History of Owen Hart in Timeline
Owen Hart was a Canadian-American professional wrestler known for his work in various promotions, most notably World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He achieved significant success in the WWF, wrestling under his real name as well as the ring names "The Blue Angel" and "The Blue Blazer."
May 7, 1965: Birth of Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was born on May 7, 1965. He would go on to become a successful professional wrestler.
1982: Meeting Martha Joan Patterson
Owen Hart met his future wife, Martha Joan Patterson, in 1982.
1984: Owen Hart's Amateur Wrestling Success
Owen Hart showcased his wrestling prowess by placing 4th at the 1984 Canada West championships in the 76 kg weight class.
1986: Owen Hart and Ben Bassarab Win Tag Team Championship
Owen Hart, alongside Ben Bassarab, clinched the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship in 1986.
1987: Owen Hart's Foray into Japanese Wrestling
In 1987, Owen Hart broadened his horizons by wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on several tours.
1987: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year Award
Owen Hart's rising talent earned him the prestigious Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Rookie of the Year Award in 1987.
May 27, 1988: Owen Hart Makes History in NJPW
Owen Hart etched his name in wrestling history on May 27, 1988, by becoming the first non-Japanese wrestler to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
June 24, 1988: Owen Hart Loses IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Owen Hart's reign as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion ended on June 24, 1988, when he lost the title to Shiro Koshinaka.
1988: The Debut of The Blue Blazer
Owen Hart debuted in the WWF as the masked superhero, The Blue Blazer, showcasing his high-flying wrestling style.
March 11, 1989: Owen Hart's Match at Saturday Night's Main Event XX
Owen Hart faced Ted DiBiase at Saturday Night's Main Event XX on March 11, 1989, a notable match in his early WWF career.
July 1, 1989: Marriage to Martha Joan Patterson
Owen Hart married Martha Joan Patterson on July 1, 1989.
December 1989: Stampede Wrestling Shuts Down
Owen Hart's time with Stampede Wrestling came to an end when the promotion shut down in December 1989.
1990: Owen Hart Ventures into Catch Wrestling
Owen Hart further diversified his wrestling experience by competing in Catch Wrestling Association in Germany in 1990.
March 16, 1991: Owen Hart's WCW Debut
Owen Hart made his World Championship Wrestling debut on March 16, 1991, marking a brief foray into the company.
1991: Owen Hart Unmasked
Owen Hart lost a mascara contra mascara match against El Canek in 1991, marking the end of his initial run with the Blue Blazer gimmick.
January 1992: The New Foundation's Royal Rumble Victory
Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart, The New Foundation, secured a victory over The Orient Express at the Royal Rumble in January 1992.
March 5, 1992: Birth of Son, Oje Edward Hart
Owen Hart's son, Oje Edward Hart, was born on March 5, 1992.
April 17, 1993: Owen Hart's Knee Injury
Owen Hart's career was hampered by a knee injury sustained during a match against Bam Bam Bigelow on April 17, 1993. This injury sidelined him for two months.
1993: Owen Hart's USWA Championship Reign
In 1993, Owen Hart captured the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, further solidifying his reputation as a skilled competitor. He won the title from Papa Shango.
1993: Owen Hart's Feud with Bret Hart Begins
The seeds of a rivalry between Owen Hart and his brother Bret were sown in 1993, leading to a heated confrontation at Survivor Series. This marked a significant turn in Owen's character and career.
January 1994: Owen Hart Turns Heel at Royal Rumble
At the Royal Rumble in January 1994, tensions boiled over between Owen and Bret Hart during their tag team championship match against the Quebecers. When Bret, selling a kayfabe knee injury, couldn't tag Owen in, Owen snapped, kicking Bret's knee and leaving him in the ring. This marked Owen's turn to a heel persona, accusing Bret of selfishness and holding him back.
1994: Owen Hart Wins King of the Ring
In 1994, Owen Hart cemented his legacy by winning the WWF King of the Ring tournament.
1994: Owen and Bret Hart Feud Heats Up
Throughout 1994, the rivalry between Owen and Bret Hart intensified. They faced off in singles and tag team matches, including a highly-acclaimed steel cage match at SummerSlam where Bret retained his WWF Championship. Owen scored a significant victory when he tricked their mother Helen into throwing in the towel during a match at Survivor Series, costing Bret the title.
September 23, 1995: Birth of Daughter, Athena Christie Hart
Owen Hart's daughter, Athena Christie Hart, was born on September 23, 1995.
1995: Owen Hart Teams with Davey Boy Smith
In 1995, Owen began teaming up more frequently with his brother-in-law, Davey Boy Smith, who had recently joined the Camp Cornette stable. This pairing marked a new chapter in Owen's career as he navigated the world of tag team wrestling alongside family.
1995: Owen Hart Interferes in Bret's Championship Match
Owen continued to be a thorn in Bret's side in 1995, interfering in his WWF Championship match against Diesel at the Royal Rumble, preventing Bret from regaining the title. Although their feud subsided after Bret defeated Owen, the rivalry had a lasting impact on their relationship.
September 1996: Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith Win Tag Team Championship
Owen and Davey Boy Smith's teamwork culminated in a significant victory in September 1996 when they defeated the Smoking Gunns to become the WWF Tag Team Champions at In Your House 10. They also gained a new manager, Clarence Mason, after he tricked Jim Cornette into signing over their contracts.
1996: Owen Hart Wins Slammy Award, Becomes Color Commentator
Owen experienced success in 1996, winning a Slammy Award for injuring Shawn Michaels and even trying his hand at color commentary during the King of the Ring tournament. He continued to team up with Davey Boy Smith and skillfully used a kayfabe arm injury and cast to his advantage in matches.
March 24, 1997: Tension Arises Between Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith
Despite their success as tag team champions, tension started brewing between Owen and Bulldog. On March 24, 1997, after a disqualification victory against the Headbangers, Owen demanded a shot at Bulldog's European title, further highlighting the growing rift between them.
May 26, 1997: Owen Wins Intercontinental Championship, Loses Tag Team Titles
Owen's career reached new heights when he defeated Rocky Maivia to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship, giving the Hart Foundation control of every major WWF title except the WWF Championship. However, their dominance was short-lived as Owen and Bulldog lost their tag team titles to Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels on May 26, 1997.
July 14, 1997: Owen and Bulldog Fail to Recapture Tag Team Titles
On July 14, 1997, Owen and Bulldog had another opportunity to regain the tag team titles in a tournament. However, their hopes were dashed when they were defeated by Stone Cold Steve Austin and his surprise partner, Dude Love, in the final match.
December 29, 1997: Owen Hart Returns as "The Lone Hart"," Wins and Loses European Title
Owen returned to WWF programming with a new attitude and the moniker "The Lone Hart" after a period of absence. He feuded with DX, challenging Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship and winning by disqualification. Owen also won the European title from Triple H through a series of events but later lost it back to him after an injury and controversial interference from Chyna.
1998: Blue Blazer Stunt at Survivor Series
Owen Hart performed a similar version of the Blue Blazer stunt, which involved a harness and grapple line, at the Sunday Night Heat before Survivor Series in 1998.
1998: The Return of the Blue Blazer
Owen Hart would eventually reprise his Blue Blazer persona in 1998, adding another layer to his career.
January 25, 1999: WWF Tag Team Championship Victory
On January 25, 1999, Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett won the WWF Tag Team Championship, defeating Ken Shamrock and The Big Boss Man.
April 5, 1999: Loss of WWF Tag Team Championship
On April 5, 1999, the pre-taped episode of Raw aired Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett losing the WWF Tag Team Championship to Kane and X-Pac.
May 23, 1999: Death of Owen Hart
Owen Hart tragically passed away on May 23, 1999.
May 31, 1999: Jeff Jarrett Wins Intercontinental Championship
On the May 31, 1999, episode of Raw, Jeff Jarrett won the WWF Intercontinental Championship, the title Owen Hart was meant to win at Over the Edge. Jarrett paid tribute to Hart after his victory.
October 4, 1999: Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit Tribute Match
On October 4, 1999, a tribute match for Owen Hart took place on WCW Nitro, with Bret Hart facing Chris Benoit in the same arena where Hart had died.
November 2, 2000: Settlement Reached with WWF and Establishment of the Owen Hart Foundation
On November 2, 2000, a settlement of US $18 million was reached between the estate of Owen Hart and WWF. Owen Hart's widow, Martha, used a portion of the funds to establish the Owen Hart Foundation.
2001: Release of Diana Hart's Book "Under the Mat" and Legal Action
In 2001, Owen Hart's sister, Diana, released her book "Under the Mat", which included controversial content about the Hart family and prompted legal action from Martha Hart.
2002: Release of Martha Hart's Book "Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart"
Martha Hart, Owen Hart's widow, published a book about his life titled "Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart" in 2002.
June 2010: Martha Hart Files Lawsuit against WWE
Martha Hart filed a lawsuit in June 2010 against WWE regarding the use of Owen Hart's name and likeness without royalty payments.
May 28, 2011: Induction into the Legends Pro Wrestling "Hall of Fame"
On May 28, 2011, Owen Hart was posthumously inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling "Hall of Fame". His brother-in-law, Jim Neidhart, accepted the award on his behalf.
April 2013: Settlement Reached in Lawsuit against WWE
An undisclosed settlement was reached between Martha Hart and WWE in April 2013, concluding the lawsuit over the use of Owen Hart's image and likeness.
June 2013: Scheduled Trial Date for Lawsuit against WWE
June 2013 was set as the trial date for the lawsuit filed by Martha Hart against WWE, though a settlement was reached before the trial.
2014: Over the Edge Available on WWE Network
The Over the Edge pay-per-view, where Owen Hart passed away, was made available on the WWE Network in 2014. All footage and mentions of Hart were removed, except for a short memorial added to the beginning.
December 7, 2015: Release of "Owen: Hart of Gold" DVD and Blu-ray
WWE released "Owen: Hart of Gold" on DVD and Blu-ray on December 7, 2015, in the United Kingdom, with the United States release the following day.
September 20, 2021: Announcement of the Owen Hart Cup Tournament and AEW Partnership
On September 20, 2021, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), in partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation, revealed the Owen Hart Cup Tournament. This tournament would feature a trophy called "The Owen." They also announced merchandise and the inclusion of Owen Hart in their video game, AEW Fight Forever.
