Jim Neidhart

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Jim Neidhart
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart Who
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight	281 lb (127 kg/20.1 st)
Born	February 2 1956 (1956-02-02) (age 52) Tampa, Florida
Resides	Calgary, Alberta
Billed from	Reno, Nevada
Trained by	Stu Hart
Debut	1979

James Henry "Jim" Neidhart (born February 2 1956), is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federtation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Wrestling career 2.1 Early career 2.2 World Wrestling Federation 3 Wrestling facts 4 Championships and accomplishments 5 Personal life 6 References 7 External links

Early life

Neidhart had a prodigious athletic career prior to his entrance into the world of professional wrestling. He first gained acclaim during high school for his success in many strength-oriented track and field events. A talented shot putter, Neidhart held the California high school record in the event from 1973-1985 for Harbor High School (a school which was later made famous for its central role in the hit television show The O.C.). After flunking out of high school, ^[1], Neidhart pursued a career in the National Football League, where he played briefly for the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys in practices and preseason games. Although some biographies state that he played in the NFL for those teams^[2], DatabaseFootball.com contains no evidence that Neidhart ever recorded actual playing time in an NFL regular season game. In a shoot interview, Neidhart said that he spent some time in jail and actually saw Charles Manson during this period, as well. ^[3] Neidhart was nicknamed the Anvil by Legendary wrestler Stu hart after taking part in an Avil throwing contest *source WWE.com Where are they now Interview*

Wrestling career

Early career

Following his release from the Dallas Cowboys, Neidhart traveled to Calgary to train with Stu Hart and pursue a career in professional wrestling. He worked for Stampede Wrestling, Hart's Calgary based promotion, for several years, during which time he married Ellie Hart, one of Stu's daughters.^[4] He thus became the brother-in-law of fellow wrestlers Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Ross Hart, Keith Hart, and Davey Boy Smith, and later the uncle of wrestlers Teddy Hart and Harry Smith.

World Wrestling Federation

When Stu Hart sold Stampede Wrestling to Vince McMahon, Jim Neidhart and Bret Hart were included in the deal. Originally, McMahon had Jim Neidhart slated to perform as a singles wrestler managed by Jimmy Hart - who has no relation to the Hart family - and McMahon wanted Bret Hart to perform under a "cowboy" gimmick. Bret Hart came up with the idea of a heel tag team with "The Anvil" called the Hart Foundation. WWF management liked the idea and decided to turn them into a heel tag team.^[5] While in the World Wrestling Federation, Hart and Neidhart formed a highly successful tag team, "The Hart Foundation". They were managed by "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart, who led them to their first Tag Team Championship. Jimmy Hart was also instrumental in ending the team's second championship reign at WrestleMania VII when he led The Nasty Boys to the titles against his former team. After Bret split off into singles competition, Neidhart teamed with Owen Hart as "The New Foundation". While The New Foundation did not last long, Neidhart reappeared in the WWF at King of the Ring 1994 as the mystery cornerman of Bret Hart in his WWF Championship defense against Intercontinental Champion Diesel. The finish saw Diesel Jackknife Bret to the canvas, which would have assured him of capturing the Federation championship. However, Neidhart interfered, costing Bret the match, but allowing him to retain his title. Following the match, Bret was subject to a beatdown at the hands of Diesel and Shawn Michaels, but Neidhart did not come to Bret's aide. Later in the night, Neidhart reappeared at ringside during Owen Hart's match against Razor Ramon in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Neidhart assaulted Ramon behind the referee's back, allowing Owen to become the second WWF King of the Ring (after his brother Bret, who was King in 1993) on pay-per-view. Owen was mired in a feud with Bret stemming from the 1994 Royal Rumble. Neidhart believed Owen when he said that Bret had been holding him down all his life and sided with him against his former tag team partner. Usually seconding Owen in his matches throughout the summer of 1994, Neidhart was seated in the third row at SummerSlam 1994 behind members of the Hart family, as well as Davey Boy Smith for the steel cage match pitting Bret against Owen for the Federation championship; this was the title that Neidhart had saved for Hart back at the King of the Ring so Owen could claim it at SummerSlam. Following a grueling match-up, Bret emerged triumphant, but was later subject to another beatdown at the hands of Owen and Neidhart, who locked themselves inside the caged ring while members of the Hart family tried to climb over the top to get in and help Bret. Neidhart joined Owen as part of Shawn Michaels' "Teamsters" team at Survivor Series 1994. After eliminating all the members of Razor Ramon's "Bad Guys" team except for Razor himself, Shawn Michaels inadvertently hit Diesel with the Sweet Chin Music. This move split up their tag team, as Diesel chased Michaels down the aisle. This cost their team the match as Neidhart and Owen were counted out along with the rest of the "Teamsters". Following Survivor Series, Neidhart disappeared from the WWF. In 1996, he had a very short stint as the masked wrestler Who, a gimmick purely designed for commentators Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler to make Abbott and Costello "Who's on First?" jokes during his matches. He last wore the mask at SummerSlam 1996 as part of the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party held during the Free For All pre-game show. He later reunited with Bret as part of his stable of Canadian sympathizers. After Bret left the company on bad terms because of the Montreal Incident in 1997, Neidhart followed him to World Championship Wrestling (though not immediately--he would be beaten up and humiliated by D-Generation X prior to his departure) where he formed a tag team with The British Bulldog, who also followed Bret there. Although this was his first true big-money deal, they were rarely utilized by WCW. They achieved little in-ring success, and he was eventually released and returned to the independent circuit. On Raw XV, the 15th-anniversary WWE Raw special on December 10, 2007, Neidhart participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal, and was eliminated by Skinner.

Wrestling facts

• Finishing and signature moves
  • Anvil Flattener (Sambo suplex)
  • Anvilizer (Swinging cobra clutch)
  • Front powerslam / Scoop powerslam
  • Forearm club
  • Seated chinlock
• With Bret Hart
  • Hart Attack
• Managers
  • Mr. Fuji
  • Jimmy Hart

Championships and accomplishments

• Championship Wrestling from Florida
  • NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Krusher Khruschev
• Memphis Championship Wrestling
  • MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with The Blue Meanie
• Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
  • MEWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Mid-South Wrestling Association
  • Mid-South Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Butch Reed
• Stampede Wrestling
  • Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Hercules Ayala (1) and Mr. Hito (1)
  • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame ^[6]
• World Wrestling Federation
  • WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Bret Hart
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him # 189 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
  • PWI ranked him # 37 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Bret Hart in 2003.
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Feud of the Year award in 1997 - with Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Brian Pillman vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Personal life

Jim attended Katella High School in Anaheim, California, but he graduated from Newport Harbor High School in 1973. Neidhart and ex-wife Ellie have three children - Jennifer, a master gourmet chef and caterer for one of the most prestigious companies in Calgary, Natalie, and Kristen ("Muffy"), who was married in early June 2007.^[7]. He is a fan of the Calgary Flames and owns several jerseys, including one signed by Theo Fleury. Neidhart, an avid fisherman, can often be found fly-casting in the lakes and streams of Alberta. In December 2001, Neidhart stole $500 from a Millennium Wrestling Federation fundraiser for Bushwhacker Butch, who was extremely ill and in debt after a staph infection almost killed him. Neidhart offered to appear at the event for free in exchange for money for transportation. He was planning on staying with a ring rat (wrestling groupie) for the week, but when his female friend decided to visit family for the holiday, Neidhart kept the money and refused to return it. He later told MWF officials that he sent the stolen money to Butch himself, something both Bushwhackers denied.[1] In early 2005, Neidhart and his wife Ellie were accused in a lawsuit of stealing almost $10,000 in valuables from businessman John McCann.^[4] McCann claimed the items, mainly jewelry, disappeared after the couple visited his Calgary home and that he later bought them back from the pawn shop where they turned up.^[4] The Neidharts denied any knowledge of the incident. The suit was later dropped and no charges were filed.^[4] Neidhart continues to wrestle on the Canadian independent circuit and is pursuing a career in real estate. His daughter, Nattie Neidhart, is also a wrestler and currently signed to a WWE developmental contract.^[8].

References

External links

• Jim Neidhart at OWW
• Jim Neidhart at Bodyslamming.com
• Solie's title histories