Evening star., 1960-01-26
WIN, LOSE OR
DkAW By FRANCIS s1AAN
From Cana to FIory

(Toots Mondt was saying He was an East Indian OF
course, Gama-he didn't have other name-rassled
mostly in oiled earth Mud call it. The best American
raSsler he volunteered with fine disregard for the
legendary Frank Gotch was Stranger Lewis"
Toots Mondt, who is synonymous with wrestling was
talking between at the luncheon tossed
in his restaurant for Harry Lynn new 51yearold
of Une Arena reformed jeweler Lynn was meeting the
press radio and TV clan for the first time Such
as the hockey and rassling folk also dancing
attendance.
You must have made million or more in rasslng"
guest remarked to Mondt, who sat benigny at side
table with pair of specs hooked behind his waffle ears
Rassings hot again." TootS sde-stepped 1T
great in the early 30s-LondoS Lewis Sonnenberg and
those fellowsand it's great again But have
sions too Right now the rassing network crosses about
S35 million year
TooTs BL1NKED oWLIsHLY around the table Does
that figure surprise you?" he Well it happens to be
accurate People don't know how popular rasslng gener-
ally Who is the most popular movie actor in the country?
Well III tell you-tS that cowboy Gene Autry. He don't
draw in the big cities but in 10000 little towns
Same thing with basketball. You read about $4,000
people watching World Series game and how much big
fight draws but add it all up and basketball outdraws all
those sports And that's how it is with raSSling
Somebody wanted to know if Toots had" Big Daddy
Mpscomb the fabulous tackle of the Baltimore Colts
turning mailman
NO" said Toots but that don't mean we won't book
him on circuit That is if he learns his trade"
big Daddy ought to make pile" it was ventured.
"You never can tell what the public wants." Toots
sighed Did you hear how blew getting the Angelo"
MAURICE TILLET who died in Chicago was wrestling
in France years and yearning for America His
connections letter after Mond offering to
give him Tlet who called the Angel. No strings
attached
Il threw em all in the basket" Toots said What
did want with middleweght rassler? Finally the Angel
came and hooked up with somebody else You
Der the Angel? He the uglest in the world,
guess, and had the worlds biggest head.
One day professor at Harvard measured his
head and called him a throwback to-to we'll,
prehistoric guy"
THE Neandertha man" Ray Morgan prompted
That's it," Toots said. well, Life magazine took pic
lures and played the Angel and he became the biggest
boxof1ce attraction to to this country And
blew it,"
MoNDT DIDN'T MISS the boat Antonino Rocca. the
barefooted Argentine Hes the only raSsler own Toots
clarified Actually, I'm Just clearing house don't
any rasSler When was associated with Jack Curley who
died about 1887 people used to ask these Curleys
rasslers?' I'd but Curey owned single
rassler He clearing house. too, and that's all.
II got Rocca because he wanted TO borrow $25O0
to return to Argentina and nobody would lend it to him
except me didn't know whether he'd back not but
he did of course. got my $2500 back, don't know
many times 1t the best investment made"
Toots didn't acquire those inchthick overnight.
"Since Is years old" mused the old gafer "I
rassling in carnvas and shows Man. those the days.
remember the old Workman Shows and Joe Flory.
hear of Joe Fory?"
Toot looked around the table TOO Young he growled
Anyway Joe Flory the king of the pickpockets,
although he didn't pick no pockets himself"
FLORY WAS A HIGH diver in the circus The kings
subjects were pckpockets scattered in the crowd Joes
act was terrific Toots remembered He'd to climb
this ladder with pail of water at the IT. About go
feet up he'd pretend to slip Then he'd hesitate and the
announcer would say
Ladies and gentlemen, we've just got word there are
pickpockets in the crowd. Please check your wallets
Naturally the marks would slap their hands their
VIII tbeyL THAR
and the pckpockes Then would climb up to the
top which about 100 feet everybody forgot about
their wallets He take his positionhe dived backwards
and almost fa couple OF times while the yokels gasped
BY the time he took his dive the pckpockets had done
their job.
What couldn't get over that F1ory did two
backward somesauS into that pail of water and all the
time, like he told me once he wondering how the bows
down below had made out
1T was the greatest organization ever knew"