Tim Hornbaker
American wrestling historian and author known for books and research on the history of professional wrestling, particularly the National Wrestling Alliance and early regional territories.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Legends Of Pro Wrestling
A compact, encyclopedic collection of biographical sketches and career highlights that traces the evolution of professional wrestling from its earliest pioneers to mid-20th-century and modern ring legends, profiling performers, promoters, signature matches and regional territories while explaining their personas, rivalries and contributions to the sport’s development; written for fans and historians alike, it blends historical context, key anecdotes and reference details to celebrate the figures who shaped pro wrestling’s colorful, theatrical history.
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2. Death Of The Territories
Expansion, Consolidation and the Shaping of the Modern Wrestling Industry
A detailed narrative of the collapse of the United States' regional pro-wrestling territorial system in the 1980s and early 1990s, tracing how national television, cable expansion, aggressive talent raids and corporate-style business strategies by emerging national promoters extinguished long-standing local promotions. It examines the rivalries, backroom deals, betrayals and acquisitions that reshaped the industry, profiles key figures and promotions, and explains how the move to national consolidation transformed the art, business and careers of wrestlers.
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3. National Wrestling Alliance
The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Professional Wrestling
A comprehensive, meticulously researched chronicle of the rise and fall of the regional wrestling cartel that for decades controlled championships, bookings and television across North America; it traces the organization's origins, the territorial booking system, key promoters and champions, and the internal politics and rivalries that shaped its decisions. The narrative explains how television, national expansion and competing promoters eroded the alliance's power, leading to its fragmentation while detailing the lasting impact the system had on the structure and culture of modern professional wrestling.