Gold Dust Trio - Legacy

Legacy

The Gold Dust Trio eventually dissolved in 1928 when Mondt engaged in a power struggle with Sandow's brother Max Bauman; and Lewis and Sandow soon split up as well when Sandow objected to Lewis' lack of conditioning. Sandow later managed such championship grapplers as Everett Marshall and Roy Dunn; and he ultimately died on September 15, 1972 at age 88. Ed Lewis retired in 1947 as the first 5-time World Champion in history, and he later served as the trainer and manager to eventual 6-time World Champion Lou Thesz before he ultimately died at age 76 on August 7, 1966. Meanwhile, Toots Mondt would become one of the industry's most powerful brokers, as he partnered with Ray Fabiani in promoting the rise of legendary champion Jim Londos while also training such future stars as Antonino Rocca and Stu Hart. After Jack Curley's death in 1937, Mondt then worked with Rudy Dusek, Jack Pfefer, and others in establishing the Northeast as one of wrestling's top territories. Moreover, Mondt would later serve as the mentor for Vince McMahon, Sr., with whom he teamed to form the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now WWE, Inc.) in 1963; and it was Mondt who pushed Bruno Sammartino as the company's first real star, though he sold his WWWF stake to McMahon prior to his death on June 11, 1976.