Then and Now

Some well-known professional wrestlers came to the Kasson-Mantorville School for the K-M Wrestling Club fundraiser in 1979. Mad Dog Vachon, was a villain in the ring, but he also competed in the 1948 Olympics for Canada, while others had competed in amateur wrestling or on football teams. They were part of Verne Gagne’s AWA wrestling organization. Gagne was a two time NCAA champion wrestler for the University of Minnesota. Minnesota’s 38th Governor Jesse Ventura (formerly known as James Janos from Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis) was also on the card. The three businesses where tickets could be purchased for the event no longer exist or have other businesses located in the building now. Information is from the 1979 DCI newspaper archives.