WATERLOO - Kyle Klingman expects the storm to hit any time.

Klingman is not expecting lightning and thunder per se but something more along the lines of a flood of phone calls and requests.

After all, the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inductions are Saturday at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.

Friday and Saturday are two of the biggest days of the year for the DGIWIM, with a celebrity golf tournament Friday at Gates Park and the pro hall of fame inductions Saturday at the museum, in addition to the hall of fame banquet at the Five Sullivan Brothers Saturday night.

"This is the most exciting week we have all year," said Klingman, the museum's associate director. "We kind of gear our entire year around this weekend's events. It's our primary fundraiser … a way to survive and sustain this museum. The pro hall of fame is only part of the museum, but the induction weekend is the crown jewel of our year."

A major list of local sports legends will headline the Celebrity Golf Tournament as Don Perkins, Rich Folkers, Johnny Orr, Dan Hodge, Dan Gable, Ron Stander and Baron Von Raschke will be roaming and playing.

The tournament gets under way at noon at Gates Park and is open to spectators. There is still room for more golfers, and interested parties should contact Skip Holton at Gates Park at (319) 291-4485.

"The golf tournament kind of defines the mission of the museum as we kind of step outside of wrestling and try to bring a lot of different sports figures and stars into the area," said Klingman. "It is something we are excited about. It is a great way to get that fringe person interested in the museum. This is the eighth or ninth tournament, and everybody just loves it.

"We've had Bob Feller, Spud Webb, Billy Mills and Bob Matthias previously attend. Every year, Dan Hodge squashes an apple with his bare hand before teeing off on his first hole. It's a lot of fun. This year we have Don Perkins and Dan Gable.

"We think it is pretty special to have two of the greatest the Cedar Valley has ever produced to be here. Perkins is a Dallas Cowboy great and a member of the Cowboys' ring of honor. That is cool. Those two guys will be just hanging out, and anybody is free to come out and talk to them."

In addition to the golf and celebrities, the museum will be holding a silent auction at the course with numerous pieces of sports memorabilia, including a signed helmet and football from Oklahoma Sooner head coach Bobby Stoops that will be auctioned.

Other items to be auctioned will be signed by Perkins, Gable and Folkers.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com

Wrestlers converge on Young Arena for festivities

WATERLOO - Following the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum celebrity golf outing at Gates Park, pro hall of fame member Harley Race will be holding a World League Wrestling event at Young Arena at 7 p.m. Friday.

There will be five hard-hitting matches with more than a dozen wrestling legends, including 2007 pro hall of fame inductee Steve "Dr Death" Williams.

Singles matches scheduled: Dakota will look to take down T. S. Aggressor, while the WLW Ladies title will be defended when Christie Summers takes on the challenger, Katie Syren.

The WLW Tag Team Championships will be up for grabs as Dinn T Moore and Branden Tatum go head-to-head with third-generation wrestlers Joe Hennig and Ted Dibiase Jr. And, with Ted Dibiase Sr. and Larry "The Axe" Hennig looking on, anything that can happen in this match probably will.

In an exciting three-way match, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams will lace his boots one more time as he takes on Daniel Cross and Darin Waid. Then, in the main event, the WLW Championship, Dangerous Derek looks to dethrone the current champion and WWE Raw superstar Trevor Murdoch.

Along with these matches there will also be an open autograph session featuring the living legends of pro wrestling such as Dan Hodge, The Destroyer, Hennig, Brad Rheingans, Williams, Red Bastien, Dibiase Sr., Baron Von Raschke, Judo Gene Lebell, Bob Geigel, Tom Drake, Mad Dog Vachon, Jason Sanderson, Nikita Koloff, Jerry Brisco, Harley Race.

Part of the proceeds from this event will go to the Dan Gable museum.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the first bell is 7 p.m. For ticket information, call the museum at (319) 233-0745. Tickets prices are $10 for general admission and $15 for ringside.