Athletes - Jim Neidhart

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	Athletes - Jim Neidhart

James Henry (Jim) Neidhart (born February 8, 1956 in Tampa, Florida, United States of America), is a professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and holds dual citizenship in Canada and the USA.

Career

A former National Football League athlete who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders, Neidhart travelled to Calgary to train with Stu Hart after being released by the Cowboys. A talented shot putter, he earned his nickname - "The Anvil" - from his skill in the sport of anvil tossing. 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. He thus became the brother-in-law of fellow wrestlers Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Ross Hart, Keith Hart, and Davey Boy Smith, and the uncle of wrestlers Teddy Hart and Harry Smith.

Neidhart eventually joined the World Wrestling Federation, and formed a highly successful tag-team, "The Hart Foundation", with Bret. They were managed by "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart, who led them to their first Tag Team Championship while interfering to effectively end their second championship reign at Wrestlemania VII. After Bret split off into singles competition, Neidhart teamed with Owen as "The New Foundation", and also competed under a mask in 1996 as "Who". This became a running gag on the RSPW newsgroup, as when a question like "Who's the boss?" was asked, the answer given would be "Not Tony Danza, but Jim." Today, on RSPW and other newsgroups, it is not unusual to see the phrase "Who (nN)" - which means "not Neidhart." He later reunited with Bret as part of his stable of Canadian sympathizers. After Bret left the company on bad terms in 1997, Neidhart followed him to World Championship Wrestling where he formed a tag team with Davey Boy Smith, who also followed Bret there. Although this was his first true big-money deal, they were rarely utilized by WCW head Eric Bischoff. They achieved little in-ring success, and he was eventually released and returned to the independent circuit.

In early 2005, Neidhart and his wife Ellie were accused in a lawsuit of stealing almost $10,000 in valuables from businessman John McCann. 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. The Neidharts denied any knowledge of the incident. The suit was later dropped and no charges were ever filed.

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.

Through some very trying times - including the deaths of Owen and Stu, and both a stroke and serious accident befalling Bret - he has remained very close to the Hart family.

Wrestling facts

Finishing and signature moves

Anvil Flattener
Anvilizer (Spinning Cobra Clutch)
Camel clutch
Powerslam
Hart Attack (with Bret Hart)

Managers

Mr. Fuji
Jimmy Hart

Quotes

"Yeah, Baby!"

Championships and accomplishments

Memphis Championship Wrestling

:*1-time MCW Southern Tag Team Champion (with The Blue Meanie
)

Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation

:*1-time MEWF Heavyweight Champion

Mid-South Wrestling

:*1-time Mid-South Tag Team Champion (with Butch Reed
)

National Wrestling Alliance

:*1-time NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion :*1-time NWA Florida United States Tag Team Champion (with Krusher Khruschev
)

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 best tag teams of the PWI Years (with Bret Hart)

Stampede Wrestling

:*2-time Stampede Wrestling Tag Team Champion (1-time with Hercules Ayala, 1-time with Mr. Hito)

World Wrestling Federation

:*2-time WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Bret Hart)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter'''

:*1997 Feud of the Year (with Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith and Brian Pillman, versus Stone Cold Steve Austin)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Jim Neidhart ]

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