Courtesy of WWE.com:
‘Hacksaw’ takes his place in the New York State High School Wrestling Hall of Fame
On March 14, WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan was inducted into the New York State High School Section 2 Wrestling Hall of Fame in Albany, N.Y. This honor came, in part, because of his undefeated State Championship senior year back in Glens Falls, N.Y. WWE.com caught up with the first Royal Rumble winner to learn more about this tremendous milestone.
“It was about perseverance and playing through pain,” Duggan recalled about his days in high school competition, lessons that would continue to serve him throughout his professional career. “Amateur wrestling is about the toughest sport there is, hands down.”
One thing that Duggan doesn’t agree within today’s high school sports is the tendency for kids to specialize so quickly. He chose, instead, to participate in every sport he could. It was this sort of diversity that not only helped him create a year round, cross-training regimen, but also allowed him to build friendships that would last a lifetime and gain a great deal of acclaim in the process.
The outstanding high school athlete, destined to become a WWE Superstar, was once known as “Moose” Duggan by his cohorts. He earned a total of 10 varsity letters in school: four in football, three in track & field (where he still holds the record for shot putting after 40 years), two in wrestling and one in basketball. He wrestled in what was then the 215-and-above weight class. And if those credentials don’t speak for themselves, try this on for size: the guy that Duggan beat in the States to finish his undefeated season actually went on to win the Pan-Am Games – an exciting match that came down to a nail biting single point, which the Hall of Famer called the “longest minute in Duggan history.”
WWE.com congratulates “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan on his well-deserved honor.