Wrestling News Wire Hall Of Fame Class Of 2013: The Dynamite KId

In 1978, a young man from Great Britain named Tom Billington traveled to Calgary, Alberta Canada to begin wrestling for Stu Hart's legendary Stampede Wrestling. Quickly Billington, billed as The Dynamite Kid, shocked audiences with high flying acrobatics never before seen in pro wrestling. Billington quickly became the top star in Stampede, a territory notorious for its full contact technical wrestling. After becoming a huge star in Japan in the late 1980's he returned to North America to compete for the WWF where he would team with his brother in law Davey Boy Smith as The British Bulldogs. They captured the WWE World Tag Team Championships and had many memorable matches competing against brother in laws Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart. Sadly from here, Dynamites career went on a downward spiral. Years of drug abuse, matched with his high flying, high risk style began to take their toll on his body and his personal life. He parted ways with the WWF in 1988 and returned to Japan. In 1991, Dynamite Kid announced his retirement from wrestling, but ended up wrestling sporadically for the next few years. In 1994 he divorced from his wife Michelle Hart. In 1996, Dynamite wrestled his final match in Japan. While at the airport after the match, Dynamite suffered a seizure that paralyzed his left leg, confining him to a wheelchair. Despite his personal demons cutting his 

career short, The Dynamite Kid is considered by many to be the best pound for pound pro wrestler in history. He is credited with single handily putting Junior Heavyweight wrestling on the map. His contribution to the business goes far beyond his personal accomplishments. A whole generation of stars like Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Rob Van Dam, Jerry Lynn and many others claim that watching The Dynamite Kid is what inspired them to wrestlers. In a era still dominated by headlocks and Boston crabs, Dynamite Kid literally came flying through the door and jumped straight to the top of the pro wrestling industry. It is with great admiration that I induct The Dynamite Kid into the Wrestling News Wire Hall Of Fame Class Of 2013.