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Jimmy Hart Inducts Hillbilly Jim Into The WWE Hall Of Fame (Photos, Video)

hillbilly jim wwe hall of fame

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Robert Lentini

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Jimmy Hart inducted Hillbilly Jim into the WWE Hall of Fame tonight. Hart stated that Hillbilly Jim grew up loving 3 things, playing his guitar, going to his grandmother’s house every week to watch professional wrestling and playing basketball for his high school. Jimmy noted that Hillbilly Jim took a job as a bouncer at a bar/nightclub. He would work as a bouncer during the day and then play music during the night. One day, a local wrestling promoter came in and said that he wanted to make Jim a star and put him on the road.

Hillbilly Jim still waited for that one phone call from the WWE and he finally got it. Hart brought Hillbilly Jim blowing his knee out and had to undergo a 6 hour operation. The doctor told him that it would be a miracle if he ever wrestles again. Hillbilly Jim made his comeback at WrestleMania 3. Hart said that Hillbilly Jim was the person that got him into WWE and that he wouldn’t be up here today if it wasn’t for him. Hart added that Hillbilly Jim has been his friend for almost 39 years now and then introduced Hillbilly Jim.

Hillbilly Jim said that he knows that this can be kind of a long evening and that he was going to try to keep his comments as brief as he could. He said that he had some things to talk about and a lot of people to thank. Hillbilly noted that he was in a gym one day in Kentucky and a guy came up to him and said that he would be good for this business. The man was Beautiful Bruce Swayze and that started him going and it never slowed down for him.

He brought up Jim Ross’ HOF speech and how he used a word that described him and the word was “opportunity”. He stated that everyone needs to take their opportunities seriously because they will go to the next person if you don’t. Jim brought up taking every opportunity that came before him. He noted getting a call from Stu Hart and he invited him to come compete at Stampede Wrestling. He stated that Stu was wonderful him and he got to work several times a week.

Hillbilly then brought up Bruce Hart and thanked him. He added that he got another call from a WWE future Hall of Famer that he has an idea for him if he wants to come to Memphis. The man was Jerry Lawler and he and Jerry Jarrett wanted to do some stuff with them in Memphis. Hillbilly Jim brought up meeting Pat Patterson and how he helped him get into this company.

He said that he never wanted to leave and he stayed the entire time. Hillbilly said that Hogan took him under his wing and that his deal was made right there. He added that this business took an old boy from Kentucky that didn’t have anything really besides a big hillbilly smile. They took him and made it possible for his family to have a whole lot of everything. Jim noted that the industry can be tough on families and that he is glad he survived.

Jim stated that the fans accepted him from day one and they never left him. He said that he was asked by a writer and responded that “it is not about how I want to be remembered, it is that I will be remembered”. Jim brought up thinking about the wrestlers that aren’t here and mentioned Johnny Valiant, Andre the Giant, Lord Alfred Hayes, Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, Freddie Blassie, Captain Lou Albano, Macho Man and Randy Savage. Hillbilly added that he has never gotten over losing his friend Roddy Piper. The crowd chanted Roddy as Hillbilly told everyone to enjoy WrestleMania weekend.

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