Gary Hart and Gino Hernandez: A Band of Brothers
One thing you will frequently hear from people in the professional wrestling business, especially the old-timers, is that it is a brotherhood. While it still applies today, it was undoubtedly more apt in the days when maintaining kayfabe was of the utmost importance. But another thing that becomes heavily developed in the right situations can be a father-son relationship, usually between a booker or promoter and one of their top stars. Many have described Vince McMahon as a father figure, including Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Triple H (that last one is especially poignant). But another booker that took many under his wings was the late, great Gary Hart. And while he considered anyone that he worked closely with to be one of “his boys,” there was one specific talent he considered like a son to him, and he always tried to do everything he could to help save himself. Today we look at the relationship between Gary Hart and Gino Hernandez.
The first time Gary Hart ever became aware of Gino was years before he entered the wrestling business, and Gino was just a young fan, frequently throwing things at Hart as he managed The Spoiler in the Houston area. According to Gary, Gino frequently tried to sneak into the dressing room and catch The Spoiler without his mask. Years later, Houston promoter Paul Boesch had given Gary the book in the territory and asked him to keep an eye on Gino, who was now in his first year in the business. Gary was immediately enamoured with Gino’s natural look and ability in the ring and, soon enough, took him under his wing and into his group.
As time went on, Gary and Gino would be part of World Class Championship Wrestling, famously run out of the Sportatorium in Dallas by Fritz Von Erich. Both men would see their most significant success here, with Gary guiding Gino into a feud with the Von Erich boys, another group of wrestlers Gary considered some of “his boys.” Under Gary’s booking, he would soon lead Gino into a hair vs. hair match against Kevin Von Erich, which Gary remembers fondly in his book, My Life In Wrestling.
I booked a match between Gino Hernandez and Kevin Von Erich, with the stipulation being that if Gino beat Kevin we would shave Kevin’s head, and if Kevin beat Gino he would shave Gino’s head. During an interview, I spoke up and declared, “I’m so convinced that Gino will win, that if Kevin beats him he can shave my head, instead!”
Of course, Gino lost the match and my head was shaved. I didn’t mind losing my hair, because I was going bald, and it got to the point where I was spending too much time on my interviews looking in the monitor to see if people could see my bald spot. I realized that had to stop, and that I had to do something about my hair - or lack thereof - so I took advantage of my “genetic disposition,” and used it to enhance a program.
Besides, as far as I was concerned, it was all about the Von Erich boys, Bruiser Brody, and Gino Hernandez, and I would have done anything to help those guys get over.
Gino would sometimes be a lightning rod for controversy, but Gary always ensured he was cared for and looked after. In 1981, when Paul Boesch decided to cede away from working with Fritz as part of the Texas booking office, opting to go with Joe Blanchard’s outlaw promotion Southwest Championship Wrestling, it was Gino who first reported the news to Gary, who relayed the info to Fritz. This was a big blow financially to World Class and the Von Erichs. Later that night, the Von Erich boys were riled up and jumped Gino, feeling he was a mole due to his relationship with Boesch. Gary and Bruiser Brody had to intervene in the skirmish and make peace between everyone. Again, Uncle Gary comes to the rescue.
While Gino ended up going to work for Boesch out of loyalty, Gary told him that he was always there for him. In contrast, Gino became a focal point of Southwest Championship Wrestling teaming alongside Tully Blanchard. This was around the time World Class took off to another level with their iconic television show coming to be. Gary would remark on the success, saying how proud he was, remarking that his only regret was that his boy Gino wasn’t there to be a part of it.
The next time Gary would link up with Gino would unfortunately not be for a great occasion, as it was when the two were both booked for the David Von Erich Memorial show following his tragic passing. But their connection was still strong, and soon enough, they would be back on the same team. Gary would return to World Class to help Fritz turn Chris Adams heel to feud with the Von Erichs. If anyone could take a beloved babyface like Adams and turn him into the most hated man in the business, it was Hart.
Upon the success of Adams’ heel turn, Hart would put him together with anyone else but Gino as the Dynamic Duo. And the team would go on a tear with their battles against Kevin and Kerry, but sadly, due to some backstage politicking and bad creativity, Gary was not long for the world at their side. While Gary would no longer manage the team, anytime they needed any advice, they always went to Gary for his input, even if he was no longer in the territory with them.
While Gary was gone and unable to watch over his boys fully, is where the beginning of the end was happening. Gino was well known as a partier but had developed a nasty cocaine habit that began running rampant due to his success. From afar, Gary could feel that this was not going to end well and began making plans to try and get both Gino and Chris out of Texas for a while, into another territory where he could get them away from any connections they had, as he describes his plan in his book.
During my time away from Dallas, I continued to keep in touch with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez, and became increasingly concerned for Gino’s well being, because he had developed a cocaine habit that was really out of hand. I was on him quite a bit about his addiction, because it was hard for me to watch him go through that. I knew that Gino was a real party boy, and I became desperate to do something to get him away from his environment. I actually thought that if I could get Gino out of Texas and into another territory where he didn’t have his connections, I could get him on the straight and narrow.
I went so far as to call up Jimmy Crockett, who I always had an open door policy with, and made a deal to go to the Carolinas in January, 1986. When he asked who I wanted to manage, I told him that I would bring in Gino and Chris as a tag team, and The One Man Gang in as a single. Needless to say, Jimmy was thrilled with that idea. With that, I had a perfect opportunity for Gino to get out of Texas, and a way for me to spend more time with him and watch over him.
I went to have a meeting with Chris and Gino in their condo that they shared together, where I planned on selling them on the Carolinas. I was really hoping that my plan would work, as I really wanted to get Gino out of Texas as soon as possible. When I got there, I told them, “Boys, we have a chance to go to the Carolinas and make a lot of money.”
To my dismay, no matter how hard I tried to convince them, they were flat-out not interested in leaving Texas. I called Jimmy Crockett back, and told him the deal was a no-go. Looking back, and knowing what I know now, maybe his being in the Carolinas wouldn’t have made any difference on his habit - but believe me, I was trying.
Unfortunately, that was the last straw to be grasped at and as many longtime wrestling fans and newer fans thanks to Dark Side Of The Ring, Gino would soon be found dead in his apartment. Rumors have run rampant about what happened, but Hart truly believes it was nothing more than an overdose.
Despite their history, Hart was unsure if he would be able to attend Gino’s funeral. Despite their relationship, Hart struggled in that environment, skipping David Von Erich’s funeral. Thankfully, Tim Brooks, who was with Gary when he received the call about Gino’s death, pushed him to go and stayed with him throughout the wake. It was here where Gary reconnected with Paul Boesch after years of heat between the two. Paul looked at him and said, “Our boy is gone,” before the two embraced in a hug. It was time for Gary and Paul to both say goodbye to their boy, and I will end this piece with one final quote from Gary’s book, as I would not be able to write anything better. But go out of your way to go back and watch some footage of Gary and Gino together, and know how special both men truly were.
After the wake, we all went to the gravesite, where Paul and I stood at the head of the coffin together. As they lowered Gino’s casket down, a gust of wind came, and up in the trees there were bells and wind chimes, and they started making noise.
I looked at Paul and asked, “Could that be Gino?”
Paul replied, “He always was a great showman.”
If it hadn’t been for the bells in the trees, my memory of that day would have been different. However, because of that, I can have a good memory and thought.
The object is not to forget but to remember to go on.
