B.J. Annis

B.J Annis
Birth name Bradley Joseph Annis
Born 1947
Boston, Massachusetts
Residence Calgary
Spouse(s) Georgia Hart (m. 1975)[1]
Children 4
Family Hart
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) B.J. Annis[2]
Billed weight 238 lb (108 kg)[2]
Billed from Boston, Massachusetts
Trained by Stu Hart

Bradley Joseph "BJ" Annis is a retired bodybuilder, powerlifter, fitnessguru, professional wrestler, gym owner and firefighter.[3][4] He was born in around 1947.[5]

Early life

Annis was born in Boston in 1947.[5]

He earned a degree in marine engineering at the Kings point military academy.[6] He has also served a tour in Vietnam, he was a pilot.[5]

Career

Bodybuilding

Annis started bodybuilding at the age of 15.[7] He competed mostly in Hawaii, which was also where he opened his first gym.[5]

Stampede Wrestling

Annis wrestled sporadically for Stampede Wrestling. Ge had matches against wrestlers such as Kerry Brown.[2]

Annis was the only one of Stu Hart's sons-in-law not to be stretched by him in the Hart family dungeon.[8]

B.J's Gym

Annis also owned the gym located at 604 7 Ave. S.E. in Calgary where many of the wrestlers of Stampede Wrestling trained, such as Dynamite Kid, The British Bulldog and the McGuire twins,[9] called B.J's Gym.[10] Bret Hart also trained at B.J's gym while recovering from his stroke.[11]

The gym opened in 1972 and stretches 12,500 square-foot and contained with cardio equipment, weights and a juice bar.[6]

The gym closed in 2011 and Annis has stated that he has no interest in opening a new one, instead enjoying retirement with his family and possibly buying a new house.[12]

In November 2011, his daughter Angie Annis staged an art exhibition at the gymnasium prior to the establishment closing its doors.[13]

Personal life

Annis is married to Georgia Hart, seventh child of pro wrestling patricar Stu Hart, and the sister of Smith, Bruce, Keith, Wayne, Dean, Ellie, Bret, Alison, Ross, Diana and Owen Hart.[14]

Annis had with his wife four children, Edward, better known under his ring name Teddy Hart, Annie, Angela and Matthew Annis. Matthew wished to become a pro wrestler like his brother but died in 1996 at the age of thirteen.[15]

Annis has a grandson, Bradley Matthew Annis, from his son Ted and his ex-girlfriend Kim.[16]

In the late 1970s, he urged his brother-in-law, Keith Hart, to try out for the Calgary firefighter department. Hart passed a test and was accepted into the Calgary firefighter department. As a result, Hart largely reduced his wrestling commitments.

Brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith has stated that due to the fact that Annis's son had died of a staph infection he recognized an infection in both of Smith's legs and informed him that he needed to get antibiotics right away.[17]

Annis and his son Edward has held free presentations in Calgary to show the dangers of pro wrestling moves if performed incorrectly, and make people understand that everything that people see in the ring is carefully choreographed.[18]

Championships and accomplishments

Bodybuilding

References

  1. ↑ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 153 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  2. 1 2 3 against Kerry Brown
  3. ↑ "From headlocks to stockpots". CalgaryHerald. Retrieved 2012.
  4. ↑ name="SLAM!""Carrying on the family business". http: canoe. Retrieved 2003.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 152 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  6. 1 2 name=" impactmagazine""Calgary Gym Icon Closing Up Shop". impactmagazine.ca. Retrieved 2011.
  7. 1 2 Alberta Canada Masters Bodybuilding Champ 1989
  8. ↑ name="SLAM!""Tribute to the King of Harts". http: canoe. Retrieved October 24, 2003.
  9. ↑ Hart, Diana; McLellan, Kirstie (2001). Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family. Fenn. p. 14 pp. ISBN 1-55168-256-7.
  10. ↑ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 39 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  11. ↑ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 292 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  12. ↑ name="torontosun""Iconic gym finishes strong". CALGARY SUN. June 25, 2011.
  13. ↑ McCoy, Heath (November 23, 2011). "Final days at B.J.'s feature artworks, not workouts". Calgary Herald. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Hart Family Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  15. ↑ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 244 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  16. ↑ "'Princess among pirates' My mother's a special lady". SLAM! WRESTLING. 2001-10-06. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
  17. ↑ name="SLAM!""One on one with The Bulldog". http: canoe. Feb 2, 1998.
  18. ↑ name="SLAM!""Grapplers hit ring to show kids hazards of the sport". http: canoe. July 20, 2000.

External links

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