Gold Dust Trio - Pro Wrestling's First True Promotion

Pro Wrestling's First True Promotion

The threesome of Lewis, Sandow, and Mondt (later deemed "The Gold Dust Trio" in the 1937 book Fall Guys) looked to promote wrestling's new style on a much greater scale, and they soon took over the bookings of their own matches. As interest grew, cards moved from old burlesque theaters to major sports venues; and due to the larger gate receipts, Sandow was able to recruit hundreds of grapplers to join their stable. A shrewd business manager, Sandow signed wrestlers to exclusive contracts (a radical move for the time); and he subsequently decimated the talent pool for rival bookers. As the central agency for the touring wrestlers, the Trio thus established themselves as the industry's first nationwide promotion, and they gained credibility by paying their wrestlers in a timely fashion (which was uncommon for the era). Moreover, they came up with the idea of presenting pro wrestling as a packaged product, and they were the first to book ongoing storylines while promoting the same bouts as the circuit traveled from city to city.

Within a year, the Gold Dust Trio took complete control over the pro wrestling industry. Easily the world's elite shoot wrestler, Lewis held the World Title throughout the 1920s; and with the promotional backing of Sandow and Mondt, he soon became a national superstar. Yet, the Trio recognized that fans would eventually grow tired of one man dominating the belt, and so Lewis agreed to occasionally "put over" a popular challenger to generate renewed interest (especially since he was skilled enough to regain the belt any time he pleased). Thus became the practice of "working" a match, and wrestling "programs" (a series of bouts meant to build up a specific wrestler as a suitable contender) were born. In the process, the Trio established a hierarchy for their talent, as only legitimate grapplers were ever considered as champions; though inferior wrestlers who possessed charisma or ethnic appeal were often "pushed" as challengers to attract specific fan bases or regions. As feared "hookers," Mondt and John Pesek served as the circuit's "coppers" who would rough up anyone who ever betrayed the pre-arranged plan, yet such events were infrequent as wrestlers now made far more money under the Trio than they ever had before.