Abe Jacobs is considered one of the greatest amateur stars in New Zealand history, winning several national and regional titles, and was a highly respected by his peers as a professional. He first learned about pro wrestling on the radio while living in New Zealand. After arriving in the U.S., he had a 25-year career in the pro ring, and wrestled in 14 countries. With a powerful physical presence, he competed against the biggest names in the business, including hall of famers Lou Thesz, Dan Hodge and Antonio Inoki. He won world tag-team titles with Don Curtis and Haystacks Calhoun as partners. “I worked with Abe many times and he was a terrific wrestler,” said Dan Hodge, Class of 2000. “He definitely deserves to be in this hall of fame.” Today, Abe lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and keeps involved with charities like the Eblen Foundation in Asheville, NC.