Keeping with the Wrestlemania theme, this blog is about the
WWE Hall of Fame.
History: the WWE
Hall of Fame was created when the late Andre the Giant was inducted in 1993.
This tradition continued up to 1996-honoring legends such as: “Classy” Freddy
Blassie, George “the Animal” Steele, and Captain Lou Albano.
For eight years, there were no Hall of Fame entrants. In
2004, the tradition returned the night before Wrestlemania 20 at the Hilton
Hotel. Ever since, a new class of Hall of Famers is inducted every year to celebrate
those who paved the way for today’s WWE stars.
Class of 2013: On
April 6th, 2013, Madison Square Garden hosted the Hall of Fame Ceremony.
I was there to watch the 6 inductees receive this honor.
Mick Foley (inducted by wrestling legend Terry Funk): Mick
Foley ‘s interesting journey into sports entertainment started when he saw
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka fly off the top of a steel cage. Trained by Dominic
DeNucci, he gained fame overseas for performing in matches that were memorable
for their brutal and competitive nature. In the 1990s, Mick joined the (then)
World Wrestling Federation as Mankind, a mentally unhinged combatant. Later on,
Foley’s other personas emerged: the serene Dude Love and the dangerous Cactus
Jack. Through these 3 characters, Mick
Foley had memorable career moments, including a 1998 “Hell in a Cell” Match
against the Undertaker. In his speech,
Mick Foley thanked the “thousands and thousands” who supported his career as
well as conveying the honor he felt being “right here in Madison Square Garden”.
Trish Stratus (inducted by Stephanie McMahon): In 2000, a
fitness model arrived in the WWE to manage Test and Albert and achieved success.
Trish Stratus transitioned to a career in the WWE’s women’s division. Part of
the “Golden Age” of the Women’s division, her feuds with Lita and Mickie James along
with her numerous Women’s Title reigns created the Hall of Famer she became.
Booker T (inducted by brother and tag team partner Stevie Ray):
Booker T had a rough road to professional wrestling. Getting himself into
trouble early on, his brother, Stevie Ray, saw the sport as a way to give his
brother a job and look after him at the same time. The two brothers trained and found the right
people to guide their careers. Stevie Ray and Booker T formed the 10-time tag team
champions Harlem Heat in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). When Harlem Heat disbanded, Booker T had a
solo career and transitioned his “5-Time WCW Champion” success to the WWE. He created moments like the comedic “Stone
Cold Steve Austin-Booker T Grocery Store” segment, and the monarch character
named “King Booker”. After April 6th, 2013, Booker T will be known
as a Hall of Famer.
Bob Backlund (inducted by good friend/fan Maria Menunos): According
to Bob Backlund, he was hired to be the “All-American Boy”. He was the
Heavyweight champion for several years and would do so as a good guy. According
to inductor Maria Menunos, Backlund believed in himself and would never “squash
(easily defeat) an opponent” for the sake of that person’s morale. However, his career would have to be
“reinvented” in the new “Attitude Era”; he reintroduced himself to the fans as
the bad guy -“Mr. Backlund- in the 1990s. Now in 2013, he claims his spot in the WWE
Hall of Fame.
Donald Trump (inducted by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon): This
celebrity entrant is an author and the host of “the Apprentice”. His empire
includes an Atlantic City casino that hosted Wrestlemanias 4 and 5. Trump also challenged Vince McMahon
to a “Battle of the Billionaires” match that had two athletes fighting for each
mogul. Donald Trump has accomplished much in his life –now he’s a WWE Hall of
Famer.
Bruno Sammartino (inducted by bodybuilder/actor Arnold Schwarzenegger):
This Hall of Fame inductee took some convincing to accept his rightful place in
WWE’s Hall of Fame. According to the WWE, he sold out Madison Square Garden
187 times (188 if you count April 6th, 2013). Bruno came to America
from Italy. Gaining a reputation as a talented athlete, his world championship
reign spanned numerous years and garnered him international attention. After listening to his story, it was an honor
to see him inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013.
Televised Ceremony:
the ceremony will be televised April 9th, 2013 at 10pm on the USA
Network.
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