Owen James Hart, born on May 7, 1965, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was a renowned professional wrestler whose life and career were intertwined with the legendary Hart wrestling dynasty.
As the youngest of twelve children born to Stu Hart, a pioneering wrestler, promoter, and founder of Stampede Wrestling, and Helen Hart, a steadfast supporter of the family’s endeavors, Owen grew up in an environment saturated with the grit and glamour of professional wrestling.
From a young age, he displayed exceptional athleticism, excelling in amateur wrestling during high school and later at the University of Calgary, where he competed for the Dinos and placed fourth in the 1984 Canada West championships in the 76 kg weight class.
Despite his talents, Owen initially resisted following in his father’s footsteps, aspiring instead to become a physical education teacher and exploring various career paths outside the ring.
Owen’s marriage to Martha in 1989 further grounded him, and together they welcomed two children, Oje and Athena, before his untimely death.
Tragically, on May 23, 1999, at the age of 34, Owen perished during a WWF pay-per-view event, Over the Edge, when a faulty quick-release mechanism caused him to plummet 78 feet from the arena rafters while performing as his high-flying alter ego, The Blue Blazer.
Siblings
Owen Hart’s life was profoundly shaped by his eleven siblings, a boisterous brood that formed the backbone of the Hart wrestling empire.
The Hart children, born between 1940 and 1965 to Stu and Helen, navigated a childhood marked by intense training sessions, familial rivalries, and shared dreams of mat glory, often under the watchful eye of their father in the family’s Calgary home.
The eldest, Smith Hart, born in 1948, served as a guiding figure and occasional wrestler in Stampede, though his life was later overshadowed by personal struggles.
Following him was Bruce Hart, born in 1950, a key promoter and booker for Stampede Wrestling who also stepped into the ring alongside his brothers, including memorable tag team appearances with Bret and Owen in WWF storylines.
Keith Hart, born in 1952, mirrored the family’s athletic bent as a wrestler and referee, contributing to Stampede’s operations while maintaining a lower profile than his more famous siblings.
Wayne Hart, born in 1953 and passing away in 2018, dabbled in wrestling but largely stayed out of the spotlight, focusing on family matters.
Dean Hart, born in 1955 and deceased in 1990 due to kidney cancer, was a beloved Stampede performer whose early death left a void in the family, prompting reflections on health and legacy during Owen’s funeral.
Among the sisters, Elizabeth “Ellie” Hart, the eldest daughter born in 1955, supported the family’s wrestling ventures behind the scenes and contributed to the book Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling’s Greatest Family, where she candidly addressed Owen’s accident.
Georgia Hart, born in 1956, married into the wrestling world through her union with wrestler B.J. Annis and occasionally appeared at events, embodying the family’s matriarchal strength.
Allison Hart, born in 1958, wed wrestler Ben Bassarab and became a vocal advocate for the Harts, channeling her experiences into writing and family advocacy.
Ross Hart, born in 1960, took on promotional roles in Stampede and made sporadic WWF cameos, often teaming with his brothers in multi-man matches.
Diana Hart, born in 1964, married British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and authored her own memoir, navigating the highs and lows of inter-family marriages in wrestling.
Finally, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, born in 1957 and the most globally recognized sibling, shared an unbreakable yet complex bond with Owen, their on-screen feuds, like the iconic WrestleMania X clash.
Career
Hart’s professional wrestling journey began in the mid-1980s, rooted in the family business but quickly evolving into a showcase of his unique blend of technical precision and aerial innovation.
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Trained in the unforgiving Hart Dungeon, he debuted in 1986 for his father’s ailing Stampede Wrestling promotion, where he adopted early personas like “Bronco” Owen Hart and honed his craft against regional talent, capturing International Tag Team titles alongside siblings and allies.
As Stampede faltered under financial pressures, ultimately sold to WWF in 1984, Owen ventured internationally, wrestling in England’s Joint Promotions on ITV’s World of Sport and later in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he secured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in 1987, solidifying his reputation as a high-flyer capable of meshing the Harts’ mat-based style with breathtaking dives.
A brief stint in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) followed in 1989, but it was his 1991 return to WWF that marked his ascent to stardom.
Debuting as the masked superhero The Blue Blazer, a character emphasizing his acrobatics over family ties, Owen unmasked after a loss to Ted DiBiase, transitioning to his real name and joining brother-in-law Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart in The New Foundation tag team.
Though short-lived, this partnership led to experimental pairings like High Energy with Koko B. Ware, which fizzled amid creative misfires.
Owen’s true breakthrough came in 1993 during a family-centric feud with brother Bret; an accidental collision at Survivor Series ignited a sibling rivalry that peaked at WrestleMania X in 1994, where Owen’s upset victory over the WWF Champion, via a top-rope enzuigiri and Sharpshooter submission, earned widespread acclaim as a five-star classic and propelled him forward.
Capitalizing on the momentum, Owen won the 1994 King of the Ring tournament, dubbing himself “The King of Harts” and embarking on a singles push that included a stint as USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion.
He revived The Blue Blazer gimmick in 1998 for a satirical edge, feuding with the Nation of Domination and Goldust, while also thriving in tag divisions, partnering with Yokozuna, Davey Boy Smith, and Jeff Jarrett to claim multiple WWF World Tag Team titles.
By the late 1990s, Owen anchored the anti-American Hart Foundation stable alongside Bret, Neidhart, and Pillman, blending patriotism with technical mastery in matches that defined the Attitude Era’s early tensions.
Despite overtures from WCW, Owen remained loyal to WWF, prioritizing family stability in Calgary over relocation.
Accolades
Owen Hart’s in-ring excellence garnered a collection of prestigious honors that underscored his status as one of the 1990s’ most versatile performers, even if he never claimed the WWF’s top prize.
His championship resume began internationally with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in NJPW, a nod to his early global prowess, followed by a stint as the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion in 1994, bridging his Stampede roots with American territories.
In WWF, Owen’s tag team dominance shone brightest: he captured the WWF World Tag Team Championship four times, first with Yokozuna in 1995 after a controversial win over The Smoking Gunns, then with brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith as part of the Hart Foundation in 1997, and finally with Jeff Jarrett later that year, showcasing his chemistry in high-stakes divisions.
As a solo star, he reigned as WWF Intercontinental Champion twice, first dethroning Razor Ramon in 1997 with a Sharpshooter that echoed his brother’s arsenal, and again in 1998 amid Blue Blazer feuds, defending against talents like Triple H and Goldust.
His lone WWF European Championship win came in 1997 against Triple H on Raw, a title he held briefly but defended with flair across continents.
The pinnacle of his individual achievements arrived in June 1994 with victory in the WWF King of the Ring tournament, defeating Razor Ramon, Tatanka, and Bret in the finals to earn his “King of Harts” moniker and a WrestleMania 11 title shot.
Beyond belts, Owen’s 1994 feud with Bret was named Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Feud of the Year, while his 1997 Hart Foundation storyline earned Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s equivalent honor.
He secured two Slammy Awards, including Most Intriguing Player in 1994, and posthumously entered the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019 as part of the Modern Era class.
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