John Bradshaw Layfield and Bill Apter to receive special awards from Hall of Fame
WATERLOO—John Bradshaw Layfield and Bill Apter have been selected to receive special awards during 2012 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame induction. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.
Layfield will receive the Lou Thesz Award. The Lou Thesz Award is given to an individual in wrestling who has taken the skills of the sport into the realm of public service. Layfield, known as Bradshaw or JBL, has had a successful career as a professional wrestler and as a television commentator.
Apter will receive the Jim Melby Award. The Jim Melby Award recognizes excellence in professional wrestling journalism. Apter is best known for his work with Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
Kurt Angle and Don Curtis are the 2012 Hall of Fame inductees.
Angle was a two-time NCAA champion for Clarion University and a 1996 Olympic champion. Angle, one of the biggest superstars in professional wrestling history, currently wrestles for TNA.
Curtis was a member of the University of Buffalo wrestling team. He was team captain in 1949 and 1950. Curtis was NWA tag team champion with Mark Lewin during the 1950s and 1960s. He died on March 6, 2008.
The Frank Gotch Award and the George Tragos Award will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hall of Fame weekend is July 13-14, 2012, in Waterloo, Iowa.
Contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at (319) 233-0745 or orders@wrestlingmuseum.org for more information on induction weekend.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
