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Stretched by Stu: Jason\'s personal recollection
By
JASON CLEVETT -- SLAM! Wrestling
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December 15, 1996 was a night that will forever be memorable to me. The
Showdown at the Corral, a tribute to Stu Hart for his 80th birthday was
truly a supercard: WCW\'s Chris Benoit defeated WWF\'s Rad Radford (Louie
Spicolli; legends like Makhan Singh (Mike Shaw) and Rhonda Singh stepped
into the ring, Owen Hart and Razor Ramon broke the top rope in their
battle for the Intercontinental title; Bret Hart and The British Bulldog
gave us a preview of their WWF title match two nights later at In Your
House 5, without the blood; and Bad Company reunited for the final time,
as Bruce Hart and Brian Pillman faced the Funk Brothers in a violent brawl.
But for me, what defines that night was when I felt a hand on my
shoulder and looked up into the face of Stu Hart.
\"I\'ve been watching you,\" he said, having been in the row behind me with
family watching the show. \"You\'re a big bastard, you could be in the
ring with those guys.\"
In an instant my life was changed.
Shortly thereafter I began training with Keith Hart, and I still
remember going up to the mansion in the hills the first time and meeting
Helen.
\"Hello Darling,\" she said in her New York drawl, making me feel at home
as I waited for the never-punctual Keith to arrive. I had heard about
what incredibly kind, generous people Stu and Helen Hart were, and that
was quickly confirmed.
It was an intensive year, as I learned the ropes literally and
figuratively. It was a rigorous schedule of learning bumps, being
stretched by evil Keith, and being in awe of taking bumps in the
Dungeon, all leading up to the moment that defined my brief career.
December 2, 1996, days before my 18th birthday, I dragged my younger
brother up to the Hart House, we trudged through the snow and down into
the Dungeon where Keith was waiting with his trademark evil grin on his
face. As my brother taped, Keith and I mat wrestled and he proved his
adage that \"Old age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm every
time.\" In the meantime, Stu had made his way down the stairs and offered
his advice and criticism. Wearing an old pair of trunks, you could see
the glint in his eye as he stepped onto the mat. I may have been 64
years his junior, but I knew I was about to get my ass handed to me.
I could hear Keith snickering as Stu tied me up and bent me in assorted
ways that a human body is not meant to go. At one point I think my feet
were behind my head, and my arms were somewhere below my rear. That is
the one and only time I have ever been that flexible. At one point when
I was worn out, Stu was trying to turn me over for the sugarhold and I
believe I was sort of moaning \"nooooo.\" So he gently slapped me across
the face and made me roll over, prompting more laughter. The sugarhold
was his trademark submission. I can tell you from personal experience, I
tapped.
By the end of the night I was sore, tired, and worn down. But I was also
exhilarated. I had survived the ultimate test, because that night I
earned his respect.
\"He\'s a good kid, just a great big son of a bitch,\" Stu says on the tape
I made of the evening. It\'s a tape I will always treasure.
Unfortunately I would go on to discover that the wrestling business and
I were not meant to be. After a handful of matches I decided that as
much as I loved pro wrestling, I wasn\'t ready to make the physical and
emotional sacrifices that it requires. So now, I write about it. I have
been lucky in that my brief \"career\" has given me opportunities that
most can only dream of, including joining the SLAM! Wrestling staff, and
allowed me to forge relationships with many rising stars in the
business. My physical wrestling may be done, but I personally am far
from finished.
And it\'s thanks to that one night, so many years ago, when Stu Hart took
the time to speak to me.
So Stu, for everything, even what you never realized you did for me.
Thank you.
Jason Clevett has also been in the Dungeon, and is glad that Stu was 81 when he was stretched by him, and not 54. Ringside Manner has an audio tribute to Stu Hart at their website, http://ringsidemanner.tripod.com/ Jason Clevett considers it an honor to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Stu Hart through his articles in the past two weeks. Ringside Manner Radio has a series of interviews with past and present stars in a special Tribute on their website, http://ringsidemanner.tripod.com/
