Stu Hart

Infobox Wrestler
name = Stu Hart


names = Stu Hart
height =
weight =
birth_date = birth date|1915|5|3|mf=y
birth_place = Canada
death_date = death date and age|2003|10|16|1915|5|03
death_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada
billed = Canadian Navy
debut = 1946
retired = 1972

Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM (May 3, 1915 – October 16, 2003) was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Stu also founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart.

Early life

Hart played football for the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. Stu Hart began amateur wrestling when he joined the YMCA in Edmonton in 1929. By 1937 he won a gold medal in the welterweight class from the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. His amateur career peaked in May 1940 when Hart won the dominion Amateur Wrestling Championship in the light heavyweight category. It must have been a bittersweet win for Hart as by that time the Phoney War had ended in Europe, and WW II had erupted. This led to the cancellation of the Olympics ending one of Hart's greatest dreams. Hart did enlist in the Canadian Navy and served as the Director of Athletics.

Career

It was during his service that Stu was introduced to professional wrestling. After recovering from a car accident, Stu competed in various exhibition matches to entertain the troops. In 1946, while receiving training from Toots Mondt, Hart debuted in New York and embarked on a long, eventful career, at one point wrestling a tiger and a grizzly bear.

In 1948, Hart established Stampede Wrestling, which was responsible for developing many second generation wrestling superstars. Three years later, he purchased a mansion in Patterson Heights, Calgary. The Hart House is now considered a historical site for the many famous figures that had passed through its doors. Its basement, known as the Dungeon, provided training grounds with an extensive legacy all its own.

Family

Stu considered family to be his biggest achievement in life. For 53 years he was married to U.S. born Helen Smith (d. 2001) and together they raised twelve children in the Hart mansion. All four of Stu and Helen's daughters married wrestlers. Seven of the eight Hart boys went on to become professional wrestlers, and the other became a referee. The couple have thirty-three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. [See Hart wrestling family for all his descendants.]

Family life with Stu Hart was colourful, including having André the Giant as a babysitter and a wrestling grizzly bear named Terrible Ted sleeping under the front porch. Despite his career, Stu was a gentle man with a big heart. He loved to cook Sunday dinner for all twelve of his children and their families (including pets). Hart was one of the most respected trainers of professional wrestlers - some of his students who are currently active include Edge, Christian, Chris Jericho and Mark Henry.

Death

Hart was admitted to Rockyview General Hospital on October 3, 2003 for an elbow infection and then developed pneumonia. He also suffered from ailments associated with diabetes and arthritis. He had a stroke then died 13 days later.

In 2005 the City of Saskatoon announced that a street in the city's new Blairmore Suburban Centre development will be named Hart Road in Stu Hart's honor.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

*"Stu Hart Special" (Sugar Hold)

Wrestlers trained by Stu Hart

*"Superstar" Billy Graham
*Abdullah the Butcher
*Bad News Brown
*Ben Bassarab
*Ricky Fuji
*Billy Jack Haynes
*Bret Hart
*Bruce Hart
*Chris Benoit
*Chris Jericho
*Teddy Hart
*Jack Evans
*Davey Boy Smith
*David Claudio
*Fritz Von Erich
*Gama Singh
*Gene Anderson
*Gene Kiniski
*George Scott
*Gorilla Monsoon
*Greg Valentine
*Honky Tonk Man
*Jim Neidhart
*Johnathan Holliday
*Jos Leduc
*Jushin Liger
*Justin Credible
*Keith Hart
*Klondike Bill
*Larry Cameron
*Tim Le Strange
*Eduardo Miguel Perez
*Luther Lindsey
*Lance Storm
*Mike Michaels
*Nikolai Volkoff
*Owen Hart
*Paul LeDuc
*Reggie Parks
*Ross Hart
*Sandy Scott
*Shinya Hashimoto
*Smith Hart
*Steve Blackman
*The Junkyard Dog
*The Dynamite Kid
*The Stomper
*Edge
*Kip Abee

Championships and accomplishments

*Stampede Wrestling :*Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2003 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

*Other:*Northwest Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Pat Meehan and Luigi Macera

*Cauliflower Alley Club:*Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2001)

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
**Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0366534|name=Stu Hart
* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2003/10/16/227960.html Canadian wrestling patriarch Stu Hart dies] - By Judy Monchuk - Canadian Press
* [http://www.astarforstu.com/biographystuhart.html Stu Hart Biography]
* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2005/03/09/955380.html Walk of Fame shuns Stu Hart]
* [http://www.brethart.info/news.php Hart Family News]