View Full Version : Eight Years Later: Owen Hart
The following was originally posted and written by KayfabeMan.
I had originaly posted this as a Kayfabe Corner back in 2005, IIRC.
I want to repost it now, and hope that you guys will enjoy said post and will share further in this thread. It is a rather important thread to me, and I was going to start one myself - but got back here after this was already up here.
*****
There are moments in one's life, both good and bad, that you never forget. No matter how much time passes or how many trivial things are erased from memory, you just don't lose them. I want to share a bit of both the good and the bad, in hopes that others will follow in suit with their memories - never to forget someone who is missed each and every day.
Growing up, I had watched Owen Hart wrestle on TV quite often. With The New Foundation, with High Energy, as the Blue Blazer, as 'Bret's little brother', and into his transformation into one of the best heels in the business. Owen always had something about him that just drew me into whatever character he was playing, heel or face, and had me hoping that he'd win in whatever match he was in.
In the early/mid-1990's, I used to go to the local WWF shows [which took place quite often here back then]. Showtime was 7 or 8 PM, however, my family would take me early in the day and we would wait outside for the wrestlers to arrive. Back then, you weren't separated by guardrails and security guards and such - and often the wrestlers parked in the same lot as the fans would. I remember one such time, shortly after Owen's heel turn on Bret in 1994, that we arrived early to meet wrestlers. Owen arrived along with Jim Neidhart, and instead of keeping kayfabe as most heels did at the time, they were both polite and took the time to sign autographs and talk with fans.
Owen was having a bit of fun with it, as while signing autographs and such he'd make heel like faces - as if he despised doing what he was doing. I remember walking right up next to him to hold my book up for his signature, and he signed it and looked down at me - I remember this the most, and will never forget it, as he seemed larger than life at the time, being so young - and he smiled at me, and then returned to making the heel faces. I will never forget him smiling at me. Every time I pass the arena, I always see myself in the parking lot as a little kid - meeting the wrestlers. Thanks to Owen I'll have that memory forever.
From then on, I was hooked on Owen. Later down the road, I even got my grandparents to buy me a trophy that was similar to the infamous 'Slammy Award' that Owen carried around. He was the total heel, and inspired me not only as a fan, but later as a wrestler. Those are the good moments that I will never forget.
A bad moment that I'll never forget happened on May 23, 1999 - six years ago, I still can't believe it's been six - during WWF's broadcast. I'd returned home from another local show here in the area to settle in and watch the PPV. I was looking forward to seeing Owen that evening. I remember watching his promo earlier in the PPV and thinking how ridiculous he looked in that outfit now, but being entertained at how he pulled it off. The next thing I can remember about it was later in the evening - seeing the camera pan wildly and then them cutting back to other things. I found it really strange. When Jim Ross broke the situation, I was completely ill. I felt my stomach rumble, and my head started to hurt - I just had this odd feeling that something really bad was going to come of it.
When Jerry Lawler returned to the broadcast position from being at ringside, I knew that that was it for Owen; despite what I assume to be an effort, the look on Jerry's face said that it was over. I had tried to keep my mind off of that, praying that Owen would be OK. When they broke the news of his passing, I cried. Even knowing that it was bad from before, it truly didn't sink in until it was 'made official' by them saying it. That's a bad memory I'll never forget.
The RAW that followed made it even harder to forget about what happened - and in a way I am glad about that. I am glad that Owen will never be forgotten. After reading his widow's book about their lives, and everything that took place, it makes it that much more important for Owen's life to be remembered. He was a true man, and a real man - who NEVER put the business before his family as most of us often do. Who NEVER ignored a request to help someone who needed it. Who NEVER mistreated someone, or looked down on them as if he were better; and who hopefully, will NEVER be forgotten.
I thank you Owen, for entertaining and inspiring - not only me - but countless others. I thank Owen, for being a kind and generous guy - who even after your death, continues to help through charities established in your name as you wanted. I thank you Owen, for inspiring me to be willing to be a heel - one who like you did, always has a smile behind that mean face. And I thank you Owen, for smiling at me that day - just as I'm smiling thinking about you now.
I hope that today, even six years later, that everyone might stop for a second - and say not only a prayer [or if you don't pray, think a thought about] for Owen, but also for his wife and children, and his entire family - who I am sure are sharing their thoughts of Owen today as well. Let's use this thread to discuss memories of Owen, and keep his memory alive.
Disturbed316
05-23-2007, 11:40 AM
Hey, remember when he died?
ttetf
05-23-2007, 12:04 PM
Sad
That's about the only thing that comes to mind. A totally unnecessary stunt leads to a totally unnecessary death. Whatever people around here think about his brother, Owen seemed like he was a standup guy. I remember one time getting his autograph when WWF came to my hometown (which they never had nor have since). He was a heel at the time but was way nicer and more friendly than Mabel and Mo who were also signing at the same time. Plus his matches with Bret, HHH, HBK and when he was tagged with Bulldog were great. The match he had shortly after the Montreal Screwjob with Shawn Michaels was tremendous, and in my opinion, should have been the Main Event at In Your House that December. Fuck Ken Shamrock getting a title shot...
Owen had already gone on leave before they announced Shamrock had the title shot.
And Shamrock was getting a shot anyway. It was meant to a 4way with him, Bret, Shawn and a to be announced 4th wrestler (Davey Boy Smith, Taker or Vader I think).
I think ttetf summed it up perfectly in his first 3 lines.
Anybody Thrilla
05-23-2007, 12:29 PM
He's not a nugget in my heart. :heart:
IC Champion
05-23-2007, 12:37 PM
Long live Owen
Kane Knight
05-23-2007, 12:38 PM
The turnbuckle didn't screw Owen, Owen screwed Owen.
Anybody Thrilla
05-23-2007, 12:40 PM
Too soon
Theo Dious
05-23-2007, 01:38 PM
The turnbuckle didn't screw Owen, Owen screwed Owen.
I was going to say "ouch," but I realized that that would further the level of insensitivity.
BigDaddyCool
05-23-2007, 01:46 PM
I will never forget the next day when I woke up and it was all over the radio that morning.
Rammsteinmad
05-23-2007, 01:53 PM
Yeah. Hard to believe it's been eight years. Seems like just yesterday I went to school and everyone was talking about it. :(
BigDaddyCool
05-23-2007, 01:57 PM
Yeah. Hard to believe it's been eight years. Seems like just yesterday I went to school and everyone was talking about it. :(
Imagine living in KC and not getting to go to that ppv because your parents hated wrestling. So the first time you hear about it is the next morning. And then everyone in school already knows about it because they saw it first hand.
Imagine living in KC and not getting to go to that ppv because your parents hated wrestling. So the first time you hear about it is the next morning. And then everyone in school already knows about it because they saw it first hand.
I don't get it. So you're sad you couldn't go watch him die?
Theo Dious
05-23-2007, 02:11 PM
I don't get it. So you're sad you couldn't go watch him die?
He didn't say he regretted it, he was relating the odd feeling of being the only guy out of the loop.
Theo Dious
05-23-2007, 02:14 PM
My fucking mom told me it had happened.
Her: Hey, did you hear about that wrestler that got killed?
Me: No, who?
Her: Umm... not Bret Hart, but that guy that's related to him.
Me: Jimmy Hart?
Her: No, an actual wrestler.
Me: Owen?
Her: I think so.
Me: WTF?!?!?!
That is not an attempt at humor, that was the actual conversation.
Blue Demon
05-23-2007, 02:29 PM
Real men do cry.
If there were any doubts of that fact before, there were none after May 23rd, 1999, a night which will be remembered for one of the worst tragedies in the history of the wrestling business.
Along with millions, I watched the Over the Edge pay-per-view that night at home. It was a pay-per-view starting out pretty much like many WWF pay-per-views, with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler trading their usual entertaining banter.
Then, as a video package promoting the match between "The Godfather" and Owen Hart for the Intercontinental Title began, I could hear Jim Ross say "something's gone wrong...". When the video package finished, the camera was showing a crowd shot. At first, I didn't understand what had happened. Then the faces and the words of Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross made it clear that something had gone horribly, tragically wrong.
Ross, stunned, said over and over again that what had happened was "not part of the storyline" and not "a wrestling angle"; trying to communicate to the world-wide PPV audience what had just happened: Owen Hart, while attempting a ring entrance in his "Blue Blazer" character descending on a wire from the ceiling, had fallen approximately 50 feet to the ring, hitting his head on a turnbuckle, breaking his neck.
Hart was given CPR in the ring in front of the live audience at Kemper Arena and then taken to Truman Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Shortly afterwards, Jim Ross made the announcement of Hart's death to the PPV audience.
On Tuesday, there were reports from a local Kansas City radio station and the Kansas City Police Department stating that the apparent cause of the fatal accident was that Owen Hart was reaching up to grab onto the harness; but instead accidentally hit the release, causing his fall.
In the "show must go on" spirit that wrestling has, taken from the "carnys" that wrestling's roots are born in, the Over The Edge PPV continued until its conclusion. But the toll on the people who had to perform for the remainder of the evening had to be beyond measure, and was very obvious to the viewing audience, which saw Jeff Jarrett, Debra McMichael, Brian (Jesse James Armstrong) James, and Duane (Rocky Maivia) Johnson barely keeping their composure through scheduled promos during the PPV.
I have to say I felt numb for most of Monday. I noticed that Dave Scherer of 1wrestling.com described much the same feeling. I'm sure we weren't the only people who felt that way.
Because on May 23rd, a man known for tremendous talent... for a sense of humor legendary within the wrestling business... and known for his great love for his wife Martha and his children Oje and Athena... was taken from this world far, far too soon. I think I had this feeling so strongly because I've had the privilege of seeing the human side of the business and writing about it. These are very real people that work as professional wrestlers. They aren't just characters to me.
I've been blessed to have built acquaintances and friendships with many within WCW, ECW, and the WWF through introductions by NWA office staffperson (and former PWBTS columnist) Kathy Fitzpatrick. From those, there have come other friendships, all of which have been a source of great joy. I've gotten to know how much these performers give to entertain people all over the world, both physically and emotionally. That's what made it so strangely personal a loss.
Indeed, real men do cry.
On May 24th, many of them did.
That night, the staff and workers of the World Wrestling Federation dedicated their two hour Monday Night RAW to their fallen friend and co-worker in a moving tribute at the Kiel Center in St. Louis. The irony of the location had to be painful for the entire Titan crew, as only 18 months previously, Brian Pillman was mourned by the WWF and the fans after his death earlier that day alone in a hotel room hundreds of miles away in Minneapolis.
The ten bell count was sounded as the entire Titan staff came out under a picture of Owen Hart on the Titantron. Many of those there were openly weeping for Hart, most notably Brian (Road Dog) James, Mark Henry, and Paul (Hunter Hearst Helmsley) Levesque.
Monday Night RAW had numerous segments, with wrestlers and office personnel expressing their feelings about Owen....many of which were humorous, telling of Hart's legendary "ribs" in the locker room and on the road. Other reminiscences were deeply felt, by friends like Paul Levesque, Jeff Jarrett, Debra McMichael, and Brian James, repeatedly breaking down while sharing their feelings with the TV and live audiences.
In between these segments were matches dedicated to Owen Hart, devoid of existing storylines, so that as many wrestlers as possible could work matches to pay tribute to their friend. Special mentions of Hart were done all night by the boys, using special forms of all the traditional tag lines of most of the wrestlers.
The RAW tribute ended with Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross saying their last goodbyes, finally being able to let go after keeping it together for a pay-per-view and international TV/cable broadcast over a 24 hour period. Ross said, sobbing, that "...he hoped he could be as good a man as Owen had been, so he could see him again (in Heaven) some day."
But the remark that got me crying was Jerry Lawler...the same Jerry Lawler who in real life can seem so hard-boiled and old school. He said: "I learned a valuable lesson from Owen Hart last night. As I got into the ring, and held...lifted up Owen's head in the ring...if he could have had one more thing...he would have asked for one more day to tell the people he loved what he thought of them. Never leave home without letting the people in your life know that."
The show then ended with Steve Austin coming out to the ring, with his house show tradition of bringing out two beers, often handed to referee Earl Hebner. In a silent tribute that spoke louder than any words, as a graphic of Owen Hart was shown on the Titantron...with tears in his eyes, Steve Austin opened up his beer...toasted the picture of his friend, then quietly laid down a lone beer on the mat.
In a welcome touch, even rival company WCW paid tribute to Owen on WCW's Monday Nitro; where a brief memorial was done for Hart, with Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan speaking briefly, having a hard time keeping their composure while doing so. Several workers wore black armbands, most notably Chris Benoit.
I hope that this tragedy teaches us some lessons.
First, as fans...we need to respect how much these performers give to entertain people all over the world, both physically and emotionally. Next time you get ready to give a catcall after a wrestler "blows a spot", stop and think about the price he and she has paid to entertain you that day or night. Stop and think about the travel, the strain on their personal relationships, the drugs used to deal with the physical and emotional pain. Then think again if you need to make that comment.
Second, as human beings...We need to listen to the point that Jerry Lawler made while in those last moments of Monday night's tribute. In the time we have on this Earth, we need to tell our friends and loved ones what we feel about them. We need to be there for them in their times of joy and times of need. For when all is said and done, we are not promised tomorrow.
Real men do cry...and on the night of May 23rd, 1999, the entire wrestling world cried.
Until next time...
Blue Demon
05-23-2007, 02:30 PM
^ From PWBTS.com
Kane Knight
05-23-2007, 03:39 PM
I don't get it. So you're sad you couldn't go watch him die?
Wouldn't you be?
IC Champion
05-23-2007, 04:27 PM
Wouldn't you be?
thats a joke right
Imagine living in KC and not getting to go to that ppv because your parents hated wrestling. So the first time you hear about it is the next morning. And then everyone in school already knows about it because they saw it first hand.
Why would your parents hating wrestling stop you going to shows? My parents hated wrestling and never stopped me from going. Would they stop you bowling if they hated that or seeing a movie with an actor they hated?
This is a serious question. And I am in no way trying to mock your parents. Just curious.
BigDaddyCool
05-23-2007, 05:45 PM
Why would your parents hating wrestling stop you going to shows? My parents hated wrestling and never stopped me from going. Would they stop you bowling if they hated that or seeing a movie with an actor they hated?
This is a serious question. And I am in no way trying to mock your parents. Just curious.
At the time I didn't have a car or driver's licence. I also lived in Lee's summit, which 30 minutes (give or take) to Kemper. So, it was kinda hard to get there.
No buses or friends who could take you?
BigDaddyCool
05-23-2007, 05:54 PM
No buses or friends who could take you?
None of my friends at the time liked wrestling. I think I may have worked that night anyhow, I honestly forget. I may have been driving by then come to think of it.
As for buses, you've never been to Kansas City. The buses only operate in Kansas City proper...and not even then. We had/have shitty mass transit.
Since then I went to most WWE(F) shows that came though. I never went to WCW or the singular ECW show that came through.
Coolio. I was just curious anyway. I barely had anyone to go to shows with either. And this was when wrestling was massive.
jeffs wife dies the same day his tag partner 8 years later real sad
KayfabeMan
05-23-2007, 08:31 PM
I had originaly posted this as a Kayfabe Corner back in 2005, IIRC.
I want to repost it now, and hope that you guys will enjoy said post and will share further in this thread. It is a rather important thread to me, and I was going to start one myself - but got back here after this was already up here.
*****
There are moments in one's life, both good and bad, that you never forget. No matter how much time passes or how many trivial things are erased from memory, you just don't lose them. I want to share a bit of both the good and the bad, in hopes that others will follow in suit with their memories - never to forget someone who is missed each and every day.
Growing up, I had watched Owen Hart wrestle on TV quite often. With The New Foundation, with High Energy, as the Blue Blazer, as 'Bret's little brother', and into his transformation into one of the best heels in the business. Owen always had something about him that just drew me into whatever character he was playing, heel or face, and had me hoping that he'd win in whatever match he was in.
In the early/mid-1990's, I used to go to the local WWF shows [which took place quite often here back then]. Showtime was 7 or 8 PM, however, my family would take me early in the day and we would wait outside for the wrestlers to arrive. Back then, you weren't separated by guardrails and security guards and such - and often the wrestlers parked in the same lot as the fans would. I remember one such time, shortly after Owen's heel turn on Bret in 1994, that we arrived early to meet wrestlers. Owen arrived along with Jim Neidhart, and instead of keeping kayfabe as most heels did at the time, they were both polite and took the time to sign autographs and talk with fans.
Owen was having a bit of fun with it, as while signing autographs and such he'd make heel like faces - as if he despised doing what he was doing. I remember walking right up next to him to hold my book up for his signature, and he signed it and looked down at me - I remember this the most, and will never forget it, as he seemed larger than life at the time, being so young - and he smiled at me, and then returned to making the heel faces. I will never forget him smiling at me. Every time I pass the arena, I always see myself in the parking lot as a little kid - meeting the wrestlers. Thanks to Owen I'll have that memory forever.
From then on, I was hooked on Owen. Later down the road, I even got my grandparents to buy me a trophy that was similar to the infamous 'Slammy Award' that Owen carried around. He was the total heel, and inspired me not only as a fan, but later as a wrestler. Those are the good moments that I will never forget.
A bad moment that I'll never forget happened on May 23, 1999 - six years ago, I still can't believe it's been six - during WWF's broadcast. I'd returned home from another local show here in the area to settle in and watch the PPV. I was looking forward to seeing Owen that evening. I remember watching his promo earlier in the PPV and thinking how ridiculous he looked in that outfit now, but being entertained at how he pulled it off. The next thing I can remember about it was later in the evening - seeing the camera pan wildly and then them cutting back to other things. I found it really strange. When Jim Ross broke the situation, I was completely ill. I felt my stomach rumble, and my head started to hurt - I just had this odd feeling that something really bad was going to come of it.
When Jerry Lawler returned to the broadcast position from being at ringside, I knew that that was it for Owen; despite what I assume to be an effort, the look on Jerry's face said that it was over. I had tried to keep my mind off of that, praying that Owen would be OK. When they broke the news of his passing, I cried. Even knowing that it was bad from before, it truly didn't sink in until it was 'made official' by them saying it. That's a bad memory I'll never forget.
The RAW that followed made it even harder to forget about what happened - and in a way I am glad about that. I am glad that Owen will never be forgotten. After reading his widow's book about their lives, and everything that took place, it makes it that much more important for Owen's life to be remembered. He was a true man, and a real man - who NEVER put the business before his family as most of us often do. Who NEVER ignored a request to help someone who needed it. Who NEVER mistreated someone, or looked down on them as if he were better; and who hopefully, will NEVER be forgotten.
I thank you Owen, for entertaining and inspiring - not only me - but countless others. I thank Owen, for being a kind and generous guy - who even after your death, continues to help through charities established in your name as you wanted. I thank you Owen, for inspiring me to be willing to be a heel - one who like you did, always has a smile behind that mean face. And I thank you Owen, for smiling at me that day - just as I'm smiling thinking about you now.
I hope that today, even six years later, that everyone might stop for a second - and say not only a prayer [or if you don't pray, think a thought about] for Owen, but also for his wife and children, and his entire family - who I am sure are sharing their thoughts of Owen today as well. Let's use this thread to discuss memories of Owen, and keep his memory alive.
Kane Knight
05-23-2007, 08:33 PM
thats a joke right
If you have toask, the odds are good on "yes."
KayfabeMan, would you mind if I put that in the first post? Obviously I'll credit you, but I think it would be good to have more meat in the opening post.
KayfabeMan
05-23-2007, 08:50 PM
No problem. :y:
KayfabeMan
05-23-2007, 08:50 PM
Put it up there and I'll cut my post there out, so it's not repetitive.
Zen v.W.o.
05-23-2007, 10:25 PM
Time flies. There hasn't been a wrestler since Owen that has been able to suck me into anything it is that they do on screen, and I miss him for that.
The first i heard of his death was sometime after the ppv. I came back home from being out with some friends, I turned on the TSN channel here in Canada, and his death announcement was one of the main stories on the show. Totally shocked me, and had me depressed about it for days.
I always felt it was unnecessary to boot, simply due to the fact Owen was one of the best with or without the Blazer gimmick, and frankly, I think most people would have felt the same way, even if he actually did start to make the character work well for him, which is what he was doing.
Mercury Bullet
05-23-2007, 10:34 PM
I was in a wrestling chat room on Yahoo when the PPV was going on, somebody said, "OMG, Owen Hart just fell out of the rafters! The camera cut away and everything I think he got really hurt!"
And everybody waited around and waited around...and then the guy that was watching says, "Ross just said Owen has died! OMG! R.I.P. Owen Hart. He died."
I was immediately thinking (and saying in the chat room" "HE ISN'T DEAD, YOU IDIOTS. HE'S PLAYING A SUPERHERO! It's all part of the show, he'll been a week or so and come back rising from the ashes or whatever!
The guy was arguing, "No, no, he seriously fell and the announcers were really emotional and upset and I don't think they'd be doing a work like this!" And I insisted it was, and ended the convo with "Whatever".
And then I watched the news.
Dorkchop
05-23-2007, 11:36 PM
It's sad that happened to someone... Not just Owen.
Raw, the day, after was really depressing. It was one of the most memorable Raws ever. It's amazing how many people were touched by Owen when he was alive. I can't imagine how it must have felt for anyone who knew him.
KayfabeMan
05-25-2007, 06:31 AM
Just bumping, as a reminder about Owen, for anyone who didn't see and / or remember.
Disturbed316
05-25-2007, 06:29 PM
Great, now my post looks like I'm being a dick.
http://www.wrestlingworld.it/Historical/Tagteamgallery/highenergykokobwareowenhart.jpg
http://www.robbrobb.com/media/articleImgs/owenhartvest.jpg
http://thenewnathandertoit.freeservers.com/weekend-at-owens.jpg
KayfabeMan
05-26-2007, 01:42 AM
That's hysterical.
I, for one, am highly impressed.
Executioner
05-26-2007, 10:31 AM
Owen's a Black Hart DAMNIT!!!! A WINNER!!!! AND A SOLE SURVIVOR!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!......We still miss you Owen!!!
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