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Brian Damage
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.
Eric ‘The Red’ Hansen
He was born Ib Solvang Hansen in Denmark in 1934. Around the age of 18 years old, his father sent him to Canada to straighten him out as he had gotten into trouble. While living in Canada, Hansen fell in love with professional wrestling and sought to become a wrestler himself. He first wrestled for Maple Leaf Wrestling based in Toronto, Canada and was given the gimmick of a modern day Viking named ‘Eric the Red.’
He briefly formed a babyface tag team with Whipper Billy Watson while in Canada. A year later, Hansen turned heel and found his greatest success as a wrestler. Hansen became a star and wrestled the likes of Billy Watson and Edouard Carpentier. His success up north got the attention of Vince McMahon Sr in the WWWF who brought in the 6 ft 3 320 pound red haired monster. He faced off against the likes of Pedro Morales and Tony Altomare. He also faced off against Bruno Sammartino in a tag team match.
Despite facing some of the promotion’s biggest names, Hansen never rose above the preliminary ranks of the WWWF and moved out of the territory. Hansen wrestled in territories based in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Puerto Rico. He was one of the first to join the upstart International Wrestling Association which was one of the first promotions trying to go national. Eric the Red was a top heel for the IWA, often challenging the IWA champion Mil Mascaras.
After the IWA folded, Eric was blackballed by several territories…but found work in Texas working for Fritz Von Erich. Hansen would eventually make his way to Florida where he teamed with Pak Song to become the NWA Florida tag team champions. This was the last territory Eric the Red would compete for. After a match in Miami, Eric flew back to Tampa for another round of matches later that week. While driving home, his car stalled out in the early morning hours of November 9, 1978. Eric crossed the street to make a phone call for assistance. While crossing the same street to return to his car…Eric was struck by an on coming car.
Eric’s head hit the windshield and then flipped onto the street. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he had suffered severe brain damage and in a coma. A week later, Eric Hansen was pronounced dead. He was just 44 years old. The driver of the vehicle that hit and killed Eric Hansen was never charged in the incident.