Posted by a1wrestling.com
on Tuesday 27 March 2001

 
Recently, A1wrestling interviewed Tony Vellano, who currently sits as the head of 
the board of directors for the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. In this interview, Vellano 
discusses the Hall of Fame, the upcoming dinner, and other issues. 

A1: Welcome, Tony. Thank you for this opportunity.
TV: I want to thank you for the opportunity you are giving the Pro Wrestling Hall of 
Fame by putting the Hall of Fame on your web site. I think with your help this dream 
of a Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame will become a reality. 

A1: Before we discuss the Hall of Fame, could you discuss your background, including 
your interest in Professional Wrestling and other sports?
TV: Sure. I am one of three children of Antoinette and Anthony Vellano. My family has 
been in the contracting business for 55 years, and starting our 4th generation of family 
involvement. My brothers and I were and are still involved in sports. My younger brother 
was a professional football player, and was an All American out of the University of Maryland. 
My older brother is a baseball historian and he was the president of the St. Louis Cardinal 
franchises that our family owned in the 80's. In 1989, the Boxing Hall of Fame opened up in 
Canastota, NY. I live 95 miles from the hall. Being a boxing fan, I went to as many functions 
I could. After three times of trying, I became a board member of the Hall of Fame. An opening 
on the NYS Athletic Commission opened up and I was asked to fill it, which I did. My job was 
to make sure that the boxing and wrestling shows that were held in New York State including 
Long Island were run within the rules set up by the State Athletic Commission. I left the 
commission in September 2000. I was then asked to work for the Oneida Indian Athletic 
Commission at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY and I presently sit as the head 
of our board of directors for the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

A1: On to the Hall of Fame. First, when and how did you come up with the idea for the 
Hall of Fame?
TV: I came up with the idea of the Pro wrestling Hall of Fame, when, after talking to 
wrestlers, I found out a Hall of Fame didn't exist. I thought there should be, so I 
wrote to the New York State Board of Education and was granted a charter on 12/17/1999. 
To think that some of the older wrestlers are being forgotten and memorabilia is being 
lost or stored in attics is a shame. We should preserve their memories and their memorabilia. 
I think the Hall of Fame would be great in the Capital Region. 

A1: Why do you think the Hall of Fame will be successful in the Albany, NY region?
TV: For one thing it would be the 6th Hall of Fame within a 100 miles of Schenectady. 
We already have baseball, basketball, soccer, boxing and horse racing. The Pro wrestling 
Hall of Fame seems to just fit! Just think of a family driving to the upstate NY area 
being able to travel from Hall of Fame -to- Hall of Fame. What a great weekend! 

A1: Describe the community support you have received.
TV: I have had great community support. The support ranges from monetary to volunteering.

A1: Update us on the progress of the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
TV: We are in the process of putting on our inaugural dinner on April 7th in Schenectady. 
We are setting up our web site (http://www.pwhf.org), setting up our gift shop online to 
sell articles with the PWHF logo on them 

A1: What wrestlers are going to be at the dinner on April 7th?
TV: We will be hosting Killer Kowalski, George "The Animal" Steele, Jimmy Hart, Cousin Luke, 
referee Billy Silverman and Da Baldies! 

A1: How big will the dinner be and are there tickets still available?
TV: The 200 seat dinner is already sold out! 

A1: When do you think the Hall of Fame will be open for business?
TV: I feel that the Hall of Fame is already opened for business. We have a sold out dinner 
on our hands and when the web site is up we will be selling articles with Hall of Fame logos 
on them, as well as, sponsorships and memberships. We are planning an induction ceremony for 
May, 2002, which will include a golf outing, a 5k run, a memorabilia show, dinner and an 
induction ceremony with the issuance of a Hall of Fame ring. 

A1: When will tickets be available for this event?
TV: We don't have a set date but we will inform you when tickets are available. 

A1: Given the choice, who would you induct first and why?
TV: I would induct Bruno Sammartino because he is the living legend. It would be an honor for 
us all if he would accept. The Hall of Fame does not induct people. We only put on ceremonies 
for those chosen by an induction committee of sportswriters and such in the business. 

A1: Who in the wrestling business has supported the Hall of Fame?
TV: The WCW, ECW, various independents and various web sites such as a1wrestling.com 

A1: The Baseball Hall of Fame inducts athletes based on career statistics and are voted 
in by the baseball writers. What process is in place for inducting the wrestlers?
TV: We have set up a committee to call and ask different people in the wrestling industry to 
sit on a board of selectors. These people will decide who will be inducted.

A1: How will the voice of the fans be heard?
TV: We have also set up a block of 900 numbers to call to register as a fan who you would like 
to see in the Hall of Fame. We as a hall would then pass that information on to the selection 
committee for review only! The poll does not mean that the person would be inducted, but would 
tell the committee only of fan response. The numbers are:

Andre the Giant: (900) 950-1100 
Verne Gagne: (900) 950-1101
Ed "Strangler" Lewis: (900) 950-1102
Bruno Sammartino: (900) 950-1103
Lou Thesz: (900) 950-1104. 

Please call and let us know who your favorite wrestler in the group is.

A1: Who votes/decides?
TV: Every candidate is carefully scrutinized and must receive at least 80% approval of the board 
at the annual meeting before he can be elected. A scale of negative votes for elimination that will vary 
depending on the number of selectors in attendance is used. When the selectors meet, they will have 
before them a roster of final candidates, along with detailed biographies on each 

A1: How many wrestlers will be inducted per year?
TV: There is no set number for any class of enshrinees but, the boards current ground rules do 
stipulate a maxim of new members will be selected each year 

A1: What are the criteria that will be used to judge wrestlers? Is there a process to elect 
old timers for membership?
TV: To assure that older performers will be considered along with the younger breed, the seniors 
committee made up of veteran members of the overall selection committee will name one nominee 
from the pre-1970 era to be included on the final list. The other finalists will be survivors 
from a preliminary list of some 60-70 candidates that the board will have screened by email. 
Any fan may nominate any qualified person who has been connected with Pro Wrestling in any capacity 
simply by writing or via the 900 numbers. The only restriction is that the wrestler must be 
retired for a period of at least 5 years, before he can be considered. For a non-layer there is 
no mandatory retirement period. Every nomination received will be processed and forwarded to the 
board of selectors. 

A1: What role will the Hall of Fame have in selecting wrestlers? How do jobbers get evaluated 
and how do you account for politics in wrestling?
TV: The Hall of Fame itself has no say whatsoever as to who is or is not elected to membership. 
The only function of the hall is to process the nominations as they arrive and coordinate the 
annual meeting.

A1: How do you feel about Pete Rose being denied entry into the Hall of Fame?
TV: I feel he should be in the hall. If not now, then after he dies for sure. What gets me is 
that Joe Jackson was slapped with a lifetime ban. What is a lifetime ban? I think if you die - 
you served your lifetime ban.

A1: Last question. Are there any other events scheduled?
TV: A golf outing is planned for July and a 5k race is being planned.