Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame Launches, Inaugural Inductees Include Mick Foley, Chris Jericho and More

The Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame sent out a press release announcing its launch, with 29 inaugural inductees like Mick Foley. The rest of the list includes Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, Adrian Street, Kenny Casanova, Graham Cawthon, Mike Chapman, John Cosper, Ian Douglass, Keith Elliot Greenberg, Bertrand Hebert, Tim Hornbaker, Mark James, Steven Johnson, Michael Krugman, Pat Laprade, Larry Matysik, Koji Miyamoto, Greg Oliver, Rock Rims, Jon Robinson, Mike Rodgers, Fumi Saito, Brian Shields, Jonathan Snowden, Brian R. Solomon, Kevin Sullivan, Scott Teal and Scott E. Williams.

The Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame went live today by naming 29 authors — including Mick Foley, Jim Ross, and Chris Jericho — as official inductees while bestowing awards upon 20 underappreciated professional wrestling books.

By way of induction criteria that automatically inducts authors who have been major contributors to at least four books of a certain length, subject matter, and quality, the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame shined an immediate spotlight on individuals who have devoted significant time and energy toward enhancing the history of professional wrestling through published works.

PWAHOF commissioner Oliver Lee Bateman, appointed to his role by the three pro wrestling authors who founded the new hall of fame, underscored the importance of rewarding authors who flesh out the colorful history of pro wrestling, and especially those who tackle topics that are unlikely to result in substantial financial rewards.

“Properly recording and documenting the history of professional wrestling requires that historians and authors tackle subjects and topics that are esoteric in nature,” said Bateman. “For example, devoting time to recovering and exploring the history of a lost pro wrestling figure from the 1930s is of no lesser value than a deep dive into the career of a far more popular figure from the Attitude Era, of whom much is already known. However, the latter book is often greenlit for publication because it is perceived to have a larger potential audience, and is therefore a safer investment of time. One of our intentions is to acknowledge the authors who take risks and research less marketable topics.”

In accordance with this stated goal of rewarding literary risk takers, Bateman has been empowered to grant the PWAHOF’s “Commissioner’s Choice Award” to books deemed vital to telling the story of pro wrestling, but which did not receive a placement in the Wrestling Observer’s annual vote for Best Pro Wrestling Book.

“Not every book that receives the Commissioner’s Choice Award is likely to be regarded as an all-time classic by every evaluation metric,” stated Bateman. “However, every book selected has contributed something to the colorful tapestry of professional wrestling history that is worth acknowledging, and hopefully this award will assist with conferring that recognition to each selected book.”

With its mission of inclusivity, Bateman says the PWAHOF welcomes input on authors who have not yet received induction and might be worthy of the honor.

“We don’t see ourselves as gatekeepers; we see ourselves as gate crashers,” insisted Bateman. “Other halls of fame grant awards to authors that are voted on by small groups of people. Sometimes, these awards can be politically motivated. We strip all of that away and grant recognition to any pro wrestling author who meets our straightforward criteria. The instant an author hits the mark, they’re in. There’s no waiting period that precedes induction.”

For more information on the Pro Wrestling Authors Hall of Fame, please visit www.pwahof.com.

Thank you for your time, and we look forward to your support in celebrating the unsung heroes of professional wrestling literature.