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Many fans know Stu Hart only as the Father of Bret, Owen and the rest of
the famous Hart clan out of Calgary, Alberta Canada but there is so much
more to this man. He began his career as a Football player and competed
as part of the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL and nearly had a chance as a
wrestler in the Olympics had it not been for WW2. He wrestled mostly in
the 1940s and 1950s as a headliner before starting his own promotion in
Edmonton and then moving it to Calgary, Alberta Canada. He and his wife
of 53 years bought the famed Hart House in Calgary and the rest was history.
Stu Hart created the Dungeon in the basement which became the greatest proving ground for Canadian professional wrestlers that had ever been created. Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce and Keith Hart as well as such stars as Test, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Christian and a host of others have trained under the man who would stretch men just to hear them scream. Stu Hart would decide to retire from the promoting business and sold his company to Vince McMahon Jr in 1985 and in doing so sent his son Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart and the British Bulldogs to the WWF where they became international superstars. Stu wrestled for the last time at the age of 70 in 1986 teaming with his son Keith against Wayne "Honkey Tonk Man" Ferris and JR Foley in Calgary. Stu and Helen Hart became a fixture of WWF pay per views watching sons Bret Hart and Owen Hart take on all-comers and were on hand to see most of their biggest matches. In December of 1995 the WWF put on a special Stu Hart tribute show to celebrate his 80th Birthday and that show saw Bret Hart defeat the British Bulldog in the main event to retain the WWF Championship. Stu was given Canada's highest lifetime achievement honour in 2001 when he was added to the Order of Canada by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. That same year Stu lost the love of his life Helen and followed two years later in 2003. Stu may be gone but his legend is stronger than ever! His wrestling style will live on in the great influences of Bret Hart, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit among so many others. The legacy of wrestling in Calgary is still thriving to this day and Stu Hart is without question a man deserving of this honour in the UWOW Hall of Fame. |
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