Created on: May 5th, 2020 | Updated: December 12th, 2024 | This is a work in progress

All research and pictures were located using Newspapers.com or Geneologybank.com

**PLEASE NOTE: Due to the age of his career, there are many gaps in results. Also, one thing to note is that a lot of shows in the early 20th century only had two or three matches which meant spots were scarce. During these gaps, Dutch was likely working his second job as a taxi driver or working carnivals defeating non-wrestlers and amateurs. These are continually checked and as found, will be updated and noted on the main page when additions are made.

Dutch Mantell based on the research I found is the first person to actually have a specific gimmick outside of just being a pro wrestler who was nice or a jerk. Dutch was truly wrestling's first Jeckel and Hyde.

Dutch was born Alfred Albert Joe de Re la Gardiur on July 25, 1881, in Diekirch, Luxembourg and as a young boy was told of the greatness and beauty of America by his father. In 1891, Alfred’s father passed away and after his mother quickly remarried, Alfred realized he could not live with her new man. Alfred remembered in 1923 that he "fled to Germany for the first time at age 11 but was quickly brought back." Alfred had an uncle, who was a butcher that lived in Hamburg and eventually was given permission to move there. The idea was that Alfred would take up the butcher's trade, but Alfred had other ideas. At age 15, he stowed away on a ship he thought was heading in the direction of America but to his surprise it landed in Melbourne, Australia. Once in Australia, Alfred took up work loading steamers. "The work of carrying the two-hundred-pound sacks of wheat into the steamer was pretty hard work" he recollected. After spending some time earning his seniority, he was introduced to the dock fighting circuit.

In his first two years in America Dutch often wrestled across the northeast but in 1902 he joined the United States Navy and by 1906 he had earned his citizenship to the United States. After being discharged in 1906, Dutch visited Amarillo, Texas for the first time and quickly fell in love with the town. He had picked up where he left off in 1902 and quickly became one of the more recognized lightweight professional wrestlers in the United States. Often playing the role of the “extreme villain” and causing near riots.

Dutch would later become known for his “ugly” facial expressions but in the early 1910’s, he was a handsome and well-built fellow which got him the job in 1913 as a Keystone Cop From 1913 to 1915. He did not consider this as anything but miserable and longed to return to wrestling. "I didn't like it; it was too rough. You would have to fall down a flight of stairs head over heels and then if they didn't like it you would have to do it all over again."

By 1917, Alfred “Dutch” Mantel was back headlining wrestling shows but this time he found his new home in the Midwest. Known as the “Flying Dutchman” for his fast and furious style of rough house wrestling. As Dutch made his journey west, he'd often moonlight as a taxi driver while also wrestling. Tragedy almost struck when on July 13th, 1919, his taxi was attempted to be robbed by 17-year-old Helen Collins and 20-year-old Joe (later to be a false name) Carr. The planned for several weeks deciding that they would ask Dutch to drive them to a discreet location and then rob him and steal his vehicle. Dutch, in what might have been fate playing a role, accidentally drove to the wrong location which disrupted the original plan. Dutch offered an alternative route which led to Helen and Joe (real name Charles) to attack Dutch. The only weapon they were able to find was an axe which they used the handle to hit Dutch in the head. They decided to not rob him and instead steal the vehicle. A short time later, they were found with the stolen vehicle and arrested. Because of this vicious attack, Dutch's career stalled as he recovered.

Back on his travels, Dutch made his stop in Texas and Kansas where he eventually settled down first in El Dorado, Kansas and then by 1920 Winfield, Kansas where he met and married his wife.

When not professionally wrestling inside of arenas and legions, Dutch would take up traveling with a carnival or fair and take on professionals and amateurs alike for a prize. Summers were lucrative for Dutch as he would often face up to 10 men a day, defeating them all.

As his career started to grow stagnant as the baby faced "Flying Dutchman," Dutch Mantell decided to make a change. He shaved his head, started making various ugly faces which will be seen later in this, but he also developed an entire gimmick surround it. Dutch would often show his “split-personality.” He would often be seen as the gentle Luxembourg nobleman Alfred Reguardieu, complete with a top hat and cane. Or he could be seen as Dutch Mantell, hardnosed iron fist of the area. Fans flocked to the arena just to see this, and his career had the biggest prosperity since he joined the business. He would continue this role, selling out and making a name for himself across the Southwest and eventually would semi-retire and serve as a guest referee, where he would keep the split personality gimmick alive leaving fans to wonder whether he'd support the good guy or the villain depending on which version of Dutch Mantell showed up.

When asked about his style of wrestling, Dutch once said that "I like a good fight. My old teacher used to tell me that every time I touched a man, I ought to leave my mark. They call me old rough and ready and I like to go rough."

Understanding Result Notes:

W = Win

L = Lose

D = Draw

DQ = Disqualified

COR = Count Out of Ring

KO = Knockout

DKO = Double Knockout

Curfew = Certain states at this time had a time all shows had to end, usually 11pm or midnight. If a match did not end prior, it was considered the same as a time limit draw.

(00:00) = Time of the match/fall or stipulation

Att: = Attendance

Credit to Fine Art America for the picture of the Keystone Cops. Date is unknown nor is there confirmation any of these are actually Dutch Mantell. The Keystone Cops were fictional and incompetent policemen which were featured in slapstick comedy shorts from 1912 to 1917. Some other famous Keystone Cops were Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle and William Frawley.