August 24, 2005 Observer Newsletter: 2005 Hall of Fame issue
In what has to be the most surprising result in the history of the balloting, the trio of Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts, the Fabulous Freebirds, were the leading vote getters, as we added three new acts this year to the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
In the 10th year of what has become our August tradition, The Freebirds were joined by HHH and Paul Heyman in being inducted into the Hall, in what was considered a wide open field. To be elected in, you have to get 60% of the votes from your specific region, from our panel of active wrestlers, retired wrestling legends, historians and reporters from around the world. Many, if not most of the biggest names in the history of the business who are still alive participated in this year’s balloting, as did many of the top stars in today’s wrestling world.
With no new performers on the ballot this year who figured to come close to election, and the election of six people last year, it opened it up in a year where, based on last year’s results, HHH, and Jesse Ventura, who each came two votes short of induction last year, figured to be the only strong candidates going in. In fact, the consensus remarks I’d heard from various voters this year, is it was HHH as the only strong and obvious pick on the ballot, and plenty of people who you could make a case for, but no other sure things.
Read this issue of the Observer here.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.