Stu Hart

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.

History
Hart played football for the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. He was a talented amateur wrestler, and was eligible for the Olympics, but never got the chance due to World War II. Stu enlisted in the Canadian Navy and served as the Director of Athletics.

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, he became a professional wrestler, debuting 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 would be 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, would provide notorious training grounds with an extensive legacy all its own.

Family
Stu considered family to be his biggest achievement in life. Married for 53 years to Helen Hart (who died in 2001), together they raised 12 children in the Hart mansion. All four of Stu and Helen's daughters would marry wrestlers. Seven of the eight Hart boys went on to become professional wrestlers, and the other became a referee.


 * Smith (1949-), wrestler.
 * Bruce (1950-), a wrestler and promoter
 * Keith (1951-), wrestler and firefighter
 * Wayne (1953-), wrestling referee.
 * Dean (1954-1990) who died of kidney failure, also a wrestler.
 * Ellie (1955-), who married the wrestler Jim Neidhart, with whom she had three daughters: Jennifer, Kristen (Muffy) and Nattie Neidhart.
 * Georgia (1956-), who married the wrestler, firefighter and gym owner B.J. Annis, with whom she had four children: Teddy Hart, Matt (who died from flesh-eating disease in 1996 at the age of thirteen), Annie and Angela.
 * Bret (1957-), WWF and WCW wrestling legend. Bret has four children with his first wife Julie, whose sister, Michelle married Dynamite Kid.
 * Alison (1959-), who was married to the wrestler Ben Bassarab, with whom she has two daughters, Lindsay and Brooke Bassarab.
 * Ross (1961-), a wrestling producer and part-time wrestler.
 * Diana (1963-), who was married to the wrestler Davey Boy Smith (The British Bulldog). She wrote a book entitled Under the Mat about life in the Hart family; it was removed from bookstores only weeks after its release in November 2001, following a lawsuit by Owen Hart's widow Martha over the contents. Her son is wrestler Harry Smith, They also share a Daughter together Georgia Smith
 * Owen (1965-1999), a WWF wrestler who died when a wrestling stunt involving a rope descent from the top of an arena to ring level went wrong.

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 Chris Benoit, Edge 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 died 13 days later at the age of 88.

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 honour.

Finishing/signature moves

 * Stu Hart Special (Sugar Hold)
 * Sharpshooter

Wrestlers trained by Stu Hart

 * Ben Bassarab
 * Abdullah the Butcher
 * Chris Benoit
 * Chris Jericho
 * Larry Cameron
 * Justin Credible
 * The Junkyard Dog
 * The Dynamite Kid
 * Jack Evans
 * "Superstar" Billy Graham
 * Bret Hart
 * Bruce Hart
 * Keith Hart
 * Owen Hart
 * Ross Hart
 * Smith Hart
 * Billy Jack Haynes
 * Jason Helton
 * Mark Henry
 * Jos Leduc
 * Paul Leduc
 * Carl "XL The FLQ Terrorist" Leduc
 * Jushin 'Thunder' Liger
 * Jim Neidhart
 * Brian Pillman
 * Kensuke Sasaki
 * Gama Singh
 * "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
 * Lance Storm
 * Kid Kash
 * Greg Valentine
 * Nikolai Volkoff
 * Nikko Brixton
 * Rowdy Roddy Piper
 * Bad News Brown, though in his shoot interview, Brown does not credit Stu for his training.
 * Fritz Von Erich
 * Marcus Cor Von
 * Bill Tovar

Championships/accomplishments

 * '''National Wrestling Alliance
 * 1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion


 * '''Stampede Wrestling
 * 3-time International Tag Team Champion (w/Pat McGill)

Other
 * 1-time Northwest Tag Team Champion (with Pat Meehan)