| Legends of Pro Wrestling - A Book by Tim Hornbaker |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Click on book cover to order at Amazon.com |
NOW AVAILABLE
Professional wrestling's definitive encyclopedia, "Legends of
Pro Wrestling" opens the door to 150 years of the sport's
colorful history by spotlighting the biggest names ever to lace
up their boots. From Frank Gotch to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin,
"Legends of Pro Wrestling" features 500 superstars from all
corners of the world - and will instantly turn the casual fan into a
historian. With a wealth of information at their fingertips,
enthusiasts can enjoy learning about their favorite grapplers,
and, at the same time, read about a spectrum of historical
figures who influenced the sport, but are rarely appreciated.
Join Tim Hornbaker in an A to Z journey through history and
enjoy this comprehensive volume dedicated to honoring the
greatest wrestling superstars of all-time.
500 Wrestlers
500 Photographs
Published by Sports Publishing
Professional wrestling's definitive encyclopedia, "Legends of
Pro Wrestling" opens the door to 150 years of the sport's
colorful history by spotlighting the biggest names ever to lace
up their boots. From Frank Gotch to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin,
"Legends of Pro Wrestling" features 500 superstars from all
corners of the world - and will instantly turn the casual fan into a
historian. With a wealth of information at their fingertips,
enthusiasts can enjoy learning about their favorite grapplers,
and, at the same time, read about a spectrum of historical
figures who influenced the sport, but are rarely appreciated.
Join Tim Hornbaker in an A to Z journey through history and
enjoy this comprehensive volume dedicated to honoring the
greatest wrestling superstars of all-time.
500 Wrestlers
500 Photographs
Published by Sports Publishing
photo:wrealano@aol.com
photo:wrealano@aol.com
| Legends of Pro Wrestling features an Introduction by Hall of Fame Wrestling Legend Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka |
| Photos by Dr. Mike Lano |
Book Reviews:
Wrestling historian John Rauer
“This Legends of Pro Wrestling is a most comprehensive study and right up to date. I love the format. We all
have our favorites and this format allows me to zero in on the earliest time periods and my favorite
wrestlers. Some of the magnificent photographs I've never seen before and I've seen a lot. Your book was
impossible to put down all afternoon long.”
Bob Bryla of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, NY
“The recently published book, "Legends of Pro Wrestling", is an interesting and useful guide to cataloging
and memorializing the wrestlers who made professional wrestling so entertaining for so many people for so
many decades. Besides providing readers with a photo and brief biography, Tim Hornbaker has allowed the
seriously interested fan or historian the information that can set them off on a search for further data. For
example, knowing a wrestler's high school, college or hometown can permit an endless development of
knowledge. Thanks for a fun and practical book!”
LEGENDS OF PRO WRESTLING BOOK OFFERS MUCH
--- Review by Rich Tate, Georgiawrestlinghistory.com and RingsideRap.com
Tim Hornbaker’s most recent publication, Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams,
and Piledrivers, is significantly different from his critically acclaimed debut. While National Wrestling
Alliance: the Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling was an in depth study of the origins,
evolution, and downfall of an organized group of wrestling promoters and the often shady backstage
brokering that went on to entertain millions of fans make money for a select few, his sophomore effort is
more along the lines of a streamlined reference book looking at the major players inside the ring over the
years.
Legends is segmented into four categories going back into the nineteenth century, each section featuring a
summary of that period, followed by one or two page summaries for the key players during each era. There
are five hundred people whose career highlights are documented, and the foreword for the book was
written by Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka.
The only minor flaw with this is that there are some people within the final section where the jury may be out
on determining their status as a “legend”. With a reference book of this nature, it may have been more
logical to have ended the final period a decade or so ago, and then follow up with a revision a decade or so
from now, after some of these people had a little more of a track record.
Still, the research on the periods and the people are well worth the investment. While much of the
information in the book can be found on the Internet, Hornbaker has condensed it all into one place to
eliminate the need to search dozens of websites to get all the information and cull it together. In addition,
there are not many people who can summarize a period quite the way this author can.
Legends is definitely something anyone who wanted a deeper knowledge of the past should have, and it
works well as a quick reference piece when looking for information on a particular person or era.
Review of "Legends of Pro Wrestling" By Tim Hornbaker
by Alan Wojcik, Host of Kayfabe Wrestling Radio
The author of the critically acclaimed “National Wrestling Alliance: the Untold Story of the Monopoly That
Strangled Pro Wrestling” is back on the scene and he is giving the WWE Encyclopedia a run for its money.
Tim Hornbaker was not satisfied just covering the NWA; he spends 550 pages covering the stars of
yesterday and today. This is accomplished in Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams
& Piledrivers (Sports Publishing, $24.95) His book is opened by a forward from WWE Hall of Fame member
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.
Before people jump online and write mynameiswojcik@gmail.com saying I might be crapping on the work of
Brian Shields & Kevin Sullivan (Brian is a friend) in their critically acclaimed work on WWE & other
promotions, I offer full disclosure I have not read the Encyclopedia cover to cover. But I do not remember
the book going back to 1850. Mr. Hornbaker’s book breaks down the star biographies to the following eras:
1850-1920 the Pioneers Blaze a Trail, 1921-1950 Gimmicks & Ingenuity Rekindle Wrestling’s Popularity, 1951-
1975 Heroes & Villains Wage War in the Sacred Territories & 1976-2011 New Legends Are Born: From Hulking
Up to the GTS.
Stars of today like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Abyss, James Storm, Dolph Ziggler & others get the
biography treatment alongside the legends like Lou Thesz, Tom Jenkins, Fabulous Moolah, June Byers,
Wahoo McDaniel & Harley Race. Some people get one paragraph while Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, the Rock &
Andre the Giant get more ink.
I must be honest the 1850-1950 was the best chapters for me because I learned so much about the past of
professional wrestling. I have been covering the business for a decade and been a fan since the 1980’s and
even I had no idea who some of these men and women were. Mr. Hornbaker must be commended for his
meticulous research paired with others, plus getting photos from the best in the business plus the Jack
Pfefer Collection at the University of Notre Dame.
This must be added to your collection if you are a fan of the legends and if not still get it so you can learn
about the stars who paved the way for today’s WWE superstars.
Click Here for a "Legends of Pro Wrestling" Book Review in SLAM! Wrestling
Wrestling historian John Rauer
“This Legends of Pro Wrestling is a most comprehensive study and right up to date. I love the format. We all
have our favorites and this format allows me to zero in on the earliest time periods and my favorite
wrestlers. Some of the magnificent photographs I've never seen before and I've seen a lot. Your book was
impossible to put down all afternoon long.”
Bob Bryla of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Amsterdam, NY
“The recently published book, "Legends of Pro Wrestling", is an interesting and useful guide to cataloging
and memorializing the wrestlers who made professional wrestling so entertaining for so many people for so
many decades. Besides providing readers with a photo and brief biography, Tim Hornbaker has allowed the
seriously interested fan or historian the information that can set them off on a search for further data. For
example, knowing a wrestler's high school, college or hometown can permit an endless development of
knowledge. Thanks for a fun and practical book!”
LEGENDS OF PRO WRESTLING BOOK OFFERS MUCH
--- Review by Rich Tate, Georgiawrestlinghistory.com and RingsideRap.com
Tim Hornbaker’s most recent publication, Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams,
and Piledrivers, is significantly different from his critically acclaimed debut. While National Wrestling
Alliance: the Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling was an in depth study of the origins,
evolution, and downfall of an organized group of wrestling promoters and the often shady backstage
brokering that went on to entertain millions of fans make money for a select few, his sophomore effort is
more along the lines of a streamlined reference book looking at the major players inside the ring over the
years.
Legends is segmented into four categories going back into the nineteenth century, each section featuring a
summary of that period, followed by one or two page summaries for the key players during each era. There
are five hundred people whose career highlights are documented, and the foreword for the book was
written by Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka.
The only minor flaw with this is that there are some people within the final section where the jury may be out
on determining their status as a “legend”. With a reference book of this nature, it may have been more
logical to have ended the final period a decade or so ago, and then follow up with a revision a decade or so
from now, after some of these people had a little more of a track record.
Still, the research on the periods and the people are well worth the investment. While much of the
information in the book can be found on the Internet, Hornbaker has condensed it all into one place to
eliminate the need to search dozens of websites to get all the information and cull it together. In addition,
there are not many people who can summarize a period quite the way this author can.
Legends is definitely something anyone who wanted a deeper knowledge of the past should have, and it
works well as a quick reference piece when looking for information on a particular person or era.
Review of "Legends of Pro Wrestling" By Tim Hornbaker
by Alan Wojcik, Host of Kayfabe Wrestling Radio
The author of the critically acclaimed “National Wrestling Alliance: the Untold Story of the Monopoly That
Strangled Pro Wrestling” is back on the scene and he is giving the WWE Encyclopedia a run for its money.
Tim Hornbaker was not satisfied just covering the NWA; he spends 550 pages covering the stars of
yesterday and today. This is accomplished in Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams
& Piledrivers (Sports Publishing, $24.95) His book is opened by a forward from WWE Hall of Fame member
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.
Before people jump online and write mynameiswojcik@gmail.com saying I might be crapping on the work of
Brian Shields & Kevin Sullivan (Brian is a friend) in their critically acclaimed work on WWE & other
promotions, I offer full disclosure I have not read the Encyclopedia cover to cover. But I do not remember
the book going back to 1850. Mr. Hornbaker’s book breaks down the star biographies to the following eras:
1850-1920 the Pioneers Blaze a Trail, 1921-1950 Gimmicks & Ingenuity Rekindle Wrestling’s Popularity, 1951-
1975 Heroes & Villains Wage War in the Sacred Territories & 1976-2011 New Legends Are Born: From Hulking
Up to the GTS.
Stars of today like CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Abyss, James Storm, Dolph Ziggler & others get the
biography treatment alongside the legends like Lou Thesz, Tom Jenkins, Fabulous Moolah, June Byers,
Wahoo McDaniel & Harley Race. Some people get one paragraph while Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, the Rock &
Andre the Giant get more ink.
I must be honest the 1850-1950 was the best chapters for me because I learned so much about the past of
professional wrestling. I have been covering the business for a decade and been a fan since the 1980’s and
even I had no idea who some of these men and women were. Mr. Hornbaker must be commended for his
meticulous research paired with others, plus getting photos from the best in the business plus the Jack
Pfefer Collection at the University of Notre Dame.
This must be added to your collection if you are a fan of the legends and if not still get it so you can learn
about the stars who paved the way for today’s WWE superstars.
Click Here for a "Legends of Pro Wrestling" Book Review in SLAM! Wrestling