Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum facts for kids
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (PWHF) was a special place in Wichita Falls, Texas, that celebrated the history of professional wrestling. It was like a museum and a hall of fame combined, honoring wrestlers who were amazing athletes and entertainers.
The museum was started by Tony Vellano in 1999. Before being in Texas, it was in Amsterdam, New York and Schenectady, New York. Its main goal was to "preserve and promote the dignified history of professional wrestling." This means it wanted to keep the stories of wrestling alive and show respect to the wrestlers who made the sport great. The PWHF was not connected to any specific wrestling company. It closed down in 2021 after some water leaks and never reopened.
How Wrestlers Were Chosen
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame had different groups, or "categories," for inducting wrestlers and other important people in wrestling. This helped make sure all kinds of contributions were recognized.
| Category Name | Years Active | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Era | 2002–2021 | For wrestlers from the very early days of wrestling, up to 1946. |
| Television Era | 2002–2021 | For wrestlers who were popular when wrestling started appearing on TV, from 1947 to 1984. |
| Modern Era | 2002–2021 | For wrestlers from 1985 onwards, including many stars you might know. |
| Tag Team | 2003–2021 | For famous wrestling duos or teams who worked together. |
| International | 2006–2021 | For wrestlers from other countries, or those who wrestled mostly outside the U.S. |
| Midget Wrestler | 2002–2005 | For smaller wrestlers who had their own special division. |
| Lady Wrestler | 2002–2021 | For amazing female professional wrestlers. |
| Colleague/Territory Division | 2003–2021 | For people like managers, announcers, photographers, and other important behind-the-scenes figures. |
| Referee Division | 2018–2021 | Specifically for the referees who kept the matches fair. |
| Executive Division | 2018–2021 | For people who ran wrestling businesses, like promoters and bookers. |
| New York State Award | 2003–2005 | For people who helped wrestling a lot in New York, where the Hall of Fame started. |
| Senator Hugh Farley Award | 2006–2009 | For wrestlers who did great things outside of wrestling, helping their communities. |
Famous Inductees
Many legendary wrestlers and important figures were inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Here are some examples of famous names and what they achieved:
- Andre the Giant (inducted 2002, Modern Era): A huge and beloved wrestler who won the WWF Championship.
- Bruno Sammartino (inducted 2002, Television Era): Held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship for a very long time.
- Hulk Hogan (inducted 2003, Modern Era): One of the most famous wrestlers ever, winning the WWE Championship many times and the Royal Rumble twice.
- Ric Flair (inducted 2006, Modern Era): Known as "The Nature Boy," he won many world championships, including the NWA and WCW World Heavyweight Championships.
- Stone Cold Steve Austin (inducted 2016, Modern Era): A huge star in the late 1990s, winning the WWF Championship six times and the Royal Rumble three times.
- Bret Hart (inducted 2008, Modern Era): Known as "The Hitman," he won the WWF Championship five times and the Royal Rumble.
- Shawn Michaels (inducted 2017, Modern Era): Called "Mr. WrestleMania," he won multiple world championships and tag team titles.
- Sting (inducted 2018, Modern Era): A long-time WCW icon, he won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times.
- Dusty Rhodes (inducted 2010, Modern Era): Known as "The American Dream," he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times.
- Jake Roberts (inducted 2020, Modern Era): Famous for his snake "Damien" and his mind games in the ring.
- The Fabulous Moolah (inducted 2003, Lady Wrestler): The first WWE Women's Champion, holding the title for an incredibly long time.
- Mildred Burke (inducted 2002, Lady Wrestler): A pioneer for women's wrestling, winning multiple world championships.
- The Road Warriors (Animal, Hawk, and manager Paul Ellering, inducted 2011, Tag Team): One of the most dominant tag teams in wrestling history, known for their powerful style.
- The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, and Buddy Roberts, inducted 2015, Tag Team): A very popular and influential tag team.
- The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton, inducted 2021, Tag Team): A high-flying and exciting tag team.
- Bobby Heenan (inducted 2006, Colleague): Considered one of the greatest wrestling managers and announcers of all time.
- Jim Cornette (inducted 2012, Colleague): A successful manager, promoter, and announcer.
- Vince McMahon (inducted 2011, Executive): The long-time chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
See also
- List of professional wrestling conventions
- International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
