What makes characters so distinct in pro wrestling? The full act includes not just in-ring and mic ability, but also various props, some of which have become more famous than the actual characters using them. Here are some of the best inanimate objects in pro wrestling history that added to the characters’ appearances, storylines, and actually made them more famous. Among the most memorable objects you’ll see in the list are Sting’s trusty black bat, Xavier’s female trombones, as well as Al Snow’s Head and Mick Foley’s craziest weapon.
Mitch the Plant
While it’s debatable whether Mitch the Plant is actually an inanimate object (it doesn’t move but it was alive once) or not, we’ll take a look at his role in the wrestling universe. Mitch the Plant’s main tribute to the show was, no doubt, his collision with Ambrose’s head. This was actually a culmination of a feud between Ambrose and Chris Jericho over who had the better in-ring talk show. Jericho felt like a sore loser and wanted to punish Ambrose by killing the one thing he loved the most – the plant which he named Mitch. It was a sad day for flora all over the world, but Mitch’s death didn’t go unnoticed. Ambrose got back at him and dedicated his win to the late, but never forgotten plant-friend.
Sting’s Baseball Bat
A somewhat plain object takes the second place on our list, but to appreciate its value, you really need to know the context. Besides being all-black, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about this baseball bat, except that it was used by one of the most iconic characters in pro wrestling history – Sting. Sting’s early transition from a surfer blonde to a dark, Crow-inspired face-painted lunatic wouldn’t be complete without a prop, and the black baseball was just what he needed. In a way symbolizing his own sting, the baseball bat helped him take on a number of enemies from Hulk Hogan, of the Hollywood variety, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and many others.
Francesca the Trombone
Obviously, Mitch the plant wasn’t the only personified object in the wrestling world. On a more delicate, feminine side, there was Francesca, and now Francesca II, the trombones used by New Day team member Xavier Woods. Of course, being gentlemen wrestlers, just one wrestler, Xavier, had the privilege of actually using Francesca to make sweet music for the fans and their tag team’s morale boost. The whole concept of the New Day included music and dancing and it actually helped create their identity and get over with mainstream WWE audiences. However, it wasn’t until they introduced the trombone that they were really complete. Of course, Chris Jericho seems to have some innate hate for these personified objects, which is why he, at one point, broke it over his knee as the world mourned. What a bastard.
Triple H’s Sledgehammer
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Triple H is likely in-ring ability and his time spent in DX. For a man of such size and strength, there is really only one weapon that could complete his appearance and that’s, of course, the sledgehammer. He introduced it as a sidekick (sort of) after he was forced to fight the Rock and the Undertaker on WWE Raw in 1999. Ever since that moment, it has become an extension of his hand and his trusty instrument of destruction. Over the years, The Game has used it on a number of foes including Ric Flair, John Cena, Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels and even Mr. McMahon, but the last one finished badly as the sledgehammer broke on McMahon’s back.
Al Snow’s Head
The one thing that everyone remembers Al Snow for is the head of a mannequin he carried around with him to matches and even used in the ring. The prop he brilliantly named “Head” was actually just a further exploration of his utterly deranged in-ring wrestling character. The fans loved Head and would often cheer for it even more than they did for Snow. What’s interesting about Head is the fact that it is the only (or first) inanimate object that had its own matches with other wrestlers and Al Snow himself. You might think that it doesn’t make much sense, but that’s the whole point. Al Snow was a nutcase and we loved him for it.
Mr. Socko
Of course, the guy who basically introduced props to pro wrestling, Mick Foley, had to rank high on our list with two of his objects being among the most recognizable props ever. The first one is Mr. Socko. Foley brought us Mr. Socko as a fictional sock puppet belonging to Mankind, his demented, chaotic character. Mr. Socko was so simple and yet so effective as he both mirrored and emphasized Mankind’s madness. It was supposed to be a one-time gimmick, but soon became a sensation and people absolutely loved it. It became a ritual of putting on the sock before Foley would hit his finishing move, the Mandible Claw.
Barbie
The other inanimate object that Mick Foley introduced to the wrestling world was the barbed wire baseball bat called Barbie. Mick introduced it as part of the gimmick for his character Cactus Jack. Cactus Jack was a sadistic, vile character that personified the hardcore era and enjoyed both inflicting pain and receiving it. To complement this troublesome wrestler, Mick gave him this awesome-looking bat which he simply named Barbie. This was way before “The Walking Dead” and Negan’s bat, making Mick way ahead of his time.
Undertaker’s Urn
Finally, there’s the legendary Undertaker urn. This magical object was said to be the source of the Undertaker’s power and immortality. On screen it was often held by his creepy pale manager Paul Bearer. Many other wrestlers attempted to steal it, destroy it, but to no avail. The Undertaker remained standing. The urn also played an important part against The Undertaker when Bearer smashed it against his head during the Boiler Room Brawl.
What other objects would you add to the list? Let us know in the comment section below!
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
