* CLASS OF 2004 HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS *
Esther Boyer Theater @
Segment 13 – First Induction
We return from commercial back in the Esther Boyer Theater
at the
Cade: Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the first-ever
Progressive Entertainment Hall of Fame inductions. The three men that
will be enshrined tonight are men that have, through the years, personified
everything it means to be a PWA superstar, to be a champion. Without any
further adieu, let’s get to our first inductee. A staple of this company
from 1998 until his retirement two months ago in Houston, this man has done it
all. Between CAW and PWA, he has been a world champion on seven different
occasions, along with being a flagbearer for every company he has ever worked
for. Let’s now take a look back at the amazing career of Mike Tortorici.
A video package then airs, set to “Time to Burn” by The Rasmus, showing highlights
from Mike Tortorici’s 20-year pro wrestling career, with focus on the last six
years of that career, spent in CAW and PWA. As the package concludes, we
return to the podium, where the PWA Champion Scythe is standing, meeting a wave
of applause.
Scythe: Thank you. This night isn’t about me though. This
night is about three men who gave everything to this business and are now
getting something back. Tonight’s first inductee is a man that gave me my
first real rub in this company. Back in April of 2003, I was getting into
a groove, but was still just another unproven midcarder on the roster.
However, there was one man who agreed to take me on at a large scale
pay-per-view, an established legend who didn’t need to take the match. But
he gave me that shot, and I had one of the greatest matches of my career.
Sure, I didn’t emerge from that match a winner, but the performance jumpstarted
my career, and when I finally beat him two months later, it led to me winning
the International title, and using that momentum to ultimately become the PWA
Champion. Mike Tortorici passed his torch to me when he retired two
months ago, and thus far, I have done everything in my power to live up to the
honor. Tomorrow night, I’ll continue with that when I attempt to defend
this title, but tonight, we are here to honor the man that was the catalyst to
my success. Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Tortorici.
The people in attendance applaud loudly as Mike Tortorici rises from his
seat and walks over to the podium, shaking hands with Scythe as he
approaches. Tortorici, wearing a three-piece suit, as is everyone
tonight, stands at the podium, looking noticeably choked up at the reception he
has received.
Tortorici: Thank you. Thank you all. You know, it’s been
over two months since I’ve last attended a wrestling event, and it feels good
to be back under these circumstances here tonight. Being inducted into
the Progressive Entertainment Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor, and it’s
something that’s been very important to me for a long time. Ever since I
first heard about this, I’ve wanted to be a part of it. To be included in
the class of 2004, the very first class of inductees, is a huge honor.
Being inducted into this Hall of Fame alongside Jason Calysto and Vulture, two
men I respect immensely in this business, is also a great honor. I’d like
to thank everyone that’s helped me along the way over the years, especially all
those who helped get me started in the business. My career began some
twenty years ago working northeastern independent promotions, but I didn’t meet
big success until I went up to Montreal in ‘89 and worked local independent
shows up there. I became a big draw in
Tortorici then takes his plaque and
returns to his seat, met with the deafening cheers of the Esther Boyer Theater
as we take a commercial break.
-COMMERCIAL BREAK #5-
Segment 14 – Second Induction
Back from commercial, we join Nick Cade
and Rick Madsen at the podium.
Madsen: Our next inductee is an individual that has become synonymous
with grit and determination over his lengthy career, a career which came to an
end eight months ago at Revival when losing a career-ending match to The
Machine. Before having his career ended, he amassed an overwhelming resume,
becoming CAW Champion on four different occasions, becoming the first-ever PWA
Champion, unifying the PWA, CAW, and FSW championships, and earning a total of
seven world championships through two different companies. Ladies and
gentlemen, let’s take a look at the career of the Iceman Jason Calysto.
A video package then airs, set to “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam, showing
highlights from Jason Calysto’s illustrious career, stretching from the
early days of CAW to his most recent exploits in the PWA. As the package
comes to a close, we return to the podium, where Jaguar is standing to a huge
ovation.
Jaguar: When I was asked to prepare a speech for this
event, I gave the idea some thought, but very little as I declined it. I
said I didn't need any prepared speech to do what I needed to do this evening.
All the things that I would discuss would be right here in this city, and some
right in this building. Let me take you back in time to
The crowd then comes to its feet as they applaud "The
Iceman." Calysto rises from his seat and raises the arm of Jaguar and
points to the man he defeated for his last PWA World Heavyweight Championship
in demand for another ovation. Jaguar applauds Calysto and makes his way off
the stage as the Iceman begins to speak.
Calysto: It is certainly a tremendous honor to be
amongst the first class of inductees to the PWA Hall of Fame. I think
that first and foremost I would like to thank Mike Scarchilli. If it
weren’t for all the time and hard work that has been put into PWA thus far, it
could never have been as successful as it is. It has always been Mike’s
vision and creativity that has brought the promotion from the primitive stages
of CAW to the nationally read organization that PWA has become, and without his
dedication I certainly would not be standing here tonight. I would also
like to thank James Carr, Mike Pantozzi, and Geoff Chang for all the work they
put into PWA each and every week, as well as Greg Tarascio for bringing these
shows to life. They have certainly been a huge part of the enormous
success PWA has become. You know, I still remember when CAW was a wild,
unpredictable show on Attitude that was sloppily thrown together just for fun
without and real direction…and I loved it. Hell, that’s where I got my
start, wrestling in the Light Heavyweight division, and eventually making my
way up to an Intercontinental championship contender, and meeting only mixed
success at first. I certainly did not just jump right into the spotlight,
and every stride I made I built more and more momentum, Jason Carnevale came
more and more into his own and became a recognizable trademark of CAW.
All that led up to
Calysto then returns to his seat, reveling in the cheers of
the rabid
-COMMERCIAL BREAK #6-
Segment 15 – Third Induction
Back from commercial, Nick Cade and Rick
Madsen are again at the podium.
Cade: Alright folks, we’ve inducted two superstars already tonight,
and now just one remains. The superstar left to be enshrined in the PWA
Hall of Fame is a man that has been synonymous with the PWA since it’s first
day of operation. He is a man that, behind the scenes, has been a major
driving force behind PWA, CAW, and even FSW. He is a man that founded
Carey Attitude Wrestling back in 1998. A man that dominated northeastern
independent promotions for much of the 1990s before finally getting the
spotlight he deserved in the company that he created. A man that has made
as many stars as people he has defeated. A man who, tomorrow night, will
be forced to retire from active competition, but not without leaving an
overwhelming legacy behind him. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s take a look
back at what was the career of Vulture.
A video package airs, set to “Requiem” by the Tea Party,
highlighting the 21-year career of Vulture, taking us through his days on the
indy circuit, his five reigns as CAW Champion, reign as FSW Champion, and
tenure as the Vulture character once again, with his two PWA Championship
reigns. Also highlighted in the video was Vulture’s tumultuous and
ongoing romantic relationships on-screen that have been as much of a staple of
his character as his success in the ring. As the piece comes to a close,
Jackie Baccaro is standing at the podium to a sizeable ovation.
Baccaro: You know, not too many people know this, but
Vulture is the guy I owe my whole career to. Four years ago, I was a
20-year-old kid with no direction when I met Vulture. He encouraged me to
get into the wrestling business and, in his spare time, trained me, taught me
the craft. The man worked with me during his days off from CAW to get me
into wrestling shape and show me what I needed to know to be a success in this
business. After training with him for over a year, I broke out on my own,
working small independent promotions until March of 2003, when, after meeting
up with me again, Vulture got me a gig in NYCW, PWA’s developmental
organization. Well, a few months later, I impressed the right people and
made it onto the PWA roster, but Vulture was the guy who believed in me, the
guy who showed me the way, and the guy who gave me the opportunity to crack
this roster. Now, not only am I on the PWA roster, but I’m a former tag
team champion, the rookie of the year, and have a chance to regain that tag
team title tomorrow night. For this, I’m forever indebted, and it is with
great honor and great privilege that I introduce the man himself. Ladies
and gentlemen, give it up, here he is, one last time, Vulture!
The fans then cheer wildly as a smiling
Vulture rises from his seat and approaches the podium. Vulture shakes
Baccaro’s hand and pulls him close, embracing him and thanking him, before
taking the podium.
Vulture: Well, I guess this is it guys. 21 long years and it all
culminates in this. Honestly, I’m flattered and honored beyond belief to
have been inducted as part of the first class of the PWA Hall of Fame.
You know, though the PWA has only encompassed the final two of my 21 years as
an active wrestler, I’d have to say that they have been the most fun. The
simple reason for this is that for 19 years, I’ve been known as an independent
standout, and a guy that should be doing main events for a major national
promotion. There was the WWF, WCW, even ECW at the beginning, but through
it all, I remained true to my independent roots and let Vulture remain as that
wrestler for all the hardcore fans, the guy who never sold out. I’ve
always said that if I were going to break out on a national scale, it would be
on my own terms, and it absolutely was. I started my career 21 years ago,
in the summer of 1983, working small Queens-area independent promotions.
I won my first heavyweight championship in 1989, but I didn’t start really
having fun until 1992, when I first met a man known as James Carr. Jaguar
and I rode up and down the northeast together, beating the hell out of everyone
that came our way in the tag team ranks. I am proud and honored to say
that, together, the two of us never lost a tag team match. Not even
once. That is one of the record that I hold most special to me, and to
have wrestled that match with him on Frequency this past week, for old times’
sake, was a great honor. Anyway, I was always one of the – if not THE –
top draw on the northeastern indy circuit throughout the 90s, rivaled only by
Mike Tortorici, a guy who the fans always wanted to see me wrestle, but it just
never happened. That is, until 1998 came along, and, having been
heavyweight champion of six different independent companies, I sought out
something bigger. So, with the financial backing of Jerry Georgatos, I founded
Carey Attitude Wrestling. Sure, it was another glorified northeastern
indy, but it was MY glorified northeastern indy. And Jerry and I made
sure to bring the top talent from all over the northeast to CAW, and we became
a critically-acclaimed indy hotbed. I brought in Bryan Conroy and Jason
Carnevale, two of my closest friends in and out of the business, and gave them
the opportunity to become stars, and they certainly didn’t let anyone
down. I brought in Mike Tortorici and gave the fans the match they wanted
to see, and when Tort and I got in the ring that first time… it was fever,
man. I’ll never forget it. That was over four years ago.
Right around the time I hooked up with a young kid named Jackie Baccaro, who
started developing and has never looked back. I’m telling you, JB will be
a world champion before his career is done, you mark my words. I didn’t
teach him how to lose. I think the thing I’m proudest of during my CAW
tenure was convincing James Carr to come on board. James and I have been
tight since the day we met up in ’92, but he couldn’t catch a break. I
knew that, in the right environment, he’d develop into a superstar. Well,
he came to CAW in the fall of 2000, and by the spring of 2002, he had won his
first world championship. There were so many things that were great about
CAW that I hated seeing it close down in the summer of 2002. But, at the
same time, I knew that it had to happen. The time was right for CAW and
FSW to merge and succeed on a national scale. So, when Bryan Conroy
contacted me about coming on board with PWA, I was all ears. Great things
come to those with patience. I held out on pursuing a national wrestling
company for 19 years, despite what everyone told me, only to have a new
national wrestling company, centered around me and my peers from the CAW/FSW
days, fall right into my lap. Believe me, over the two years I’ve been
here, I’ve known that I didn’t have much time left in my career. I mean,
I’m still a relatively young man, but when you break into the business at 17,
you don’t give your body much of a chance to make it to 40 still doing what
you’re doing. But honestly, I have absolutely no regrets when it comes to
my career. I’m just looking forward to going home, relaxing, and enjoying
my life away from the business. However, as you all know, there is one
small piece of business I have to take care of before I can do that.
Tomorrow night. Greg Tantalus. So, no lofty predictions about the
match, I’m just gonna go out there and do what I’ve done for the past 21 years,
what’s made what I am. What is that? Simple. Win. Guys,
thanks again for everything, thank you to everyone I’ve ever worked with,
thanks to the Iceman and Jaguar especially for making the road an easy place to
deal with, thanks to Jack Baccaro for making me feel like my legacy stretches
beyond myself, thank you to my cutie, Lauren Tantalus, you’ve gotten me through
some real rough times, and I’m sure there are more to come and I thank you in
advance, and last, but certainly not least, a huge thanks to each and every one
of you fans for making my career and my life a dream come true. Take
care.
A standing ovation meets Vulture as “Falling from the Sky” blasts onto the
speakers. Mike Tortorici and Jason Calysto join Vulture at the podium and
all three raise each others hands in the air.
Madsen: Ladies and gentlemen, your Hall of Fame Class of 2004!
The fans cheer raucously as the three shake hands and hug, and other
wrestlers now crowd the stage to do the same. As this happens, Nick Cade
takes us home.
Cade: Folks, that’s it for tonight! For Rick Madsen, I’m Nick
Cade saying see you tomorrow night at Everlasting Epic 3!