Thomas Nicholas Packs was born August 15, 1894 in Poulithra, Arcadia, Greece. Packs' name at birth was Anthanasios Pakiotis and after emigrating to the United States in 1907, he Americanized his name to Thomas Nicholas Packs.
In 1922 Packs began promoting wrestling and boxing events in St. Louis, Missouri. After becoming successful at promoting sports events Packs formed the "Tom Packs Sport Enterprises". In 1930 he joined the National Wrestling Association.
Packs saw a potential in circuses and in 1937 presented his first "Tom Packs Circus. The circuses showed in ball parks and arenas, and buildings, at first in the mid west but soon covered the east. In 1956 Packs started a second unit to operate on the west coast, the circus also operated in Cuba before Castro's revolution.
After loosing $350,000 in the stock market, Packs was forced to sell his interest in the "Tom Packs Sport Enterprises", however he continued operate the "Tom Packs Circus" until his death.
Thomas Nicholas Packs died October 22, 1964 in St. Louis, Missouri |
