
Anyone that is interested in the early years of wrestling is familiar with the Hart family. And just like other families, there have been many rewards and many tragedies.
The Hart family is considered royalty when it comes to early wrestling. The family was from Canada, and the father and head of the family was Stu Hart, who started as an amateur wrestler, then became professional. His moves and skills in the ring were the envy of many other wrestlers. These skills he passed on to his sons Bret and Owen Hart.
In addition to teaching his sons how to dominate in the ring, Stu began taking a step away from the ring himself and decided to branch out, becoming both a trainer and promoter. Some of the powerhouse wrestlers he trained included Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, and Edge.
Bret Hart:
Bret Hart, also called The Hitman, has been involved with wrestling most of his life. He earned numerous awards and started what some called a more theatrical type of wrestling. He was very sure of himself in the ring and said he was the best there is and ever will be! He is most proud to state that in all of his bouts, he never hurt an opponent.
In 2004, Bret Hart was voted as one of the top 50 Canadian wrestlers of all time. Brett is now retired from the ring, but still considers himself an ambassador for the sport, and draws crowds of fans whenever he has a speaking engagement.
Wrestling without the Hart family would be drastically different, especially in terms of technical wrestling, storytelling, and global influence. The Harts have left an indelible mark on the industry, from their dominance in the WWF/WWE to their influence on wrestling schools worldwide. If they never existed, here’s what might have been different:
1. No Stampede Wrestling Legacy
- Stampede Wrestling, founded by Stu Hart, was one of Canada’s top promotions, launching careers for legends like Dynamite Kid, British Bulldog, Chris Benoit, and Jushin Thunder Liger.
- Without Stampede, many of these stars might have struggled to get their break, and the wrestling scene in Canada would have been much weaker.
Owen Hart:
Like his father, brother and members of his extended family, Owen Hart was also a professional wrestler. He tried out several personas during the course of his career, but he was known primarily as “The Blue Blazer.” Fans were drawn to Owen because he was known for using numerous high-flying techniques. Unfortunately, Owen lost his life on May 23rd,1999, when a stunt went wrong, and he crashed into the ring from above and had severe neck injuries, and past away.
Just like Vince McMahon, the Hart family gave a lot to fans of wrestling and in this case, sacrificed a life. The Hart family will go downing in history, not only for their skill and physical expertise in the ring, but for training a new group of wrestlers how to put on a show, and drawing in new fans. Some of these same sensational techniques are being used today. Thank you to the Hart family!