2018 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee: Hillbilly Jim

2018 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee: Hillbilly Jim

Next up on the list of this year's WWE Hall of Fame class, is James Morris, better known as Hillbilly Jim. 

Before wrestling for the WWF, Hillbilly Jim spent nearly a decade wrestling the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, TN. There, he would have a biker gimmick and wrestle under the name of Harley Davidson. 

When beginning his run with the WWF in 1984, Hillbilly Jim was introduced as a wrestling fan that would sit in the front row at the events, who eventually wanted to take a shot at wrestling himself. Roddy Piper would invite him onto Piper's Pit and offer to train him. Instead, he chose to be trained by Hulk Hogan, sho was the WWF Champion at the time. 

At the beginning off 1985, the WWF would show vignettes of Hogan training Jim. When watching those videos, his gimmick was revealed as feeble-minded hillbilly from Mud Lick, Kentucky. Hillbilly Jim would go on to have tag team matches with Hogan. At The War to Settle the Score, he would Rene Goulet in one of the biggest matches of his career. 

Hillbilly Jim would be out of action for about 6 months with an injury. So, the WWF would debut his on TV family members to help fill in during that time. Those family members would include Uncle Elmer, Cousin Luke, and Cousin Junior. He was used as their manager to help keep him on TV. 

After returning from his injury, Hillbilly Jim would team up with his family members and André the Giant. In 1986, he would perform in a series of tuxedo matches while feuding with Mr. Fuji. His Wrestlemania debut came at Wrestlemania 2 when he participated in the Open Invitational Battle Royal. 

By 1992, he would become one of the hosts of WWF Prime Time Wrestling and continued until its final episode the next year. 

Hillbilly Jim returned to the WWF in 1995 to become the manager of the Godwinns, Henry O. and Phineas I. Godwin. Under his management, they would win the WWF Tag Team Championship. In 1997, the team would return heel and ditch Jim as their manager. He wouldn't return again until Wrestlemania X-Seven, where he participated in the Gimmick Battle Royal. 

He would go his entire WWF wrestling career without winning a title. However, it seems he didn't need to. He was still successful and constantly had the crowd on his side.  

Not too many are familiar with his work. I'd suggest watching some of his matches and training videos with Hogan. 

Hillbilly Jim trains with Hulk Hogan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXETjQoSVUw

Hillbilly Jim's WWF Debut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7HJlMtn7MQ

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Stay tough, and stay positive.