Who is the Greatest Tragedy in the History of Professional Wrestling?

[Tastycles]

From a death point of view, the deaths of Owen Hart an Bruiser Brody are the most hard hitting as they were unexpected and beyond their control, but I think the greater tragedy in wrestling is those that don't die young and who carry on forever becoming progressively less popular. We've all seen The Wrestler, and there are countless real life Randy Robinsons out there that fit the bill. If you ask me, descending into a life of drugs, drink and wrestling at birthday parties is a pretty sorry existance. Worse than dying? Probably not, but people like Jake Roberts will be doing this for years, and this is a tragedy that is all too common in professional wrestling.

 

[ServantofTwilight]

And, outside of completely buying wholesale speculation from other people, your proof is? No, seriously. That's not rhetorical. I want an answer to that question. This is one topic that I'm quite well aware of, and whenever ANYONE would talk about what happened, the words "we think" were almost universally used.

Have any opinion you want. That's fine. But, since, to the best of my knowledge, Chris Benoit was never convicted in a court of law, speculation is all that remains. And, before you try to turn it around, and demand that I prove that he didn't kill his family, remember 2 very simple things. First, I'm not saying that he was innocent. I'm saying that no-one can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he's guilty. Second, the burden of proof is on the prosecution. I don't have to prove anything. You do.

(Sorry about the off-topic rant, guys. But, he did ask the question.)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with the pulley of a weight machine, authorities said Tuesday.

That was reported by ESPN, MSNBC, CBS, FoxNews and many other news orginizations. Not 'we think' or 'is likely' but that he did it. That is the official findings.

And of course he was not tried and convicted; he is dead. He killed himself. You don't have a trial to convict someone if they are dead.

As for the topic in an individual case I would chose Owen Hart. He was still a young man who by all accounts was being prepped up for big things; some say a world title run. He had plans to set up a retirement so that himself and his family would be set and he would not have to wrestle forever. To have it end like it did, with basically a fluke accident is tragic.

The Von Erichs have it on a group case. Here was a family who apperantly had it all. If we go by the WCCW DVD then we know that WCCW could have been the WWF years before Vince to it national but Fritz would not cross territory lines. Even wrestling mainly in Texas the Von Erichs were able to become super popular across the country and into Japan.

Of course now we know that the boys did not really want that life and were pushed into it by their father. And when the preasures of it got to them most reracted in lethal ways. As someone said, to lose on son/brother would be bad but to lose 5 is truly awful.

 

[closet_fan]

i have to go with owen as well, but i could have listed a lot of other ones being from an older generation.

i think it was the way he died and how he was deathly afraid of heights, but went up in the rafters anyways because he was team first and always did what was in the best interest in the company.

i think his death was one of the only ones i can remember that brought out the inner feelings of all the wrestlers.

the king running into the ring and holding owen in his arms.

triple h, who hardly ever shows emotion other than the storyline, winning the match (can't remember who he beat that night) and looking at the camera and saying something regarding owen.

others have passed and tributes had been made for them, but the owen show really brought to light just how respected he was in the ring and out.

 

[TheAnimal]

Owen Hart because his death was a accidental tragedy, he had his family, didnt do drugs (i think) so its tragic that his life was taken from it at such a young age.
Eddie too, he fought his addictions and won, but they took their toll on him. He redeemed himself for the drug abuse, but it was ultimately too late.
I think even those who abused steroids but could not make it and were just a footnote in wrestling history because their sacrifices were for nothing really.

 

[Wullief23]

I personally have to go for Owen Hart in this one. A lot (i'm not saying all) of Wrestlers have died prematurely due to drug related deaths, by taking drugs you have to know the risks and that there could be consequences. By this statement i pick Owen because he was clean (to my knowledge anyway) and he was in Wrestling to earn enough money to support is family so he could go to teaching school and become a teacher. Owen was only due to wrestle for another year or two then follow his teaching ambition when the tradegy happened. Also Owen was afraid of heights and before the stunt in which he was killed, had told the wwe staff involved in the stunt that he did not feel comfortable doing the stunt. Owen was talked into it and told it would be the last time he would have to do it. Therfore i feel if they had listened to him and not made him do the stunt he would still be here and have moved onto to his future plans.
R.I.P Owen.

 

[Smiter]

it has to be Owen hart RIP... he never wanted to be in wrestling but he did it coz of the money...it was a terrible incident...imagine a live event thousands of fans attending and a person falls from a height and dies ..it was devastating,even bret said that if i would have been there i would never let him do that.