Hall of Fame: Finally...

Bruno Sammartino, the champ
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE Hall of Fame was created 20 years ago this month.  In February 1993, Andre the Giant was inducted.  He was the sole inductee that year and I believe was a relatively low key event.  In the years that followed, greats like Gorilla Monsoon, the Fabulous Moolah, and Buddy Rogers took their place in the hall.  The WWE took an eight year hiatus on inducting wrestlers, managers, and announcers before making it a big ceremony prior to Wrestlemania.  Legends like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Harley Race were then given the nod.

Through the years though one man has not been a part of the festivities.  Bruno Sammartino, the longest reigning WWE champion ever.  He held the title twice for a total of more than 11 years.  That is completely unheard of in this day and age.  I know things are different now with more TV and pay per views, but none-the-less, Bruno is a legend.

Bruno

There are a number of reasons why it took so long to get here, but the point of this blog is we're finally there.  I'm glad to hear that the WWE has reached a compromise with Bruno to induct "the Living Legend." I've read that Triple H helped to broker the deal.  Kudos to him for working so diligently to make this happen.  It's a long overdue honor and in my opinion helps make the WWE Hall of Fame seem a little more legit.  Add Bob Backlund to the mix this year and you've got two of the all time great champions going in.

I know some have argued Bruno had his chance and refused and the WWE should have moved on.  I disagree.  This is a significant moment and I'm happy to say I'll be live at Madison Square Garden to see the ceremony.  While I'm not the biggest Bruno fan, I can recognize his place in history and how important it is for him to be in the Hall of Fame.