Manik Aftab on July 19, 2022
The pro wrestling world mourned the loss of Owen Hart in 1999. The King of Harts fell to his death at Over The Edge pay-per-view event on May 23rd, 1999, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. Owens’ death was announced by Jim Ross.
The WWE Hall of Famer recalled the bone-chilling experience during the latest episode of Grillin JR podcast. The legendary commentator said that he and Jerry Lawler had to re-live the incident when WWE returned to the venue in 2002.
Kemper [Arena] especially. I don’t know why we [WWE] went there. I’m not… because of what happened prior, the Owen [Hart] situation. I mean of all the arenas in America that we could have run, we ran Kemper and I don’t — I never have quite figured that one out but in any event, the crowd [at Backlash 2002] was responsive, it was representative, you know, got over 10,000 folks there, they were pumped up. I remember the crowd being involved.
But I also know that behind those tearful eyes sometimes in the crowd, that they were thinking about the last time they were there for a WWE event and it’s just challenging to get those thoughts out of your — and those images out of your mind… and for [Jerry] Lawler and I, nobody gives a sh*t about us but bottom line is-is that we had to relive it again too and considering I was the one that made the announcement that Owen had died, I carried those with me from all the way when it happened to going back. So, I don’t know. I just… selfishly, I wish we would have done it at another building.
AEW celebrated Owen Hart’s legacy in a major way by hosting the Owen Hart Memorial Men and Women’s Tournaments. Adam Cole won the men’s tournament by defeating Samoa Joe. Britt Baker won the women’s tournament.
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July 19, 2022 10:00 pm
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