Calgary wrestling community reflects on Hulk Hogan's legacy after wrestling icon's death
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A member of Calgary's iconic Hart family and longtime contributor to the local wrestling community, Ross Hart said he was surprised when he heard the news. 'Seventy-one is a pretty young age, relatively, to pass away,' he said.
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Hart never worked directly with Hogan but saw first-hand how deeply he shaped the wrestling world.
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'He was probably the most important and influential figure in pro wrestling history,' he said. 'He transformed wrestling from a local promotion identity into a major global phenomenon. That speaks to his charisma, his interview skills and his in-ring presence.'
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Hart had the opportunity to meet Hogan during his professional wrestling stops in Calgary, and remembers him as an intimidating but private figure.
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'He was just this very larger-than-life figure, but he was very private about his image . . . He would be very personified, very energetic for his interviews and promos. And then, he liked to withdraw and retreat. He didn't like to be the focus of media attention.'
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But over the years, Hogan got plenty of attention — both positive and negative — from the media and the public.
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Born in 1953, Hogan rose to superstardom in the 1980s as the then-World Wrestling Federation's heavyweight champion. With his red and yellow gear, iconic entrance music and high-energy interview, he became the first mainstream wrestling superstar — he starred in movies, had his own cartoon show and appeared in Sports Illustrated.
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'He's a complicated figure,' said Heath McCoy, senior communications specialist for the University of Calgary and author of Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling.
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'He was like the Superman of the wrestling business. Everybody around the world knew about him . . . and then, over the years, his legacy became increasingly tarnished.'
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