During a recent episode of his podcast, “The Snake Pit,” Jake Roberts, a celebrated inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame, shared memories of working under Stu Hart and his training days in the iconic Hart Family Dungeon. Below is a summary of the key moments from the podcast:
Talking about how he started working with Stu Hart, Roberts said, “I reached out to him, asking if I could join his training. Stu’s response was, ‘You’re a long, lanky son of a gun, aren’t you? We might be able to use your physique for something.’”
Roberts then discussed his motive for joining the wrestling territory. He stated emphatically, “I was there not for the money, but to learn. I knew Vancouver was not rich in terms of money. I guess I was pocketing 0 to 0 a week, which wasn’t substantial given the daily driving and rent. I was renting an apartment in Blaine, a small border town in Washington state.”
Reflecting on the daunting yet enriching experience of training in the dungeon, Roberts recounted, “It scared me to the bone. It was certainly intense. Stu, if he ever pinned you down, you were in for it. His grip was as strong as a gorilla’s. If he managed to get hold of you, he could cause some serious pain with his hands. He’d pull you close and demonstrate his techniques, and ask, ‘Can you feel what I’m doing? Speak up; I can’t hear you!’ [laughs].”
To hear Roberts recount these moments, you can watch the full episode of “The Snake Pit Ep. 86: Stampede Wrestling Part One” [embedded video link].