appearances at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium where he faced Johnny Molinda, Danno O'Shocker and Danny Malone during the next two months.[19]
They lost the titles to
During the summer of 1955, he and George Dusette won the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship from Bulldog Curtis and Tommy Martinez on May 15. While still defending the tag team titles, he fought Lou Thesz to another draw in Portland on June 8.[17] He and Dusette eventually lost the titles to Doug Donovan and Ivan Kameroff on June 11.[21]
NWA Texas
Later that year, Lindsay was brought to Texas by promoter
In January 1956, he entered the Dallas-Fort Worth area then promoted by Ed McLemore. On January 10, he faced Duke Keomuka in a best 2-of-3 falls match at The Sportatorium. Although taking the first pinfall, Keomuka pinned Lindsay with the help of outside interference by Tiny Mills. When referee Roy Carter was knocked unconscious outside the ring, wrestler Danny McShain made the count after Lindsay pinned Keomuka. Although controversial, the third fall was granted to Lindsay by referee decision.
A week later, Lindsay met Keomuka in a best 3-of-5 falls match which stipulated that their cornermen, Danny McShain and Tiny Mills, were to be locked in cages to prevent outside interference. However, both men broke out of their cages during the match and began brawling in the ring. The four men were broken up by referees Ray Gunkel and Otto Kuss who were forced to declare a no-contest. Later during the main event between McShain and Mills, Lindsay appeared to help McShain in his match. He and McShain later took on Duke Keomuka and Tiny Mills for the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship in a best-of-3 falls match at The Sportatorium on January 24. He and McShain lost the third fall by disqualification when Lindsay threw Mills over the top rope.
He returned to the area four months later teaming with
Both teams claimed the title however and a rematch was scheduled several days later. He and Gomez were forced to forfeit the match when Lindsay injured his leg during the match. Both Lindsay and Gomez faced Mike and Danny Plechas in singles matches later that night. Lindsay defeated Danny Plechas via disqualification when his partner interfered. Gomez lost his bout with Mike DiBiase when he was counted out.
He was scheduled to face Duke Keomuka in the opening rounds of a tournament to meet NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. However, reportedly flying in from Canada, his plane was grounded due to bad weather and was substituted by Tex Brady. Defeating Duke Keomuka on December 11, Lindsay earned a title shot at then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. In his tenth meeting with Thesz, the two met in a best 2-of-3 falls match at The Sportatorium on December 18. Thesz scored the first pinfall and, while Lindsay rallied to take the second, Thesz took the third fall for the victory. According to The Dallas Morning News, Lindsay posted a $5,000 guarantee to face Thesz.[23] He again met Thesz in Houston where they fought to another draw on January 20. Later that year, he also fought to a draw with newly crowned NWA World Heavyweight Champion Whipper Billy Watson in Dayton, Ohio, on October 25, 1956.[24] Years later while in Calgary, Watson would refuse to face him.[25]
Martinez and McMahon
In late 1957, Lindsay wrestled for promoter Pedro Martinez in Fort Erie, Ontario. Fighting to a draw with Wally Greb on September 21, Lindsay defeated Wild Bill Austin that same day in Buffalo. He later fought to draws with Joe Blanchard and Tiger Tasker.[26] On December 17, he lost to NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dick Hutton in Dallas.[24]
In early 1959, he appeared in the
Stampede Wrestling
In 1960, Lindsay began wrestling for
Later that year, he returned to the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. On October 1, he defeated Swede Hanson at Madison Square Garden. Teaming with Eugenio Marin against Pat and Al Smith two weeks later, he also faced Fritz Wallick the following night. On October 24, he and Rebel II fought to a draw. He and Mr. Puerto Rico teamed up against the Dixie Rebels (Rebel I and Rebel II) on November 14, but lost the match. After a match with Tony Marino in Westchester, New York, Lindsay left the territory.[30]
Return to Portland
The following year, he won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship from
In early 1962, he toured Japan with
He and Shag Thomas regained the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles defeating Ivan Kameroff and Soldat Gorky on July 24, 1963. He and Thomas successfully defended the titles against Soldat Gorky and Dean Ho on August 9. He defeated Dean Ho in a singles match at the end of the month. On September 2, he also teamed with Danny Hodge to defeat Dean Ho and The Destroyer.[34] Several days later, Lindsay became involved in a car accident when he smashed his car into a utility pole to avoid hitting another vehicle. Escaping from the car, he was picked up by passing motorist who brought him to a local hospital for "emergency surgery".[36] He was replaced by Hodge and lost the tag team titles to The Destroyer and Art Michalik in Salem on September 9, 1963.
He and Thomas managed to regain the titles on January 15 although they eventually lost the titles back to The Destroyer and Art Michalik on January 22. Lindsay left the territory soon after.
From Honolulu to Portland
During a brief stint in
He returned to the Pacific Northwest later that year and was one of several tag team partners of
He and Martin continued to pursue Pat Patterson and The Hangman defeating them on October 26, however they lost to them twice the following month. He and Dean Ho also lost to Haru Sasaki and The Hangman on November 10.[35] After defeating them on November 20, Lindsay faced Pat Patterson in a singles match and fought him to a draw on December 4. After defeating El Shereef, Patterson and The Hangman in another 6-man tag team match on December 10, he defeated Pat Patterson in a singles match the following night.[34]
In early 1965, he was one of several African-American wrestlers to tour the
Although teaming with Dean Ho for a time,
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Lindsay joined a number of other African-American wrestlers in the Mid-Atlantic territory for promoter Jim Crockett and, during a televised match at the television studio in late 1966, an incident between Lindsey and Ike Eakins caused WDBJ to cancel Crockett's weekly television show All Star Wrestling. Eakins reportedly used a racial slur about Lindsay. Management at WDBJ said if Eakins did not apologize on the air the next week, they would throw the show off the air. Reportedly Eakins came out and instead of apologizing, he used the slur again and that was the last wrestling show recorded at WDBJ.[43] However, Lindsay remained in the promotion defeating Pedro Godoy in Roanoke, Virginia on January 31, 1967.[44]
On June 2, he won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight title from Tony Borne[21] before losing the title to Moondog Mayne weeks later.[31] Defeating Gene Dundee at Park Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 7,[44] Lindsay also made an appearance for the World Wide Wrestling Federation defeating Matt Jewell, sometimes billed as the Negro Men's Southern Heavyweight Champion, in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 30, 1967.[45] That same year, he defeated Stan Stasiak for the NWA Canadian Heavyweight title.
He and Abe Jacobs teamed up for a match against
During early 1970, Luther Lindsay faced the original
Death
On the night of February 21, 1972, Lindsay was facing local wrestler Bobby Paul at Park Center in Charlotte. Only ten minutes into the match, Lindsay pinned his opponent with a diving belly-flop. He apparently suffered a fatal heart attack when he made the pin and died on top of his opponent.[52]
When Lindsay did not respond to the referee after scoring the pinfall, the police were called.[9] Lindsay was taken back to the dressing room where he was declared dead shortly thereafter. His body was kept at his old alma mater, Hampton Institute, for a week before his burial.[10] His funeral was attended by several well-known wrestlers including Les Thatcher who was one of the pallbearers.[7] On March 31, 2017, Lindsay was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a part of the Legacy wing.
Championships and accomplishments
- 50th State Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[53]
- NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Bobby Bruns (1) and Bearcat Wright (1)[54]
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version) (1 time)[55]
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ricky Waldo[56]
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2009[57]
- Maple Leaf Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Claybourne[58]
- National Wrestling Alliance
- World Negro Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[59]
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States Version) (1 time)
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[60]
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (10 times) - with George Dussette (1), Bing Ki Lee (1), Herb Freeman (1), Shag Thomas (5)[61] and Pepper Martin (2)[62]
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2017[63]
- Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter
- Tag Team of the Year (1961) with Herb Freeman[64]
- Stampede Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) (1 time)[65]
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) - with Oattem Fisher[66]
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) - with Ray Villmer
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)[67][68]
- WWE
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2017)[69]
See also
References
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Further reading
- ISBN 0-9745545-2-9
- Erb, Marsha. ISBN 1-55022-508-1
- ISBN 0-9706516-0-0