John Anson

John Anson was born on April 7, 1949, in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up to become one of Canada's most traveled and versatile professional wrestlers. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 290 pounds, he was an imposing presence in every territory he entered — a force who could project menace one night and earn quiet admiration the next. At just 17 years old, Anson stepped into the ring for his professional debut on January 2, 1966, in Stampede Wrestling, facing the legendary Ivan Koloff. He lost in approximately 30 seconds, but that was only the beginning. Stampede's learning-focused environment, under the guidance of promoter Stu Hart, shaped Anson into the complete professional he would become. A young Bret Hart was among those around the gym in those early years — Anson later recalled with warmth that Bret used to carry his lunch bag. In 1972, Anson's career took a dramatic turn when he was brought to Montreal to portray a villainous German heel. Shaving his head and adopting the ring name Karl von Schotz, he transformed himself into one of the most hated characters in the sport. Paired with fellow Canadian Kurt von Hess, the two formed a dominant tag team that terrorized NWA territories from Detroit to Japan. Lord James Blears famously called him "the world's most hated man" — high praise in the business of generating heat. Over a 13-year active career, Anson competed in more than 6,000 matches across Canada, the United States, Hawaii, and Japan. He held the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship twice in 1976, the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship, and a remarkable collection of tag team titles. He received four world title shots against NWA Champions Lou Thesz, Dory Funk Jr., Gene Kiniski, and Harley Race — a testament to the respect he commanded throughout the industry. He also worked alongside legendary managers Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Eddie "The Brain" Creatchman. Anson retired from active competition in 1983 at age 35, having felt the physical toll the business demands. "I got in early, I got out early," he would later reflect. He invested his wrestling earnings wisely, eventually owning and operating a marina and resort near Vancouver. In the 1980s he also briefly promoted wrestling in Ontario and Newfoundland. His final chapter unfolded in the sun-drenched town of Sosúa in the Dominican Republic, where he spent roughly 25 years in quiet retirement, enjoying his yacht and the peaceful pace of island life. John Anson passed away on August 22, 2026, at the age of 77. He is remembered as a ring craftsman, a Canadian trailblazer who went international when few did, and a mentor who gave back to the next generation.