The Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by the United States Wrestling Association. The induction ceremony for the Class of 1994, the inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, took place at the USWA's "Monday Night Memories", a tribute show, held at the Mid-South Coliseum on March 7, 1994. Tommy Gilbert, a longtime Memphis wrestler, referee and promoter, led the class, which included wrestlers Sputnik Monroe, Al and Don Greene, commentator Lance Russell, and promoter Jerry Jarrett.[1][2][3]

The success of the first "Memphis Memories" show, attended by over 8,300 fans,[3] resulted in Randy Hales being made head booker of the USWA. Ironically, Eddie Gilbert, with much of the event revolving around his feud with Jerry Lawler, was upset at having been passed over for the position and left the promotion within a few weeks.[4]

On June 10, 1995, the Class of 1995 was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Like the previous ceremony, it was held during a wrestling event, Memphis Memories II, at the Mid-South Coliseum. Wrestler Jackie Fargo's induction led the Class of 1995, which consisted of wrestlers "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, Phil Hickerson, Joe LeDuc, and Billy Wicks. In addition to the inductees, the event featured a special "legends introduction" of Memphis wrestling stars including Corsica Joe, Tommy Gilbert, Gypsy Joe, Jerry Jarrett, Sara Lee, Eddie Marlin, Frank Morell, Buddy Wayne, and Jim White. The 1995 edition was attended by 3,850 fans.[5] Only one inductee, Eddie Gilbert, was inducted posthumously.[6][7] Overall, there were ten inductees; one commentator, and promoter, and eight wrestlers.[1][2]

The hall of fame ceased being maintained following the close of the USWA in 1997, however, there have been attempts to revive the idea in recent years. Since 2002, the website KayfabeMemories.com has fan-based voting, similar to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, for each of the various "territory-era" promotions, including the Memphis wrestling territory, covered by the website.[8] From 2008 to 2010, the website RasslinRiotOnline.com also presented its own version of the Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame.[9]

In 2017, the Hall of Fame was reactivated. Since then, they hosted two more ceremonies: one in 2018 and one in 2021. A new website was launched in 2021. Memphiswrestlinghalloffame.com

Inductees

Year Ring name
(Real name)[a] 		Inducted for Notes[b]
1994 Tommy Gilbert[1][2] Wrestling, Refereeing, and Promoting Won the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (6 times), NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (11 times), NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (4 times), and NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times)
1994 Al and Don Greene[1][2] Wrestling Won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (10 times) and NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time)
1994 Jerry Jarrett[1][2] Wrestling and Promoting Owner of the Continental Wrestling Association and the United States Wrestling Association; won the CWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (10 times), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time), NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (1 time)
1994 Lance Russell[1][2][10] Ring announcing and commentating Longtime ring announcer and commentator for NWA Mid-America and the Continental Wrestling Association; first commentator for the CWA's Championship Wrestling television program
1994 Sputnik Monroe
(Rosco Monroe Merrick)[1][2] 		Wrestling Won the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time), NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship (2 times), and NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (2 times)
1995 Jackie Fargo
(Henry Faggart)[1][2] 		Wrestling Won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (5 times), NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times), NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (5 times), NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (22 times), and NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (15 times)
1995 Eddie Gilbert
(Thomas Edward Gilbert, Jr.)[1][2][6][7] 		Wrestling Posthumous inductee; won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time), AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (4 times), CWA International Heavyweight Championship (2 times), USWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time), USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time), USWA Tag Team Championship (1 time), and USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
1995 Phil Hickerson[1][2][11] Wrestling Won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (9 times), CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time), CWA International Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time)
1995 Joe LeDuc
(Michel Pigeon)[1][2] 		Wrestling Won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (2 times), AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time), and NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time)
1995 Billy Wicks[1][2] Wrestling Won the NWA Tennessee Heavyweight Championship (2 times) and NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version); a popular star in Tennessee during the 1950s, his 1959 match against Sputnik Monroe at Russellwood Park was attended by 13,000 fans and held the attendance record for the city of Memphis for nearly 50 years before the Monday Night Wars period.[12]
2017 Dave Brown Commentator Hosted Memphis Wrestling and Championship Wrestling for 25 years
2017 Lance Russell Commentator
2017 Jerry Calhoun Referee
2017 Bill Dundee Wrestling AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (9 times), AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (14 times), AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times), CWA International Heavyweight Championship (4 times), CWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time), CWA Southwestern Heavyweight Championship (1 time), CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), CWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (1 time), NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version) (1 time), NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (3 times), NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
2017 Tommy, Eddie and Doug Gilbert Wrestling Professional wrestling family that often wrestled as a tag team. Tommy and Eddie Gilbert held the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship together twice.
2017 Jimmy Hart Manager Long time manager in the Memphis territory
2017 Jerry Lawler Wrestling and promoting Won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (58 times), CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version) (7 times)
2017 Koko B. Ware Wrestling AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (7 times), NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (6 times), NWA Mid-America Television Championship (1 time), USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (2 times), USWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
2017 The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey, Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane with Jim Cornette) Tag Team Various versions of the team head the team held the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship, CWA World Tag Team Championship and the NWA World Tag Team Championship
2018 Mick Foley Wrestling Won the CWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
2021 Bert Prentice Wrestling, promoting and managing Manager and wrestler for several promotions; also promoted NWA Music City Wrestling and NWA Worldwide.
2021 Randy Hales Promoting Founder of Power Pro Wrestling
2021 Kurt Angle Wrestling Won the PPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
2021 Scott Steiner Wrestling Won the CWA Tag Team Championship (3 times).
2021 Tommy Rich Wrestling Won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (2 times), AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (4 times), CWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time), CWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times), NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (2 times), NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times), NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version) (2 times), NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time)
2021 Tony Falk Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (1 time), USWA Television Championship (1 time)
2021 Reggie B. Fine Wrestling Won the USWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
2021 Downtown Bruno Managing Long time manager in the Memphis territory

Footnotes

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Memphis Hall of Fame". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Memphis Wrestling (Old)". Results. OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Memphis Memories". Mid-South Coliseum 1994 (Jarrett). ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  4. ^ Dills, Tim. "Eddie Gilbert Page 3". Wrestlers. KayfabeMemories.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  5. ^ "Memphis Memories II". Mid-South Coliseum 1995 (Jarrett). ProWrestlingHistory.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Riley, Patrick A. "Fast Facts about "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert". All about Eddie. EddieGilbert.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Eddie Gilbert". Wrestler Profiles. OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  8. ^ "KM Hall of Fame". KayfabeMemories.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  9. ^ "RRO Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame." Declarationofindependents.net. Ed. Sean McCaffrey. N.p., 2008. Web. Apr. 15, 2011. <www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/rro0118.html>.
  10. ^ Dills, Tim. "Memphis/CWA #21 Page #2". Regional Territories: Memphis/CWA. KayfabeMemories.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  11. ^ "P. Y. Chu-Hi". Bios. Oklafan.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  12. ^ Mooneyham, Mike (September 6, 2009). "Book chronicles Memphis mat memories". The Post and Courier. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
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