Vital Statistics[]
Wrestler Name: Mother Modest / Frankie
Real Name: Francine Sellmansburger-Laetsch
Birthday: March 1, 1949
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Marital Status: Married (Hugo Laetsch)
Alignment: Face / Heel
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 96
Theme Music:
Wrestling Debut: April 26, 1980 (Phoenix)
MVW Debut: September 13, 1981
Debut Opp: Vixen
Last Match: December 31, 1991
Last Opp: Mary Ann
Style: Technician
Finishing Move: Ettiquette Lesson (double arm DDT)
Favorite Moves:
Weapon:
Notable Feuds: Vixen, Mary Ann, Amy Andrews, Strutter
Image: Patricia Tallman
Personal History[]
Francine was born to Mark and Theresa Sellmansburger on March 1, 1949, in Tuscon, AZ. She graduated from Catalina High School in 1967. She went on to study Economics at the University of Arizona. She graduated in 1972. She went to teach Economics at Pueblo High School.
Francine married Pueblo High's football coach, Hugo Laetsch, in 1975 in Phoenix. He wanted to get out of teaching and into wrestling, which he had done at Oklahoma State University in the 1960s. She helped him to open Southwestern Championship Wrestling in Phoenix on April 26, 1980. The two worked closely to keep the SCW going. Francine was the first manager, having Beautiful Beau (Narcissist) as her charge. She wrestled occasionally in the SCW, feuding with Crystal Chandelier (Queen of Memphis), who managed Reckless Randy.
When the SCW, MVW, Wild West Wrestling and World Wrestling Council came into a cooperative agreement, she began wrestling in the MVW as Mother Modest. Through her increased wrestling load and feud with Vixen, her involvement in the SCW became less and less.
When the Laetschs sold the SCW to the WWC in October 1985, Francine began working in the MVW front office. After the WWW folded in 1987 and the Cardinal Virtues-Deadly Sins feud had run its course, she began to go further behind the scenes and remove herself from the ring. In 1988, she worked with Travis Canby on a parody of Charlie's Angels. For all of 1988 and most of 1989, Modest was the voice behind the phone that gave orders to her Demons: Vixen, Ginger and Melanie Colic. In October 1989, the Demons faced off against the team of Mary Ann, Amy Andrews and Strutter in a six-woman tag match. If the Demons didn't win, "Frankie" would have to reveal himself. Everyone got the shock of their life when Modest came out after the match to reveal herself as Frankie. She and her Demons continued to feud with the three women until 1991.
After the Frankie's Demons storyline played out, Francine went back to the front office and worked with the Women's Division. Under her tutelage, many of the female wrestlers made great strides in their abilities and their careers. When the MVW folded, she and Hugo retired to Phoenix. In 2010, they sought to rebuild the SCW, but their efforts were in vain. After three failed cards, they were forced to close the doors of the SCW again.
Title History[]
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