Owen Hart

Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He competed for many professional wrestling promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he was most well known. While in the WWF, Hart competed under his real name and the ring name The Blue Blazer. He was a member of the Hart wrestling family and was the youngest of 12 children of Stampede Wrestling promoter and WWE Hall of Famer Stu Hart and Helen Hart.

He was a one time WWF European Champion, two time WWF Intercontinental champion, four time WWF Tag Team champion and was the 1994 King of the Ring.

Death 
Hart died on the night of May 23, 1999, while performing a stunt which involved him being lowered to the ring from the rafters, the cape he was wearing with his Blue Blazer gimmick got stuck in the release hatch of the cord he was trying to yank it out but when he did the release hatch released and he fell 78 feet down into the ring landing on the top rope (this happened during the 1999 Over the Edge.)

The next WWF Raw was a two hour special tribute show to Hart called Raw is Owen, It featured remembrance matches and shoot interviews with fellow wrestlers. They tolled the bell ten times (known as a ten bell salute) in memory of Hart.

In wrestling 
 Finishing moves
 As Owen Hart
 Bridging Northern Lights suplex – During his early career; Hart used it as a signature move from 1994 to 1999
 Missile dropkick – During his early career; Hart used it as a signature move from 1994 to 1999
 Reverse piledriver, sometimes while Hart was kneeling – 1997–1999
 Sharpshooter
 As The Blue Blazer
 Diving splash
 Moonsault

 Signature moves
 Belly to belly suplex
 Diving elbow drop
 Diving headbutt
 Dragon sleeper
 Gutwrench suplex
 Jackknife pin
 Leg grapevine
 Multiple kick variations
 Leg-feed enzuigiri
 Spinning wheel
 Super

 With Jim Neidhart
 Rocket launcher

 Managers
 Jim Cornette
 Clarence Mason
 Debra
 Bret Hart
 Mr. Fuji

 Nicknames
 "The Rocket"
 "The King of Harts"
 "The Black Hart"
 "The Lone Hart"
 "The Two-Time Slammy Award Winner"

Entrance themes
"Hallucination" by Carlos Alomar (NJPW; 1987–1991)
"High Energy" by Jim Johnston (1992–1997)
"Enough Is Enough"(Black Hart) by Jim Johnston (1997–1999)

Championships
Legends Pro Wrestling
He was inducted into the LPW Hall of Fame on May 28, 2011.

 New Japan Pro Wrestling
 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

 Pro Wrestling Illustrated
 Editor's Award (1999)
 Feud of the Year (1994) (vs. Bret Hart)
 Rookie of the Year (1987)
 He was ranked #10 of the 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1994.
 He was ranked #66 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
 He was ranked #84 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Davey Boy Smith in 2003.

Stampede Wrestling
 Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (1 time) (with Ben Bassarab)
 Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
 Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame

 United States Wrestling Association
 USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

World Wrestling Federation
 WWF European Championship (1 time)
 WWF Intercontinental Championship (2 times)
 WWF World Tag Team Championship (4 times) (with Yokozuna (2), The British Bulldog (1), and Jeff Jarrett (1))
 King of the Ring (1994)
 Slammy Award for Squared Circle Shocker (1996)1
 Slammy Award for Best Bow Tie (1997)2

 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
 5 Star Match (1994) (vs. Bret Hart in a cage match at SummerSlam)
 Best Flying Wrestler (1987, 1988)
 Feud of the Year (1997) (with Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Davey Boy Smith, and Brian Pillman vs. Steve Austin)

1The Slammy was awarded to Shawn Michaels for collapsing but Hart accepted the award for himself instead.

2After he presented the Award, Hart did not award it to any of the possible candidates and instead stole it for himself.

References

Other websites

Hart family members
1965 births
1999 deaths
Canadian professional wrestlers
Deaths in sport
Former WWE wrestlers
Sportspeople from Calgary