December 24, 2018 Observer Newsletter: 7 entrants into the Hall of Fame

L.A. Park, Jerry Jarrett, Jimmy Hart, Bill Apter, Howard Finkel, Gary Hart and Yuji Nagata make up the 2018 class of the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, one must get at least 60 percent of the votes from their respective geographical region. Park came from Mexico, Jarrett, Jimmy Hart, Apter, Finkel and Gary Hart were modern era (still active on a major league basis after 1988) inductees from North America and Nagata was the lone inductee in Japan. There were no stars whose careers on top ended prior to 1988, nor inductees from the rest of the world.

Wrestlers are supposed to be judged on four major criteria, positive historical importance to the business, drawing power, in-ring ability and longevity. A Hall of Famer should be strong in all four of those categories, but if they were one of the dominant standouts on a worldwide basis is one of those categories they also should be voted in. 

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