Hall of Fame Deep Dive: Non-Wrestlers

[Al]

NON-WRESTLERS
Lord James Blears
Dave Brown
Bobby Bruns
Bob Caudle
Jim Crockett Jr.
Bobby Davis
Joe Higuchi
Jim Johnston
Takaaki Kidani
Larry Matysik
Stephanie McMahon
James Melby
Don Owen 
Reggie Parks
Morris Sigel
Tony Schiavone
George Scott
Mike Tenay
Ted Turner
Stanley Weston
Grand Wizard

Twenty one candidates in total and at most you get to pick five. Let's start with the promoters because there are quite a few of them in the Hall so there is an established standard. I rank them as Crockett, Sigel, Turner, Owen, McMahon, Kidani. I hold Crockett in high esteem. Most people remember Crockett losing the 80s wrestling war and fewer remember that he took a territory whose biggest city was Charlotte and built it to the #2 national promotion in the first place. Morris Sigel was written about in the original HOF thread, he seems obviously deserving. Ted Turner I'm a bit cautious on because I'm not sure how involved he actually was. No denying his impact. Kadani is probably too low but I'm being cautious.

Commentators are the next group. Already we have Jim Ross, Lance Russell, Gordon Solie, Kent Weston, Alfonso Morales, Dick Lane, Gene Okerlund. I think Tony Schiavone is probably the top candidate, he's had two more years now as the lead commentator in a national promotion doing arguably his best work. Dave Brown, Memphis viewers love him. My only reservation is impact. Tenay, Caudle, Larry Matysik round out the group. Matysik is a tricky case because he was more than a commentator and it's really difficult to pin him in one category.

Like bookers? There are Bobby Bruns, Lord James Blears, George Scott, Matysik. All had contributions that are difficult to quantify. Bruns is probably the most crucial. You can imagine a world where James Blears wasn't involved and someone else took his place. But Bruns kind of got the ball rolling in Japan to begin with. 

Two managers on the ballot, the Grand Wizard and Bobby Davis. I'll always hold the Wizard in high regard and he's in recent memory. Bobby Davis was great from what I've seen but you really have to go looking.

Others. Joe Higuchi would be the first referee, Reggie Parks the first belt maker, Jim Johnston the first musician, James Melby the first historian. If you're going to look at Higuchi you should probably form a separate committee and pick out a few really good ones to consider. As for Johnston the music is important, but so is production, directing, camera work, pyrotechnics, etc. and no one else in those categories has really been considered. You're setting yourself up for a hell of a wormhole. Reggie Parks I think deserves consideration, but I would think about what making a good championship belt means versus booking and promoting like Don Owen in Portland. (Both are valid)

Bill Melby might slot in along with Stanley Weston as writers. There's the "If Apter, then Weston" argument. I didn't think Apter really fit but now that door is open, can you keep Weston out? Is it worth giving him a slot because of that over a better commentator candidate? Melby I like as a candidate, but don't love.

 

Putting them all together my top five looks like this:

1. Jim Crockett Jr.

2. Tony Schiavone

3. Morris Sigel

4. The Grand Wizard

5. Ted Turner

And since I've been doing top tens, I would round it out with Don Owen, Bobby Bruns, Dave Brown, Bobby Davis, Stanley Weston.