Home About Institute Museum Halls of Fame Events

Photos



Class of 1999
Class of 2000
Class of 2001
Class of 2002
Class of 2003
Class of 2004
Class of 2005
Class of 2006
Class of 2007
 
George Tragos/Lou Thesz
Hall of Fame Inductions
Class of 2006
Bret Hart, Larry Hennig and Bob Roop headline the Class of 2006 of the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. The inductions will be held July 15 at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum here.

"This is our eighth class and will be another great one," said Mike Chapman, executive director of the facility. "Our selection committee has done another outstanding job."

Bret Hart, a 2006 Hall of Fame inductee, will be at the museum July 15
Each year, the museum inducts three living members and three deceased members. The criteria are a strong impact on the pro game and true wrestling ability, as judged by an amateur background or the consensus opinion of the committee.

Also being inducted in the deceased category are Dory Funk, Sr.; Mike DiBiase and Tom Jenkins.
“On the Mat” is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. The broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show.

“On the Mat” can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.
Click here for archived shows.
 
Weekly news, commentary and insight. (continued)
 


Audio


Video Stories


Map Us
      

Inductions weekend is set for July 14-15 in Newton. It includes a Celebrity Golf Tournament on Friday at noon and a variety of other events. The formal inductions are held at 11 a.m. in the museum on Saturday morning, with a reception to follow. A banquet will be held Saturday evening, with a coffee and rolls farewell on Sunday morning at 9 at the museum.

The museum is a not-for-profit business whose mission is to preserve the history of wrestling and present it in a manner that is both educational and entertaining.

Bret Hart comes from the legendary Hart family of Calgary, Alberta. His father, Stu, was the cornerstone of the Hart legacy and had a love of both amateur and professional wrestling. Under his father's guidance, Bret and his four brothers developed their amateur skills in youth tournaments. Bret won the city championship and the Alberta Collegiate Championship and then joined the Stampede pro wrestling organization. Known as "The Hitman," Bret attained tremendous success in the WWF (now WWE) and acquired numerous titles, including world heavyweight champion. He later performed for the WCW and became a huge star there, as well.

Larry Hennig. A high school state champion in Minnesota, Hennig parlayed his strong amateur background into tremendous success on the professional level. Working mostly with the AWA of Verne Gagne, he became one of the top draws in the 1960s and '70s. Larry "The Axe" Hennig teamed with Harley Race (Class of 2005) to become world tag tam champions on several occasions and was a singles star, as well. He and his son, Curt Hennig, captured a major NWA in 1982. Today, Larry owns a successful real estate company in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Bob Roop. Also a high school state champion (but in Michigan), Roop had a very successful amateur career, winning a national AAU title in Greco-Roman wrestling and making the 1968 Olympic team, as well. As a professional in the 1970s, he reigned as NWA United States Champion and won numerous regional titles, both as a single performer and as part of a tag team. He has authored several books and works in the educational field today.

Dory Funk, Sr., was a high school state champion in Indiana and wrestled for legendary coach Billy Thom at Indiana University before World War II. Turning to professional wrestling after the war, he embarked upon a long career that earned him many titles and vast recognition. His sons, Dory Jr. and Terry, were both legendary champions in their own right. Dory Sr. died in 1973.

Mike DiBiase won the AAU national heavyweight title in 1946 and had a long amateur career before turning professional in the early 1950s. As a pro, he held many titles in his two-decade career, including the NWA world junior heavyweight championship. He also held AWA and NWA titles. He died of a heart attack in the ring following a match on July 8, 1969. He was the adopted father of wrestler Ted DiBiase.

Tom Jenkins was America's first great wrestling star in the late 1890s and early 1900s. An extremely powerful millwright from Ohio, he was the real deal and never gave an inch in the ring. He defeated the young Frank Gotch three times in his eight matches. Jenkins held the American championship for nearly eight years. He later coached wrestling and boxing at West Point Military Academy for 37 years and was a legend with the Cadets. He died in 1957 at age 83.

:: Frank Gotch Award ::

Former wrestling star Nikita Koloff has been named the 2006 recipient of the Frank Gotch Award, given annually to a person who has brought prestige and recognition to professional wrestling. The award will be presented during inductions weekend at the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inductions on July 15.
 

Contact Us: 
Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum   •   303 Jefferson St.   •   Waterloo, IA     •    50701
319.233.0745   •   319.233.3477 fax     •    info@wrestlingmuseum.org
Copyright © 2008 The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum