Hello fellow collectors, this is for you. Take a look at the pics and leave me any feedback on your thoughts.

Well... I suppose that every story must have a beginning. In all honesty, it is difficult to remember this one. Wrestling was always around, kind of like going swimming in the summertime, playing in the snow in the winter, and having socks in my sock drawer. I can recall being one of those odd children who actually wanted Saturday morning cartoons to finally end, because I knew that what appeared on my screen next was far superior. I would hear the opening music, and cold chills would break out on my arms, and before long, I would see Jerry Lawler giving someone a pile driver.

I thought that nothing could top that, until my first wrestling figure showed up under the Christmas tree, and I quickly realized that I could set up my own matches, devise my own finishing moves, and by gawd, Hogan could be a high flier if I wanted him to be. As is the fate of most good things, this quickly became an obsession. I had bags full of these figures, which I banged against each other until their faces were completely peeled away, drowned in my bath tub, and buried in coffin matches in my backyard. It was then that I began to miss their "in-the-package" splendor, and I started actually leaving many of them in their packaging. I would sit them on shelves, pin them on the walls, and read the backs of the packages until I had them memorized.

Of course, being a child, I wanted every figure I saw hanging on the rack, but because "money doesn't grow on trees", I didn't always achieve that.  But weren't those the days? It was like... if the figure could be slid into the cart underneath the toilet paper, then it was nearly home free. It's funny how I was always completely shocked that it was discovered during the checkout proccess. Putting it back on the shelf was the hardest thing... like walking into the dentist, or taking your report card home with a D on it.

Well, as I grew older and actually had a bit of my own income, there were other things that demanded their cut... like a car, nice clothes, and my girlfriend. Although I still collected avidly, I didn't feel the need to scoop up every repaint. It's funny how quickly things can change.

Soon after I finally had my own house, and married the girl who cried when Bret Hart lost his title, I met Jeff Tate, who is now one of my closest friends in the toy aisle at a department store. I stole a "Dr. Death" Steve Williams figure from him when his back was turned. I wasn't that smooth, because he caught me. However, this led to a conversation about figures... with many more to follow. He had a lot of figures. I still had more, but I wanted to have them all.

Today many people have stated that I have the largest wrestling collection that anyone has ever seen. I can count on one hand the figures that I do not have on the card. I have many prototypes of figures, exclusives, and limited editions. I have magazines dating back to the late 1950's, and one-of-a-kind items such as the Sting mask worn by Hogan on Nitro in WCW, Bret Hart's autographed tights, and a ripped shirt signed and worn by Hogan. The entire basement of my home is covered floor to ceiling, and it has recently spread into the garage. My brother (technically my wife's, but I have made a grand attempt to steal him) and I have even constructed a Raw arena, complete with intelligent lighting and entrance videos and the works.

When I remember looking at the figure on the shelf in the store that I couldn't have, I feel as if this is a huge accomplishment. It is something that I am passionate about... something that I love. Some people may comment that a "grown man having all these plastic dolls" is a bit unusual, but I think the fact that the highlight of their week being a grocery trip to the supermarket is a bit unusual, as well.

And by the way, they're not dolls. They're action figures.

Thanks for your time and happy hunting for your wrestling figures. Part 2 of this on going saga will continued when I get back from Toy Fair. Please leave any comments that you have on my collection here.

Your fellow collector,
Tim Ash