The Last Gladiator

"William Muldoon was a true American original: a world-class athlete, a showman, a bureaucrat, an entrepreneur, and a hard-nosed fitness fanatic. He was also more than happy to rewrite any facts that got in his way. Exploring his life and long-reaching influence would undo a less accomplished researcher and writer. In this highly readable and insightful book, Scott Beekman turns these challenges to his favor and brings this fascinating character into focus and down to size. The Last Gladiator is essential reading for anyone interested in pro wrestling history or the development of American sport." - Jon Langmead, author of Ballyhoo!: The Roughhousers, Con Artists and Wildmen Who Invented Professional Wrestling "Scott Beekman has written a superb cultural biography of William Muldoon, one of the earliest nationally recognized professional athletes. He traces Muldoon's career against the backdrop of the Gilded Age, World War I, and the roaring twenties, placing him in the context of an America roiling in a hyper-masculine sporting culture. Muldoon leveraged a massive ego and talent in his endless pursuit of money, navigating a cutthroat entertainment business that blurred the lines of ethics and sportsmanship. The Last Gladiator is a vital contribution that highlights the importance of sports and cultural history in making American modernity and identity." - Christopher L. Stacey, Louisiana State University of Alexandria, author of Populism and Professional Wrestling in the Sunbelt South: From Rasslin' to Sports Entertainment