While training to become a wrestler, Herman reads the book 'Method Wrestling', probably a joke on 'Method' acting, a range of training and rehearsal techniques that seek to encourage sincere and emotionally expressive performances. These techniques were developed by the Russian actor and director Konstantin Stanislavski and captured in his books 'An Actor Prepares' (1936), 'Building a Character' (1948), and 'Creating a Role' (1957).
Jimmy Lennon was an actual fight announcer who also played that role in many other TV shows and movies, including Taxi, Night Court, Raging Bull and Rocky III.
Herman wears a sweatshirt that says Transylvania Olympic Team 1841. In reality, the first Olympic Games were held in 1896.
Grampa reads the Mockingbird Heights News' sports section with the headlines 'Evans To Drive Mystery Car' and 'Jeby Defends Mitt Laurels In Go Tonight'. These headlines probably are an homage to Americans Robert Evans, a racecar driver who competed in the 1911 Indianapolis 500, and Ben Jeby, a world champion middleweight boxer from the Lower East Side of New York City, in the 1930s.
Herman's USD 1,000.00 award, in 1964, would be equivalent to USD $8,143.19 in 2018, if adjusted for US Inflation.