Glen Cove, New York, nestled on the North Shore of Long Island, holds a unique place in professional wrestling history despite its relatively small size. Arguably most notably, it is the hometown of Brian Myers -- better known to WWE fans as Curt Hawkins. A product of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression and PG eras, Myers gained recognition not only for his on-screen persona and in-ring abilities, but also for his dedication to the wrestling business off-camera. Alongside fellow Long Islander Matt Cardona (Zack Ryder), Myers co-founded the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast, which became a cultural phenomenon among collectors and fans of wrestling memorabilia. Beyond podcasting, he also co-founded the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy, which has helped train a new generation of talent, including AEW’s MJF, Max Caster and Kris Statlander.
Myers' ties to Glen Cove run deep, and his local pride has been reflected in media appearances and community work. As a WWE Tag Team Champion and participant in numerous WrestleManias and televised feuds, Myers brought national attention to his hometown. His role in developing Create A Pro further solidified Glen Cove's influence on the independent wrestling scene, as the school quickly became a respected pipeline for new stars — blending the old-school work ethic of the region with modern wrestling innovation.
Before Myers put Glen Cove on the wrestling map in a modern context, NWA and WWWF live events had been held within the city. City Park Stadium is documented to have held events in 1953 and 1960 -- including Captain Lou Albano and Antonino Rocco -- which drew thousands of attendees. In the early 1980s, Glen Cove High School appears to have served as the site of a WWF live event, as documented by The History of WWE, the particular event shown at Glen Cove High School included WWF Champion Bob Backlund, Chief Jay Strongbow, and Mr. Fuji.
Another interesting footnote in Glen Cove’s wrestling history involves Acclaim Entertainment, a video game publisher that was formerly headquartered in the city. Acclaim played a major role in the evolution of wrestling video games throughout the 1990s. They were responsible for publishing the WWF WrestleMania series for the NES and later the WWF War Zone and WWF Attitude titles for PlayStation and Nintendo 64 -- games that became staples of wrestling fandom during the Attitude Era of WWF. Before closing, Acclaim released ECW Hardcore Revolution, as featuring many of the popular ECW Originals. Although the company ultimately folded in the early 2000s, its contributions to the digital portrayal of professional wrestling left a lasting impact on both industries.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 11, 2025. Updated on June 14, 2025.
