Barry Horowitz (born March 24, 1959) is an American professional wrestler from St. Petersburg, Florida best known, unfortunately, for his long losing streak in WWE in the 1980s and 1990s. He started his career in 1979 in the Florida independent scene after training under Boris Malenko, and also worked in WWE, the NWA Mid-Atlantic, Puerto Rico and Canada. He returned to Florida in 1985 as "Jack Hart," where, on July 23, he defeated Mike Graham to win the vacant NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
. He later worked in Memphis before returning to WWE in 1987, where he began his long losing streak. Following recuperation from a neck injury he suffered in early 1990, he switched to the Global Wrestling Federation in Texas, where he would defeat Jerry Lynn for the GWF Light Heavyweight Title on February 7, 1992, a title he would lose to and, subsequently regain from, Ben Jordan by the end of the month. After the GWF collapsed, he returned to WWE and back to regular Jobbing. This changed suddenly on the July 9 (taped June 28), 1995 WWF Wrestling Challenge, where he shocked everyone by defeating Skip (Chris Candido) (w/Sunny), launching his first actual push in his various runs in WWE. He would subsequently defeat Skip again at SummerSlam 95 before inevitably going back to jobbing again until he left in 1997. He then jumped to WCW and more jobbing, with one exception. He defeated "Mr. Hole-In-One" Barry Darsow on the October 31 (taped October 20), 1998 WCW Saturday Night by DQ when Darsow hit Horowitz over the back of his neck with the putter. He has subsequently worked for many independent promotions. He made his PPV debut at Survivor Series 93 in the Hart Family (Bret/Owen/Bruce/Keith) vs. Shawn Michaelsnote and the Royal Knights (The Red Knight [Horowitz]/The Blue Knight [Greg Valentine]/The Black Knight [Jeff Gaylord]). He also competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling and won some matches there, even getting to team with STAN HANSEN, and, on May 18, 1993, at AJPW Super Power Series 1993, Day 5, he and Dan Spivey DEFEATED Abdullah the Butcher and Giant Kamala II.
He has no connection to the character of the same name from True Blood.
"Winning Tropes":
- Arch-Enemy: The Bodydonnas.
- Badass Israeli: One of the most prominent Jews in pro wrestling during his time in WWE and WCW. He even had a Jewish Star on his trunks at one time.
- After Barry and Hakushi defeated Skip and Rad Radford (Louie Spicolli) (w/Sunny) on the September 30, 1995 WWF Superstars, in re Horowitz's efforts to "Americanize" Hakushi, Jerry Lawler said that Horowitz's next move was going to be to get Hakushi to "take that lampshade off his head and put a yarmulke on."
- "The Loose Cannon" Brian Pillman, while doing commentary on a Horowitz match on WWE TV in 1996, Lampshaded his tendencies toward outrage by saying that he had to make sure "not to say anything anti-Semitic."
- After Barry and Hakushi defeated Skip and Rad Radford (Louie Spicolli) (w/Sunny) on the September 30, 1995
- Bash Brothers: The Brooklyn Brawler, Hakushi
- A Day in the Limelight: His feud with Skip
- Finishing Move: Winnerplex (Northern Lights Suplex), The Winning Move (DDT), Horowitz Cradle
- Genius Bruiser: Studied sports nutrition at Florida State University and has worked as a nutritionist.
- I Have Many Names: Jack "Stretcher" Hart, Brett Hart, his own, and the Red Knight.
- Jobber: Sadly, he is best known for this. In fact, he is right up there with the Brooklyn Brawler as the most famous example of a jobber.
- Power Stable:
- (in Florida): The Pringle Dynasty
- (in the GWF): The First Family, led by Eddie Gilbert
- Real Men Wear Pink: As a Heel in the GWF.
- Red Baron: "The Winner," "Mr. Technical"
- Red Herring Shirt
- Shout-Out: Received one when rapper Action Bronson recorded a song named after him.
- Smug Snake: As a Heel in the GWF and in the Florida indies in the 2000s.
- Tag Team:
- (indies): The Dukes of Hazard, with "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr.
- (Florida indies): The Old School Connection, with Al Green
