Alex Lucard of Diehard Gamefan sent this in…
Gary Hart is responsible for some of my favorite moments of wrestling back when I watched. He was the booker behind the classic Von Erichs-Freebird feud. He brought Keji Muto over to the United States and gave him the “Grat Muta” gimmick, making him the kayfabe son of the Great Kabuki. He was the first manager I ever really appreciated and he was the central part of the biggest angle I had seen in wrestling at my early age: the Flair, Sting, Ole Anderson and Double A version of the Horsemen vs. Terry Funk, Muta, Dragonmaster, Dick Slater and “Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer.” Before there was “Hell in the Cell,” there was Halloween Havoc and the electrified steel cage that could only be won by your opposing manager throwing in the towel.
Hart’s contributions were some of the biggest in wrestling history, even if the casual fan was unaware of his brilliance. It was Gary hart who took Virgil Runnels and gave him the “Dusty Rhodes” moniker and gimmick. Hart was a driving force behind the legend of Bruiser Brody. He created and booked the very first Starrcade. He survived a 1975 plane crash that took the life of wrestler Bobby Shane. He was a huge influence on the NWA, WCW, WCCW, and so much more. Hart’s death represents not on the loss of a great booker and manager, but also one of the most knowledge men on the history of North American Pro Wrestling.
Gary Hart was 66.
There is coverage all over the ‘Net on Hart’s passing, including Jim Ross’ blog (with a letter from Cowboy Bill Watts), WWE.com, SLAM! Wrestling, WrestlingObserver.com (w/a letter from the organizer of the wrestling fest he attended this weekend) and Prowrestling.net.
