10 Things You Didn’t Know About Jim Neidhart

10. A Blacksmith Almost Ruined His "Anvil" Moment

That 'Anvil' nickname nearly never existed at all.

In his youth, Jim Neidhart found fame for excelling at strength-based track and field events, and was even a record high school shot putter. As strong as they come, Jim later (famously) hurled a 100lbs heavy anvil 11ft 2 inches at the Calgary Stampede. That caught everyone's attention, but Neidhart was almost upstaged by a skinny blacksmith.

During an interview with 3 Count Wrestling, the future WWE Tag-Team Champ said he was left sweating when a smaller man weighing just 85lbs, which is 15lbs less than the anvil in question, attempted to throw the thing a greater distance. Get this: he came close, and that was something Neidhart later found hilarious.

The blacksmith's throw came up short in the end, and Jim was free to claim the title of 'Anvil'. That nickname was actually given to him by his mother-in-law Helen Hart. Things could have been very different for Neidhart had his skinny foe been able to top his record.