Gary Hart Obituary
Posted: Mar 19th 2008 By: CMBurnham
He was intimidating in the wrestling ring, standing 6 foot 3 and weighing more than 230 pounds. Away from the ring, he was a loving pushover, at least to his family.
Gary Richard Williams, aka Playboy Gary Hart in the professional wrestling world, died Sunday after a sudden illness. He was 66.
Mr. Williams, who was born January 24, 1942, in Evansville, Ind, began wrestling as a teenager. But it was later, when he started managing other wrestlers, that he hit the big time.
"He was probably one of the five greatest managers of all time," said Dave Meltzer, publisher of Wrestling Observer, a print and online trade publication.
On its website, World Wrestling Entertainment calls Mr. Williams "legendary" for helping establish the rivalry between the famed Texas wrestling family the Von Erichs and the Fabulous Freebirds. The matchup, according to the WWE, helped propel professional wrestling to "national and worldwide prominence in the 1980s."
In his heyday, Mr. Williams managed big-name wrestlers, including Bruiser Brody, Abdullah the Butcher and Gentleman Chris Adams.
A masked wrestler known as The Spoiler was Mr. Williams' best-man at his wedding in 1968 to a Fort Worth girl. They met after matches at what was then the Northside Colesium in the Stockyards.
"He saw me sitting in my car with my stepsister. He came over to the car and started talking. It was love at first sight." Gloria Elaine Williams of Crowley said Tuesday.
"He was a wonderful human being. He was a great dad. He was very loving, caring--all of the above."
Although the couple were estranged, they remained close, she said.
Gloria Williams said her husband began wrestling at age 17, performing first in Chicago and Detroit and then across the country. He wrestled, and later managed wrestlers, at North Texas venues including the Sportatorium in Dallas and the Will Rogers Collesium and Northside Collesium in Fort Worth.
After moving to Euless in 1990, Mr. Williams spent much of his time promoting wrestling and was a "much sought-after historian" in the sport according to the WWE web site.
Mr. Williams had just returned from an autograph-signing appearance in Pennsylvania when he fell ill at his home.
Other survivors include two sons, Jason Williams and Chad Williams, both of Euless; his mother Sadie Williams of Evansville, Ind; a brother, Guy Williams of Indiana; and two sisters; Norma Moorehead and Fern Egan, both of Indiana.
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Spotlight in History
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- 1960 Danny Hodge def. Angelo Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 1981 Bob Roop def. Super Destroyer for the MSW Louisiana Title
- 1985 Butch Reed def. Dutch Mantell for the MSW Television Title
- 2012 Cody Jones def. Les Mayne for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Adrian Dell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 2016 Steven Cruze def. Seth Angel for the ComPro Showtime Title
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Week of Sun 07-19 to Sat: 07-25
- 07-19 1968 Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith def. The Spoiler & Gary Hart for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 07-19 1968 Jack Dalton [1st] & Jim Dalton became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
- 07-19 1971 Thunderbolt Patterson & Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine & Wahoo McDaniel for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 07-19 1982 Bill Irwin def. Brian Adias for the WCCW Television Title
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- 07-20 1961 Waldo Von Erich def. Tony Martin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 07-20 1979 Gino Hernandez & El Gran Markus def. Jose Lothario & El Halcon for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
- 07-20 1986 Eddie Gilbert & Sting def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the UWF Tag Team Titles
- 07-20 2008 The Forsaken (Michael Faith & Halo) def. Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 07-20 2013 Drake Gallows became the IZW Impact Division Champion
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- 07-21 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. The Assassin & The Angel [1st] for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 07-21 2012 The Mercenary became the UWE United States Champion
- 07-21 2012 L. J. McDaniels became the SWCW Womens Champion
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- 07-22 1959 Danny McShain def. The Zebra Kid for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 07-22 1960 Danny Hodge def. Angelo Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 07-22 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 07-22 1981 Bob Roop def. Super Destroyer for the MSW Louisiana Title
- 07-22 1985 Butch Reed def. Dutch Mantell for the MSW Television Title
- 07-22 2012 Cody Jones def. Les Mayne for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 07-22 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Adrian Dell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 07-22 2016 Steven Cruze def. Seth Angel for the ComPro Showtime Title
- 07-22 2017 Future Hall of Famers/Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Damien Morte & Jermaine Johnson) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 07-22 2017 Ryan Davidson def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 07-22 2017 Aaron Anders def. Brian Breaker for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
- 07-22 2017 Wesley Crane def. Skyler Fayden for the UWE United States Title
- 07-22 2023 Tyler Midas def. The Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
- 07-23 1967 Karl Kox def. Waldo Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 07-23 1979 Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody became the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champions
- 07-23 2004 Rocco Valentino def. Justin Lee for the TPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
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- 07-23 2011 Double D def. Michael Barry for the IZW Impact Division Title
- 07-23 2011 Teila & El Hoto Loco def. Chris Von Luhr & Jason Noal for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 07-23 2011 Chris Von Luhr & Jason Noal def. Teila & El Hoto Loco for the ACW Tag Team Titles
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- 07-24 1983 Magnum T. A. & Jim Duggan def. Ted DiBiase & Mr. Olympia for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 07-24 2005 Brandon Groom & American Anarchy became the NWA-U Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
- 07-24 2010 The Hardcore Connection (Maniac Mike & Shane Sanchez) def. X-Rated (Bobby Star & Kevin James Sanchez) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
- 07-24 2010 Kareem Sadat became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 07-24 2010 Brandon Walker def. Jonathan Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 07-24 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Brandon Walker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 07-24 2019 Antonio Vega def. Shawn Sanders for the ASP Inter-County Title
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- 07-25 1962 Hiro Matsuda & Don Kent def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 07-25 1966 Tony Borne def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 07-25 1977 Captain USA def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 07-25 1980 Ken Mantell became the MSW Louisiana Champion
- 07-25 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Ed Wiskowski & Mike George for the TSW Tag Team Titles
- 07-25 1983 Jimmy Garvin def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
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- 07-25 2009 Team SuperBad (El Super Colibri & Justin Lee) def. Crazy Beautiful (Brett Taylor & Michael York) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
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