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Since the WWE resurrected the Hall Of Fame 4 years ago there have been many performers that have entered those hallowed gates. Some of those performers gave their lives to the sport. Some of them not only put their families on the back burners, but put their lives on the line to entertain us. However, some other performers lived recklessly and dangerously. All the while not looking after their bodies, or their loved ones. With that being said, the question I pose is: Who has the credentials, and loyalty to actually BE in the WWE Hall Of Fame? Since the WWE reintroduced the ceremonies 4 years ago, the roster reads like this: 4 deceased wrestlers, 4 managers, 3 announcers, and 2 celebrities. Did the Hall really need Pete Rose? Someone that came out 3 WrestleMania's in a row , and got paid to take a beating from Kane? Did the Hall really feel obligated to induct William Perry? Someone that wrestled once in a battle royal, 20 years earlier at WrestleMania 2?

One name stands above all else when talking about wrestlers that clearly deserve to be inducted into the shrine that is the WWE Hall Of Fame. Owen Hart. For years, Owen was always a contender for WWF belts and Slammy's. We have all heard stories of his humor and his practical jokes. Close to 6 years later, his memory is still very much alive. With the comments in Bret's Hart's speech at last year's HOF ceremony, along with the reaction, you can very much tell that Owen is sorely missed.

While in the WWE he was a 7 time champion, along with being a decorated King of The Ring. He also held titles in other companies, such as the USWA , and the Stampede promotion that the Hart Family ran. He also had a very brief stint in WCW, and NJPW. Owen Hart was clearly a jack of all trades when it came to the wrestling world. He could wrestle, he could act, he could do the storytelling. He simply had it all.

However, not everything has been is just as simple as a 1 night induction when it involves Owen Hart and the Hart Family. When Owen passed away in the summer of 1999, Martha Hart sued the WWE for wrongful death, and not only obtained the rights to all Owen Hart footage, but close to 18 million dollars in the ensuing settlement. One has to wonder If Martha Hart would be gracious enough to let the WWE have the rights to his likeness and name to at least induct him into their Hall Of Fame.

The Hart Family has always been known as a tight knit group. A family among families. They have been called the patriarchs of the professional wrestling world. I think it would be a travesty if Owen Hart wasn't inducted into the WWE with his brother Bret. This columnist believes that it would be the perfect ending to a story of a man that tried to provide for his family, only to die doing the job that he loved doing.

In the past 2 years with wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and Curt Henning being inducted, it makes you wonder about other deceased performers. In a business that demands to be first, these men chose the narrow path and demanded that THEIR family's be first. Owen Hart did the same. Owen Hart, died while trying to provide for his family. Owen Hart, seemingly died in the line of duty. If the WWE is going to induct people like Junkyard Dog , and Big John Studd, 2 men that don't hold a candle to his WWE accomplishments, I ask the question that begs to be answered? Not just by myself, but other wrestling fans across North America.

Why Not Owen?

by Pete Cruise (Submit your feedback here)..