Dan Kroffat
Encyclopedia
Dan Kroffat is a professional wrestler
who was active as a wrestler and booker in the National Wrestling Alliance
and Stampede Wrestling
in the 1960s and 1970s
While acting as a booker in Stampede Wrestling, Kroffat invented the ladder match
.
, a professional wrestler and former Mr. Universe
, while working as a lifeguard in Vancouver, British Columbia. Maynard began training Kroffat before recommending Stu Hart
as a trainer. Kroffat and his wife moved to Calgary
, Alberta
, where Kroffat trained and debuted in Hart's Stampede Wrestling
promotion. Wrestling as "Cowboy" Dan Kroffat, he formed a tag team
with Bill Cody and won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
in the summer of 1971. In July 1972, Kroffat won his first Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
by defeating Tor Kamata
. Kroffat and Kamata wrestled several time, and Kroffat designed a new match type for one of the encounters. A bag of money was hung from the ceiling and the two competitors fought to retrieve the bag by climbing a stepladder. The idea caught on, and subsequent matches saw Kroffat's title belt replace the money, with the stipulation that the first wrestler to retrieve the belt would be champion. The idea of a ladder match
has been used ever since, as Bret Hart
helped popularize the stipulation in the World Wrestling Federation
(now World Wrestling Entertainment).
Over the next two years, he held both championships several times. He won the tag team title twice while teaming with Lennie Hurst and combined with Cody to win the title belts for the fourth and final time. Kroffat also engaged in a feud
with Archie Gouldie
in Stampede Wrestling. The pair traded the North American Heavyweight Title back and forth in a series of matches. Kroffat defeated Gouldie to win the belt in 1973, but Gouldie later regained the title. Still in that same year, Kroffat won the title back from Gouldie to begin his third reign as champion. He then feuded with Gil Hayes
, who beat him to win the title. Kroffat regained the belt from Hayes but was unable to win it back after dropping it to him again.
while wrestling as King Krow in 1972. He also won the Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
twice in 1974, teaming with Leo Madril
and Wayne Bridges.
. After winning the belt, Kroffat retired from professional wrestling and vacated the championship. He continued to wrestle occaionally, however, until retiring for good in 1985.
, also known as mad cow disease, was discovered in an Albertan cow in 2003, the United States stopped importing Canadian cattle. Due to the problems this created in the Albertan cattle industry, Kroffat led a campaign to reopen the border, gathering signatures on a petition and pressuring the Canadian federal government to help with the cause.
After Kroffat's retirement, professional wrestler Philip Lafond, who was a fan of Kroffat's, took on the ring name
Dan Kroffat in his honor.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
who was active as a wrestler and booker in the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
in the 1960s and 1970s
While acting as a booker in Stampede Wrestling, Kroffat invented the ladder match
Ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
.
Stampede Wrestling
Kroffat was discovered by Earl MaynardEarl Maynard
Earl Maynard is a bodybuilder and professional wrestler as well as a film actor, producer and director from Barbados.-Bodybuilding:Maynard won the 1964 Universe - Pro - NABBA bodybuilding competition - part of the Universe Championships, the 1965 Universe - IFBB - now the World Amateur Bodybuilding...
, a professional wrestler and former Mr. Universe
Universe Championships
The Universe Championships are an annual bodybuilding event organised by the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association . It has a number of competitions: NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe, Miss Figure, and Miss Toned Figure....
, while working as a lifeguard in Vancouver, British Columbia. Maynard began training Kroffat before recommending Stu Hart
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
as a trainer. Kroffat and his wife moved to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, where Kroffat trained and debuted in Hart's Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
promotion. Wrestling as "Cowboy" Dan Kroffat, he formed a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Bill Cody and won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship
The Stampede International Tag Team Championship is the main tag-team title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. It was created in 1958 as the NWA International Tag-Team Championship...
in the summer of 1971. In July 1972, Kroffat won his first Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship
The Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
by defeating Tor Kamata
Tor Kamata
McRonald Kamaka was an American/Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several Heavyweight and Tag Team championships, including one World Tag Team title. He was a classic "bad guy" wrestler...
. Kroffat and Kamata wrestled several time, and Kroffat designed a new match type for one of the encounters. A bag of money was hung from the ceiling and the two competitors fought to retrieve the bag by climbing a stepladder. The idea caught on, and subsequent matches saw Kroffat's title belt replace the money, with the stipulation that the first wrestler to retrieve the belt would be champion. The idea of a ladder match
Ladder match
A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
has been used ever since, as Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
helped popularize the stipulation in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(now World Wrestling Entertainment).
Over the next two years, he held both championships several times. He won the tag team title twice while teaming with Lennie Hurst and combined with Cody to win the title belts for the fourth and final time. Kroffat also engaged in a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Archie Gouldie
Mongolian Stomper
Archie Gouldie is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name The Mongolian Stomper.-Stampede Wrestling:Gouldie held the North American heavyweight title a record ten times between 1968 and 1984, quite a streak of longevity for that time frame...
in Stampede Wrestling. The pair traded the North American Heavyweight Title back and forth in a series of matches. Kroffat defeated Gouldie to win the belt in 1973, but Gouldie later regained the title. Still in that same year, Kroffat won the title back from Gouldie to begin his third reign as champion. He then feuded with Gil Hayes
Gil Hayes
Gilbert "Gil" Hayes is a retired Canadian professional wrestler who competed in North American promotions during the 1960s and 1970s including All Star Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling where he would remain a mainstay for the majority of his 17-year career...
, who beat him to win the title. Kroffat regained the belt from Hayes but was unable to win it back after dropping it to him again.
National Wrestling Alliance
Kroffat also enjoyed success outside of Stampede Wrestling. In a match that took place in Vancouver, he won the NWA United National ChampionshipNWA United National Championship
The NWA United National Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance, and best known for being defended in All Japan Pro Wrestling...
while wrestling as King Krow in 1972. He also won the Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)
The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
twice in 1974, teaming with Leo Madril
Alberto Madril
Alberto Madril is an American retired professional wrestler who most often wrestled as Al Madril, and used the Indian Deathlock as a finishing move.-Career:...
and Wayne Bridges.
Later career
Back in Stampede Wrestling, Kroffat defeated his old rival Gouldie to regain the North American Heavyweight Championship. Once again, however, Gouldie won the title back later in the series of matches. He won the belt for the final time by defeating Killer Tim BrooksKiller Tim Brooks
Timothy Paul Brooks is a retired American professional wrestler, better-known by his ring name "Killer Tim Brooks". He competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling during the 1970s and...
. After winning the belt, Kroffat retired from professional wrestling and vacated the championship. He continued to wrestle occaionally, however, until retiring for good in 1985.
Retirement
After leaving wrestling in 1985, Kroffat opened Daniel's Auto Wholesale Centre, a used car dealership. After bovine spongiform encephalopathyBovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
, also known as mad cow disease, was discovered in an Albertan cow in 2003, the United States stopped importing Canadian cattle. Due to the problems this created in the Albertan cattle industry, Kroffat led a campaign to reopen the border, gathering signatures on a petition and pressuring the Canadian federal government to help with the cause.
After Kroffat's retirement, professional wrestler Philip Lafond, who was a fan of Kroffat's, took on the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Dan Kroffat in his honor.
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
(2 times) - with Leo MadrilAlberto MadrilAlberto Madril is an American retired professional wrestler who most often wrestled as Al Madril, and used the Indian Deathlock as a finishing move.-Career:...
(1) and Wayne Bridges (1) - NWA United National ChampionshipNWA United National ChampionshipThe NWA United National Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance, and best known for being defended in All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(1 time)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (4 times) - with Bill Cody (2) and Lennie Hurst (2)
- Stampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipStampede North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship is the major title in the Canadian professional wrestling promotion Stampede Wrestling. From its establishment in 1968 until 1972, it was Stampede's secondary singles championship, becoming the top title in 1972 after the previous top...
(6 times) - Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame