Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
Most wrestling fans are very familiar with WWE’s Hall of Fame. It began in 1993 and the ceremony…for the most part…has been televised the night before the company’s biggest event of the year…Wrestlemania. Ever since WWE came up with the concept, several other pro wrestling halls of fame have emerged including the TNA/Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame, The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and an actual brick and mortar Hall…The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. All of these honor pro wrestling’s legends from the past. There was another that some may have forgotten all about and that was the World Championship Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The WCW version began just three months after the WWF/WWE Hall of Fame was created. Seeing as the two promotions were bitter rivals, WCW mimicked WWF’s idea and created their own. The idea came from booker Ole Anderson and was the first to be televised in conjunction with the company’s pay per view entitled ‘Slamboree.’ The WWF simply announced Andre the Giant as the first ever inductee with a video package on WWF programming with no real ceremony. WCW countered by inducting their very first Hall of Famer as the NWA legend Lou Thesz. Others that were inducted for WCW that first year were Eddie Graham, Mr. Wrestling II and Verne Gagne.
WCW attempted to treat their Hall as legitimate by honoring wrestlers from all organizations and territories. All of WCW’s Hall of Fame inductees were chosen by a committee which was headed by legendary announcer Gordon Solie. Solie also acted as the emcee for the induction ceremonies. While the WWF/WwE Hall has no real legitimate structure, WCW were planning to have theirs inside the CNN Center based in Atlanta, Georgia. All of the Hall of Fame inductees would receive a plaque with their faces on it, 150 dollar appearance fee, plus travel expenses. The was also a dinner and meet and greet the night before called ‘Slam Fest.’
The entire list of WCW Hall of Fame inductees are as follows:
Lou Thesz
Verne Gagne
Mr. Wrestling II
Eddie Graham
Harley Race
Ernie Ladd
The Crusher
Dick the Bruiser
Ole Anderson
Masked Assassin
Wahoo McDaniel
Dusty Rhodes
Antonio Inoki
Angelo Poffo
Terry Funk
Big John Studd
Gordon Solie
WCW’s version only lasted for three years from 1993 until 1995. It was discontinued in 1996 with no formal announcement. The real reasoning behind the discontinuation is far more interesting. It all occurred before the ’95 induction ceremony. WCW management decided to go above the head of the committee chairman Gordon Solie and induct wrestler/promoter Angelo Poffo. Solie was against the choice, as he felt that it was Randy Savage politicking with his new promotion. Some also believed that Solie was against the move because Poffo represented the dreaded “Outlaw promotions” that went against the National Wrestling Alliance for so many years. Angelo Poffo and his family founded the ICW aka International Championship Wrestling.
To try and appease Solie, WCW decided to induct Gordon Solie himself into their Hall of Fame. While Solie accepted the honor, he was still livid over management’s decision to go over his head and choose Poffo and after Solie’s induction at Slamboree ’95, quit the company. With Solie gone and no real leadership behind the Hall of Fame selection process…Eric Bischoff decided to cancel the entire event. According to Bischoff himself, they were running out of legitimate inductees that were willing to come for what they were offering anyway. So with that, the WCW Hall of Fame was no more.
