WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley signing autographs and appearing at PPW event in Hazleton on Sept. 19
From a press release:
It’s going to be a “nice day” in Hazleton when Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling brings legendary professional wrestler, turned multi-time best-selling author, turned stand-up comic/spoken word performer Mick Foley to town.
The WWE Hall of Famer will be signing autographs and running the show at PPW Hard Knocks at Holy Family Academy (610 N. Laurel St., Hazleton) on Saturday, Sept. 19, a night of live wrestling that will include appearances from “Smooth” Tommy Suede, PPW Champion Afa Jr, Danny Maff, Kekoa the Flyin’ Hawaiian, South Philly’s Finest, “The Product” David Starr, “The Bad Apple” Matt Macintosh, Ryan “Acid” Zero and the Plague, The Jaded Virus, Team Rise Up, Sammi Pandora, PPW Commissioner Ryan Race, the British Wolf, Chris Payne, the Exerguys, and more.
Tickets, which range from $10-$25, are on sale now at ppwwrestling.com and Vesuvio Pizza (570-454-7021), Hell’s Kitchen (570-453-2222), Goodfellas Ice Cream Shoppe (570-454-5600), the Hazleton YMCA (570-455-2046), and Holy Family Academy (570-455-9431). VIP tickets are already sold out. The meet and greet with Foley starts at 5 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m.
One of the cornerstones of WWE’s meteoric rise in the late ’90s, Mick Foley earned the nickname “The Hardcore Legend” for his ability to absorb seemingly inhuman punishment in some of the most dramatic matches in sports entertainment history. Already a respected veteran for his 11 physically punishing years wrestling under the name Cactus Jack, Foley’s career soared to new heights in WWE as “Mankind,” a character Foley claimed was inspired by a combination of reading Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and listening to the music of Tori Amos.
As Cactus Jack, Foley won the 1995 “King of the Deathmatch” tournament in Yokohama, Japan and continued wrestling despite the amputation of his right ear in a match against Vader in Munich, Germany in 1994. As Mankind, Foley was a three-time WWE Champion, but he is best known for his epic and brutal battle with The Undertaker in 1998’s “Hell in a Cell” match, during which he was knocked unconscious after falls both off of and through the 16-foot cell structure. Despite the injury, Foley finished the match – with one of his front teeth lodged in his nose.
With retirement looming as a result of that physically demanding style, Foley penned his own memoir, “Have a Nice Day,” without the aid of a ghost-writer – writing 200,000 words in longhand in 50 days. The book showcased Foley’s paradoxical blend of wit and wisdom, wildness and warmth, and shocked the literary world by hitting No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list in October 1999. The book remained on the Times list for 26 weeks. A follow-up, 2001’s “Foley is Good,” hit No. 1 on the New York Times list as well. Foley has published a total of 10 books, four memoirs, four children’s books, and two novels.
After speaking at some of the United States’ most respected colleges and universities – including MIT, Syracuse University, Notre Dame, and the University of Miami, Foley decided to take his verbal skills to the stand-up comedy stage in 2009. 2012 saw Foley earn rave reviews for his comedy sets at “Just for Laughs” in Montreal and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – the two largest comedy festivals in the world. He is currently represented by Innovative Artists.
Foley’s acting credentials include “30 Rock,” “Warren the Ape,” “Now and Again,” “G vs E,” and “Boy Meets World,” and he was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary “Beyond the Mat.” He has done voice work on “Squidbillies,” “Celebrity Death Match,” and “Avatar: the Last Airbender,” and he was featured in a 2012 episode of “Celebrity Wife Swap.” His list of guest appearances include “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Late Show with Jay Leno,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” “Good Morning America,” “Family Feud,” “Red Eye,” “Larry King Live,” and several appearances on “Today.” He was featured in a 2010 story on ABC’s “World News Tonight” for his work as an online volunteer with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. Foley was also recognized for his work with RAINN at 2010’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, where he was awarded a Medal of Reasonableness from Jon Stewart.
Foley lives with his wife and four children on Long Island. The Foleys have sponsored children with Child-Fund International for 20 years.
For more information on his appearance in Hazleton, visit the Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling website or see the Facebook event page.
