Hack Meyers
A hulking, menacing presence in ECW's hardcore heyday, his silent, brutal style made him a cult favorite.
1973–2015 (age 42)·American professional wrestler·Birthday: December 7·Generation X
Biography
Hack Meyers, born Donald Haviland, carved out a unique niche in the chaotic landscape of 1990s professional wrestling. Unlike the flamboyant showmen around him, Meyers was a mountain of quiet menace, a bald, goateed brawler who let his fists and a devastating chokeslam do the talking. His peak came during the formative years of Extreme Championship Wrestling, where his sheer physicality and no-nonsense approach resonated with the Philadelphia faithful. He became a reliable, intimidating force in the promotion's infamous bingo hall battles, often serving as a formidable obstacle for rising stars. While never capturing ECW's top title, his consistent, hard-hitting performances from 1993 to 1996 cemented his legacy as a foundational piece of the ECW aesthetic—a symbol of pure, unadulterated aggression in an era defined by it. His career slowed after leaving ECW, but the memory of his imposing figure stalking the ring remains vivid for fans of that revolutionary period.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Hack was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hack Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Hack's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Died at 42
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Was a featured performer in Extreme Championship Wrestling during its influential rise from 1993 to 1996.
- Developed a distinct, silent monster persona that stood out in ECW's chaotic environment.
- Held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship during his wrestling career.
- Competed in notable matches against ECW stalwarts like The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer.
Did You Know?
He was trained by legendary wrestler and trainer Boris Malenko.
Prior to wrestling, he served in the United States Marine Corps.
His ring name was a play on the phrase 'hack,' implying a journeyman or mercenary fighter.
He made a surprise return to the ring in 2005 for a special reunion show for the XPW promotion.
“I wasn't here to talk; I was here to fight.”
