Miguel Discart/Flickr Creative Commons
Like it or not, Texas has had a long and storied relationship with professional wrestling. Mom may not have liked it, but you have to admit…watching professional wrestling is a guilty pleasure for a lot of us. Whether you’re throwing popcorn at the TV or laughing at the horrible acting during the promos…wrestling is thoroughly entertaining. Even the “Doubting Thomas” super-skeptics get into watching as close as possible to spot the “fake” hits and falls.
Needless to say, it doesn’t matter what generation you belong to…Texas has represented itself in the highest tier of professional wrestling going back 50 years. From Stone Cold Steve Austin to Eddie Guerrero to The Undertaker to name some of the most famous modern day wrestlers, to The legendary Von Erich family, the Funks, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and Dusty Rhodes who were some of Texas’ most famous wrestlers from the 70’s and 80’s, all the way back to the classic era of the 60’s with the likes of Ivan Putski, Texans have been the creme of the crop.
All of this is celebrated in Wichita Falls at the Professional Wrestling Museum and Hall of Fame. If you’re headed east or west across the Red River edge of Texas, you’re more than likely going to pass through Wichita Falls. It’s located on highway 287 and is the southern terminus of I-44 coming out of Oklahoma. The Professional Wrestling Museum is full of exhibits and paraphernalia associated with Texas wrestling past. Also, since the Hall of Fame is located there and there are numerous gatherings throughout the year with autograph signings and get-togethers.
So if your husband has dutifully walked quietly behind you at the quilting supply stores or art galleries or antiques stores and participated in all those things you like to do, give him an hour or so to wander through the wrestling museum. You may not like the road conversation for the next hour or two, but I bet he’s smiling and chuckling.