WWE News WWE News: Summary and video links of non-televised Hall of Fame inductions - Stu Hart, Vachon, Inoki, Richter
Mar 27, 2010 - 11:43:31 PM
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By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor
WWE posted highlight videos on each of the induction speeches and video packages for the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame inductees who were not featured during tonight's one-hour show on USA Network.
The following are summaries of the clips from the speeches WWE posted, along with links to the video packages and induction speeches for Stu Hart, Mad Dog Vachon, Antonio Inoki, and Wendi Richter.
The video started with classic wrestling poses from Stu Hart early in his youth developing himself as a "mat wizard" in Canada, followed by great old-school "Stampede Wrestling" promotional material. Honky Tonk Man, Mad Dog Vachon, Greg Valentine, Rocky Johnson, and Pat Patterson talked on-camera in sit-down interviews about Stu Hart. They focused on Hart House and the Dungeon, followed by a long list of wrestlers who trained in the Dungeon or got their start in Calgary.
Superstar Billy Graham was shown joking about Hart stretching him. Jim Niedhart was also shown talking about Hart stretching him, followed by various Hart family members, including Diana Hart, who hasn't been seen in a while, talking about Stu's influence on wrestling.
They showed classic clips of Stu Hart in the ring before running through the Hart Family members being involved in major matches and angles during WWE history leading to the Hart Dynasty in modern-day WWE. Bruce Hart was shown talking about not realizing the impact Stu really had until he died and Calgary mourned for a week. There was a classic clip of Chris Jericho with the long hair shaking hands with Stu Hart ringside at the end.
Bret Hart said he still longs to be like his father and said he brought all of the Harts into the crazy business. He said it was like a circus and they all loved it. They showed Jim Niedhart in the audience. Hart said his dad had a sense of humor like his brother, Owen, which drew a pop. This led to a louder pop and Bret paused for Owen to have his Hall of Fame moment. Bret talked about his father always providing a place for wrestlers to stay and train.
"I don't think the wrestling business will be the same without him," Hart said. He said you had to be in the moment at Stampede Wrestling to truly appreciate it. Hart said some of the best stars came out of Calgary. He closed by saying the Hart Family will live on forever, especially now with Stu Hart in the WWE Hall of Fame. It seems quite a bit of this material will also be included in the Hart & Soul DVD.
The video focused on current-day Vachon with the classic facial hair before going to some old-school clips of Vachon debuting in the early 1950s with the classic amateur wrestling background. They showed him transforming to a vicious fighter in the AWA, followed by classic Mad Dog promos and clips of Vachon working with his brother, Paul the Butcher, as a tag team. They showed clips of Luna Vachon in WWF to show the family lineage. The video concluded with clips of Vachon's classic "woodshop promo" holding a hammer and wearing an apron with Mean Gene Okerlund in the AWA.
Vachon was on stage in a wheelchair with Pat Patterson standing in the background. Vachon did a great heel promo, then added "I approve of this message" with a smile. Vachon said he was in wrestling for 44 years and said he had 13,000 matches. Vachon recalled how he got the name "Mad Dog" with the "teeth, the voice, and the hair on my chest." Awesome speech with a promo better than most wrestlers currently in the business.
The video began with a clip of Inoki landing a textbook dropkick, followed by bodyslams. Classic clips showing him as the Japanese symbol for wrestling excellence working with American and Japanese wrestlers throughout the years. They showed a classic clip of Vince McMahon, Jr. as a ring announcer interviewing Inoki in WWWF before a clip of him shaking hands with McMahon, Sr. This led to a video package on the disastrous Inoki vs. Ali wrestler vs. boxer fight in 1976 promoted by McMahon, Jr., with emphasis on the match receiving "unprecedented attention." Yeah, for the wrong reasons. They showed a clip of Inoki vs. Ric Flair in North Korea in front of over 100,000 people.
Inoki thanked the audience for attending the ceremony. He said it's truly an honor to receive the prestigious recognition and the timing is perfect because his first match was in 1960 when he was 17-years-old, which marks the 50th anniversary of his debut in pro wrestling. Inoki was very gracious and did fine crossing the language barrier.
The video opened with clips of Wendi Richter getting her start working in Texas with classic women's wrestling clips. They showed her debuting in WWF during the early '80s before going after Fabulous Moolah's Women's Title. Cue up the Rock 'n Wrestling clips with Cyndi Lauper and Richter winning the Women's Title on MTV to draw big ratings. There was plenty of focus on the connection to pop culture, but no references to the Original Screwjob with Moolah that sent Richter packing for good never to be heard from again in wrestling on the national level until now.
Richter was gracious, but got her point in that she's waited 25 years to say to an attentive audience about feeling she was taken advantage of. She thanked her fans for standing behind her for 25 years. She thanked Cyndi Lauper for helping her tremendously and helping her become a household name overnight. She said all she ever really wanted was respect. She said she feels like she got it tonight. Richter said she felt like a women's wrestler had to work twice as hard just to receive half the recognition and half the pay. She said there's a place to touch a woman that will drive her wild - her heart. She said they touched hers tonight. Richter closed: "Girls just want to have fun."
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