Because I didn't start watching wrestling until the year before WrestleMania III, this moment was enjoyed thereafter, from the perspective of someone whose first Mania experience was pretty over-the-top. Relative to that record-setting event at the Pontiac Silverdome, WrestleMania I might have looked almost quaint. But it didn't. Even though I was just a kid, renting the VHS tape from Bandito Video, I totally got the feeling from WrestleMania I that it was just as momentous an occasion. Yes, it had a lot of celebrity and pageantry, but there was also that intangible factor of the atmosphere in Madison Square Garden. When I think of that first WrestleMania, I don't think of fireworks or jaw-dropping acrobatics. I think of the gritty determination exhibited by Vince in his quest to make pro wrestling part of the mainstream vernacular. I think of all the little things he did to achieve that goal, and when you see Hulk Hogan and Mr. T coming down that hallway together, you know that Vince really scored. I still get goose bumps whenever they show competitors coming out to the ring from the backstage area. Exposing more jitters than stage presence. Vulnerable and powerful at the same time. It's peeking behind the curtain, something very rare in the early days of pro wrestling.
Follow me @kickyhick :) I hold a degree in English Rhetoric & Professional Writing from the University of Waterloo in Canada. I've done technical writing, executive presentations, and recruiting materials for BlackBerry, and I write for non-profit organizations. My favourite project so far has been combining my passion for writing with being a die-hard wrestling fan. It's a pleasure to write here for WhatCulture, and also for TJRwrestling.com.
