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The Last Outlaw
"Stan Hansen was as important as anyone could possibly be. He knew what it took to draw money and he knew being physical was necessary. He could have been a star anywhere, but I thank God he came to All Japan for us."
— Terry Funk
In addition to the stories about his time in the U.S., Stan Hansen's account of his wrestling career is a veritable guidebook of professional wrestling in Japan. In "The Last Outlaw," he tackles every subject imaginable as he educates and entertains readers with his stories about the promoters and their promotions, how the Japanese promoters operate their business behind the scenes, touring the country on the wrestling bus, the nightlife in the big cities, and how the sport in Japan differs from that in the U.S.
Stan also shares stories of his time in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and tells countless road tales about fellow wrestlers, like Andre the Giant, Terry Funk, Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Bill Watts, Dick Murdoch, Ole Anderson, Harley Race, and Antonio Inoki.
He goes into detail about his time in the AWA, how he came to win the AWA title, his confrontation with Verne Gagne prior to walking out, and what he really did with the title belt when he left the territory. Stan tells about wrestling in the WWWF, giving a detailed description of the match in which he broke Bruno Sammartino's neck, the matches that followed, and the subsequent problems he had with Vince McMahon Sr.
Stan relates hundreds of great stories about his runs with both New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling, including details of his meeting with Giant Baba that led to him leaving one for the other.
And what would a "Stan Hansen book" be without personal stories about the time he spent with Bruiser Brody: how they first met, the story behind their becoming a team, spending time in the evenings on the streets and in the clubs of Japan, and his own, personal insight into the "real" Bruiser Brody.
Stan usually did what he was asked him to do, but he didn't want promoters to direct his life, so he became independent and took care of his own bookings. He refused to conform to what everyone expected. Most of all, he didn't follow a script. He was innovative and ad lib, two character-istics that took him to the top of the wrestling business. As the wrestling business changed and became "sports entertainment," he persevered and continued to wrestle “his style,” which was “act and react.”
Just as Stan reached the pinnacle of success in his chosen profession, his story is also destined to become one of the most informative books ever written about professional wrestling.
Travel down the road with Stan Hansen — The Last Outlaw.
— Terry Funk
In addition to the stories about his time in the U.S., Stan Hansen's account of his wrestling career is a veritable guidebook of professional wrestling in Japan. In "The Last Outlaw," he tackles every subject imaginable as he educates and entertains readers with his stories about the promoters and their promotions, how the Japanese promoters operate their business behind the scenes, touring the country on the wrestling bus, the nightlife in the big cities, and how the sport in Japan differs from that in the U.S.
Stan also shares stories of his time in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and tells countless road tales about fellow wrestlers, like Andre the Giant, Terry Funk, Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Bill Watts, Dick Murdoch, Ole Anderson, Harley Race, and Antonio Inoki.
He goes into detail about his time in the AWA, how he came to win the AWA title, his confrontation with Verne Gagne prior to walking out, and what he really did with the title belt when he left the territory. Stan tells about wrestling in the WWWF, giving a detailed description of the match in which he broke Bruno Sammartino's neck, the matches that followed, and the subsequent problems he had with Vince McMahon Sr.
Stan relates hundreds of great stories about his runs with both New Japan Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling, including details of his meeting with Giant Baba that led to him leaving one for the other.
And what would a "Stan Hansen book" be without personal stories about the time he spent with Bruiser Brody: how they first met, the story behind their becoming a team, spending time in the evenings on the streets and in the clubs of Japan, and his own, personal insight into the "real" Bruiser Brody.
Stan usually did what he was asked him to do, but he didn't want promoters to direct his life, so he became independent and took care of his own bookings. He refused to conform to what everyone expected. Most of all, he didn't follow a script. He was innovative and ad lib, two character-istics that took him to the top of the wrestling business. As the wrestling business changed and became "sports entertainment," he persevered and continued to wrestle “his style,” which was “act and react.”
Just as Stan reached the pinnacle of success in his chosen profession, his story is also destined to become one of the most informative books ever written about professional wrestling.
Travel down the road with Stan Hansen — The Last Outlaw.
419 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
20 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 1, 2014
The Last Outlaw is the biography of professional wrestler Stan Hansen.
All of my exposure to Stan Hansen is from other wrestlers' books or fourth generation VHS compilations featuring him wrestling various people in Japan. He seemed like he had an interesting career so I eventually gave his bio a shot.
Hansen covers his pre-wrestling career fairly quickly. I think he was in the wrestling business with the Funks by the 10% mark. Like most wrestlers, he endured a few years of driving hundreds of miles a day for very little money before he started catching on.
The majority of Hansen's career was spent in Japan so that's the book's focus, which is what I was most interested in. He talks about working for Antonio Inoki in New Japan before jumping to Giant Baba's All Japan. Like everyone from that era, he talks about Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. His friendship with Bruiser Brody is also given a lot of time.
Three incidents Hansen is famous for are covered in honest detail. Hansen accidentally breaking Bruno Sammartino's neck, Vader's eye getting knocked out of its socket, and the AWA title controversy are a covered in honest detail.
I thought the backstage stuff from Japan was really interesting but for the most part, the book is pretty dry. Hansen shares some good road stories but most of the book is just the nuts and bolts behind working in Japan for almost 30 years. I felt like he was afraid to say too much about a lot of the more interesting topics. It got a little repetitive by the end.
While I liked the book, I didn't think it was as interesting and entertaining as it could have been. I would have liked more road stories and less of Hansen protecting the business. Three out of five stars.
All of my exposure to Stan Hansen is from other wrestlers' books or fourth generation VHS compilations featuring him wrestling various people in Japan. He seemed like he had an interesting career so I eventually gave his bio a shot.
Hansen covers his pre-wrestling career fairly quickly. I think he was in the wrestling business with the Funks by the 10% mark. Like most wrestlers, he endured a few years of driving hundreds of miles a day for very little money before he started catching on.
The majority of Hansen's career was spent in Japan so that's the book's focus, which is what I was most interested in. He talks about working for Antonio Inoki in New Japan before jumping to Giant Baba's All Japan. Like everyone from that era, he talks about Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. His friendship with Bruiser Brody is also given a lot of time.
Three incidents Hansen is famous for are covered in honest detail. Hansen accidentally breaking Bruno Sammartino's neck, Vader's eye getting knocked out of its socket, and the AWA title controversy are a covered in honest detail.
I thought the backstage stuff from Japan was really interesting but for the most part, the book is pretty dry. Hansen shares some good road stories but most of the book is just the nuts and bolts behind working in Japan for almost 30 years. I felt like he was afraid to say too much about a lot of the more interesting topics. It got a little repetitive by the end.
While I liked the book, I didn't think it was as interesting and entertaining as it could have been. I would have liked more road stories and less of Hansen protecting the business. Three out of five stars.
December 4, 2022
Some fantastic anecdotes and some really fun info on Japan during the 80s and 90s.
Sadly it's recounted in a disjointed way, jumping between periods and seems to go off on tangents about whatever Hansen was thinking about at the time. This leads to quite a lot of repetition and a really disconnected feeling to the events.
Sadly it's recounted in a disjointed way, jumping between periods and seems to go off on tangents about whatever Hansen was thinking about at the time. This leads to quite a lot of repetition and a really disconnected feeling to the events.
June 9, 2014
I'll admit not as 'entertaining' as I was hoping, but very informative when it came to learning more about territories, bookings, and his extended and successful career at Japan. Would've liked to have known about some of his more famous feuds and individual matches at great length but there was enough meet for me to say I'm glad I took the time to read this. Hansen is one of my favorites and was glad he finally put out a book, might of not hit everything I was hoping but there's enough there for me to be satisfied while at the same time wanting more.
July 3, 2014
As systematic, detailed, and thorough an account of a pro wrestling career as has yet been written. Hansen provides scholars with invaluable insights about wrestling for both Inoki (NJPW) and Baba (AJPW) in Japan. He also provides readers with absolutely no information about his personal life, but this is by design.
October 6, 2014
Not a bad book. The problem I have is as long as this book is it showed very little depth. It was worth the read for the few wrestling stories it told. The best part was the author talking about why old school wrestling is needed and great to watch.
August 13, 2023
Upon encountering the title he had chosen for his book,I found myself brimming with curiosity, eager to delve deeper into Stan Hansen's life and accomplishments from his own unique perspective. The book presents a comprehensive compilation of anecdotes that commences from his birth, briefly touching upon his ancestral lineage, underscoring the quintessentially American penchant for deriving identity from ancestral roots. It artfully traces Hansen's gradual evolution from a nascent athlete to a consummate professional, navigating the myriad challenges inherent in such a trajectory.
The narrative explores his contemplation of a prospective American football career, juxtaposed with his metamorphosis into a fledgling professional wrestler characterized by an unmistakably distinct, eclectic, and intimidating style. A pivotal facet illuminated within these pages is how Hansen etched a remarkable career trajectory in the enigmatic realm of the Land of the Rising Sun. Here, professional wrestling basked in a legitimacy far removed from the Western paradigm.
Hansen's tenure in Japan stands as a keystone reason that spurred my interest in this literary work. In this juncture, I find my reading appetite satiated; it aligns precisely with my expectations – a compendium chronicling his manifold experiences in this foreign terrain. These experiences primarily revolve around his affiliations with luminaries such as Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba in the context of New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro-Wrestling. The narrative deftly interlaces the iconic names of Mitsuharu Misawa, Terry Funk, Hulk Hogan, and Bruiser Brody, among others, adding a rich tapestry to the storytelling.
A noteworthy dimension pertains to Hansen's dynamic with Bruiser Brody, which unfolds with a nuanced arc. Initially characterized by restraint during their shared academic sojourn in a Texan university, their association metamorphoses into a tragically resonant connection that reverberates with readers who harbor an affinity for the spectacle of sports.
As the narrative tracks Hansen's odyssey from formative years to a well-earned retirement, one discerns an occasional tendency for the chronicle to temporally and spatially wander without firm moorings. Such tangential excursions, if not navigated with keen acumen, could yield jarring temporal leaps for readers unacquainted with the nuances of Hansen's career. Instances may range from vivid descriptions of football matches to sudden, unheralded accounts of episodes occurring during a cross-archipelago bus voyage in Japan. While it's uncertain whether this narrative stylistic choice was deliberate, a gambit to ensnare readers with a specialized literary allure, I must concede that assimilating this unique trait did pose an initial challenge. Nonetheless, as one wends through the narrative labyrinth, this characteristic becomes progressively more manageable, even endearing.
In summation, this opus beckons as a recommended read, extending its embrace not solely to ardent devotees of wrestling but also to aficionados of "Puroresu" – the Japanese incarnation of the sport. Its allure further extends to casual enthusiasts of the sporting spectacle, as it provides a vantage point into the life of a devoted family man who channeled his passions into a livelihood, all the while acknowledging life's trials and tribulations. Moreover, it unveils the essence behind Stan Hansen's moniker as the "last outlaw," conjuring the image of a Texan cowboy, an archetype that embraces rugged nonconformity, all the while wearing the indelible marks of tobacco with pride. "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
The narrative explores his contemplation of a prospective American football career, juxtaposed with his metamorphosis into a fledgling professional wrestler characterized by an unmistakably distinct, eclectic, and intimidating style. A pivotal facet illuminated within these pages is how Hansen etched a remarkable career trajectory in the enigmatic realm of the Land of the Rising Sun. Here, professional wrestling basked in a legitimacy far removed from the Western paradigm.
Hansen's tenure in Japan stands as a keystone reason that spurred my interest in this literary work. In this juncture, I find my reading appetite satiated; it aligns precisely with my expectations – a compendium chronicling his manifold experiences in this foreign terrain. These experiences primarily revolve around his affiliations with luminaries such as Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba in the context of New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro-Wrestling. The narrative deftly interlaces the iconic names of Mitsuharu Misawa, Terry Funk, Hulk Hogan, and Bruiser Brody, among others, adding a rich tapestry to the storytelling.
A noteworthy dimension pertains to Hansen's dynamic with Bruiser Brody, which unfolds with a nuanced arc. Initially characterized by restraint during their shared academic sojourn in a Texan university, their association metamorphoses into a tragically resonant connection that reverberates with readers who harbor an affinity for the spectacle of sports.
As the narrative tracks Hansen's odyssey from formative years to a well-earned retirement, one discerns an occasional tendency for the chronicle to temporally and spatially wander without firm moorings. Such tangential excursions, if not navigated with keen acumen, could yield jarring temporal leaps for readers unacquainted with the nuances of Hansen's career. Instances may range from vivid descriptions of football matches to sudden, unheralded accounts of episodes occurring during a cross-archipelago bus voyage in Japan. While it's uncertain whether this narrative stylistic choice was deliberate, a gambit to ensnare readers with a specialized literary allure, I must concede that assimilating this unique trait did pose an initial challenge. Nonetheless, as one wends through the narrative labyrinth, this characteristic becomes progressively more manageable, even endearing.
In summation, this opus beckons as a recommended read, extending its embrace not solely to ardent devotees of wrestling but also to aficionados of "Puroresu" – the Japanese incarnation of the sport. Its allure further extends to casual enthusiasts of the sporting spectacle, as it provides a vantage point into the life of a devoted family man who channeled his passions into a livelihood, all the while acknowledging life's trials and tribulations. Moreover, it unveils the essence behind Stan Hansen's moniker as the "last outlaw," conjuring the image of a Texan cowboy, an archetype that embraces rugged nonconformity, all the while wearing the indelible marks of tobacco with pride. "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
December 10, 2022
Smile. That's what I had on my face every time I picked this book up. It took me a year and a half to finish. Not because it was slow or bad but because I wanted to sit with some of the stories for awhile. I have loved professional wrestling since I was a kid and still love it today. Thing is except for when I was very young I was never that much of a WWF/E guy. I loved Japanese wrestling and regional shows that were on late night on the UHF channels. When I got older I traded tapes with people and couldn't wait to get my hands on anything with Terry Funk or the Four Horsemen on it. Stan Hansen was always on those tapes as well. He was never my favorite, personally, but I never fast-forwarded past his matches either. The last few years I have been revisiting those days of wrestling, especially as YouTube and everything has made it easier to find the old stuff and I took a new interest in "The Lariat". When I saw this book I had to read it. Honestly the narrative does jump around a lot and sometimes you have to scratch your head and think back to figure out what the hell he is talking about. But that's one of the things that made it great. Much like his style you just have to charge through it and believe it will make sense eventually. All in all each time I sat down to read a chapter or two I felt like I was sitting with Mr. Hansen himself having a beer and being told a grand tale about his days in the business. I can't think of anything more you could want from a wrestling autobiography than the authentic voice of the author. Thank you sir for all the years of entertainment and telling me this tale over a couple of brews.
February 10, 2017
One of the better pro wrestling autobiographies I've read, this hefty, if sometimes superficial book does a fine job of allowing Hansen to tell his life story from childhood, through high school and college sports, his attempts to make it in the NFL and AFL, his breaking into the wrestling business and the twenty-seven years he spent in it.
Presented in an easy, conversational way, it does get repetitive, a bit too Bible-bashing at times and could have done with some much stricter editing since (to give just one example), by the tenth time Hansen tells us about his poor eyesight, the message has already well and truly been received and understood.
He does bang on a bit about how rubbish modern day pro wrestling is - how the wrestlers don't work as hard to entertain the audience as they did in his day and how everyone works the same style these days - and he's more often than not completely wrong. Hansen clearly hasn't really followed the business much since his age-and-injury prompted retirement in 2000. And it shows.
However, those issues and his repeated insistence that Japan isn't as nice or safe as it used to be before they started letting too many foreigners work there (yes, the irony of it) aside, he generally comes across as an honest, decent family man with a lot to say, and a lot of insight to share, about the wrestling business and about his time growing up in Texas.
For those who feel we're living through exceptionally polarised times politically, his story about his classmates' initial reaction to JFK's assassination - wild cheering and applause - is worth thinking about. He also tells some great stories about playing football at West Texas State.
Hansen is, for the most part, positive about the people he's met and worked with, or for. Giant Baba, the Funks, Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Steve Williams, Genichiro Tenryu, Terry Gordy and Bruiser Brody are all repeatedly praised. He even has nothing bad to say about Ole Anderson, possibly the the most miserable man of the twentieth century, who he teamed with and worked for in Georgia and WCW.
Of those he dislikes/ed he gives reasons that seem fair enough - Vince McMahon Sr., Verne Gagne (his explanation of how he 'accidentally' destroyed Verne's AWA title belt is worth a few laughs), Bill Watts, Hisashi Shinma and, based on his first interaction with him - Paul Heyman (when Hansen threw him out of the locker room) but generally, he seems to have largely liked most people.
Clearly, he wasn't always as well-liked in return. Plenty of promoters weren't fans and he sort-of-apologises for his working style (for those unfamiliar with it, Hansen used to whale on people like he'd forgotten the 'pretend' bit of pro wrestling's simulated combat) late in the book but feels he did what he had to put on a good show for the fans and to protect his own aura (and paydays) and that of the business. And yes, he talks about the infamous match with Big Van Vader which, to this day, still looks more brutal than a fair percentage of UFC fights.
While he details his times in the American territories - Amarillo, Louisiana, Florid and the WWWF - his stories of working in Japan are the best in the book. He writes with humour about drunken nights out, the way Abdullah the Butcher conned money out of fans and 'sponsors' (rich fans, basically), the difficulties Andre had in getting into Japanese taxis and some of the poor unfortunates who failed to get out of the way fast enough as he rampaged around arenas.
On a more serious note, he writes simply but movingly about the death of Steve Williams, and of his loyalty and admiration for Baba. There's also a story that illustrates just how the Japanese police secure so many confessions from suspects, why he quit wrestling in Puerto Rico (the insane fans, basically) and the major differences in working for New Japan and All Japan. He doesn't have much to say about the violent death of Brody but what he writes is clearly difficult and heartfelt.
Hansen writes a lot about Japan and Japanese culture but notes that as a 'gaijin' he could never really be an insider and although he shares his opinions of some of the biggest names in the Japanese wrestling business, he notes that even after working with them for so long, his relationships with them were superficial ones.
Still, by the time his career finally ended with the rapturous reception from fans at his retirement show, Hansen seems to have few major regrets and managed, unlike so many of his peers, to get out of the business with money, a loving family and, relatively speaking, his health. Good for him.
Presented in an easy, conversational way, it does get repetitive, a bit too Bible-bashing at times and could have done with some much stricter editing since (to give just one example), by the tenth time Hansen tells us about his poor eyesight, the message has already well and truly been received and understood.
He does bang on a bit about how rubbish modern day pro wrestling is - how the wrestlers don't work as hard to entertain the audience as they did in his day and how everyone works the same style these days - and he's more often than not completely wrong. Hansen clearly hasn't really followed the business much since his age-and-injury prompted retirement in 2000. And it shows.
However, those issues and his repeated insistence that Japan isn't as nice or safe as it used to be before they started letting too many foreigners work there (yes, the irony of it) aside, he generally comes across as an honest, decent family man with a lot to say, and a lot of insight to share, about the wrestling business and about his time growing up in Texas.
For those who feel we're living through exceptionally polarised times politically, his story about his classmates' initial reaction to JFK's assassination - wild cheering and applause - is worth thinking about. He also tells some great stories about playing football at West Texas State.
Hansen is, for the most part, positive about the people he's met and worked with, or for. Giant Baba, the Funks, Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Steve Williams, Genichiro Tenryu, Terry Gordy and Bruiser Brody are all repeatedly praised. He even has nothing bad to say about Ole Anderson, possibly the the most miserable man of the twentieth century, who he teamed with and worked for in Georgia and WCW.
Of those he dislikes/ed he gives reasons that seem fair enough - Vince McMahon Sr., Verne Gagne (his explanation of how he 'accidentally' destroyed Verne's AWA title belt is worth a few laughs), Bill Watts, Hisashi Shinma and, based on his first interaction with him - Paul Heyman (when Hansen threw him out of the locker room) but generally, he seems to have largely liked most people.
Clearly, he wasn't always as well-liked in return. Plenty of promoters weren't fans and he sort-of-apologises for his working style (for those unfamiliar with it, Hansen used to whale on people like he'd forgotten the 'pretend' bit of pro wrestling's simulated combat) late in the book but feels he did what he had to put on a good show for the fans and to protect his own aura (and paydays) and that of the business. And yes, he talks about the infamous match with Big Van Vader which, to this day, still looks more brutal than a fair percentage of UFC fights.
While he details his times in the American territories - Amarillo, Louisiana, Florid and the WWWF - his stories of working in Japan are the best in the book. He writes with humour about drunken nights out, the way Abdullah the Butcher conned money out of fans and 'sponsors' (rich fans, basically), the difficulties Andre had in getting into Japanese taxis and some of the poor unfortunates who failed to get out of the way fast enough as he rampaged around arenas.
On a more serious note, he writes simply but movingly about the death of Steve Williams, and of his loyalty and admiration for Baba. There's also a story that illustrates just how the Japanese police secure so many confessions from suspects, why he quit wrestling in Puerto Rico (the insane fans, basically) and the major differences in working for New Japan and All Japan. He doesn't have much to say about the violent death of Brody but what he writes is clearly difficult and heartfelt.
Hansen writes a lot about Japan and Japanese culture but notes that as a 'gaijin' he could never really be an insider and although he shares his opinions of some of the biggest names in the Japanese wrestling business, he notes that even after working with them for so long, his relationships with them were superficial ones.
Still, by the time his career finally ended with the rapturous reception from fans at his retirement show, Hansen seems to have few major regrets and managed, unlike so many of his peers, to get out of the business with money, a loving family and, relatively speaking, his health. Good for him.
April 7, 2023
A fun read
A fun read that you can tell is actually written by the wrestler and not a ghost writer... too many grammatical errors to be a professional writer. :-)
Still, if you are a wrestling fan, and especially a fan of Stan Hansen, like I am, it is well worth a read.
A fun read that you can tell is actually written by the wrestler and not a ghost writer... too many grammatical errors to be a professional writer. :-)
Still, if you are a wrestling fan, and especially a fan of Stan Hansen, like I am, it is well worth a read.
September 14, 2017
Amazing!!!!
Stan Hansen is known in the puro world as one of the best wrestlers ever. This book is amazing insight to an amazing performer!!
Stan Hansen is known in the puro world as one of the best wrestlers ever. This book is amazing insight to an amazing performer!!
December 31, 2017
Longevous and detailed insight about Hansen's origins, struggling upcoming into society and his eventful entry in the world of pro wrestling. The Lariat tells all from his personal standpoint on his first chaotic american years and legendary career and mainstay in Japan, even so giving us a tremendous outline of its culture and people and sharing stories, experiences (a pivot word in the book) and opinions even outside his job. Monumental, fun, terrific, intense and wacky bio, just as Stan himself.
October 27, 2014
The Lariat comes through
loved watchin stan the lariat on tv when I was a kid. this book takes you on that journey and his tours of Japan. great read for all fans of pro wrestling
loved watchin stan the lariat on tv when I was a kid. this book takes you on that journey and his tours of Japan. great read for all fans of pro wrestling
April 9, 2017
Stan Hanson provides probably the only in-depth look at the behind-the-scenes world of Japanese wrestling in the 1970s-1990s through the lens of his career. If there were a drinking game where the reader took a shot any time Stan accidentally hurt someone, the reader would likely die of alcohol poisoning. One wonders what Stan's career might have been like had modern corrective eye surgeries been available in 1970.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews