Hall of Fame Deep Dive: Historical Candidates

[Al]

Something I've wanted to try, don't know if it would get any traction but it's worth a shot. One of the issues I have with the Observer Hall ballot is that it is extremely cumbersome. There are about 100 candidates this year. Rather than going up/down on each as an individual/team, I want to try and sort them out to see which are the best candidates to advance their cases. 

If you're inclined, rank the candidates from 1-10, regardless of whether you think they actually deserve induction. I'll include my own list on a post after this one.

For reference, the candidates:

Ole Anderson
Bob Armstrong
Hollywood Blonds (Buddy Roberts & Jerry Brown w/Sir Oliver Humperdink)
Jerry Brisco
June Byers
Buddy Colt
Wild Bull Curry
Cowboy Bob Ellis
The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane & Steve Keirn)
Pampero Firpo
Black Gordman & Great Goliath
Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie
Rocky Johnson
Sputnik Monroe
Blackjack Mulligan
Johnny Rougeau
Enrique Torres
Von Brauners & Saul Weingeroff
Johnny "Mr.Wrestling II" Walker
 

[Al]

My top ten:

1. Enrique Torres
2. Johnny Rougeau
3. Mr. Wrestling II
4. Bull Curry
5. Rocky Johnson
6. Bob Ellis
7. The Mongolian Stomper
8. Bob Armstrong
9. Blackjack Mulligan
10. Ole Anderson

This is a tough ballot because no one is ever the obvious strong pick, but there usually isn't a glaringly weak candidate. This isn't an underrepresented era either. Far more domestic historical wrestlers have been inducted than those born 1950 and beyond. 

[ethantyler]

This section of the ballot, by its nature, should always be fairly weak. If it was strong, that would suggest voters had been making a lot of mistakes ever since the HOF started in 1996. In my top 10 below, I'm certain of the top 6 and the rest was on-the-spot rough guesses:

1. June Byers
2. Cowboy Bob Ellis
3. Von Brauners with Saul Weingeroff
4. Rocky Johnson
5. Mr. Wrestling II
6. Mongolian Stomper
7. Johnny Rougeau
8. Enrique Torres
9. Sputnik Monroe
10. Bull Curry

I will be voting for June Byers this year, as I did last year. She has the strongest case in this section in terms of historical significance, she main evented, she drew on top, she was equal to Mildred Burke in-ring.

I will probably be voting for Cowboy Bob Ellis too. He's the biggest star, in terms of overall drawing power, in this section.

The Von Brauners are hurt, in terms of historical significance, by their gimmick. Extraordinary longevity on top for a tag-team though. 

Rocky Johnson and Wrestling II are hurt by their non-wrestling related activities.

The rest aren't really in the close vicinity to making my top 10, but I do have a soft spot for the Stomper in general. A difference maker in smaller territories like Calgary and Kansas, big year in Memphis, great worker, great promo, etc. None of this is enough to make him a HOFer, but is enough to get him in easily at 6 in the list above.