| Growing up in East Setauket, New York, the young | | | | he has had in Japan ever since. |
| Mick Foley was a huge fan of professional wrestling, | | | | Upon his return to the United States, Foley received |
| even hitch-hiking to Madison Square Garden in 1983 | | | | word that the biggest wrestling company in the |
| to witness his favourite wrestler Jimmy "Superfly" | | | | world, the WWF, wanted to meet with him. After an |
| Snuka battle his arch rival Don Muraco in the confines | | | | initial meeting Foley finally got his dream job in the |
| of a steel cage. Foley now points to The Superfly's | | | | company that he had watched while growing up. He |
| dive off the top of the cage onto the prone Muraco | | | | packed up his belongings, gave his car to a young |
| as the precise second when he decided he wanted | | | | trainee wrestler he knew (a welcome gesture |
| to become a professional wrestler. | | | | considering money and new and used car credit |
| Mick began training in Pennsylvania, oftentimes having | | | | wasn't something a poor, independent wrestler could |
| to sleep in the back of his car and subsisting on | | | | get their hands on all that easily) and moved back |
| peanut butter and jelly sandwiches due to the | | | | home to New York. Mick quickly became popular due |
| financial constraints of driving 18 hours every | | | | to his combination of an intense, realistic wrestling |
| weekend to train while still being at college. Mick | | | | style and the sheer lunacy of some of the falls he |
| embraced this difficult situation however, aware that | | | | took including falling over 20 feet twice in one match |
| this was all part of him "paying his dues". He quickly | | | | (including one fall that knocked him out cold), and |
| realised that what he lacked in technical wrestling skill, | | | | having to finish the bout with bruised kidneys and a |
| he more than made up for in his ability to take a | | | | dislocated shoulder. |
| beating and get right back up. | | | | Despite all his efforts, Mick was resigned to the fact |
| Mick eventually made it up to WCW in 1989, then | | | | that since he didn't look like a star, he'd never be |
| the second largest wrestling promotion in the United | | | | given the chance to be champion. However, at the |
| States behind the then-WWF; but, after being placed | | | | end of 1998, WWF decided to give him the title belt |
| in ridiculous storylines and having office staff tell him | | | | due to his efforts over the years. He retired from |
| he'd never be a success due to the fact that he | | | | the ring in 2000 and wrote two autobiographies that |
| "didn't look like a star", Foley left the company and | | | | shocked the world when they both entered the New |
| travelled to Japan, where he cemented his reputation | | | | York Times bestseller list at number one on the day |
| as a madman - particularly after his participation in the | | | | of their releases. |
| King of the Death Match tournament in Tokyo. The | | | | His journey through life has been the inspiration for, |
| event promoted inhuman matches featuring barbed | | | | not only wrestlers, but musicians and actors |
| wire, thumbtacks, glass and fire. Foley wrestled three | | | | everywhere to follow their dreams - no matter how |
| matches that day, with fans witnessing Foley being | | | | slim the chances of "making it" appear to be; |
| blown up by C4 explosives while wrapped in barbed | | | | evidenced by the "Foley Is God" signs that appear in |
| wire with thumbtacks sticking in his head. Foley | | | | wrestling arenas all over the world. |
| emerged the winner, acquiring the legendary status | | | | |