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ANNOUNCEMENT
Throughout my career, I have received a number of honors, including those from PWI Magazine, Wrestling’s Main Event Magazine, the Gulf Coast Wrestlers’ Reunion, and the Cauliflower Alley Club. I had the good fortune to be a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012, which garnered us worldwide attention since the induction ceremony was a major part of the highly successful WrestleMania XXVIII weekend in Miami. I have my Hall of Fame ring and, besides my WWE Hall of Fame plaque, I have several personal mementos that were presented to me by the WWE from that weekend. I have proudly displayed these in my home office, along with virtually every award I have ever received, all of which are of personal significance to me.
On May 18, 2013, I am to receive the most prestigious honor of them all. I am among a select group of inductees that comprise the PWHF Class of 2013 who will be inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. What makes this so meaningful to me is my knowledge and understanding of the structure and consistent integrity demonstrated by the PWHF in their selection process. It is an honor in itself just to have your name appear on the ballot for consideration for the Hall of Fame. This recognition is so special because I have been selected by vote of a panel of respected wrestling historians, along with a group of my peers, which included many prior inductees.
The PWHF is the only non-profit independent hall of fame that is not affiliated with any profit-seeking entity or any wrestling promotion, past or present. The PWHF and museum are managed and staffed by dedicated volunteers. In Amsterdam, New York, you can visit the only brick-and-mortar hall of fame building solely dedicated to preserve and honor the history of professional wrestling. Each inductee from the PWHF Class of 2013 will have an individual plaque on permanent display, as have all those that have preceded us since the inaugural Class of 2002, and it is a tradition that will continue. I have attended induction weekend every year since the Class of 2006. I’ve watched the museum grow and expand. The collection of memorabilia and artifacts defies description. Every true wrestling fan must visit the museum in person to truly appreciate this unique facility.
I am very proud and honored to be a part of the PWHF Class of 2013. I’ve often said that I have enjoyed a storybook career. If my career to this point was characterized as a great circle that was incomplete, and not yet closed … that circle is now finally complete.
James J. Dillon |