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Big Boss Man selected for WWE Hall of Fame

Justin Labar
| Monday, March 7, 2016 8:00 p.m.
WWE.com
Big Boss Man
Big Boss Man will be the next wrestler to enter the WWE Hall of Fame.

He's the latest wrestler added to the class of 2016, which will be inducted the night before WrestleMania in Dallas.

Ray Traylor was the real name of the man who many just referred to as “Boss Man.” The mobility of Traylor, given his 300-pound size, was impressive. While I appreciated his athletic size, his ability to evolve his character over time is what I remember most.

He made his mark with WWE in the late 1980s as a good guy character billed as a correctional officer out to bring justice to those who had done wrong. It fit the message and tone of professional wrestling at the time which was anchored by Hulk Hogan preaching prayers and vitamins. Big Boss Man would leave WWE in 1993 and return in 1998 when the company was in what's referred to as the Attitude Era.

The Big Boss Man returned with his character having a nasty attitude as a bodyguard for Vince McMahon. He traded in his bright blue corrections uniform shirt for black SWAT uniform while always twirling his famous black nightstick he would use as a weapon.

This character stayed in WWE until 2003 before his unfortunate passing in 2004.

Already announced for the class of 2016 are Sting, The Godfather and the Fabulous Freebirds. The addition of Big Boss Man only furthers a theme of competitors who were reliable to their respective bosses over a long period of time.

Justin LaBar is a Tribune-Review staff writer. He can be reached at jlabar@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JustinLaBar


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