His contributions to the legacy of what is Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling will never be forgotten.  Neither will the man we call Nelson Royal.  Rest In Peace… 

Less than three weeks after the unexpected passing of Nelson Royal, wrestling lost another familiar name.  Robert Fort Hanson, know better to us MACW fans as SWEDE HANSON, died at Palmetto Baptist Hospital here in Columbia, SC.  He was 68 years young.  Big Swede was a household name for any wrestling fan in the Carolinas and Virginia from the early 60’s well into the 70’s.  He is most often associated being teamed with long-time friend Rip Hawk.  Together, these two formed one of the roughest tag teams in a region that was known for tough tandems.  Along with Hawk & Hanson, MACW also had such names as Brute Bernard & Skull Murphy, The Andersons, The Infernos, and Aldo Bogni & Bronco Lubich.  On the other side of the fence, such duos as George Becker & Johnny Weaver, Paul Jones & Nelson Royal, Sam Steamboat & Mr. Wrestling gave this promotion many well-known tag teams for the fans to watch. 

Swede was often seen as the quiet man of the team.  His partner, Rip “The Profile” Hawk was a definite mouthpiece for them.  Swede stood in the background during the interviews, but was anything but silent when they climbed into the ring.  Hanson’s style was very methodical, brutal, and ungiving.  He was a perfect compliment to Rip’s brash, outspoken attitude.  These two held the Mid Atlantic Tag Team championship on a couple of occasions (when it was still known as the Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship) and also traveled around the country winning several other regional tag team belts along the way.  They even won the International Tag Team titles in Australia in 1970 by defeating King Curtis Iaukea & Buddy Austin.  This shows that Hawk & Hanson were not only successful here in the States, but could compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime.  One of Swede’s lesser-known highlights would have to be the night of July 19^th, 1966 in Raleigh, NC.  On that evening, Hawk & Hanson stepped into the ring to face another familiar MACW star, Abe Jacobs and his partner—the legendary Lou Thesz!  The Thesz-Jacobs tandem was victorious in this match, but what a match it must have been! 

Swede was usually the heel during his career, including his brief time in the WWF during the late 70’s and early 80’s.  However, his popularity was always high wherever he went.  He did have a face run here in the MA area that ironically helped launch the career of another wrestling legend, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.  After suffering a heart attack in 1974, Swede was forced out of wrestling for a while.  His long-time partner at the time, Rip Hawk, needed a replacement.  A young Flair, who had just recently arrived in JCP, was given the role.  After Swede returned, an angle was done that had Hanson split from Hawk.  Swede then battled with the Super Destroyer (Don Jardine) in a very good program for both wrestlers. 

Swede will be remembered as a wrestler who may have been quiet on the mic, but whose in-ring accomplishments spoke loud.  We will miss you too, Mr. Hanson. 

NEXT MONTH:

1976: A Year In Review