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fan club devoted to them. In contrast to Hawk, who remained a heel during his entire run in Mid-Atlantic
Championship Wrestling, Hanson gained popularity with even more fans when he feuded with Hawk and became the promotion's top face wrestler. Writers who have looked back on his career have noted that he wrestled with "heart" and always worked his hardest in the ring. Hanson has had a lasting impact on the business, as he was willing to
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daughter and son, named Linda and Lance. Then he married a woman named Doris, which brought him another daughter and son, Luana and Bobby. He also gained a stepson, Billy Roy and two adopted children, Mary and Carol, through his second marriage. Hanson lived in
Charlotte, NC for over 20+ years. In the late 80's, Hanson and his second wife moved to Fort Mill, SC. After divorcing his second wife, he remained living in a double-wide
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Hanson is regarded as an intimidating but honest wrestler. The character he portrayed was hated by many fans, but Hanson was different from many heel wrestlers because he did not cheat to win matches. Even while competing as a heel, however, Hanson and Hawk were admired by many spectators and had a
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During the course of his wrestling career, he was married twice. While both marriages ended in divorce, he and his second wife remained close until the day he died. Swede's marriages brought him seven children and twelve grandchildren. Swede's first marriage to a woman named Vicky, brought him a
208:, he declined the offer and stopped attending school. His mother was struggling financially, so Hanson became an aircraft mechanic to help his family. He also competed as an amateur boxer, and he compiled a 61–3 record in New Jersey
336:, began a feud with Hawk and Ric Flair. The series of matches later evolved into singles matches that pitted former partners Hanson and Hawk against each other. Hanson later became a less high-profile wrestler and was given the role of
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270:(villains) and were hated by the crowds. During appearances, fans would throw acid or threaten them with knives and guns. In one attack, Hanson was stabbed in the leg and required 72 stitches. Hawk taught Hanson a move called the
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to help boost their careers. He and Hawk also helped popularize the quick tag, which saw them trading places in the ring every few seconds to remain energized while their opponents became worn down.
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when Flair entered the wrestling business. Hawk stated that Flair used to cause trouble for the group, including one incident in which Flair flirted with the girlfriend of a
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Hanson remained silent during the team's interviews while Hawk did most of the talking. The team won its first title on August 3, 1965, when they defeated
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In 1971, Hanson suffered a heart attack and had to take time away from wrestling. After returning, he formed a tag team with
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member. Hanson and Hawk used their friendship with the Mafia member to help Flair escape from being killed in revenge.
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three times. Hanson's final title reign was the only one that did not involve Hawk, as he teamed with The
Hangman in
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at a fitness center and later returned to construction work. His final position was as manager of a
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new wrestlers in the promotion. Hanson left the territory for a while but later returned with a new
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to compete. While there, he began teaming with Rip Hawk to form a tag team known as the "
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During his wrestling career, Hanson also worked in construction and had a position as a
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wrestlers and competed against some of the most popular teams of their time. They later
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Hanson returned to the WWWF in 1979 as a vicious heel under the management of
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discovered Hanson and convinced him to compete in wrestling. He trained with
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Hanson and Hawk later reformed their team and competed together in the
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This article is about the wrestler. For others with similar names, see
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with each other when Hawk found a new partner after Hanson suffered a
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344:. He had frizzy hair and wore psychedelic clothes while teaming with
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1011:"International Wrestling International Tag Team Title (Montreal)"
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370:-based NWA Western States Sports. While there, they won the
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151:(March 27, 1933 – February 19, 2002) was an American
1039:"The Gateway Interview: Rip "The Profile" Hawk, Part Four"
236:
232:
935:"International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title"
415:. He was later engaged to a woman named Patsy Hughes.
170:. Together, they held championships in four different
726:"The late Swede Hanson—a wrestler with heart: Page 2"
659:"The late Swede Hanson—a wrestler with heart: Page 1"
162:. He spent much of his career wrestling as part of a
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243:, against Miguel Torres in 1957. Hanson was sent to
363:at Madison Square Garden in October of that year.
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805:The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham
764:The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham
215:
1377:NWA World Tag Team Champions (Florida version)
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760:"A Part Of Wrestling Died With Swede Hanson"
516:Canadian International Tag Team Championship
384:Canadian International Tag Team Championship
386:in 1981. Hanson then returned to McMahon's
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16:American professional wrestler (1933–2002)
960:The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels
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566:NWA Western States Tag Team Championship
534:NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship
438:In his later life, Hanson suffered from
372:NWA Western States Tag Team Championship
328:on Hanson. As a result, Hanson become a
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1367:American male professional wrestlers
1066:Profile at Online World of Wrestling
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879:"NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida)"
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801:"Hawk and Hanson: The Blond Bombers"
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510:International Wrestling Association
485:Championship Wrestling from Florida
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285:to win the Florida version of the
220:Boxing and professional wrestling
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695:"Wrestler Profiles: Swede Hanson"
478:Championships and accomplishments
108:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
491:NWA World Tag Team Championship
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394:, complete with long hair and a
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585:IWA World Tag Team Championship
303:IWA World Tag Team Championship
287:NWA World Tag Team Championship
852:"Remembering Big Swede Hanson"
758:Mooneyham, Mike (2002-02-24).
1:
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251:in Sammartino's debut match.
237:World Wrestling Entertainment
216:Professional wrestling career
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87:Professional wrestling career
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1113:National Wrestling Alliance
615:"Death Notice - Classified"
466:other wrestlers, including
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1116:World Tag Team Champions (
1070:Swede Hanson's profile at
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962:. ECW Press. p. 89.
699:Online World of Wrestling
560:NWA Western States Sports
450:, in October 2001 due to
413:Fort Mill, South Carolina
411:on five acres of land in
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116:300 lb (140 kg)
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458:, on February 19, 2002.
448:Columbia, South Carolina
289:. They also competed in
245:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
80:Columbia, South Carolina
1164:and The Russian Crusher
202:East Orange, New Jersey
64:East Orange, New Jersey
1175:The Fabulous Kangaroos
619:The Charlotte Observer
546:(Mid-Atlantic version)
254:He was later hired by
206:Wake Forest University
958:Oliver, Greg (2007).
177:Hanson and Hawk were
153:professional wrestler
1043:Mid-Atlantic Gateway
856:Mid-Atlantic Gateway
266:". They competed as
241:Paterson, New Jersey
1272:Dick Steinborn and
444:Alzheimer's disease
350:Sgt. Jacques Goulet
305:while competing in
272:reverse neckbreaker
200:Hanson was born in
1314:Rocket Monroe and
468:Blackjack Mulligan
155:best known by his
149:Robert Fort Hanson
46:Robert Fort Hanson
1342:
1341:
1266:Ron Etchison and
1037:Chappell, David.
969:978-1-55022-759-8
850:Chappell, David.
811:on March 12, 2008
799:Mooneyham, Mike.
770:on March 12, 2008
591:) – with Rip Hawk
572:) – with Rip Hawk
553:) – with Rip Hawk
540:) – with Rip Hawk
493:(Florida version)
225:Willie Gilzenberg
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73:February 19, 2002
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1158:and Assassin #2)
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1297:Eddie Graham
1283:Eddie Graham
1274:Hiro Matsuda
1262:Swede Hanson
1261:
1253:Tarzan Tyler
1249:Fred Blassie
1243:Tarzan Tyler
1234:Eddie Graham
1211:Skull Murphy
1202:Hiro Matsuda
1198:Duke Keomuka
1137:Eddie Graham
1117:
1046:. Retrieved
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1018:. Retrieved
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994:. Retrieved
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942:. Retrieved
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809:the original
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768:the original
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667:the original
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621:. 2002-02-24
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472:Angelo Mosca
460:
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361:Bob Backlund
357:Fred Blassie
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338:putting over
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283:Duke Keomuka
279:Hiro Matsuda
276:
256:Jim Crockett
253:
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199:
190:heart attack
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160:Swede Hanson
159:
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100:Swede Hanson
95:Ring name(s)
75:(2002-02-19)
29:Swede Hanson
21:Swede Hanson
1362:2002 deaths
1357:1933 births
1225:Chris Tolos
1179:Al Costello
1156:Assassin #1
520:The Hangman
409:mobile home
388:New England
382:to win the
1351:Categories
1330:Ron Garvin
1229:John Tolos
1220:Don Curtis
1216:Abe Jacobs
1193:Mark Lewin
1189:Don Curtis
1147:Joe Scarpa
1143:Don Curtis
1048:2009-02-22
1020:2009-01-16
996:2009-01-16
944:2009-01-16
915:2009-01-16
888:2009-01-16
861:2009-01-15
815:2009-01-16
774:2009-01-15
735:2009-01-15
704:2009-01-15
673:2009-01-15
625:2009-10-14
598:References
196:Early life
187:legitimate
172:promotions
121:Trained by
57:1933-03-27
43:Birth name
1279:Bob Orton
500:) – with
428:nightclub
311:Ric Flair
157:ring name
1258:Rip Hawk
502:Rip Hawk
464:put over
452:dementia
440:diabetes
376:Montreal
307:Tasmania
222:promoter
168:Rip Hawk
164:tag team
570:3 times
538:4 times
424:trainer
420:bouncer
392:redneck
342:gimmick
179:villain
139:Retired
966:
589:1 time
551:1 time
498:1 time
456:sepsis
380:Quebec
326:turned
183:feuded
315:Mafia
268:heels
239:) in
235:(now
166:with
131:Debut
1332:and
1323:and
1308:and
1299:and
1290:and
1281:and
1260:and
1251:and
1236:and
1227:and
1218:and
1209:and
1200:and
1191:and
1181:and
1145:and
964:ISBN
470:and
442:and
348:and
330:face
281:and
233:WWWF
142:1986
134:1957
70:Died
51:Born
1353::
1041:.
1029:^
1013:.
989:.
978:^
937:.
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378:,
352:.
174:.
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1105:e
1098:t
1091:v
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