Athletes - Toots Mondt

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	Athletes - Toots Mondt

Toots Mondt is a former wrestling promoter in the mid-20th century who promoted with Vincent J. McMahon.

Early Life

Toots Mondt grew up on a farm in Iowa and was shifted to Greeley, Colorado when his father went broke. He began learning the art of wrestling through correspondence courses from Farmer Burns. Toots Mondt combined the teachings with his strong body shape from working on the family farm.

Early Wrestling Career

Toots Mondt made his wrestling debut in Greeley in 1902 at the age of 16 in a carnival-wrestling match in which he would wrestle for many years. Around this time, he also tried his hand at acrobatics. However, this was an unsuccessful move and Toots returned to wrestling matches.

Toots received his big break when he was discovered by wrestling pioneer Farmer Burns during one of his scouting trips. Working with Farmer Burns was the wrestling equivalent of a PhD, and Burns was also responsible for Toots Mondts' nickname. The nickname ‘Toots’, had to do with either his small feet or his relative youth and baby face. Toots was the youngest wrestler in Farmer Burns' camp.

A Wrestling Revolution

Many believe if not for the guidance and tutelage of Farmer Burns, Toots would not have succeeded onto the next level. Around this time, wrestling was about to take a huge turn, which would change the face of the industry.

Until 1919, wrestling matches were slow-moving exhibitions mainly confined to the mat and lasting on an average 60 minutes. Crowds no longer found this to be suitable entertainment and accordingly, they began to dwindle. The time was right for a new approach. This approach came from the mind of none other than Toots Mondt.

Wrestling matches slowly and eventually became pre-determined, but Toots was far from done with revolutionizing wrestling. Toots Mondt joined the camp of Ed "the Strangler" Lewis with the recommendation of Farmer Burns. Toots served in many capacities as a sparring partner, trainer, sometimes as an opponent and as a valuable police officer. Few wrestlers were as tough as Toots Mondt and he made sure that every Lewis opponent knew the ‘rules’ of the night's match.

As a sparring partner and trainer, Toots Mondt helped Ed Lewis develop new holds and counters. The working relationship and unity amongst wrestling promoters was beginning to wear thin and crowd attendance was still low. Toots conceived a groundbreaking solution, which would shape and determine the face of pro wrestling, as we knew it. Toots's first solution was to change the style of the entire wrestling concept. Toots combined features of a boxing ring, Greco-Roman, freestyle wrestling, and the old-time lumber-camp style of fighting. Toots had called it ’Slam Bang Western Style Wrestling’.

Toots Mondt's second plan was to promote this new style of wrestling on a much higher scale. Toots convinced Ed Lewis and his manager Billy Sandow of forming their own promotion as opposed to having different promoters controlling them. The team of Mondt, Lewis and Sandow used their connections to convince many other wrestlers to sign up. This was a new innovative approach to wrestling, and Toots immediately signed literally hundreds of them to contracts.

Under the control of Mondt, Lewis and Sandow, they served as bookers and agents. Wrestlers were paid well and on time and the new style of Slam-Bang Wrestling was completely over with the fans. Toots also instituted time limits as wrestling matches would often go 3 or 4 hours. They drew huge gates and provided huge payouts for their employees.

Within six months, the "Gold Dust Trio" controlled the course of professional wrestling in North America. Their product was moved out to venues such as burlesque theatres and back alley halls to the major sports venue in each city. All new talent was tested in Billy Sandow's private ring while routines and finishes were carefully determined by Toots. The art of ‘working’ was born and the Gold Dust Trio had made their mark in the history of wrestling.

The Gold Dust Trio later dissolved from a power struggle between Toots Mondt & Billy Sandow's brother Max. Toots gave Billy Sandow the ultimatum to pick between him or Max, and to Mondt's surprise, Sandow chose his brother. Toots Mondt then formed a partnership with Philadelphia promoter, Ray Fabiani. The new combination wasted little time and found their new title holder in Dick Shickat, a former circus strongman from Germany. Once Dick Shickat's title reign had run it’s course, Toots Mondt & Ray Fabiani made Jim Londos their new champion. The pair of Toots & Fabiani struck success as Jim Londos went on to become one of the most well known wrestlers in history. Toots Mondt & Ray Fabiani continued their hold on the Northeast.

They soon expanded onto New York City, Hartford, Baltimore, and Washington DC. New York City was a hard location in which to promote at the time. Toots/Fabiani were unsuccessful because rival New York promoter Jack Curley prevented them from promoting in NYC for years. Lou Thesz & Toots Mondt had a bad history. Thesz never forgot the way he was treated badly by Toots through short pay and lousy bookings when Thesz first debuted.

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