Online World of Wrestling

WRESTLER PROFILES


Wrestler:	Eric The Red (or The Animal)
Real Name:	Ib Solvang Hansen
Birthday:	August 1, 1934 (NOT 1944)
Hometown:	Born in Odense, Denmark Moved to Grimsby, Ontario
Marital Status:	Married to Ignore w/5 Children
Height & Weight:	6'1" - 350 lbs
Trained by:
Debut:
Previous Names:	Eric Hansen Viking Hanson (Japan) Eric The Red Eric The Animal
Finishing Move:
Favorite Moves:
Notable Feuds:	Johnny Powers

NWF (Cleveland/Buffalo) North American Heavyweight title defeating Johnny Powers (Febuary 17, 1973);

WWC (World Wrestling Council) Puerto Rican Heavyweight title defeating Jose Rivera (December 25, 1976);

NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/Pak Song defeating Bobby Duncum Sr. & Killer Karl Kox (October 14, 1978);

August 1, 1934: Solvang Hansen was born in Odense, Denmark and emigrated to Canada in the Mid-50s..

Solvang Hansen began wrestling with a straight Viking gimmick as a heel known as Eric the Red..

~~~Eric the Red wore viking horns and was billed from Denmark..

Late 1960s: Eric the Red wrestled for Frank Tunney in Maple Leaf Wrestling based out of Toronto, Canada..

Early 1970s: Eric the Red rose to prominence with Pedro Martinez's NWF in Buffalo and Cleveland..

1973: Eric the Red became a stronger heel as Eric the Animal, carrying a bone to the ring..

~~~The bone would be hung on the turnbuckle and be available when the referee's back was turned..

1973: Eric the Red defeated Johnny Powers for the NWF North American title, losing it back to him a few weeks later..

1973: Eric the Red dad main event matches at Maple Leaf Gardens against The Sheik and NWA world champion Jack Brisco..

November 1978: Eric the Red held the Florida tag titles with Pak Song when he was killed after being hit by a car..

~~~Solvang Hansen left behind a wife (Ignor) and five kids (who still live in Canada) at the time of his death..

Special thanks to Anja Pedersen, a relative of Solvang Hansen for helping with the details of this profile..

Bruce Metcalfe wrote: ...I grew up in Grimsby Ontario in the 70's,which was a homebase for many wrestlers.Mr. Hansen (Eric the Red) lived in one of the large older red brick house in East Grimsby.I can't recall ever seeing him in town though.