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SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Bret Hart Memories
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I've been watching WWF four about 5 years now and it seems that it has
been getting more real. For instance, one of my best Bret Hart memories
was so real that I had to question if this was wrestling at all. This
was during WAR is RAW not too long ago. Bret Hart had just told the
American fans that they could stick it since he was not getting any
respect. This was the show that Bret Hart had became a "bad guy" to the
American fans, and I thought that he had just hit the peak of his prime
and was going down, just like Hogan when he decided to turn his back
against the fans. Later on the broadcast, I saw one of the most amazing
things in wrestling. Everyone should remember this, it was during the
match between the Bulldog and Owen, when Bret charged into the ring and
stopped the match. He asked why they are fighting, why they let family
become strangers and strangers become family. Bret looked at Owen in the
eyes and told him he loved him, and Owen began to cry. That's why it
was so cool, and that's why I am a loyal Bret Hart fan. He reunited the
Hart Foundation that same night by showing that he was not just a madman
wrestler like so many others are or try to be. He's just a man that has
his own values and after that night, I had a new respect for the
Hitman.
zhuo@wpi.edu
I am a great Hit Man fan. I first saw him at WrestleMania 12 at the POND. I
was so estatic becuase iwas gonna see the BEST in action for a guaranteed
hour!
Even though, the WWF angle has labeled the HITMAN as a "bad guy" I still
think he is the BEST because of his ring technician abilities. he speaks the
truth, he played by the rules and the Americans booed him ( I am American by
the way). But if a guy like Austin gives the stunner to defenseless guys like
Jim ross and McMahon, they cheer him.
Bret is still my hero, and he carried the WWF in the early 90's when Hogan
sold out.
Who knows if the WWF would still be around if it werent for the HITMAN.
Mel
I started watching Bret Hart wrestle when he was a thin young man on
Stampede Wrestling out of Calgary. He would be in great matches with The
Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Bad News Allen, Athel Foley and many more.
I remember complaining to my dad that when the shows were on T. V., the
announcer(Ed Whalen) would deem it to violent and when the show would
resume, Ed would be interviewing the Hart boys(Keith, Wayne and Bret) and
they would have white towels on their head with blood seeping through.
What happened I would yell. My dad and I watched Bret Hart grow up on
Stampede until it ceased to be. Those were great years.
George Pitcher
I have been watching wrestling and Bret since I was about 7 years old. He is
a very impressive athelete and entertainer. I know how Bret feels about
America and he has every reason in the world to do so.
I want him to know, that although he does not prefer America, he has one true
hearted fan in me.
Susan, Revere, Massachusetts, WlfHllw@aol.com
I've been a Bret Hart fan since he came into the WWF when I was about 4.
My greatest dream in life is to get to meet him face-to-face and have a
little bit of conversation. =) He only came to Singapore once, and I
didn't get to meet him then, but nothing could describe the adrenaline
rush and the sheer joy I felt when he walked past me during the show...
just having Bret 3 feet away for 5 seconds... it was the greatest night
of my life.
Bret has been a role model for me all these 13 years, and he's always
been the father-figure I needed in my life. No matter what anyone says,
Bret Hart is still THE MAN...
Bret's not only my favourite wrestler. In many ways, he's one of the
most important people in my entire life.
Farah, kerryvonerich@hotmail.com
My sons got me involved in the great sport of wrestling about eight years
ago. They called me into their room and told me that they wanted to show me
something. The first wrestler I saw was Bret and his dashing good looks.
Needless to say I was hooked. I grew to love pro wrestling. I read
everything I could get my hands on. I not only fell in love with Bret but
knew that the Harts were the first family of wrestling. I went to the local
arena matches. The one I remember most was the 1995 Survivor Series Match
where Bret defeated Diesel for the World Title. I was thrilled. I have gone
to all three Hall of Fames. But most exciting of all, this past July I went
on the Wrestle Vessel. I thought I died and went to heaven. Bret not only
is the best wrestler that ever lived but he certainly is one of the nicest
that ever lived too! I got to surprise him with a birthday cake and
presents. I even got to meet his dad, Stu. He was so kind as well as his
mom, Helen. Also I met Georgia, Bret's sister. They were so down to earth.
Real nice people. Memories of a lifetime. My sister and I had fun and I
enjoyed Bret calling me the Blonde. And anytime he saw my sister without me
he asked where I was. I guess it showed that I consider myself the biggest
Bret Hart fan in the world. I always thought there were people in your
lifetime that you idolize, admire, and respect, but never thought you would
actually meet them. He will always be my super hero. I'm forever a Bret
Hart Fan. I hope he will remember the blonde wearing the pink and black
dress who was with her sister who will idolize the "hitman" for the rest of
her life. Thanks for the memories, Bret.
Always, Nancy
I have been a Bret Hart fan since I was like 4 years old at that time he was
bad but with the cool sunglasses and the cool hair cut he was just some you
had to cheer for.
I grew to know every single thing about Bret Hart I have hundreds of matches
(Canadian Stampede tapes Georgia tapes and a bunch of WWF tapes)
of Bret Hart on tape and I really don't care if hes the cool bad guy or
unknown tag team wrestler or the most popular guy in the WWF or the booed
anti-Americian.
I will be a Bret Hart fan forever and you can count on it.
Bret Querner Louisiana
I was watching an old video the other day of Saturday Night's Main
Event from a few years ago, and it clued in that the match between
Bret Hart and "Macho Man" Randy Savage would've have been what I could
remember, Hitman's first singles match. If you don't rememeber, it
was the Main Event after The Anvil & The Hitman held Macho Man when
Honky Tonk Man "serenated" Savage. Prior to the "serenation" Honky
pushed Miss Elizabeth to the ring canvas. When I was watching the
match (between Hitman & Savage), I wasn't surprised Bret Hart is the
big superstar he is. Afterall, Hitman was one of the last wrestlers
in the Wrestlemania 2 Battle Royal {along with the late Andre the
Giant & Jim Neidhart}, and also Bret Hart was the last wrestler
(should've been the winner) in the battle royal at Wrestlemania 4.
Bret Hart is the BEST THERE IS, THE BEST THERE WAS AND
THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE!!!
R.I.P BRIAN PILLMAN (A proud member of the Hart Foundation)
Paul Maes Orangeville, Ont. amaes@headwaters.com
Yo! I've like been a WWF Fan for 5 years and I just adore it! Bret Hart,
you've definately proven yourself throughtout your career that your the
best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
Sure, I may like some of the American wrestlers: The Patriot, "Stone
Cold" Steve Austin, The Undertaker, etc. but I still like you! I believe
you did well against The Undertaker, even though you got a little help
from Shawn Michaels, and I almost got close to you when you came to
Edmonton for autographs, but the line-up was just too long! Anyways,
Good luck in your re-match with The undertaker, champion, and I hope
The Bulldog kicks Shawn Michaels butt, because I hate him! C-Ya!
Ryan Steedman: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
In Landover, Md the US AIR Arena. Me and two others waited outside the
back of the arena to meet him. Everyone else had left because it was five
minutes till show time. He pulled in and we went down for pictures but
he wouldn't stop. Owen was going to but hesitated. They both entered
the Arena. Afterwards we dashed out back again. But when Bret's friend
the driver (who takled to us for a while) drove up the ramp their was only
Owen in the car. Several minutes later the garage door down the ramp
went up then a car pulled and it went down. I knew what was going on.
None of the other idiots did. So I backed away slowly listening for the
door again. I walked across the lot where I knew the car would pass and
waited he drove up waved I snapped a picture and that was it.
MICHAEL C. SINGLETON
I have only watched WWF wrestling for about 5 weeks now. I guess I'm kinda
new at all this. I think WWF is full of excellent wrestlers. The one who
stands out the most is Bret Hart. First, I'd just remember his pink and black
tights. Now I remember the man. I'm a 28 yr old AMERICAN woman with a film
degree and my own business and I still think Bret Hart is a better wrestler
than any American I've seen. He has style, speed, endurance, and is gooood
looking' Keep it up Bret your the man!!
KELLO in Washington
Of course, my greatest Bret Hart memories are those of pay-per-view matches,
but we've all seen those. So, I'll tell you a story that occured at a house
show at the Meadowlands Arena (now the Continental Airlines Arena). The date
was October 26, 1987. On the night before they would lose the WWF tag team
title to Strike Force, The Hart Foundation was defending the belts against
Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera. The bout ended in a double-countout or
double-disqualification, I forget which, and Haynes and Patera cleaned house
and ended up in the ring with the belts. As the Harts were leaving the ring,
Patera yelled over the house microphone, "Get your asses back in here!" Not
to be made to look bad, Bret grabbed the house microphone and yelled, "Hey,
Patera. Now I know why you went to jail! You have to steal things!"
Bret
Hart has been my favorite wrestler since Roddy Piper took a hiatus in 1986
and returned as a good guy.
I don't care about the whole America-Canada
angle, I'm from New Jersey and the Hitman RULES. For the last year or so,
I've been compiling a list of results of as many Bret Hart matches as I can
find. My list is over 30 pages right now.
I'm appealing to all of my fellow
Hitman fans for help. If you could e-mail me at corc-jk@erols.com with any
match results you may know, I would really appreciate it. I'm particularly
interested in his career before the WWF and matches which occurred outside
the United States. Thanks to anyone who can help. Hope to hear from you.
John, corc-jk@erols.com
I've been a fan of the Hitman's ever since he destroyed that trophy at Wrestlemania 4. Actually, he became my favourite wrestler bar-none since
that day. And ironically, a bit of that had to do with the fact that he
was Canadian. :)
I remember the Hart Foundation came here to Kitchener, Ontario in 1990
(or maybe '91) to defend their tag titles against the Demolition. I
remember that only a dozen or so signs were brought by fans...nowhere
near the number you see on Raw is War. But the night before, I took a
few hours and made an awsome Hitman sign, matching his logo exactly,
complete with that the pink sprinkled specks over the black letters, and
cutouts of Hart from the WWF magazine. Well, the Foundation came out,
and naturally, they kicked the Demo's butts. But the thing I still
remember so clearly to this day is that when the match was done, the
Demos quickly left, and the Anvil also jumped out of the ring. The
lights came up, and it looked like the show was over pretty quick after
the end of the match. But Bret...he climbed up on the second rope, and
held one of the tag belts up for the people to see. It was really neat
to see. Most of the other competitors that night had basically rushed
back to the dressing room (Roddy Piper RAN back...no slapping fans hands
or anything). But Bret stayed. And the best part was, when he came to
the corner nearest me, I held up my sign, he gave it a good look and
smiled. :) It was great to let him know that there was a "Bret Hart"
fan out there that night...not just a "Hart Foundation" fan.
I became a fan of Bret Hart after watching him at a house show in
Kingston, Ontario against Curt Henning. He had just entered the WWF
singles ranks then. SO many wrestlers I had seen before at small shows
like in Kingston, or in Cornwall, would put in "half-assed" efforts
before the smaller crowds. But the Bret/Henning match I saw that match
was fantastic. I followed his career closely from that point on, and
today, where charisma is more important than talent, Bret is still the
man.
JimmyVan
I will never forget the Intercontinental title match at Summerslam '92
at Wembley Stadium between Bret Hart and the British Bulldog. The
Hitman has wrestled in too many memorable matches to count, but of all
of the ones I've seen, this was the best, not so much for the result but
for the class Bret showed in losing the title to his brother-in-law.
The image of his sister Diana raising both men's arms after the match
will be a lasting memory to me.
Jason Ward
One of my favorite memories of Bret is when he wrestled his brother Owen at
the beginning of WrestleMania X and then came back out later and beat
Yokozuna for the WWF Title.
CgyHITMAN@aol.com
I remember seeing Bret at a early age during the Stampede wrestling cards
on Friday nights at the pavillion. Even then you could see the potential
in Hart. Not alot of flash in his early style but he never gave up and
would always get in your face. I think the two matches that stick in my
mind the most were the title bouts he had against then AWA champ Nick
Bockwinkle. Bret dished out everything Bockwinkle could handle and
probably the only difference was Bret's inexperience at the time. Even
Bockwinkle admitted afterwards that Bret was going places.....and he as right!
steve
The first time I noticed the Hart Foundation was just before they beat
the British Bulldogs for the Tag belts. At first I thought their
victory was disgraceful, but watching them defend their championship
belts proved to be very entertaining. They soon became my favorite tag
team in the WWF. My most memorable match of the Hart Foundation was
when they beat the Bolsheviks in about 11 seconds (give or take a few
seconds) at Wrestlemania 6 in the SkyDome. I knew then that I was looking
at the next Tag Team champions.
I have seen many Bret Hart matches throughout the years and was never
disappointed. The one match that turned me into a true Bret Hart fan
was during Saturday Night's Main Event back in the 80's against Macho
Man Randy Savage. Both men wrestled fantastic matches. It could have
gone either way.
Thanks a lot Bret, keep up the excellence you & your family have brought to the sport.
Steve Z.
I remember going to Stampede Wrestling shows in the early 80's. There
were guys like Honky Tonk Man, Dr. D David Shultz, Bad News Allen, The
Great Gama and Kerry Brown. But the one match that stayed with me, was
these two skinny little kids that put on a heck of a match. The match
went on for at least half an hour, and these two kids beat the hell out
of each other. The two skinny little kids were Bret Hart and Davey Boy
Smith.
CIWFprez
I've been watching wrestling since I was 4 years of age and I'm 17 years now. I remebered first when The original Hart Foudation won the Tag Team Titles. It was just awesome. I hated them though because Of Jimmy Hart. Yet something changed inside of me and I now think that Bret Hart is the most awesome wrestler their ever was!! Even better than the Hulkster was.
I hope that Bret Hart can kick Undertaker's butt at Summer Slam because he deserves to be the rightful champion I must say.
Gabriel R. Cruz
I have been a fan of wrestling for the past 11 years .In the many years
that I watched wrestling I have always been a loyal supporter of the WWF
and beyond a shadow of all doubt my favorite wrestler has always been
Bret Hart. I remember the days that people thought of him as a master
cheap shot artist but even in those days I was a supporter of the
Hitman. One of the fondest memories that I have of Bret was WrestleMania
10 which is still my favorite WrestleMania yet. I remember even after
the humiliating loss to his very accomplished brother Owen he came back
and beat the monsterous Yokozuna and became the WWF world champion for
the second time, the only man to recieve the triple crown of the WWF
twice and more importantly he proved that he is the best there is, the
best there was and the best there ever will be. And I know he has a lot
more instore for the future.
Asim Hameed
A great Hart memory was at Summerslam 1991 when Bret Hart defeated
Mr.Perfect for his first singles title. After the match, Bret went into
the crowd to hug his dad, Stu Hart.
David Varano
I recall seeing Bret Hart for the first time when he was interviewed by Billy "Red" Lyons during his Maple Leaf Wrestling heydays. I took a liking to his style but it was not till his feud with Leo Burke for the Canadian Heavyweight Title (I believe) that I recognized his tenacity and surefire. After that, I knew he could hold his own against the big boys anywhere.
Jono Chapman
Like many wrestiling fans, I have many fond memories of Bret Hart.
Memories that may be shared by many. His Triple crown accomplishments,
his World Title Triumph over wrestling legend Ric Flair - I've seen them
all. But two memories stand out most in my mind: During Bret's first
I-C title reign, Bret wrestled at the Arco Arena in Sacramento,
California. His opponent that night was The Mountie. We all know of
Bret's tradition of giving away his sunglasses before each match; well,
I was quite surprised when I found them being placed on MY head as I
watched Bret put them there. I was in so much shock all I could bring
myself to do was to give him a hi-five.
Six years later, I went to an autograph signing that Bret was at and I got to see him in person again. It was a real thrill for me. It's a
shame that the WWF fans in America have abandoned him after all the
things that Bret has done for them. I know that Bret doesn't think too
highly of the American wresting fans, but I'm one American fan that
still believes in the best there is, best there was, and the best there
ever will be - "BRET 'THE HITMAN' HART!"
-Tony Forever, Roseville, Calif.
The very first time I saw Bret Hart was at the very first wrestling PPV I had
ever witnessed. At Wrestlemania 8, Bret Hart fought his good friend Roddy
Piper in a match unlike any other I saw that night. From the beginning of the
match Bret Hart had the edge over Piper. I saw a bloody Bret Hart reverse the
sleepr hold of Roddy Piper, the master of the sleeper hold, to win the
Intercontinental title for the second time. From that match on, I became a
Bret Hart fan and still am to this day.
Ntcrawler3@aol.com
The first time I saw Bret Hart was in an interview with Red Lyons
on the old Maple Leaf Wrestling show back in 1984. Bret had just
turned heel after a few weeks in the promotion as a face on the
losing end of several matches. Jesse Ventura and Gorrilla Monsoon
were doing comentary at the time and Jesse expressed his pleasure
at seeing Bret 'get down to business'.
Shortly thereafter the Hart
Foundation was born when he was teamed with Jim 'the Anvil' Neidhart
and Jimmy Hart as manager. They were a hilarious and vicious duo and
even though they cheated for that first Tag title i was still rooting
for them. When the WWF saw how popular the Hart Foundation had become,
they became faces again and quickly mowed through all the opposition
to regain the WWF Tag titles. They defeated Demolition, maybe the most
devastating tag team in WWF history with relative ease. When Bret
went to a singles career, it was astonishing to see him cut through
the competition. He wiped the floor with Mr less then Perfect Curt
Hennig and Roddy Piper should have retired for good after Bret broke
his fabled sleeper hold and pinned him for a second Intercontinental
reign. One of the few people who can compete with Bret, the British
Bulldog defeated him in probably the greatest technical match in WWF
history. Bret wasn't done however, not yet an established contender to
the world title, the WWF matched him up
with Ric Flair. Bret Hart took Flair, who was busy doing what he does
best, cheating and dodging the top contenders and destroyed him in
less than 10 minutes. Flair had mounted no attack and finally submitted
in the sharpshooter in the middle of the ring in front of a delirious
saskatoon crowd. One night later, Bret did it again in Los Angeles
for good measure! From that point on it was come one come all. Bret
took on everyone and mowed them all down. Then came the first great
robbery, when Yokozuna needed a bucket of salt to defeat Bret. An
even bigger robbery was that egomaniac Hulk Hogan jumping in on
Bret's behalf and beating Yokozuna after the referee had restarted the
match. Of course Hogan feared Bret Hart and would not offer a rematch
for the title. Instead he chose to quit the WWF and hide out instead.
Meanwhile Bret won the King of the Ring, then the Royal Rumble before
defeating Yokozuna for the title a second time. Again, he defended
against anyone, including low lifes like Shawn Michaels and Diesal(Kevin
Nash). It was his mother who cost him the title a second time and
then his third title victory sent Diesal into a panic and off to WCW
for more money and less Bret Hart kicking his rear end all over the
place. Shawn Michaels stepped in. The boy toy was clearly defeated
in the middle of the ring, tied up in a pretzel in the sharpshooter
when time ran out in the 60 minute match. There was no escape! Only
the fact that the referee stopped the match and handed the belt back to
Bret saved Michaels. But of course Bret got screwed by a last minute
decision to have overtime. With his concentration lost, Bret made a
rare mistake and lost the match that should have ended at 60 minutes.
Bret took some time off and then decided to come back to shut this
big mouth Steve Austin up. He did that with ease at Survivor Series in
1996 and then during 1997's final four, he defeated Austin, Vader and
the Undertaker for the belt after that crybaby Shawn Michaels, fearing
a rematch with Bret Hart for the title relinquished the belt. The next
night, after fighting 4 men, Hart had to wrestle Sid and promptly
had him beat, in the sharpshooter when Steve Austin, to the cheers
of the crowd, bashed Bret over the head and cost him a fourth title.
Then in a caged rematch between Sid and Bret, the Undertaker, also
fearing to face Bret Hart, interfeared and slammed the cage door in
Bret's face. Since then, Shawn Michaels has been hiding out claiming
injuries and other fake excuses and the Undertaker has been dodging
Bret. Steve Austin has tried to end his carreer because he knows
he could never match up. Even though they have spun this into Bret
hates americans and Bret is a crybaby, he still is the best
and everyone knows it. Austin's attempt to injure Bret have been
unsuccessfull, Shawn Michaels can only dodge Bret for so long and
the Undertaker's number is up. Bret SPEAKS THE TRUTH and true to
form the Americans can't handle it!
dan@rent-a-web.com
I have followed Bret's career for over 10 years. I have
raised my two sons as "Hitman" fans. However, I have
never seen such poetry in motion until Wrestlemania
XII "The Iron Man Match." If there was ever a doubt
that his abilities should be questioned, they should
have been put to rest at that match he is indeed the
best Professional wrestler that the World has ever seen.
As far I can tell he is the ICON of Wrestling.
Carol Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh, PA, cfh@med.pitt.edu
Some of the best matches I've ever seen were back in the late 80's when
Bret took on Macho Man Randy Savage. They were very evenly matched,
both had great skill, strength and guts, were close in size, shape, and
wrestling abilities. Two of my all-time favourite wrestlers in
terrific, long lasting, all-out battles that should have been taped and
required watching for all students of wrestling.
Keep it up, Bret, and Keep It Canadian!
Johnny Corvette
When I was very young I remember an up and coming tag team that had pink
and black tights and a very bad attitude. I remember staring in
disbelieve as one of the wrestlers had to be very careful in removing
his partner's unique sunglasses. Right then and there I knew that these
guys had style. One in particular. I found out that sunglassed
wrestler's name was Bret "The Hitman" Hart. I've watched The Hitman go
through triple crowns and a stunning four time Championship reign. I
can only hope that Bret Hart will be champ once again. And I also hope
Bret keeps fighting for many years to come, because I want my kids to
have great memories too.
Gabriel Cisneros
I just wanna say that the hitman is the best wrestler that has ever
lived....I remember when he wreslted Owen and lost...then came out later
and kicked Yokozunas celulate....He was the champ...that was great...I
also remember the steel cage match with him and owen that was great....I
just wanna say one thing...being Canadian I know what it feels like when
an American says that their better than you....I know the HItman is
better than Any american...he speaks his mind and tells the truth and
americans don't like it...Another thing
HART FOUNDATION FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!KILL THE UNDERTAKER BRET!!!!!!!!1
One of my greatest memories of the Hitman is when he steped into the
ring with the Nature Boy Ric Flair in Canada. Everyone knew that the
Hitman was the underdog but after he won the title he was the big dog. I
remember Bret in the Calgary Stampede Promotion a while ago.
Jason, bomb@unix.infoserve.net
My fondest memories of Bret Hart DID NOT take place inside the wrestling
ring but outside it. In July, 1994, I interviewed the Hitman for the
magazine I write for, "Glitter Magazine", here in the Philippines. I was
impressed with his sincerity and the fact that he gave me his utmost
consideration and attention, knowing that I was conducting that
interview sick with cholera.
Then, later on in the evening, after the match was over, Bret had
returned to his hotel room to rest. Unknown to him, there was a father
and daughter who missed him by a few minutes of his arrival. The
teenager, needless to say, started to become hysterical, refusing to
leave unless she saw the Hitman. Her father, furious and embarassed by
his daughter's tantrums, started to drag her away, pulling her by the
hair that it started to come off in clumps. The promoter's aides were at
a loss on what to do because the WWF officials have strictly informed
them that the WWF superstars were not to be disturbed once they returned
to the hotel. But rather than risk any further untoward incidents, I
told the aides, "To hell with the officials! Call Bret Hart! He'll know
what to do."
Well, he certainly DID know what to do. He had both father and daughter
brought up to his hotel room. I don't know what happened there but,
needless to say, when they came down, the parent and child looked elated
AND chastened at the same time.
Bret Hart DOES CARE for his fans. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. Maybe the
American fans should start using their heads and see that the person
they're putting down is the REAL HERO they should all look up to.
Dr. Rory V. Pascual, Glitter Magazine (Philippines)
(scorpionmira@hotmail.com)
First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Pasqual for sharing that fine story
about Bret in the Philippines. I used to live there as a child (yes, an Air
Force brat) from 1966-1968, and I have very fond memories of my time there.
It was a wonderful story, Dr. Pasqual, and I wish there was a way that I
could get a copy of that article.
My favorite memory of Bret Hart took place at Wrestlemania IX at Ceasar's
Palace, Las Vegas. I was in the casino early, and I kept hearing screams from
fans and seeing hordes of people rushing off in one direction all day long.
"There he is; there's Bret Hart!" "Oh my God, it's Bret!" I was never in
the right place at the right time to see him, however. This kept up all day
long until it was time for the show to start. After Wrestlemania, I was
hanging out with other fans in the casino, a little depressed because Bret
lost the title Yokozuna, who then lost it to Hogan (ugh!) Some people asked
me what i do for a living and I told them--I'm a writer and professional
psychic. Consequently, people were lined up all around me for free readings
(no, I don't do those anymore!). Around 3 a.m., I had been reading for hours
and I was getting tired. Not only that, I kept feeling a strange fiery
sensation on the top of my head. It was making it difficult for me to stay in
trance. After a while,I heard someone say, "Bret "The Hitman" Hart!" I
opened my eyes and he was standing right next to me, signing an autograph. I
almost passed out right there! That had never happened before--no one has
EVER been able to distract me out of trance. But then again, there is only
one Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and if anyone can knock out a psychic, it would
be him! He is definitely "The Best There Is, The Best There Ever Was, and
the Best There Ever Will Be"!
"The Angel" Angela D. Shortt, Angelfly72@aol.com
I remember when Bret Hart faced Roddy Piper at Wrestlemania VIII. I have
never seen a wrestler take so much punishment and still manage to fight back
and come out on top. This was truly one of the greatest matches of all time.
GYspida@aol.com
I have been a fan of Bret Hart's for as long as he's been in the WWF. I've
stuck with him through the "good guy" and "bad guy" phases. He is THE best
technical wrestler in the game, to date, and although I'm American (hiss
all you like!) Bret still holds a place in my heart. Unfortunately, he is
right about alot of the problems our country has and I don't deny it. I
DEFINITELY don't like Americans and Canadians feeling they have to pit
themselves against one another for wrestling's sake. Now that I'm off my
soap box, the most exciting rivalry involving Bret was against Curt "Mr.
Perfect" Hennig. Both are very similar in athletic ability, size and
style. It was a thrill to see these guys live because you could actually
cut the tension between those two. But, of course, Bret put Perfect in his
place! Now I only hope he wins the title August 3 because WWF's not worth
watching if Bret's not in it. LOVE YA BRET and GOOD LUCK!!!!
Angie Susil-Platt
First off I remember I got to meet "Hitman" in Indianapolis, Indiana
backstage at a house show I had won tickets to the matches and like a
backstage pass and I got to meet Bret and I asked him if I could get a
picture of me with a headlock on him. And like the true Canadian sportsman
he is, he let me do that and since then I've been a BIG "Hitman" fan. I also
got my picture taken with Bulldog and he was really nice to me when I asked
him for a picture. I was at Wrestlemania VIII when Bret beat Piper for the
IC title. That was by far the best match of the night. My earliest
recollection of Bret was when The Hart Foundation beat Demolition at
Summerslam '90 in a best 2/3 fall match I'd just like to say to Bret good
luck to you and the Hart Foundation from an American fan who appreciates good
technical wrestling and a great hero like yourself.
Cody Bell
I've stuck with Bret "The Hit Man" Hart for all the years I've been alive
(which, by the way, is 14 years). Growing up with a mother who is obsessed
with wrestling really has a great impact on your life. My first memory of
Bret was when I was six, the first year I really got interested in wrestling.
I saw him come out to the ring, with those gorgeous unique shades on, and I
fell instantly in love with the sport. Ever since then, I followed every
single thing about Bret Hart that I could. Every minute of every day was
spent talking and thinking about "The HitMan." Then came the biggest event
of my life...I was spending the summer of 1994 in my home land, the
Philippines, and I met the man!!! I felt faint as I saw him standing about 5
yards away from me. I thought I was hallucinating...it was like every other
hallucination I've had...except this time, it was for real! As a result of
that meeting, I have a story to tell all of my oh-so-jealous friends.
I've stayed faithful to Bret Hart through both the "face" and "heel"
phases, and to be perfectly honest, I don't care about what others think of
him. To me, he'll always be the one and only Bret "The HitMan" Hart, the
sincere man I had once met.
Jewel Espedilla AKA MaeJewel@aol.com
To put it simple.... the LEGENDERY Bret " Hitman" Hart is the best there ever will be and makes Hogan look like a chump.... Hitman is a wrestler with class and dignity and plays a great heel or face..
Joe Hernandez
that was my pink bret hart emblem you were seeing at summerslam .
it was great ,and all day long we took crap and cheep shots from
everybody.little kids spit at us. but we held that flag high at what we like to call camp hart, at the party in the parking lot. the best was the documentary film crew , interviewed us. and then to top it off the last shot the wwf camera took was bret holding the belt high the Canadian flag wrapped around his neck and the hitman emblem flag i made was right over his head . he is great....
I am only sixteen years old but have watched wrestling since I was 6. I
have always been a Bret Hart fan, and always will. He proved how great he
was this past Summerslam as he won the WWF Title for the fifth time. He
once again proved he was the best there is, the best there was, and the
best there ever will be. I am a proud American but when I see my fellow
countrymen boo the Hitman, it makes me sick. He speaks the truth and will
always be my hero. Bret, you are truly the greatest wrestler ever in the
sport and I hope you will have a long title reign. Hart Foundation 4-life.
Bret's #1 fan,
Paul Wright
I have a few Bret Hart Memories the first one was when he lost to his
brother Owen at Wrestlemania X, I remember seeing Bret getting up and he
was getting a standing ovation, later on in that night he came out and did
what no other man was able to do even on a nearly broke foot beat the
mammoth Yokozuna. My other memory was just three weeks ago when he won the
title for the fifth time, he showed all the American wrestling fans that he
deserves more respect then they are giving him at the moment. He showed that
he has guts to face a monster like the Undertaker, who deserves a rematch
not the Patriot. When Bret draped that Canadian flag around his neck I
stood there with great pride and in that it showed that he is a true
Canadian Hero.
Peter
I first met Bret about 15 years ago. Calgary Stampede Wrestling used to come
to Helena, MT. Bret and his brothers were all very young, and of course
handsome. Every time the Harts' would come to town, I'd get my dad to take
me. During the matches, Bret and his brother, Bruce, would appear outside
the backstage door. They would sign autographs and talk to us. It was
great. Wish I still had the pictures and autographs.
I wasn't too suprised when I saw him on T.V. in the late 80's. He is a good
athelete and very SEXY too. Everybody else in the USA might hate him, but
not me. The only reason I watch Monday Night Raw is to catch a glimpse of
him. He is the "Best there is, Best there was, and the Best there ever will
be......Bret..I luv ya man!!!
Janet, Helena, MT
I remember the first time I saw Bret Hart.....It was when him and the Anvil
first won the tag team title from the British Bulldogs. I have follow the
Hitman since. I saw when he first won the Intercontinental Title from Curt
Henning at Summerslam. Though many people have turned their backs to this
man, the bottom line is, he has been entertaining us with his skills for
about 10 years. Bret is without a doubt the best wrestler the WWF has ever
produced. Even though, I have American blood running through my veins, my
heart, mind, and soul will always belong to the Hart Foundation.
The Italian Stallion
I've been watching Bret for about 12-13 years now and I must say he just
keeps getting better and better. This America vs ( or hates ) Canada
and vice versa, is not my favorite angle I've ever seen but it
involves Bret and the WWF really knows that they can't survive without
him. I just wanted to say that I'm a proud Canadian and even prouder
Maritimer and next to our Bluenose Bret Hart is the most reconizable
individuals to ever come out of Canada and I for one am damn proud of his
acomplishments.
Mike Johnson, Nova Scotia, CANADA.
Although I have never met Bret Hart I am still a very big fan of his.
The closest I have been to him was a WWF house show In January of 1997
in the SkyDome. I guess now you know that I am Canadian. Although I am
Hitman 4 life I don't 'despise' Americans. Everyone in my family was a
Bret Hart fan so I was to be one. I have been a fan of Bret Hart for
about 5 years but I am only 12. I guess you can say I have missed more
than half of Bret Hart's career but I am glad I have tuned in. Thanks
for all the memories Bret.
Mauro Russo
I got to see Bret Hart six years ago when he walked in front of my seat at
a WWf event. Bret Hart has always been one of the men I admired the most.
Despite the constant ribbing I get from friends, Bret is the greatest!! I
hope he reads this and knows that a country girl from Louisiana is "Hitman
Fan #1" for life. Bret and the US Navy--Full speed ahead!!
Heather Williams
Seaman Apprentice, U.S. Navy
Hitman Fan 4-Life!
The only reason I watch wrestling is becasue of Bret Hart. I've traced
his history back to the early 80's and I have 19 video tapes with
nothing but Bret Hart matches and interviews. Some of my favorite
matches were the IC match against Henning. The Match against the
Bulldog. The Iron man match agains Shawn. I also enjoyed the latter
match against Shawn. The one before Razor. Let us not forget the classic
match with Ric Flair where Hart won the title in the first place. I
remember turning on Superstars that morning and hearing Okerlund
announcing that there was a new champ. I could not belive my ears. That
is probably my greatest memory.
Nevin Brown, Suncook NH
I remember seeing Benoit wrestling a while ago,and I hated him.Then a fued
started in school,and we all took names of wrestlers.I was in the 4
Horsemen,and I immeadietly thought of Benoit.He's really shaped my
life,bein so tough and never backing down
linda young
I haven't ever met Bret Hart. I watch him all the time. I watch Raw is War,
I order all of the wrestling events. I am a Bret Fan. He is a strong
athlete and very sexy. I cant wait to see him in real life. I am planning
on going on the Wrestle Vessel with my best friend next time it rolls
around, were planning on getting his autograph or hugging him or something
like that. My friend and I are only 13 years old but we believe in Bret and
we know he is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there
ever will be. He is the exellence of execution and he will always be our
hero.
Joe Miller
I watch him wrestle in Vancouver in July 4 this year against Stone
Cold Steve Austin and the Undertake. It was a good match.
He was such a good wrestler but he did not win even though Pillman and
Neidhart interfered. He was chokeslammed for a count of 1,2,3.
What a loser!
Bill Tweet
I'm only 15, and I've been a Bret Hart fan for over 10 years! I've
stuck with him, through good and bad times, and I know he is what he
says he is, "Best there is, best there was, and the best there ever will
be. I was just at a house show in Regina with Bret-Patriot as the main
event, and I'll tell you, that littl arena went bazurk when the Hitman
came out. It's amazing what he's done to unite the Canadian fans, and I
aplaude him
Justin Leifso, Moose Jaw, Sk, CANADA
My first real memory of Bret was him beating Hennig for the IC strap
back in, what was it, 1989? I had watched wrestling on and off before
that, but that Summerslam was the start of me being a "smark" 4-life.
There is no doubt that Bret is one of the top 10 wrestlers of all time,
and probably in the top 5 when it comes to technical skills. I've
never personally met him, but I've been to two pay-per-views where he
has wrestled. While his ability has deteriorated a little with age,
he really looks like he is having fun with his heel turn. He has been
and will continue to be one of my all time favorite wrestlers.
budzinskic@uwstout.edu
I'm 19 years old and I've liked Bret Hitman Hart since I was 12 he has
always been my fave wrestler even when Hulk Hogan was in the WWF and I
still think that Bret could kick Hogan's butt. I've only seen Bret Hart
twice because I live in Scotland (UK) but I did pat him on the back. It was
the best day off my life. He even smiled at me. He had just beat his
brother Owen which I also like but not as much as I like Bret. I used to
have my whole bedroom coverd in Bret Hart posters and magazines. I would
just like to say thanks for the past 7 years of fun an keep kickin'
Shawn, Austin, and the stupId Patriot 'til they leave the WWF for good.
thank you.
Barry Sewell. david.sewell@virgin.net
Still the best there ever is was and will be. Probably the man with the
biggest heart in wrestling today. My only regret was that he never
reunited with the Anvil for another Tag Team shot. This team was the
most exciting pair ever.
fab_four@hotmail.com
My all-time favorite match occured in the spring of 1990 when I was
watching Prime Time Wrestling on USA. It involved Mr. Perfect and Bret
Hart. I had already knew they were each other's toughest opponent, but
this was the first time I saw the both go head to head. It was an epic
battle, it went back and forth. But when Bret rolled Perfect up, it was
reversed. Even though the Hitman lost, I was 10 years old and I said,
"Wow! I love this sport". I became a Hitman in '88 when he broke that
trophy at WrestleMania IV. You know why!
Tyree Dawson, dawsont@stolaf.edu
I have always been a Hitman fan. He was the only guy, along with
Hogan, for the Glory years of Wrestling that you could count on to be there.
He was always in the WWF, he struggled with aliases and finally took on
"Hitman". He hasn't changed his Gimmick in over Ten years and nobody has
noticed. Few Wrestlers can build up enough heat with just their own charisma
that they can stay the same for ten years and
not need to change their costume, or attitude, but Bret has been there, He's
loyal.
Look at Diesel. I was one of the most actively informed Wrestling
fans in the last decade, and I easily forgot Oz and Vinny Vegas. Jeez! And
Razor? No one gave a &*!* about these guys until they came to the WWF, and
unlike them, Bret decided to stay. Bret remained loyal. Although he was
offered a monsterously larger amount by WCW he stayed aboard the WWF, if
there were more guys like him in this business, we'd still be in the "Glory"
days!
Bilbo
I remember first seeing Bret when he and Neidhart were beaten by Strike Force WAAAY back in the late 80's. I first became a fan of his when he and Rowdy Roddy Piper fought for the Intercontinental Championship at Wrestlemania VIII. That was one of the best matches of all time! Ever since I have been a HUGE fan of the Canadian legend, and absolutely love what he's done with the Hart Foundation. Bret feels the same way I always have about americans, and he even quoted a saying I've used for a few years before hand "I'm not anti-american, I'm just really pro-Canadian!"
Scott Summerton - summ1680@mach1.wlu.ca
The Hitman. He is the epitome of a true blooded wrestler. No one can
ever put a good man down especially if he's the best there is, was and
the best there ever will be!
No one will ever take his place, ...in the ring, ..or in my heart!!!
Pamm Labayen -Manila, Philippines
I've been a fan of the Hitman for over seven years,and although my other
favourite wrestler is Shawn Michaels I still support and will continue to support Bret throughout his career. I'd like to thank the Calgary Sun for this site because as a foreign fan of Bret I can now read his weekly
columns on the net. Congrats Hitman on beating the Patriot (was there ever any doubt?) He had no chance against the excellence of execution. I hope
you get a great welcome when you return to the U.K. on the 20th.
Keep up the good work Hitman but PLEASE lay off the comments on HBK.
HITMAN & HBK 4 LIFE
Cindy Bolton, Antrim, N.Ireland.
I am an American and I love the Hitman.I have been a fan of his since the
early eighties.The hart foundation couldn't be stopped at that time.Bret was
and still is "The Excellence of Execution".Although I don't like the
"Anti-American" angle Bret is still...THE BEST THERE IS THE BEST THERE WAS
AND THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE
PAltum@aol.com
I have been a Bret Hart fan now for over 10 yrs. I have followed his
career from an undercard wrestler to "The Best there is". I have never
been this overwhelmed by any type of athlete,sports entertainer, etc. I
have written Bret on many occassions indicating by full support. When
he was trying to decide on what he wanted to do about his wrestling
career I was there, when he had to fight fire with fire (against Stone
Cold Steve Austin) I was there. When he started to voice his opionions
about the American fans, (even though I disagree with the antics) I
totally agree with the facts. We are fickle and untrust worthy. We
begged for him to return and when he did we turned out backs on him and
cheered everything that Austin did and continues to do. In my office I
have posters of Bret all over my walls, and I even have Bret as my wall
paper on the computer. Everyday, I change which picture of Bret I will
look at that day.
I have sent faxes to Vince McMahon when he robbed Bret of the title in
Wrestlemania XII, and will continue to back up my wrestling hero. I
haven't missed a single card at Madison Square Garden if Bret was
appearing, nor a Pay Per View or any wrestling event where Bret
appeared. I have been a true fan and will continue to be one for the
rest of my life.
Jennifer.Dowie@AIG.com
I have been watching the WWF for a good 8 years. When I first started
liking Bret, I think it was Summerslam '91 when they beat Demolition for
the tag titles. I have followed him ever since...I remember a house show
at the Moncton Colosieum when Bret was feuding with the Mountie.
I worked 4 straight hours drawing a giant picture of Bret with the Mountie
in the Sharpshooter and on the other side of my bristol board I drew him
standing on the second rope with his IC title. That night,in return I
actually had Bret put his sunglasses on my head, say "thanks for the
poster" and a high five. It has been 5 years since I got those glasses and
I still have them in a glass case in perfect condition.
Thanks for the Memories Bret
your pal,Spencer (N.B,Canada)
My first memories of The Hitman were from the late 80's when he and Jim
were in their final days of being a tag-team after that I enjoyed his
classic singles matches. Who would have thought that he would end up
where he is today, kinda like Shawn Michaels they both started out as
tag teams contendors then they ended up WWF world champs. I would like
to come into contact with any who knows anything about Bret's early days
in the WWF, like before he was the Hitman, when he debuted in the WWF,
etc etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Dave, instant@deltanet.com
My most vivid memory of Bret Hart is when they showed the clips of him winning his first WWF championship against the legendary Ric Flair.
There was pandemonium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA! That was the
best thing about it, he won it in Canada. I also remember the Hitman
when he became a fan fave after he was stabbed in the back by Bad News
Brown at Wrestlemania IV. Best thing he ever could have done as
everything was uphill from there and he's still going up in stature and
legend. Continued success Bret Hart
Robert Woolvett, rebel@ica.net
I've always been a Hitman fan since day one, whether he was heel or a
face. The man was excellence of excecution. I just recently attended a
house at the Anaheim Pond, Ca. The Hitman came out in fashion, and did his
strut with jacket. Their were cheers for him, and when he faced my side of
the ring, I flashed my new Hart Foundation t-shirt, and I knew that he saw
me. Not all Americain fans turned on him. I think he knows that also, cuz
he did the sign language symbol, "I luv you" to the crowd. He is the man.
REM4GOP@aol.com
Although I am very happy Bret has dropped the babyface routine, I still
wish he would lighten up a bit. He and the Anvil used to seem like they
were having lots of fun being downright devilish. A funny incident that
sticks in my mind is an interview that took place during a Saturday
Night's Main Event back in '86 or '87. While Mean Gene questioned Bret,
Niedhart, and Jimmy Hart they laughed menacingly rather than just
scowled which seems to be more of Bret's M.O. these days. When Gene
blurted out something along the lines of : "Never in this sport have I
ever seen the evil deeds practised by you men!" Bret's response: "Yeah?
Well, practise makes perfect!" Much laughter then followed by all men
as the left for the ring to commit more unsavoury acts.
AndHow, tfergus@netcom.ca
Bret Hart is the greatest wrestler and champion of all time. You look at the
three wrestlers who call themselves icons: Hogan, Flair, and Piper. Granted,
Hogan is the wrestler who put wrestling on the map, but he does not have the
skills of Hart. Hitman has already beat Piper, for the IC belt, and Flair for
the Heavyweight title. These two should think about the fact that the
"Excellence of Execution" was the man who took their belts away. When Hogan
beat Yokozuna at Wrestlemania IX for the Worl Title, everyone thought that he
would give Bret the shot he deserved. Hogan did not because he was afraid of
what Bret could do. There is no doubt in my mind that Bret would have won the
title from Hogan. Hitman is the greatest technical wrestler of all time, and
as an up and coming wrestler, I admire that. So Piper, Flair, and Hogan
should think again the next time they say they are the icon; because when all
is said and done, Bret "Hitman" Hart will go down in history as one of the
greatest wrestlers and champions of all time.
MARCE360@aol.com
How could you possibly put into words what Bret Hart means to so many people
all over the world. He is not only the greatest wrestler of all time, but he
has conducted himself with more class and more dignity than anyone I have
ever seen. Bret is "more than a role model, more than a champion." If I
ever had the opportunity to run into him, I would shake his hand and tell him
thanks for giving me someone to look up to all these years.
Chris Bukowski, Boook@aol.com
I own ever Wrestle-mania video there is right 1 - 13
If I remember right Bret has been atleast half of them.
I don't really like the gimmick he is doing right now because if Vice
and the WWF has him turn face for some dumb reason the fans won't know
how to react to it.
Just like in the WCW. They are going to have Hogan turn face after
Starcade. The fans will not know how to react to that one for sure.
I want to say 3 things " THE BEST THERE IS " " THE BEST THERE WAS " "
THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE " thanks Bret for the memories and keep up
the good work.
givens5@inx.net
Send in your own memories
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