Wrestling Landmarks Tour?

[ideamark]

I was just watching the "week in sports" show on the local Fox affiliate, and one of the highlights was a press conference featuring Tom Hanks, Ron Howard and Dennis Miller at a Reds game, as part of their national tour of major league baseball parks for Hanks' 50th birthday. Looked like they were having a GREAT time.

I've heard of other baseball fanatics visiting all the MLBl parks during a season.

Now... would this idea make sense for wrestling fans? Are there "landmarks" that you, as a wrestling fan, would want to visit -- arenas, museums, wrestler hometowns, etc -- that you'd want to experience in this lifetime?

If so, what landmarks would be on your wrestling tour?

Mark

PS
I've not done a single tour, but, over the years, made it a point to visit Mike Chapman's International Wrestling Institute & Museum in Newton, Iowa (only tilll the end of August, tho, so hurry -- it will open in Waterloo in 2007)... Frank Gotch's hometown in Humboldt, Iowa (county museum, his house, the state park named in his honor, and his masoleum)... Dan Gable's house and high school in Waterloo... and, just this spring, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater.

[RYou]

Got to go all of the great wrestling houses - in season.

[mojo]

Brother Mark,
Great topic. This is one of my favorite "sitting in a boring staff meeting" fantasies, although I think I will make it a reality with my son when he is in High School or so. Our agenda so far (not in a particular order at this point):
1. As brother RYOu suggested, the great wrestling houses, in season including:
Galleger Hall for the OSU v. OU dual.
Carver for Iowa v. Iowa St.
Penn St. for Penn St. v. Lehigh
Palestra for Penn v. Cornell
Cal Poly v. Bakersfield @ SLO
SF State for All California Tourny
NorthWestern for Midlands
California HS. State Championships
2. Stillwater for USA Wrestling HOF
3. Colorado Springs for US training center practice.
4. US World Team or Olympic Team trials
5. Mr. Chapmans International Wrestling HOF

Another trip I would love to make is an all sports HOF tour"
Cooperstown -Baseball
Canton- Football
Springfield (?) Basketball
Stillwater - Wrestling
Detroit - Boxing
(?) NCAA Hall of Fame
(?) Olympic HOF
Kansas City (?) Negro Baseball League HOF
Cleveland -Rock & Roll HOF

Both of these tours should be done by car (preferably a rental Lincoln Contenental or Cadillac) and at least one meal per day should be at a non chain, local diner! Can't wait!

[pink]

ryou said:

all of the great wrestling houses - in season.

I would ammend this to the above goal: Watch all the great rivalries .

[RYou]

mojo said:

Brother Mark,
Great topic. This is one of my favorite "sitting in a boring staff meeting" fantasies, although I think I will make it a reality with my son when he is in High School or so. Our agenda so far (not in a particular order at this point):
1. As brother RYOu suggested, the great wrestling houses, in season including:
Galleger Hall for the OSU v. OU dual.
Carver for Iowa v. Iowa St.
Penn St. for Penn St. v. Lehigh
Palestra for Penn v. Cornell
Cal Poly v. Bakersfield @ SLO
SF State for All California Tourny
NorthWestern for Midlands
California HS. State Championships
2. Stillwater for USA Wrestling HOF
3. Colorado Springs for US training center practice.
4. US World Team or Olympic Team trials
5. Mr. Chapmans International Wrestling HOF

Another trip I would love to make is an all sports HOF tour"
Cooperstown -Baseball
Canton- Football
Springfield (?) Basketball
Stillwater - Wrestling
Detroit - Boxing
(?) NCAA Hall of Fame
(?) Olympic HOF
Kansas City (?) Negro Baseball League HOF
Cleveland -Rock & Roll HOF

Both of these tours should be done by car (preferably a rental Lincoln Contenental or Cadillac) and at least one meal per day should be at a non chain, local diner! Can't wait!

Hey, both of these can be scheduled in a single season.
Galleger Hall for the OSU v. OU dual.
Carver for Iowa v. Iowa St.
Penn St. for Penn St. v. Lehigh Cooperstown is about 3 hours from Rec Hall then on south to Phily for....
Palestra for Penn v. Cornell (then we head back west out Rt 80 to Springfield for the BBall and Negroe League HoFs)
Cal Poly v. Bakersfield @ SLO - start of of tour, then onto SF State
SF State for All California Tourny
NorthWestern for Midlands - from Midlands on to Canton, then on to Penn State and Cooperstown with an overnbight in Detroit for Boxing HoF and another in Cleveland for the Rock HoF
California HS. State Championships (will fit this in later)
2. Stillwater for USA Wrestling HOF days prior to the OU v OSU dual3. Colorado Springs for US training center practice. (Last stop before heading on to the Cali State Championships4. US World Team or Olympic Team trials (vacation trip)
5. Mr. Chapmans International Wrestling HOF

Another trip I would love to make is an all sports HOF tour"
Cooperstown -Baseball
Canton- Football
Springfield (?) Basketball
Stillwater - Wrestling
Detroit - Boxing
(?) NCAA Hall of Fame
(?) Olympic HOF
Kansas City (?) Negro Baseball League HOF
Cleveland -Rock & Roll HOF

[ideamark]

Wow, cool -- a well-planned travel itinerary! Thanks RYou!

Mark

[swayz]

I will say if you go to OSU go around Valentine's Day...they always have a huge match like Iowa or Minnesota in town for excitement. Hall of Fame is great, then up the road you can go to Perry, OK where the lil cafe in town is covered with tons of wrestling nostalgia.

[ideamark]

wrestlersweazy said:

I will say if you go to OSU go around Valentine's Day...they always have a huge match like Iowa or Minnesota in town for excitement. Hall of Fame is great, then up the road you can go to Perry, OK where the lil cafe in town is covered with tons of wrestling nostalgia.

Sounds great!

BTW, Perry is where Dan Hodge is from, along with his Oklahoma Sooner teammate -- and 1956 NCAA heavyweight champ -- Gordon Roesler.

Mark

[guest007]

Snowmobile in to where Rulon froze his toes next winter.

Visit the factory where Tom Brands buys his 'grumpy pills'.

Visit Heber City, Utah and where Cael Sanderson is from and ride the 'Heber Creeper' steam train and fish for trout in the Provo River.

Visit Dan Gables birthplace.

Stop at any local apple orchard and meditate for awhile on Dan Hodge crushing apples with his legendary grip.

Go to the former home of John Dupont and piss on the porch.