Mick Foley remembers the late Pat Patterson
Mick Foley took to his Facebook page to pay tribute to the late great WWE Hall Of Famer Pat Patterson.
Patterson passed away on Wednesday at the age of 79. Since the news, fans, wrestlers, and promotions have been remembering this icon for not only the contributions as an in-ring wrestler but also his work behind the scenes in WWE.
Foley, an author of a few books that were listed as New York Times Best Sellers, shared some heartfelt thoughts about Patterson. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“In trying to find this photo of Pat for the story, I came across a photo of the Patterson/Briscoe evening gown classic. Sure, it was completely ludicrous and played out to an audience that really had no idea how amazing Pat had been in his prime. But it was still fun. It was so much fun. I loved working with Pat and Gerald when they were The Stooges. I even wrote them into a children’s book with the line “I made a left at a Christmas shop called Scrooges. Up ahead a sign proclaimed “Spookhouse of the Stooges”. Because in my mind, Patterson and Briscoe were worthy of their own ride at my make believe “Vinnieland” theme park.
Long after retiring from the ring, Pat was still one of the most important people in the business. Without him there would be no Royal Rumble. I remember conferring with Pat on so many occasions before big matches, talking over ideas, working together to get the timing down just perfectly for the biggest moments with the type of moments that we hope fans would remember for years to come.
He was so instrumental in those big matches I had with Dwayne The Rock Johnson – letting me and Dwayne explain our ideas, and then coming in with just the right finishing touch to turn a good match into something truly special. He did that on so many occasions with my matches. Now multiply what he did for me by 2150, maybe 100. The impact he made as an in-ring performer was immense. The impact he made with his mind behind the scenes is incalculable.
I hope some of the people who have been to my shows can vouch for the frequency that I shared that Patterson stories on stage. I even got back into the ring to do the Q&A on the Cruise of Jericho. I could listen to his stories for hours… and sometimes I would. He always had a corny joke on a hand, or a great story, a big hug and a giant laugh. Rest in peace, my friend. I will miss you very much.”