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Tom Jenkins

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Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1872, Tom Jenkins was a street tough kid who became the heavyweight champion of America. He was an extremely powerful and competitive wrestler who took on all comers and gave no quarter during his long career.

As a young man, Jenkins worked long and hard hours in the iron mills, forging a powerful body and nerves of steel. He won the U.S. title from Farmer Burns, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Jenkins ruled supreme for five years until running into Frank Gotch. Heavier and older than Gotch, he taught Gotch much of what the Iowa farmer needed to learn to become a great champion himself. They met eight times and Jenkins won three. Gotch said Jenkins was the toughest he ever wrestled.

President Teddy Roosevelt appointed Jenkins as wrestling and boxing instructor at West Point in 1905. There, he taught thousands of Cadets how to be tough, both on the mat and in life. Among his famous pupils were George Patton and Dwight Eisenhower.

Jenkins taught at West Point for 37 years and was idolized by thousands of Cadets. He died in 1957, at the age of 83. He is one of the men who truly bridged the gap between professional and amateur wrestling.

Larry Henning

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Born and raised in Minnesota, Larry Hennig was a high school athletic star who won the wrestling state championship his senior year. He earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Minnesota, but after a year the financial pressures of family life caused him to drop out and go to work.

Larry and his wife started a real estate company, and he later parlayed his strong amateur background into a tremendous success as a professional wrestler. Working mostly with the AWA, he became one of the top draws in the 1960s and '70s.

First known as Pretty Boy Hennig, he later took on a new personna and became Larry "The Axe" Hennig. He teamed with Harley Race (Class of 2005) to become world tag team champions on several occasions and was a singles star, as well. He and his son, Curt Hennig, won the NWA tag-team title in 1982.

Today, Larry owns a successful real estate company in St. Cloud, Minnesota and he stays active in the promotion of professional wrestling.

Bret Hart

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Bret Hart is the most famous product of the legendary Hart family of Calgary, Alberta. His father, Stu, was the cornerstone of the Hart legacy and had a strong passion for both amateur and professional wrestling. Under his father's guidance, Bret and his four brothers developed their amateur skills in youth tournaments. Bret won city championships and several other events before joining the Stampede pro wrestling organization in 1976, at age 19.

Known as "The Excellence of Execution" and "The Hitman," Bret attained tremendous success in the WWF (now WWE) and acquired numerous titles. His first major success came in tag-team wrestling, but he soon became a singles star. He won the WWF Intercontinental Championship in 1991 and captured the world heavyweight crown for the first time by defeating Ric Flair in 1992. He held the world heavyweight title on four other occasions.

He joined the WCW in 1998 and became a huge star there, as well, winning the world heavyweight championship along the way. Since retiring from the ring in 2000, Bret has appeared in movies and documentaries. He was the first inductee in the WCW Wall of Fame and is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

Dory Funk, Sr.

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Dory Funk, Sr. was a skilled amateur wrestler and all-around athlete before turning to the professional game in the late 1940s. A high school state champion in Indiana, Funk wrestled for the legendary coach Billy Thom at Indiana University prior to serving with the military in World War II

After the war, Funk embarked upon a long career that earned him many titles and vast recognition, both in and out of the ring. He won the NWA Junior Heavyweight title in 1958, and was also North American heavyweight champion on numerous occasions. He teamed with several stars, including Tragos/Thesz hall of famers Lou Thesz, Dick Hutton and Bob Geigel, the capture major tag-team titles.

In the 1950s, Dory served as superintendent and football coach at a boys ranch in Amarillo, Texas, in an effort to help underpriviledged children. His sons, Dory Jr. and Terry, were both legendary champions in their own right, both holding the world heavyweight title for long periods.

Dory Sr. died of a heart attack in 1973 at his home in Amarillo. He left behind a legacy of great wrestling matches and as a man who was generous in his support of others.

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