The History of Maple Leaf Wrestling

[@squirrelmadnesscomics6939]

Saw WWF at MLG several times as a kid. Including Ricky Steamboat winning a $15K purse in a battle royal, early Dingo Warrior appearance (pre-Ultimate) and Hogan v Kamala in a steel cage. Great memories going with my late father.

[@MangyStray]

Yes!I've been waiting for this video ever since the patron poll was put up. Thanks Dave the "History of" videos are what got me into your channel in the first place and you do a great job on separating fact from story (which is a huge feat in professional wrestling)

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thank you so much and shall I assume this is what you voted for in the poll?

[@MangyStray]

Yep can't resist a good wrestling History video. One of the cool perks of being a paetron member. (For all those thinking of joining up)

[@belchris3314]

Dave's Territory videos are among his best work.

[@jeffreymodzelewski1865]

I'm still mad at Jack Tunney for taking the belt away from Ted DiBiase lol 😆

[@chriskay1449]

Jack "On the Take" Tunney. Best President since Noriega.

[@musclethestrong1522]

Also mad Tunney took the IC belt from the Warrior

[@jeffreymodzelewski1865]

@@chriskay1449 good old Bobby Heenan lol 😆

[@ReactwithRespect-i5i]

😂😂😂​@@jeffreymodzelewski1865

[@michaelmarino7391]

I agree with you on your take on Jack Tunney as an on air presence as a WWF President figure. It gave the character a more organic & authentic feel.

[@duatchol7710]

MAPLE LEAF WRASSLIN!!! AWESOME VIDEO DAVE, didn’t even know about them, but as a Canadian. This is a gem

[@WrestlingColin]

What a great deep dive into a relatively obscure piece of wrestling history. I have no doubt this story is in danger of being forgotten and unknown in the digital world, so this is valuable archival work. The history of wrestling in North America is so heavily dictated by WWE's perspective.

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thank you so much and yes I do agree that Maple Leaf Wrestling is in jeopardy of that and I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thanks for being here

[@buckyhate7695]

My first wrestling show was at the Maple Leaf Gardens. I grew up watching Wrestling Cavalcade, on a Hamilton station, which was just filmed house show matches. Jack Tunney (for what it's worth) should have been inducted into the HOF,years ago. He was Vinces foothold into Eastern Canada, and a huge part of his programming. Old school fans remember him, and that should be enough.

[@misteromiseria5756]

Hi.. Can I please ask what was the equivalent of WrestleMania at Maple Leaf? 🤔

[@buckyhate7695]

@@misteromiseria5756 It was an NWA territory, prior to WWF expanding into that market, and that was before I got into wrestling. I don't think they had a Mania-type Supercard. I could be wrong, though.

[@misteromiseria5756]

@@buckyhate7695 I see.. I am very grateful for your insight, thank you. 🙏

[@buckyhate7695]

@@misteromiseria5756 For what I could offer, I'm happy to help

[@scrapetv3826]

WWF used to do tapings (through MLW) in Brantford, about an hour outside Toronto in '86 and '87 and my Dad and I would go regularly. One night we ran into Ricky Steamboat running out of the arena. Still one of my most treasured memories

[@KingHayabusa384]

The fact that not one WWE representative showed up at Tunney's funeral is just disrespectful.

[@chrisjamesr77]

I might be wrong on this, but they way I remembered it was that Jack Tunney didn't specifically say that the WWF title couldn't be bought, but that it couldn't change hands outside of a match, and by surrendering the title to DiBiase, Andre effectively vacated it. His statement of that came a few days after the event, so in kayfabe terms, that's why DiBiase had the belt for a few house shows.

[@TPain79lawguy]

I grew up watching NWA at Maple Leaf Gardens during the 1970s and 1980s. Good days.

[@kamenrob8500]

They didn't run the event outside of the Skydome it was old exhibition stadium where the Jays n Argos played , I was in attendance and the crowd was rocking outdoors that night. BTW new sub here definitely look forward to more.

[@jimreedyk5158]

I met Marty MacDonald the ring announcer once there as a kid and he was so kind and decent. He said give me 5 mins I'll be back. Well out he came with Hill Billy Jim, Outhouse Jack, and Koko B Ware who had 8 by 10 glossies they all signed for me and my friend Jason. My dad said to me at the time chap is a true gentlemen. Try as I may in all these years I could never track him down to thank him. Found out he was married to one of Jack Tunney's daughters. Come to think of it he would make for a good interview he worked as their announcer in Toronto for easily 10+ years.

[@LexTan]

I remember hearing some of these stories from a late Catholic Bishop of Toronto, Pearce Lacey, who apparently knew Jack Corcoran and his family, along with the Gardiner family (of the Gardiner Expressway) and the Tunneys. What was even cooler was this was a sound gig I was running at my old work place, which was next door to the old Gardiner mansion at Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue, and Bishop Lacey hadn’t been on the grounds in decades. He also mentioned how he’d swim in the Gardiner’s pool with the Corcorans and the Tunneys and he would learn about the boxing and wrestling business. The mansion was purchased by Basilian Eastern Catholic priests, along with the large area of land that was owned by the Gardiner family, which had a chapel and high school which was then incorporated into a Catholic school. Now it’s the called Carmine Stefano Community Centre. The Gardiner’s backyard was a huge plot of land went downhill extending to a pond. Lots of kids play soccer there, and I used to go tubing down that hill after work. The area of the Gardiner’s pool was turned into a garden and later a shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was so cool to know that I worked for years in one of the places developed the pro wrestling scene in Toronto, and this video reminded me of all of that. Thank you for reminds me of some awesome stories.

[@ra0929]

That explains why we would see matches from Maple Leaf Gardens from time to time on Prime Time Wrestling. Also why we saw Tunney as an authority figure, which I don't remember ever seeing in the WWF before that. VKM in the Toronto area also explains how he was able to pull off The Big Event, though that was held at Exhibition Stadium instead of Maple Leaf Gardens. Also, this video shows VKM's drive to go (inter)national, as by the mid/late 80s the WWF had absorbed 3 of the primary Canadian territories in Toronto (MLW), Montreal (Grand Prix), and Calgary (Stampede). Which, combined with the AWA being in its death throes, gave VKM control over a giant area.

[@phatmanpushimbak8903]

Thanks for this great video. Well done, sir.

[@aducharme01]

Oh, this was fantastic to watch. I hope you manage to make more videos like this; the Canadian territories get so little attention. I don't think I've ever heard anyone bring up the Halifax or Vancouver territories.

[@savagedarksider]

Great job with A another fantastic video.

[@Jumpshot-yb7uy]

Now wrestling in Toronto is great because there are so many great Toronto based independent wrestling promotions like Smash Wrestling , Superkick’d Pro Wrestling , Greektown Wrestling , Demand Lucha

[@tedingram516]

I remember MLW well going to the Sunday night matches mostly to see and hope the original Sheik would be beat but he never would. I remember going to Frank Tunneys office across the street from the Gardens. Met Whipper,Sweet Daddy Siki, Lord Ethal Layton. Fond memories indeed. Thanks for the post 🤗👍👍✌

[@KastleKrossface]

Thank you, Dave! As always, I truly enjoy the historical videos. Especially if it's a subject I know only little of. Thanks again and have a Very Merry Christmas!

[@martyswild]

Loved this! CHCH-11 would air the Toronto WWE house shows from the Gardens on Saturdays at 7pm. I still remind my mom how I wish she took me to those events as a kid. Also quick fact. Another reason the Toronto market was so important was due to the CRTC (Canadian radio and television commission) Similar to the American FCC holds very strict Canadian content laws. So in order for WWE to have broadcasts in Canada, he had to have a certain amount of Canadian content. Maple Leaf wrestling and Titan sports Canada filled that criteria

[@donsmeltzer4083]

Frank Tunney was a big promoter and well know in the US as well. When he passed, one or two of the wrestling magazines did articles about him. Normally, they paid little, if any, attention to Canada.

[@RockfromPhilly]

I cant stop watching all these "History of" wrestling videos

[@gregjones5627]

Great research

[@stewartmeetball3417]

Thank you dave

[@Backpackfiles]

Outstanding as always.

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thanks as always

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the amazing video

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thanks for appreciating it and saying so

[@chrisjamesr77]

6:10 I've actually heard before that Elvis was a big wrestling fan!

[@nondjmaster]

Good old Maple Leaf Wrestling! Please do a video on the history of Evolve, Dragon Gate/Dragon Gate USA, or Windy City Pro Wrestling.

[@michaelchild7871]

Great video

[@billssportsandwrestlingchan]

Excellent video. Also, I recently learned that George Scott sued and won what was rumored to be $500 000 form Jack Tunney for money he was owed when he was a partner in the territory during the deal with Crockett! He also got his lawyer fees paid too.

[@keithharper1470]

Jack Tunney decision to not name Sid as the #1 contender to Flair til this day is BOGUS!!!

[@spookerredmenace3950]

i miss Jack Tunney! and maple leaf wrestling, grew up watching it in the 80s as a kid and only being an hour and half from toronto we could watch it when WWF at the time would come to town

[@misteromiseria5756]

Hi.. Great video, much appreciated because I am currently digging about the history of this defunct promotion. I would like your assistance regarding it's biggest event of the year; what was it's name, and what was the annual date? Like their equivalent of WrestleMania kind of thing.. Thank you in advance! 🙏🤝🤔🇿🇦

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

The concept of every promotion having a "Wrestlemania" is relatively new. Most promotions didn't operate that way

[@misteromiseria5756]

@@DaveKnowsWrestling Oooh.. I am grateful to you, thank you. 🙏

[@TheHannibalTV]

Tunny was the best authority figure for sure

[@larryhammer5183]

MLW used to tour Andre The Giant around Southern Ontario ...they did a show at the Stratford Arena!

[@jimreedyk5158]

Billy Red Lyons worked the phones at their Downsview location no kidding, we called the Toronto WWF offices once and he answered and as kids we nervously asked what the next card at Maple Leaf Gardens was going to be and he said pls don't ever phone here again but gave us the phone number for Maple Leaf Gardens and told us to hit a certain button code to get the next months line-up. HOWEVER, get this they mentioned and accidentally gave away the results of a card that had not even taken place yet. (saying after what Mr Fugi and Demolition did to sneak a win over the Powers of Pain there it will be a rematch yada yada) We must have called as kids to listen to that spoiler recording for days and days in awe as well as youthful confusion.

[@Go_for_it652]

NHL players would sit in the audience and meet to discuss contracts and benefits under the noses of the owners .

[@iamkonner4813]

Interesting history video👍

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thanks

[@JustJulyo]

Didn't know Jack Tunney was Canadian. The best president ever!

[@velvetdogg7375]

This was cool! Good to get the goods on maplelef, it's not been covered that much and is often a foot note in a bigger story. Nicely done! Also Jack T. Was my first experience with the authority figure in wrestling. But I don't think as highly of him as other's he was just generic guy in a suit. Not a hall of fame caliber type of guy. Sorry! Just existing doesn't do it.

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thanks for liking the video. And yes, I feel that MLW was an important part of the entire story between WWF and JCP. So it's weird how it often gets glazed over. And in the least, it's early history is fascinating

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

cool vid...

[@jameshagan2832]

Didn't no one from wwe go to jack tunney's funeral? Sounds like something went wrong there.

[@donsouter4382]

Norm Kimber was a friend of my dad first ring announcer for wwf he use to get me gold tickets ,not in hall of fame sad

[@JeromeDoyle]

maple leaf forever!

[@antoniosmith5350]

Being from Toronto, I'm kind of disappointed in myself for not ever hearing about this promotion

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Don't sweat it, you're not the only Canadian to say that. But now you know and that's what counts

[@antoniosmith5350]

@Dave Knows Wrestling Indeed, now i do. Thanks to you, Dave. Thanks

[@stevejamieson8468]

I always felt like Jack should have been given a WWE hof induction. If someone like Jim "oh my boy" Barnett can go in, then someone who was much more integral to the WWE should definitely be in.

[@mrterp04]

There’s a longtime rumor that he skimmed plenty of money from Canadian houses-Kevin Nash alluded to it in one of his many shoot interviews.

[@fattiger6957]

@@mrterp04 If not that, then there is at least some bad blood between him and the company.

[@darthdmc]

Something went on that caused WWE to turn their backs on him. I don't think his passing was acknowledged on their broadcasts.

[@JohnnyDouchbag-nr5yf]

Jack Tunney would bet his first born if he got some decent odds

[@meanmattworld]

CANADA REPRESENT

[@NcWcN1]

Heh, who knew that Jim Browning also ventured in professional wrestling... 🤭

[@mrterp04]

Nice reverse color Brother Love outfit! 😂

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Thanks 😅

[@jamie.777]

Awesome historical content David. Much respect 🙏

[@jkbruins43]

The Sheik not mentioned?🤓

[@bigjoeofthe707]

I feel that today they’re trying the same with Adam Pearce by having him be that guy. Only showing up when need to. He isn’t on every week and only there when a decision needs to be made. Cause the evil/good authority figure that is one every week is played out

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Kinda, he's more physical and involved, but he is along the same lines

[@bigjoeofthe707]

@@DaveKnowsWrestling yep. That’s why I said “trying” cause it seems like it. Only he is physically touched by talent. But he shows no favoritism. He punishes both heels and faces. Making Miz face Dexter and hand over that bag of money, reprimanding Ronda, “firing” Bobby.

[@ryankeefe2102]

All that being said.... Tunney was still on the take

[@chriskay1449]

Still the best president since Noriega.

[@yadielenielbellecolon982]

🙊💕😍😁

[@marcusbrothers5221]

Down low shade on MLW again. Smarks hate Cort Bauer because he did what they can't

[@DaveKnowsWrestling]

Yea that's why. You're absolutely right. I said the real MLW that old people know is Maple Leaf Wrestling all because I hate Cort Bauer because he did what I can't. It's the only reason. And it's not like I did a video on the history of MLW either. Nor have I worked with their talents. You sir are very sharp. (That whole thing was sarcasm in case you didn't pick up on it)