A Museum That Protects And Honors The History Of Pro Wrestling, With Plaques, A Research Library, Wrestler Room And More
“It’s classic Americana. The battle of good and evil…what is more American than that?” Those are the words of Cowboy Johnny Mantell, president of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Wichita Falls, Texas. Located in the “Big Blue” building in downtown Wichita Falls, the museum has been alive for over 15 years, though most of its life was spent in upstate New York. In March of 2016, the museum opened its doors in Texas. Mantell explains that the board of directors in New York wanted to move to the middle of the country due to the demands of the museum not being met in Amsterdam, New York. “Factories were being closed, which hurt the town and led to it not having enough hotel rooms or facilities to host our hall of fame induction ceremonies,” Mantell says. Wichita Falls was chosen because the city of Wichita Falls heard of the desire to move by people like Mantell and are using it to help revitalize the downtown. “They are hoping, as are we, that this will be a big tourist draw to the area,” Mantell says.
So what does the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame have and why does it exist? Opened 6 days a week and supported by some of the most famous wrestlers of all time (Mick Foley, Stone Cold Steve Austin, to name a few) it has 7000 square feet of plaques, a research library, independent wrestler room, a military room, and more. It is exists to “protect and honor the history of professional wrestling,” Mantell says. It has hall of famers, voted by wrestlers and wrestling historians, from the 19th century wrestlers of the pioneer era to the modern wrestlers on TV. Voted as one of the top 17 things to see in Texas for 2017, the hall of fame has seen visitors from 46 states and 15 different countries in the past six months – avid fans who journey out to Texoma to see memorabilia that has been donated from wrestlers and families of wrestlers.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the museum is the very American story of wrestlers that it shares. “Wrestling has always been a family,” Mantell says, “it has changed, but it still is and always will be.” Mantell should know as he spent several decades being a professional wrestler and his story is one that illustrates an American dream.
Johnny Mantell was born in California and dreamed of playing baseball. “My first love is baseball,” he says, “but I blew out my knee when I was in high school and then started to play football.” He started working full time nights at UPS to support his college when his brother, Ken (who also was a professional wrestler), told him he could train a bit and start wrestling to pay for college. His first fight was in Bakersfield, CA and from there he found his calling. Like a rodeo cowboy, wrestlers in the 70s and 80s drove around the country participating in fights to hone their skills and mastering the wrestling craft. “You could fight 7 nights a week,” Mantell recalls, “the veterans would teach us newbies how to fight and how to act. It was like any trade where the newbies became apprentices to the veterans who taught them how to continue the tradition.” Mantell jokes that wrestlers were part-time truck drivers, part-time seamstresses, and part-time wrestlers. “A jack of all trades,” he says, “I carried a sewing kit with me all the time in those days in case my spandex got ripped.”
Mantell remains grateful for his time as a professional wrestler. “I traveled all over the world on the wrestling dollar,” Mantell says, “I’ve been to Japan 22 times, wrestled in Brazil, China, Mexico and others.” He mentions there are differences in wrestling in each of the countries. In Japan, for example, “when I started the Japanese would sit in silence during the match and then clap when it was over,” he says, “and they would work you hard. If you were there 27 days, you would fight 26 nights.”
He loved it all, though, and participated professionally in wrestling, wrestling the likes of Andre the Giant and others, until 2005 when he got in a major car accident that degloved 1/3 of his skull. After extensive therapy, he fought his way back into the life he has now. “My wife noticed I was depressed most of the time and was only happy when I talked about wrestling,” he recalls. So they started a wrestling school for young wrestlers to learn their craft. “The boys would come out to my ranch on Sundays and we would train and then we would break bread at night as wrestling is family.” He says that nowadays the young wrestlers don’t get a chance to hone their skills like he did and he wants to find ways to help them.
Cowboy Johnny Mantell’s story is just one of the many that are at the museum. “The wrestlers and their families donate so much,” he says, “it is very humbling and gives my life a purpose.” He mentions that Dwayne Johnson’s mother (“The Rock”) has put together a bunch of things about his dad, who was a wrestler, Mick Foley has his own exhibit, and Stone Cold Steve Austin is working on one too. “Every week, I receive at least two packages in the mail with some new memorabilia. It is really exciting,” he says. He hopes the museum will grow in the “best small city in the United States,” until his great-great grandkids will admire it and recognize what their family has done for the sport of wrestling.
Andrew Malo
A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Education, Andrew has taught for the past decade in Chicago, New Mexico, and Japan. He enjoys tinkering with trucks and motorcycles, woodworking, reading and computer programming.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Wichita Falls RV Park, a privately owned RV park within the city limits of Wichita Falls, Texas. Convenient to Wichita Falls Multi Purpose Event Center (MPEC), Lucy Park Nature Trails and much more. With over 60 overnight sites including pull-thrus and back ins.