It is that time of year again, as WWE has begun naming their inductees for this year’s Hall of Fame. The first name for 2014 is The Ultimate Warrior, which surprised some, since he hasn’t been on good terms with the company for quite some time. Often times when a very deserving wrestler isn’t being inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s the person’s loved ones who are preventing it. That is the case with “Macho Man” Randy Savage, in which his brother, Lanny Poffo, has said it was Randy’s wish to have the Poffo family (Randy, Lanny and their father, Angelo) inducted together. It is also the case for the late Owen Hart.
Since his tragic and untimely death in May of 1999, fans have been clamouring for his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. While I’m sure the fact that he died in the ring during a pay-per-view adds to the fans wanting him inducted, that doesn’t take away from the talent he had and the impact he made. So many of WWE’s current roster cite Owen as a major influence. I’m quite certain WWE would be willing to induct the youngest of the Hart family, so what is the hold up? The answer is Owen’s widow, Martha Hart. Now, I’m not trying to paint Martha in a bad light. I understand that losing her husband to the business, not because of drugs or even a botched move, but to a silly stunt gone wrong is heartbreaking and tragic. However, her hatred of the company has kept them from acknowledging Owen’s contributions to the sport. Martha has filed both a wrongful death lawsuit after the accident and then in 2010 sued WWE again for wrongful use of Owen’s name and likeness. Both lawsuits have been settled, the latter having been settled in April 2013. Although with Martha firmly opposed to WWE and filing a lawsuit against use of her late husband’s likeness the question remains, will she allow WWE to induct Owen into the Hall of Fame? That is where Smith Hart comes in.
Smith, the eldest sibling of the Hart family, may have found a loophole to the issue of Owen’s inclusion/induction into the Hall of Fame. In a recent blog post Smith brought up the Four Horsemen induction from 2011, stating that they could do the same with The Hart Foundation. “I feel WWE could induct the Hart Foundation as a unit. All five, Bret, Owen, Davey, Jim and Brian Pillman made great contributions and had stellar Hall of Fame calibre careers.” I couldn’t agree more. I have been a fan of the Hart Foundation since their original incarnation, and while Bret has already been inducted, as Smith said, each member of the stable is worthy of being inducted. This would be a great avenue for WWE to go down, and it would be nice to see Brian Pillman, Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart get the nod as well. Upon reading Smith’s blog, it got me thinking of other ways WWE could induct Owen, or any other wrestlers who have been road blocked.
WWE could simply induct the Hart family. Bret and Stu are already in the Hall of Fame, and even though the relationships between some Hart family members and WWE have been tenuous at times, I think inclusion in the Hall of Fame may quell any negative feelings.
Another route WWE could take is something that has been rumoured for this year’s ceremony: induction of a match into the Hall of Fame. With this year being the 30th Wrestlemania, apparently some at WWE are looking at doing something special and inducting the main event of the first Wrestlemania. While inducting a match may seem odd to some, I really like the idea. There are classic matches that are always talked about, Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon in the ladder match from Wrestlemania X, Mankind vs. The Undertaker in Hell In A Cell from King Of The Ring 1998, the list of worthy matches is endless. So that is certainly another way WWE could induct Owen Hart, or anyone else for that matter, into the Hall of Fame. For Owen, his match with Bret at Wrestlemania X is an easy inclusion in a list of the greatest matches in WWE history.
Whether or not WWE uses one of these options is still anyone’s guess. Like I said, the induction of matches is simply a rumour at this point. But it is one that I hope turns into reality. It opens up a lot of doors and makes the inclusion of the Randy Savages and the Owen Harts a real possibility. And it will certainly please those fans who, year after year, scream for the inclusion of those wrestlers who are no longer with us, but who’s body of work will live forever.
If you would like to give to The Owen Hart Foundation, a worthwhile charity started in Owen Hart’s name, or simply see what it’s about, you may do so here: http://www.owenhartfoundation.org/
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