Double-Crossing Gold Dust Trio Book

double-crossing-the-gold-dust-trio-cover

On March 3, 1922, Ed “Strangler” Lewis regained the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Stanislaus Zbyszko. This event marked the beginning of one of the most dominant professional wrestling combines in history. Manager Billy Sandow, World Champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis and training partner/promotional genius Joseph “Toots” Mondt, known as the “Gold Dust Trio”, dominated the sport for the next six

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Alan Eustace Wrestles “Farmer” Bailey

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In the early 1920s, Billy Sandow convinced Georgia promoter Tom Law to move to Wichita, Kansas and develop the area for future wrestling shows.  The American Midwest would be a significant revenue generator for the Gold Dust Trio, which Sandow led with World Champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis and promotional genius Joseph “Toots” Mondt, in the 1920s. Law would produce two

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“Farmer” Burns Preps for Lewis

martin-farmer-burns

In 1894, Martin “Farmer” Burns was preparing to wrestle Evan “Strangler” Lewis for the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship.  While Burns was entering his prime, Lewis had been on top of American professional wrestling for 5 years. Lewis also wrestled a viscous style with an emphasis on submission holds.  Burns would have to be prepared for a tough contest, which could

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Londos Outlasts Champion

jim-londos-1920

On Friday, February 17, 1922, World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Stanislaus Zbyszko wrestled a handicap match against Francois Lemarque and up-and-coming star Jim Londos.  Londos was still a few years away from becoming the biggest box office draw in professional wrestling but he was the most popular wrestler in St. Louis. While Londos only stood about 5’06” or 5’07”, he possessed

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Gotch Avenges Loss

gotch-training

On Sunday, December 17, 1906, Kansas City, Missouri once more proved itself to be a hotbed for professional wrestling as 8,000 fans crammed Convention Hall to watch the rematch between Frank Gotch and Fred Beell.  Beell won the American Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Gotch three weeks earlier in New Orleans, Louisiana. Gotch claimed the loss to be a fluke, while

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Mooney Wrestles Luttbeg

mike-mooney

 On Saturday, December 2nd, 1893, local Saint Louis boxing instructor and Greco-Roman wrestler Mike Mooney met Max Luttbeg at Saint Louis’ Entertainment Hall.  Pre-match hype focused on Mooney never losing a wrestling match or a boxing bout. Mooney was considered a better Greco-Roman wrestler, while Luttbeg was a better catch-as-catch-can wrestler.  In the 19th century, it was common for matches

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Remembering Wayne Munn

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Wayne “Big” Munn’s a meteoric rise in professional wrestling.  Debuting in 1924, Munn “won” the World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship from Ed “Strangler” Lewis in early 1925.  His fall was just as quick.  By 1926, Munn was retired. A college football lineman from Nebraska, Munn was recruited into professional wrestling by Billy Sandow, defacto leader of the Gold Dust Trio.  The

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