Scott Steiner & Waterloo HOF

This past Friday Impact Pro Wrestling hosted the annual Dan Gable Hall of Fame Museum pro wrestling show. I was fortunate to be a part of it. This year one of the inductees of the class of 2014 was "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner.

I became a fan of Scott in his W.C.W. days when he was teaming with his brother Rick. The Steiner Brothers were a fearsome tag team who epitomized smash mouth wrestling. I remember the headline in the Apter mags with Doom saying wrestling the Steiners was 'like being in a car wreck every night!"

Their tag match against the Nasty Boys in Halloween Havoc was groundbreaking in the moves they debuted that night. From then on they took on the best tag teams of the time until they became the best.  They were a hit in Japan with their stiff style and toughness to back it up.

Later during his singles run Scott became known as a hot head. A loose cannon who cut interviews that didn't hold anything back. And good luck to anyone who wanted to do anything about it in or out of the ring. He personified the image of a wrestler who lived his gimmick.

But the Scott Steiner who showed up in Waterloo was different than the one I expected. He had an edge to him no doubt. An intensity that still was present at all times. However, being reconnected to his amateur wrestling roots seemed to bring a satisfaction and fulfillment to him. Prior to the autograph signing session at the museum when Steiner was left to himself you would see him wandering the walls of the amateur wing. Genuinely looking and studying the photos and memorabilia.

Scott Steiner at the Dan Gable Museum.  Photo courtesy of the museum.  Picture by Chris Zummak.

I had the pleasure of talking with Steiner for a few minutes Saturday afternoon before the induction banquet. When I asked about his career he quickly steered the talk to his amateur days.  He talked about seeing wrestling legend Leroy Smith earlier. Smith introduced himself to Steiner and Steiner responded, "you don't have to introduce yourself, I know who you are." He was a fan.

He talked with reverance about his chosen sport. A touch of humbleness about the mat sport and his time in it. He shared how Dan Gable had just told the story of how Steiner had ruined Gables chances of a sweep at Carver Hawkeye Arena in Iowa CITY. Steiner defeated Rico Chiapparelli, a legendary Hawkeye wrestler and NCAA National Champ, by pin. 

That's right. Scott Steiner defeated his Hawkeye opponent at Iowa when the Hawks were led by Gable and as dominate as a team in the history of college sports. He still remembered the move that got him the victory that night and how the arena went silent when he won.

Dan Gable visits with The Steiner Brothers during the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame weekend in Waterloo Iowa.  Photo courtesy of The Dan Gable Museum.  

At his speech Saturday he was emotional. He said he came to Waterloo to be inducted because of the name on the wall. He talked of the lessons and opportunites wrestling had given him. He spoke about how he had wrestled in front of 193,000 fans in North Korea and Madison Square Garden but the name on the wall of the museum meant more to him then those moments.

Photo courtesy of Dan Gable Museum.  Picture by Chris Zummak.

When I thanked him for coming to Waterloo and bringing his family with him to enjoy the moment he was gracious. I mentioned how his boys attended the pro wrestling show and were very good kids, well behaved and polite. He said, "the best thing that ever happened to me was meeting my wife." NOT QUITE THE CHARACTER WE SAW AT THE HEIGHT OF THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS.

Photo courtesy of The Dan Gable Museum