Robert Carson (born Robert Beier; July 4, 1940 – February 10, 2017[1]), better known by his ring name Bob Sweetan, was a Canadian professional wrestler.[1] Sweetan was nicknamed "Bruiser" and "Mr. Piledriver", the latter in reference to his finishing maneuver.
Beier was born on a farm near Goodsoil, Saskatchewan, about four hours north of Saskatoon. He played briefly with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, and, after a period of traveling, settled in Calgary, the home of Stu Hart and his Stampede Wrestling promotion. Beier was introduced to pro wrestling by Gerd Topsnik, a door-to-door cookware salesman who wrestled part-time for Hart. Beier recalled: "I told [Topsnik], 'All right, I'll buy your pots and pans if you get me started in wrestling.' He started taking me to Stu's." It is unclear when Beier changed his legal surname to Carson.[1]
In 1990, Sweetan was convicted of the sexual assault of his daughter, Candace. He also faced a separate charge of non-payment of child support.[1] Sweetan stopped checking in with police in 2000, after which he was located and deported back to his native Canada.[6]
OnWWE's Legends of Wrestling in 2009, longtime industry personality Jim Ross stated that he "didn't like" Sweetan and "didn't want to be around him", describing him as a "miserable human being".[7] Ross later called him a "bully",[8] and told how Danny Hodge once physically tortured Sweetan as payback for being out of line.[1] In his 2012 autobiography, Jim Duggan also referred to Sweetan as a "bully", and a "real piece of garbage".[9]Leo Burke called him "easy to work with" in the ring but "kind of lazy", while Ed "Colonel DeBeers" Wiskoski said of Sweetan: "I wasn't a fan of his... from being a locker-room thief to just among other things, just an asshole."[1]
Sweetan's ex-wife Rebecca commented: "He's a waste of skin as far as I'm concerned... He fried his brain [with drugs], deserted his children, abused them emotionally, physically, sexually, mentally."[1]
Sweetan met an Iowa woman, Rebecca Jane Terhune, at a Kansas City club in 1969 and the couple were married in Los Angeles in 1971. They had four children. Sweetan also had one child to another woman.[1]
Sweetan allegedly deserted his family on October 15, 1985; he had been having an affair with a ring rat who was also a drug dealer. Rebecca divorced Sweetan in 1986.[1]
^ abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "Central States Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^ abDuncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Puerto Rico): WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Williams, Steve (2007). Steve Williams: How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN978-1596701809.
^Duggan, Jim; Williams, Scott E. (2012). Hacksaw: The Jim Duggan Story. Chicago, Illinois: Triumph Books. p. 47. ISBN978-1600786860.
^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(California) San Francisco: United States Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Central States Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 254. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Central States Television Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 255–256. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 253. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 253. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "National Wrestling Alliance Gulf Coast Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Louisiana & Oklahoma) Louisiana/Oklahoma: US Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 232. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Louisiana & Oklahoma) Louisiana/Oklahoma: Mid-South Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Texas) San Antonio: Southwest Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2006). "(Texas) San Antonio: Southwest Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 340–341. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
