Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring

By Marsha Erb

Celebrated weekly on the WWF television programming, Stu Hart is the patriarch of modern day wrestling. For more than half a century Hart has battled, entertained, and instructed, first as a pro wrestler himself, later by running the highly influential Stampede Wrestling promotion, and ultimately as a living legend who, in the fabled "dungeon" in the basement of his Calgary, Alberta, home, has trained some of the most formidable athletes ever to step inside of the "squared circle." Current superstars such as Y 2 J, Chris Benoit, and Lance Storm have sung Hart's praises to millions of WWF fans; old-timers and commentators like Rowdy Roddy Piper and Jim "JR" Ross have tipped their hats on pay-per-view broadcasts seen worldwide; even the Canadian government has honored him as a philanthropist and pop cultural groundbreaker by awarding him the prestigious Order of Canada. And while Hart's personality and stories are as legendary as his family's in-ring achievements, few have had the pleasure of hearing the real truth straight from the icon's mouth. Until now. Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring is a no-holds-barred, insider's look at the highs and lows, the heroes and villains, the triumphs and tragedies of the world of professional wrestling. From the horrific death of his son Owen, to the resulting multi-million dollar lawsuit settled out of court by Vince McMahon, to the rise of his son Bret to the pinnacle of sports entertainment and his subsequent betrayal by the WWF, and back into the glory days of wrestling's colourful past with likes of Andre The Giant, Abdullah the Butcher, and a wrestling bear, Hart family friend Marsha Erb helps Stu weave a touching, thrilling, and at times almost unbelievable account of one of wrestling's most remarkable lives.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1550225081
• ISBN13: 9781550225082
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: ECW Press
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Story of a Legendary Man

Although the WWE has become somewhat redundant and rather boring nowadays, I have to admit that there was a time that I followed professional wrestling quite seriously.One of my favourite athletes of all time was Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a hero and a role model to a whole generation of wrestling fans, and at one time, the pride of Canada in the squared circle. His brother, Owen, was also amazing in his own right, and I'll never forget the time in 1993 at the Winnipeg Arena when, dressed as the Blue Blazer, he slapped me five as he made his way to the ring. These are some of the reasons I was especially intrigued to learn the story of the patriarch of Canada's first family of wrestling, Stu Hart.The author, Marsha Erb, a former journalist for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Saint John, New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, did an excellent job of telling the story of the unique life and times of this legend.Stu's life has not been an easy one, from his childhood, where, at times, he was living in a tent in the dead cold of the prairie winters, to his rise to becoming one of the most prominent figures in the wrestling business, to the loss of his youngest son, Owen, his story has just about everything. It is truly an inspirational story of the power of will and determination.It also documents the less uplifting side of Stu Hart's story, which are the problems that come with living a public life. A lot of the dirt on the infighting within the Hart family, and the tough times they have been through are also documented in this book.The only real weakness in this book is the fact that the stories sometimes feel a bit rushed, but I would imagine that they would most likely have to be, considering all the tales that a man like Stu would have to tell if only we had the time.Unfortunately, the book ends on a rather gloomy note, which I will not give away, but some that know the story of the Hart family may have a good guess.Through and through, this book is enlightening, well put together, entertaining, and should not be seen as something that is written just for sports entertainment fans. It would make a great read for just about anyone.

A family story worth telling

Reading this book, I felt as part of a Canadian explorer's life. The book is as much about a family struggling together, as it is about wrestling in Canada. There are many startling stories, just all about Stu Hart, A toughman in the ring, while at the same time the family's seamstress... You could see the normalcy of the family, in the middle of wrestling's unique environment. Truly a work of love, memorializing a great man. This is a must read to aspiring wrestlers, as they could see the real man behind the gimmick...

Amazing Life, Amazing Story!!!

"Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring" by Marsha Erb is the biography of wrestling legend and Hart Family patriarch Stu Hart. It chronicles Stu Hart's life from childhood up to the recent (November, 2001) passing of his wife Helen. In addition to chronicling his life, the story also chronicles a near 60 year history of professional wrestling, Canadian athletics and Canadian history. Overall, this book will appeal to wrestling fans, particularly fans of the Hart family, Stampede wrestling as well as fans of a great life's story. The travails and tribulations that Stu Hart overcame throughout his life, including his humble beginnings on the uncharted prairies of Western Canada are inspirational.Among the topics covered in Stu's biography:1. His childhood growing up as a pioneer farmboy on the prairies of Western Canada is a cold tent with his parents and two sisters.2. His beginnings as an athlete as a teenager.3. His time spent as an airplane mechanic and as a navy athletic director during WWII.4. Tons of great stories about old-time wrestling and boxing greats as Stu moves to New York as a young man.5. Stu's courting of Helen.6. How Stu and Helen developed the Stampede territory.7. Raising the 12 Hart kids from birth to adulthood and everything in between.8. The tragedies of the Hart family.9. The schism that divides the Hart family today.Overall, the book is a great chronology of not only Stu's life, but the history of the Hart family, the Stampede territory as well as the history of modern pro-wrestling as well as a history of the development of modern Canada as seen through the eyes of this great, accomplished man Stu Hart. Erb gives a great account of the development of Stu's life from his pioneer days with his parents, through WWII and throughout the mid to late 1900s as he and his family developed Stampede wrestling. The book gives GREAT anecdotes about the HUNDREDS of great wrestlers that trained and/or worked Stu's territory of the years. Wrestling fans will appreciate this book.In all, Erb weaves Stu Hart's illustrious life story into a great tale starting off from his humble beginnings and ending with one of his greatest accomplishments, being awarded the prestigious Order of Canada award. Stu Hart's life story will leave you amazed. He lived a full life. Amazing story.Highest Recommendation

This book complete Pure Dynamite and Under the Mat

The Stampede Wrestling years and the history of the Hart family will never completely be told but I will always be intrested in knowing a little bit more and compare it to what is already out there. This book is very informative on the background of Stu and Helen Hart and also very up to date ending with the death of Helen. It's fun to see the author insinuate about the raunchy stories of Under the Mat by Diana Hart. She doesn't say they are not true just not for the public to read about. The only flaw is sometimes you are under the impression that she is telling the story of Stu Hart from the perspective of everyone else because she can't get Stu side of the story. I can't wait to see the version of Bret Hart when is book finally come out. It also help understand Pure Dynamite by Tom Bellington the Dynamite Kid, as you get another look on the same stories even more true for Under the Mat that too few people read. In Under the mat you got the ugly side of wrestling, you are not getting it with Lord of the Ring but you still get one of the most incredible story in the history of wrestling.