My father called me to discuss Hulk Hogan’s passing. While he’s not a wrestling fan, he followed it on the periphery and knew Hogan was my guy growing up. We discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly.
My father is a religious person. While I’m not religious, I was surprisingly soothed by his wisdom, steeped in peace and faith.
Dad remarked on Hogan’s baptism from last year, and was happy to hear that he fully accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. Given Hogan’s complicated history with the truth, I said it may be all for show to improve his image.
Without missing a beat, Dad said, while this might be true, he takes solace in believing Hogan’s spiritual journey is a righteous one. If it turns out to be a publicity stunt, then he needs more help than most and hopefully, through folly, he’s finally found God.
Hulk Hogan’s legacy is a tale of two cities.
On one hand, he’s not just a face on the Mt. Rushmore of Professional Wrestling; he’s the face.
On the other hand, there was much ugliness that is difficult for many to reconcile.
You can not tell the story of professional wrestling without Hulk Hogan. Also, you can not tell his story without telling all of it: the good and the bad.
It doesn’t mean people won’t try on either end of the spectrum. That, however, is the burden of reclamation.
While his racist comments made it easy to wash my hands of the man, it hurt because it made feel foolish for ever being a Hulkamanic.
Yet, despite the hurt, something kept me checking in on all things red and yellow from time to time.
How? Why?
For the LJN/Hasbro generation, when a professional wrestler dies, its the equivalent of a superhero dying. Hulk Hogan was my hero as a kid and the reason I got into wrestling.
He appeared on everything from bed sheets to lunch boxes. No wrestler garnered more flash bulbs and sold more tickets.
At a young age, times were tough, in and out of the home. Wrestling was my escape, and watching Hogan vanquish bad guys gave me hope that maybe the world isn’t such an awful place.
The Hulksters’ matches with Andre, Warrior and Savage were more than mere contests but adventures that exhilarated the soul.
Life was great and wrestling was cool.
Somewhere between Surbaban Commmando and Thunder in Paradise, wrestling became passé. It happened as we traded in our ten-speeds for transport of the automotive variety.
One Bash at the Beach later, Hulk Hogan became a bad guy and formed the NWO with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Once again, the world was watching.
Wrestling was cool again.
As a Black man in his mid-40s, I understand Hulk Hogan’s opinion of people who look like me. Yet, he made my childhood a better place, and that’s something I’ll always look back on fondly.
Mourning and celebration are not the purpose of these words. Nor are they an exercise of separating art and artist.
It’s reverence, not for the man, but the idea of Hulk Hogan. The hero that inspired us to be the best versions of ourselves.
I let my inner child take the wheel on this one, reveling in the nostalgia of a character who was the fulcrum of my favorite pastime.
Today, I’m 7 years old, blissfully ignorant to the reality of what’s to come, and eagerly waiting for the bell to ring as the Mega Powers explode.
My condolences to his family and loved ones.
-Favorite Matches
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage – WrestleMania 5: The Mega Powers explode, causing the ultimate friendship to collapse due to jealousy over Miss. Elizabeth. The match oozed tension that lived up to its billing.
Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior: WrestleMania 6: This was Superman vs. Batman inside a wrestling ring. As a Hulk Hogan fan, this was the first time I was concerned that he might not win. He lost but shined even more in defeat.
Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen – AJPW/WWF/NJPW Wrestling Summit 4/13/90: Drop toe hold, transition into a front chancery and a running crossbody…OMG, Hulk can wrestle.
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair: Bash at the Beach 1994: The fact that this match happened in WCW instead of WrestleMania was crazy and quite a fun ride.
Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock – WrestleMania 18: Many believed this was doomed to fail because Hogan was too old. Instead, he stole the show in a classic outing meant to pass the torch.
Hulk Hogan & Edge vs. Billy & Chuck – SmackDown 7/4/02: I was there live and it was sureal to see Hogan winning a title that wasn’t the World Championship. Hogan became one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, in Boston, on the Fourth of July.
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton – SummerSlam 2006: Hull Hogan received the single loudest ovation I’ve ever heard in an arena. I literally couldn’t hear myself think.
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