10 Things We Learned From Dark Side Of The Ring: Owen Hart

4. Martha Still Has The Clip

Dark Side Of The Ring Owen Hart Martha
VICE

Later, police handed Martha a bag of evidence from the accident.

Inside was Owen's Blue Blazer outfit (he'd revived the comedy gimmick because he was struggling to fit into the bold new 'Attitude' direction, claims Jim Cornette), some other bits and pieces and the exact same clip that had loosened right before Hart plummeted from the Kemper Arena rafters.

Martha told VICE that the clip was designed "solely for sailing boats", and that it only takes "six pounds of pressure" to release it. That was part of the plan explored in an earlier entry; the WWF wanted to switch up Owen's harness so that it wouldn't take so long for him to remove it when he landed safely on the ground.

That decision would end up costing the man his life. Martha cannot believe to this day that they thought such a tiny clip, one that wasn't even meant to do the job it was being asked to, would be safe. Seeing her hold the thing in her hands is pretty eerie.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.