Jerry Linden (1929 – 20 August 1970), or Jerry Atkins, better known by the ring name Jerry London, was a Canadian professional wrestler and former world champion, most notably holding the NWA World Middleweight Championship in 1966.
A journeyman wrestler, he wrestled throughout the world for various wrestling promotions: Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling, Capitol Wrestling Corporation, Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre, Florida Championship Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling, Japan Wrestling Association, Jim Crockett Promotions, Maple Leaf Wrestling, NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions, NWA San Francisco, and NWA Tri-State.
Linden committed suicide on August 20, 1970, hours after losing a bout at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. His suicide was one of several deaths to occur during the "Golden Age of Wrestling" along with Yukon Eric, George Drake and Skull Murphy.
Early career
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Linden made his pro debut sometime in the mid-1950s. He spent his early career wrestling under the name Jerry Aiken or Atkins. In April 1956, Linden wrestled Johnny Demchuk and Bill Curry at North Bay Memorial Gardens. Within two years, he was wrestling in the United States for the National Wrestling Alliance. On July 19, 1958, Linden teamed with Harry "Georgia Boy" Smith to wrestle Mark Starr and Tommy O'Toole at a Florida Championship Wrestling show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He wrestled O'Toole in a singles match that same night. On October 8, 1960, Linden was defeated by Roy McClarty in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Capitol Wrestling Corporation
By the early-1960s, Linden had established himself as a talented technical wrestler in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States. The Bridgeport Telegram compared his "clever" scientific mat style to Billy Darnell. Linden spent most of 1961 wrestling for the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. One of his earliest appearances was against Miguel Torres at Sunnyside Garden Arena on April 15. During the next two weeks, Linden challenged the team of Buddy Rogers and Bob Orton in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Long Island, New York. He lost both encounters teaming with Arnold Skaaland and Mr. Puerto Rico respectively. Linden made several television appearances for promoter Joe Smith's weekly City Arena shows in Bridgeport, Connecticut that spring, most notably as the opponent of masked wrestler The Black Terror in his television debut. Linden also faced Larry Simon, Juan Sebastian, and Dick Steinborn in singles competition. On June 19, 1961, Linden and Angelo Savoldi took on Mark Lewin and Don Curtis in a Best 2-of-3 Falls match in Trenton, New Jersey. That same month, Linden returned to his home country where he and Emile Duprée wrestled Lou Albano and Jack "The Neck" Vanski at the Halifax Forum.
National Wrestling Alliance
Linden headed south the following year to work for Jim Crockett Promotions in the NWA's Mid-Atlantic territory. On May 3, 1962, Linden and Jim LaRock lost to John Smith and Ivan Kameroff in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match at Greensboro Coliseum. He then moved on to Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling in Knoxville, Tennessee. In June, Linden participated in a 7-man "Russian Roulette" battle royal also involving Doug Kinslow, George "Baby Blimp" Harris, The Fields Brothers (Bobby and Lee Fields), and NWA Southern Tag Team Champions Jack Donovan and Jackie Fargo. Linden managed to toss Harris over the top rope before he himself was eliminated by Fargo. Three months later, he was the first victim of The Red Devil when the masked wrestler made his Gulf Coast debut. Linden subsequently "turned heel" when he attacked Doug Kinslow during a tag team match (with Jan Madrid) against The Fields Brothers. The two met in a Best 2-of-3 Falls match "grudge match" which saw Kinslow knock Linden unconscious with a foreign object to score the second pinfall. That same year, Linden was recruited by "outlaw" promoter George Leonard Clay who planned to run against Leroy McGuirk's in the NWA's Mid-South territory.
Linden traveled to Florida Championship Wrestling a year later. On January 2, 1964, Linden and Jack Allen defeated Pedro Godoy and Killer Karl Kox in Jacksonville, Florida. Linden spent much of his time in the territory in tag team matches against such formidable teams as Brute Bernard and Skull Murphy, and Duke Keomuka and Hiro Matsuda. His various partners included Eddie Graham, Don Whittler, Tim Woods, Tito Carreon and Tim Geohagen. Linden also had a few singles matches against Boris Malenko, Joe McCarthy and Pedro Godoy. Linden moved north to Georgia Championship Wrestling where, on April 3, Linden wrestled Stan Stasiak at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium.