Gary Richard Williams, (January 24, 1942 – March 16, 2008) was a former professional wrestling manager, as well as a professional wrestler in his early career, best known by his ring name Gary Hart. 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.
Career history
Gary Hart (born Gary Williams) started out as a wrestler in 1963 in the Illinois and Wisconsin territories. In the late 1960s, he became a manager called "Playboy" Gary Hart.
Gary Hart booked World Class Championship Wrestling's golden years (1979-1987), which featured classic feuds including: Von Erichs vs. Freebirds, creating memorable big money gimmicks like Great Kabuki, Great Muta, King Kong Bundy, the One Man Gang, the Samoan Swat Team, etc. Hart also discovered Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams and countless others.
He stayed primarily in the Texas territories and he really made a name for himself in World Class Championship Wrestling in the 1980s. He managed Nord the Barbarian, Abdullah The Butcher, Al Perez and Jeep Swenson under the stable name of "New Age Management" while there. They always feuded with the Von Erich family and the other top faces.
In 1984, Hart managed Gentleman Chris Adams, who turned heel and engaged in a major feud with Kevin and Kerry Von Erich. This feud sent Adams to the top of the wrestling world and eventually won the NWA American (later World Class title) in 1985.
In 1987, Hart went to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Jim Crockett Promotions where he continued to manage Al Perez but added Larry Zbyszko. In 1989, he managed a group called J-Tex Corporation that included Terry Funk, Dick Slater, Buzz Sawyer, The Dragonmaster, and The Great Muta. They feuded with Ric Flair and Sting in the beginning, and later Ole Anderson and Arn Anderson teamed up with Flair and Sting to even sides up bringing back The Four Horseman briefly. This feud with J-Tex lasted until they disbanded in early 1990.
Hart went back to Texas and managed until 1999, when he retired. He made a surprise return in Major League Wrestling in 2004 to manage Lo Ki and Homicide, but the promotion folded. During the 1990s, following the demise of the Global Wrestling Federation, Hart and 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.
He has a son named Chad Hart that wrestles in Texas and abroad. Chad was trained by his father, Adams and Skandor Akbar. Gary also has a nephew, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) booker/writer Court Bauer.
Wrestling facts
- Tag teams and stables
- J-Tex Corporation
- Gary Hart's Army
- Bob Orton Jr. (WCW)
- Buzz Sawyer (WCW)
- Dick Slater (WCW)
- Larry Zbyszko (NWA)
- Terry Funk (WCW)
- The Dragon Master (WCW)
- The Great Muta (WCW)
- The Great Kabuki (NWA)
- Dusty Rhodes (NWA)
- Gino Hernandez (NWA)
- Chris Adams (NWA)
- King Kong Bundy (NWA)
- One Man Gang (NWA)
- Pak Song (NWA)
- The Spoiler (Don Jardine) (NWA)
- Mark Lewin (NWA)
- Professor Toru Tanaka (NWA)
- Nikolai Volkoff (NWA)
- Bruiser Brody (NWA)
- Bobby Shane (NWA)
- Bobby Duncum (NWA)
- Abdullah the Butcher (NWA)
- Kendo Nagasaki (NWA)
- Brute Bernard (NWA)
- Swede Hanson (NWA)
- Rip Hawk (NWA)
- The Missouri Mauler (NWA)
- 'King' Curtis Iaukea (NWA)
- George 'The Animal' Steele (NWA)
- Angelo Poffo (NWA)
- Kevin Sullivan (NWA)
- Ronnie Garvin (NWA)
- Killer Tim Brooks (NWA)
- Waldo Von Erich (NWA)
- Mario Milano (NWA)
- Wrestlers trained
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA American Tag Team Champion (3 time) - with Spoiler
See also
- Gary Hart’s event history
External links
- Gary Hart profile at CAGEMATCH.net
- "Gentleman's Choice" a 2008 Documentary on The Life of Gentleman Chris Adams-features interviews with Gary Hart
- December 12, 2008 Audio Interview with WCCW's Mickey Grant regarding World Class, Gary Hart, and "Gentleman's Choice" a 2008 Documentary on The Life of Gentleman Chris Adams