The Origins Of Wrestling’s 6 Favourite Foreign Objects
3. Ladders
Invention:
It is believed that the idea of a ladder was used over 10,000 years ago - evidenced by cave paintings in Spain. There is also the biblical reference of Jacob’s vision of a ladder reaching to heaven. The modern stepladder was invented by John H. Basely in 1862, who added a folding hinge and replaced the round rungs with flat steps.
Innovation:
The first recorded ladder match was contested in Stu Hart’s Stampede wrestling. It was conceived by Dan Kroffat, a wrestler and booker who looked to improve his standing within the promotion. Kroffat discussed his initial spark of inspiration with The Cochrane Times:
“The idea was to ‘challenge’ a guy to get in the ring. I would hang a bag of money from the light and put a ladder outside. I would say that if he wants to fight, he has to come in, fight me, get the ladder, climb up and get the money […] You hung it like a bone for a dog, it was the idea of dangling the money there, the ‘greed’ in the bad guy’s eyes was the storyline.”
Kroffat won the first ladder match, defeating heel Tor Kamata on 5 October 1972. The financial stake would eventually be phased out in favour of dangling a championship belt.
Innovator:
Though WWE’s first ladder match was an Intercontinental Championship clash between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, the match was largely unseen until its inclusion on a ladder match highlight DVD. The first iconic WWE use of the stipulation was WrestleMania X’s battle between Michaels and Razor Ramon. Yet, from the late ‘90s onwards, the weapon is associated with The Hardy Boyz and their death-defying antics.