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Mad Dog

The Maurice Vachon Story

Afterword by Kathie Vachon / Foreword by Paul Vachon / Translated by George Tombs
Published by ECW Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

The true story of one of pro wrestling’s most charismatic, feared, and beloved icons

Who was Maurice the man, and who was Mad Dog the character? Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon was a gold medalist, a pro-wrestling legend, and a pop culture icon — but he was also a son, husband, and father. Mad Dog explores Vachon’s career and personal struggles with painstakingly detailed historical research and through both Maurice’s own recollections and those of the people who knew him best.

As a young man, Maurice could have chosen a dark criminal path, but then wrestling and family changed him. Chronicling his slow but steady rise to prominence across America and internationally in some of pro wrestling’s most important territories, this in-depth biography shows how Vachon’s life came to be defined by the words of Mark Twain: “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Fiercely proud, motivated, and supremely talented, Vachon’s story is also the amazing tale of how a lifelong make-believe heel became a real-life hero outside of the ring.

With a foreword by his brother, Paul Vachon, and an afterword by his widow, Kathie Vachon.

About The Authors

Product Details

  • Publisher: ECW Press (September 5, 2017)
  • Length: 292 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781770413320

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Raves and Reviews

“I’ve learned so many things about Maurice. It was very revealing. I couldn’t wait to read more about him, I was really captivated. I already had respect for Maurice; I have even more now.” — Raymond Rougeau, former WWE wrestler and announcer

“I never saw Mad Dog Vachon wrestle because he was before my time, but I always heard about how wild he was and after reading this book I now perfectly understand why people were so fascinated with him. It truly captures the essence of who Mad Dog Vachon was.” — WWE Superstar Kevin Owens

“A definitive history of this hardcore heel who lived life to its fullest and wrestled even harder… The authors did their homework well and we reap the reward of their efforts. Mad Dog is a must-have read for every serious fan of pro wrestling.” — George Schire, author of Minnesota’s Golden Age of Wrestling

“It sounds like he was a larger than life character.” — Dangerous Dan’s Book Blog

“What made this book a good read was the research and writing about the inner workings of the professional wrestling circuit.” — The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books

“Explores Vachon's career and personal struggles with painstakingly detailed historical research and through Maurice's own recollections and those of the people who knew him best.” — Entertainment Report

“There is a lot of detailed information about Vachon's career and it's obvious the authors spent a lot of time researching.” — Teena In Toronto

“Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert, who did the great book on Montreal wrestling history, wrote this one and I've seen it and it covers his entire life and that of the Vachon clan, wrestling in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s and some of the legendary events in Montreal as well as the AWA, where Vachon was an icon.” — Wrestling Observer

“Fans of classic eras of wrestling (1960s-1980s) will enjoy this work, along with those that want to study more about Canadian wrestling. The book was entertaining, knowledgeable, and heart-filled all combined in one setting. ECW has another winner on its hands with Mad Dog.” — Lance Writes Blog

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