Hot Stuff: Remembering the genius of Eddie Gilbert

Eddie Gilbert was a pure and natural fit for the professional wrestling business from the very day he was born.

Born Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr. in 1961, he was the son of Tommy Gilbert, a legend in the Memphis territory. Young Eddie Gilbert grew up watching local stars like Jackie Fargo, Jerry Jarrett and Tojo Yamamoto command the ring. But one star in particular -- Jerry 'The King' Lawler -- really caught his eye.

Years later, he engaged in one of the longest-running and most violent feuds in Memphis wrestling history with Lawler, the man he idolized as a young grappler just getting started in the ring.

Even then, Gilbert showed an aptitude for commanding the crowd. Despite wrestling his first few years as a babyface, it was his eventual foray into the world of heeldom where he really blossomed.

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Turns out, Eddie Gilbert really knew how to get under people's skins

During the feud with Lawler, there was head shaving, fireball throwing, and sneak attacks that led to an opponent being taken out of action for a while. At one point, Eddie Gilbert lured The King out to the parking lot so he could hit him with a car!

These days, with the use of stunt men and special effects, angles like this are now much more commonplace. But in the 1980s they caused fans to nearly riot.

Gilbert pulled similar hijinks in Mid-South Wrestling, where he constantly agitated promoter and legendary wrestler Cowboy Bill Watts.

At one point, Hot Stuff came out and apologized to Watts for associating with the Russian team during the height of the Cold War. Watts accepted his explanation, only to have Gilbert turn the tables, attacking Watts and draping the Soviet flag over his prone body.

Later, when Mid-South became the Universal Wrestling Federation, he would form the stable Hot Stuff & Hyatt International with his main squeeze, Missy Hyatt. She was as irritating as he was, and this dastardly duo wreaked havoc on the promotion. They soon signed a couple of promising young stars named Rick Steiner and Sting. The rest, as they say, is history.

Gilbert bounced around the Continental area, the Global Wrestling Federation and WCW for a few years, finding success (albeit briefly) at every stop. Eventually, he became the booker with Eastern Championship Wrestling, before it went to the Extreme.

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Eddie Gilbert was a great athlete, but his most valuable asset was his mind and acumen for the wrestling industry

One of Gilbert's dreams was to eventually become the head booker for a major pro wrestling company, and he got very close to that opportunity. Given the right time and the right talent, Hot Stuff could have been a force for any federation in the world.

His acute understanding of crowd psychology and his willingness to push the envelope just enough would have rubbed off on his performers, and he surely would have been one of the most innovative minds of the 90s and beyond.

But it didn't exactly work out that way.

On February 18, 1995, Gilbert was found dead in his apartment in Puerto Rico. The cause of death was officially listed as a heart attack. With Hot Stuff's passing, the world lost one of the true talents of his era.

Although Eddie Gilbert wrestled for a couple of years with WWE very early in his career, it's possible that he will never be inducted into their Hall of Fame. If he is, it will likely be as part of the Legacy Wing and he'll get about a 30-second photo collage on the broadcast.

That's a shame because Eddie Gilbert should be recognized for the genius he was. Whether it was coming up with something diabolical for his own character, or scripting out an angle for other performers, he had a bit of a magic touch.

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Eddie Gilbert possessed a gift that just can't be taught

It was a gift of burning passion for pro wrestling. And in some ways, Hot Stuff's flame still burns brightly today.

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What modern day performer do you think would be a good promoter or booker when they retire? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.