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Wrestlers keep tradition in the family

Posted: Jul 18th 2006 By: mikeiles

KNOXVILLE, Iowa ? Wrestling has the distinction of being the first sport mentioned in the Bible and being mentioned more often than any other.

In the book of Genesis, chapters 31-35, tells the story of Jacob. Genesis 31:24 begins to describe a wrestling match between Jacob and a stranger. They wrestle all through the night and in the end, the stranger reveals himself to be an angel of God, who renames Jacob Israel, which means ?struggles with God.?

A wall at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa, is dedicated to Jacob, including a drawing of him wrestling the angel. Museum Director Mike Chapman has dubbed it as ?Jacob?s Wall.?

?Wrestling has a tradition no other sport can match,? Chapman told a crowd gathered last Saturday for a hall of fame induction. Among those inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame, one of three in Newton, were members of wrestling families.

Dory Funk Sr. was a high school wrestling champion and World War II veteran. After the war, he began a distinguished career in professional wrestling. He also produced two other pro wrestling champions, Dory Jr. and Terry. Terry did the honors of inducting his father.

Mike DiBiase was inducted into the hall of fame by his adopted son, Ted. Ted DiBiase, now a minister, spent many years and garnered many titles in professional wrestling, under the moniker ?The Million Dollar Man.?

Mike won the AAU National Title in 1946. He remained a competitive amateur for many years before turning professional in the 1950s. After turning pro, a distinguished 20-year career followed.

Ted?s sons, Mike and Ted Jr., are following in the footsteps of their grandfather and father. They performed in a match in Newton Friday night, prior to the induction on Saturday.

Also inducted into the hall last weekend were Bret Hart and Larry Hennig, both of whom have family ties in professional wrestling. Bret, son of the late, legendary Stu Hart, gained fame working for World Wrestling Entertainment.

?My dad would be real proud of me,? Hart said.

Hart?s recent history with wrestling is neither indicative of nor does it negate his career. A fallout with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in 1997 was followed two years later by the accidental death of his brother, fellow wrestler Owen. He ended his pro wrestling career with WWE rival, World Championship Wrestling. WCW is now defunct and owned by WWE. His career ended prematurely after a mistimed kick while performing. Hart also suffered a stroke a few years ago.

Whether he has buried the hatchet with McMahon, Hart accepted his nomination for the WWE Hall of Fame and made an appearance to accept the honor. He has recovered from the stroke, remarried and just finished an autobiography.

?I?m putting my life back together,? he said.

Larry Hennig was a high school champion in Minnesota. He worked in professional wrestling through the 1960s and 1970s. Much of that was spent with the man who inducted him over the weekend, fellow hall of fame member Harley Race. Race and Hennig worked as a tag team that earned several titles.

Though Race actually inducted him, Hennig?s family was on hand. Among them was his grandson, Joe.

Joe Hennig is the son of the late ?Mr. Perfect? Curt Hennig. Curt spent years in professional wrestling, having a good career with both WWE and WCW before he unexpectedly died a few years ago.

Joe says he and his father did not get a chance to talk about his professional wrestling career before his death. Joe did a little wrestling in high school in Champlin, Minn. Today, he is a mortgage broker who has spent a little time training to become a wrestler.

Growing up with his father in the spotlight was not weird for Joe. He looked at wrestling as his father?s job, though he was often asked what it was like. A lot of pride was felt for his grandfather as he was being inducted.

?It actually gives me chills hearing him talk up there,? Joe said. He plans to come back to the institution some day for Curt?s induction.

Also honored at Saturday?s event was Scott Simpson, better known in the wrestling world as Nikita Koloff. Simpson was presented with the Frank Gotch Award, which is presented to someone who has brought prestige to professional wrestling. Simpson, who spent much of his career acting as a Russian bad guy, today focuses on his Christian faith.

Simpson has his own family ties in wrestling, working with his uncle Ivan Koloff for years. He founded the Koloff for Christ Ministry in North Carolina.

?I am absolutely honored to have this plaque,? Simpson said at his induction. For more on Koloff for Christ, visit his Web site, www.nikitakoloff.com.

Time is running out to visit the museum in Newton. The institute will pack its bags after nine years, eight operational, in the town north of Knoxville and head for Waterloo at the end of the summer.

The institute actually houses three halls of fame. Other than the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall, there is the Glen Brand Iowa Hall of Fame and the AAU Hall of Fame. It is a non-profit organization and induction weekend events are the organization's biggest fund raisers.

The IWIM will close its doors in Newton on Aug. 31 and reopen in Waterloo on Jan. 2, 2007. For more information on its events, visit www.wrestlingmuseum. org.