Gary Hart (wrestler)

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For other people named Gary Hart, see Gary Hart (disambiguation).

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Not to be confused with Gary Williams (wrestler).
Gary Hart
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Birth name Gary Richard Williams
Born (1942-01-24)January 24, 1942[1]
Chicago, Illinois
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Euless, Texas
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Gary Hart[1]
Billed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Billed weight 239 lb (108 kg)
Debut 1963[1]
Retired 2004

Gary Richard Williams,[2] (January 24, 1942 – March 16, 2008) was an American professional wrestling manager, as well as a professional wrestler in his early career, best known by his ring name Gary Hart.[1] Hart was one of the pivotal driving forces behind what is considered to be World Class Championship Wrestling's "golden years" in the early 1980s.

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Gary Hart started out as a wrestler in 1960 in Chicago at the Marigold Arena.[3] In the late 1960s, he became a manager called "Playboy" Gary Hart. During the late 1960s, he managed "The Spoiler," as well as the tag team duo "The Spoilers, which consisted of Spoilers #1 (Don Jardine) and #2 (Smasher Sloan). They won several tag team titles in 1968 and 1969 under Hart's guidance.

On February 20, 1975, Hart and wrestlers Austin Idol and Bobby Shane were passengers on a Cessna 182 flown by wrestler Buddy Colt, which crashed into Tampa Bay in Florida, killing Shane.[4]

World Class Championship Wrestling (1979–1987)

Hart became the booker for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW; then known as Big Time Wrestling) in 1976, a position he held until January 1983, then again from 1986-1988. The years between 1982 and 1985 are considered to be the "Golden Years" of the promotion. Hart created the classic feud between the Von Erichs and the Fabulous Freebirds, as well as introducing characters like the Great Kabuki, the Great Muta, King Kong Bundy, the One Man Gang and the Samoan Swat Team. Hart additionally managed talent such as "Gorgeous" Gino Hernandez and Gentleman Chris Adams. Along with booking, he also managed Nord the Barbarian, Abdullah The Butcher, Al Perez and Jeep Swenson under the stable "New Age Management".

Hart in the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic regions of the NWA

During World Class' golden era, Hart was also a manager in the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic regions of the NWA; joining these two areas exclusively in 1983 shortly after the start of the Freebirds-Von Erichs feud, when he left World Class due to a pay dispute. Hart returned to Texas in the summer of 1984 and following a short hiatus in 1986; stayed with the federation until 1988. Hart was also a promoter and manager in San Antonio for Texas All-Star Wrestling, the successor of Joe Blanchard's Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW) group. He also worked for the ICW, first as the heel manager of Bruiser Brody, Kevin Sullivan and Mark Lewin. During one storyline, Hart had a falling out with Sullivan, after which Lewin attacked Hart with a sleeper hold.

Jim Crockett Promotions

Shortly after the folding of WCCW, Hart continued to manage Al Perez in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988, along with Larry Zbyszko. In 1989, he managed the stable J-Tex Corporation, which included Terry Funk, Dick Slater, Buzz Sawyer, The Dragonmaster, and The Great Muta. They feuded primarily with Ric Flair and Sting, but Ole and Arn Anderson later teamed up with Flair and Sting to even the sides up (and thus bringing back The Four Horseman briefly). J-Tex disbanded in early 1990.

Later career

After leaving WCW, Hart returned to Texas and began a new wrestling promotion in North Dallas, Texas Wrestling Federation, which showcased many former stars of World Class and those who are competing in the USWA/World Class promotion.

During the 1990s, following the demise of the Global Wrestling Federation, Hart and Chris Adams were involved in many Texas-based wrestling promotions, including an ill-fated attempt to revive World Class (billed as World Class II: The Next Generation) at the Dallas Sportatorium. Hart retired in 1999, but made a surprise return in Major League Wrestling (MLW), during the promotion's Reloaded Tour on January 9–10, 2004. Hart appeared following the main event (on January 9) pitting Low Ki against Homicide, where the three laid out several wrestlers from the locker room, as well MLW president Court Bauer.

Death

Hart died on March 16, 2008, following a heart attack at his home in Euless, TX, after returning from an autograph session in Pennsylvania.[1] On April 5, 2008, Peach State Pandemonium, an internet wrestling program, aired a two-hour tribute program in the memory of Hart. "Cowboy" Bill Watts, Jack Brisco, James Beard, Abdullah The Butcher, Michael "P.S." Hayes, Kevin Sullivan, George Steele, Skandor Akbar, and Jim Ross were among those who attended. Following his death, his autobiography, My Life In Wrestling...With A Little Help From My Friends, was released in 2009 but is now out of print.[5]

In wrestling

Wrestlers managed

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Nicknames

  • "Playboy"[1]
  • "Gay"

Championships and accomplishments

Big Time Wrestling

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ planecrashinfo.com Famous People Who Died in Aviation Accidents: 1970s
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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