Bruce Hart (wrestler)

Bruce Hart
Ring name(s)	Bruce Hart Bobby Dangler
Billed height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Billed weight	212 lb (96 kg)
Born	(1951-01-13) January 13, 1951 Calgary, Alberta
Trained by	Stu Hart
Debut	December 2, 1972
Retired	2003

Bruce Dennis Luis Hart (born January 13, 1951)^{[citation needed]} is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the legendary Hart wrestling family. Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.^{[citation needed]}

Career

It was revealed in Bret Hart's Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be DVD that Bret realized that he wanted to become a professional wrestler full time after visiting Puerto Rico with his brother Smith. Originally, it had been Bruce that was to travel to Puerto Rico with Smith, but Bruce backed out of the trip at the last minute. Bret said that because the ticket bought for Bruce was for a "B. Hart", he was forced into going by his family. Bret also said that Bruce helped make his decision to go to Puerto Rico final after telling him that he would enjoy it. After coming home to Calgary, Bret realized that he wanted to join the Stampede Wrestling promotion owned by his father full time.^{[citation needed]}

Bruce Hart formed a tag team with Brian Pillman named Bad Company in Stampede Wrestling.^{[citation needed]}

Bruce Hart, Jim Neidhart, Marty Jannetty, Chris Chavis (Tatanka) UCW 1997

In 1996 Bruce Hart made a comeback to the ring with the independent New York based promotion Ultimate Championship Wrestling (UCW), where he wrestled with the likes of Chris Chavis, his brother-in-law Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Falcon Coperis Louis Velazquez, and Marty Jannetty. Bruce Hart was instrumental in the development of the young talent of the UCW.^{[citation needed]}

Hart is retired as a wrestler and currently working as a substitute teacher. He ran Stampede Wrestling with his brother, Ross, but since 2005, he has no role within the company or with training wrestlers.^{[citation needed]}

In a June 29, 2007 interview for "The Calgary Sun", Bruce Hart commented that Chris Benoit was a "delusional juice freak", saying he was not surprised at all by the recent actions, involving the murder of his wife, and son. "The last time I saw him he was in pretty rough shape mentally", said Bruce Hart. He also said "I didn't know all the details, but I knew it wasn't good. I was not at all shocked [by what happened]." "I've known too many wrestlers who couldn't separate the character they play on television from their real life," said Hart, who has wrestled professionally, promoted wrestling and trained wrestlers all his life. "Wrestlers start believing their press clippings and what is said on television. It's like an actor leaving the set, but still playing the part. There's a delusional element to this. I've seen it over and over again. Some people can't separate the character from real life, and Chris was one of those people." Hart was also deeply angered that World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit on Monday Night Raw before they learned Benoit had been responsible for the deaths of his family. "I kept hearing 'He was a nice guy, a great guy.' For them to do a tribute show was disgraceful."

The book Ring of Hell stated that Bruce was always abusive towards and jealous of Benoit during his days training in the Hart Family Dungeon.^{[citation needed]}

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

Hart has made several appearances with his brothers Bret and Owen in World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Bruce made his first appearance in WWF at the Survivor Series 1993 PPV, teaming with his brothers Bret, Owen and Keith to take on Shawn Michaels and His Knights (Shawn Michaels, The Red Knight, The Blue Knight and The Black Knight). Hart Brothers won the match, with Owen being the only member of the team to be eliminated. This ignited a lengthy feud between Bret and Owen that would last for several years. At the SummerSlam 1994 PPV, the two brothers competed in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Championship. Bruce and several Hart brothers interfered in the match. Bruce also appeared on an episode of Monday Night Raw in the summer of 1994.^{[citation needed]}

Bruce's next WWF appearance was at the In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede PPV, when he interfered in the main event pitting Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Brian Pillman and Jim Neidhart) against Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust and Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal). Bruce was a key part of the match's finish as he scuffled with Austin, allowing Owen to score the pinfall victory over Austin.^{[citation needed]}

Bruce's next and most recent appearance in the renamed WWE was at the WrestleMania XXVI PPV, where he was the surprise Special Guest Referee for his brother Bret's first WWE match in 13 years, a No Holds Barred Lumberjack match against the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. McMahon thought that Bruce and the rest of Hart family were at his side, but they all turned on him and helped Bret win the match.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Hart is divorced from his former wife Andrea Redding, his ex-wife would later date his ex-brother in law, Davey Boy Smith at the time of Smith's death. He has five children from his first marriage: Brit, Bruce Jr., Rhett, Tory and Lara. Bruce married for the second time on January 19, 2007 to Rachel Overholt, a 28-year-old former student. Their first child Davis Gene Hart was born on October 26, 2007 in Toronto.^{[citation needed]}

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Hart Breaker (Reverse figure four leglock)

• Signature moves
  • Camel clutch
  • Lariat, sometimes from the top rope

• Managers
  • Stu Hart

• Nicknames
  • "Cowboy"
  • "Beautiful Brucie'"

Championships and accomplishments

• Polynesian Pacific Wrestling
  • PPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Keith Hart

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #366 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1997
  • PWI ranked him #481 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003

• Stampede Wrestling
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (2 times) - with Davey Boy Smith
  • Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (8 times)
  • Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Brian Pillman (2) and Teddy Hart (1)¹
  • Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • Stampede World Mid-Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame

¹TJ Wilson replaced Teddy Hart after Hart suffered an injury.

External links

• Bruce Hart at Bodyslamming.com
• Bruce Hart at Online World of Wrestling
• Hart Family News