As we all know, Austin would soon after become wrestling's greatest antihero character and become the industry's most popular talent ever, leading the industry into its greatest boom period in history and making wrestling a legitimate part of the entertainment world. Stone Cold" Steve Austin begins his meteoric rise in WWE with an unforgettable speech after winning King of the Ring on June 23, 1996.

In the years that followed, Austin – famously adorned with a black T-shirt with simple, large, white lettering that read “Austin 3:16” – became one of the most popular Superstars of all time. In a move of marketing genius, Austin then designed a t-shirt to capitalize on his popular new catchphrase. All great things start small, maybe as an off-the-cuff comment or idea and then they evolve and grow into something larger than anyone could have imagined. What happened next, improvised live on the spot by Austin, became the most quoted and iconic promo in wrestling history, generated millions of dollars in merchandise sales, and was the spark to light the rocket that would launch Austin and the WWF into becoming pop-culture phenoms. As someone who was in school at the time, I can honestly tell you that from 1998 through 2001, there probably wasn't a day at school where there wasn't at least one kid rocking some variation of the "Austin 3:16" t-shirt.

If you're unsure how to properly celebrate the legacy of The Texas Rattlesnake, check out these photos of Austin 3:16 Day festivities at WWE Headquarters. While Austin cut short promos here and there in his new character, he had yet to be given a big stage. It's March 16 (3/16), which means that it's time to celebrate the man that taught us all about Austin 3:16, WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Inspired by a TV special on serial killer/mob hitman Richard Kuklinski (known as "The Ice Man"), Austin created his new "Stone Cold" persona, which would see him become a cold, ruthless, and violent wrestler who showed no compassion or humanity for his opponents.

A range of t-shirts sold by independent artists featuring a huge variety of original designs in sizes XS-5XL; availability depending on style.It was just supposed to be a nasty heel promo, but instead, every week following, "Austin 3:16" signs in the crowd grew and grew. But Austin was about to turn classic wrestling rules about who was the good guy and the bad guy right on their heads. The moment was remarkable and immediately sent shockwaves throughout sports-entertainment before taking pop culture by storm.