Bruno Sammartino
Encyclopedia
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (born October 6, 1935) is an Italian-American former professional wrestler
, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation
(WWWF), holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship
reign in professional wrestling history.
Sammartino's wrestling style was more mat-oriented which was typical of wrestlers from his era. His brawling, power moves, and personal charisma helped him become the most popular American wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s.
, Abruzzo
, Italy
on October 6, 1935, Sammartino was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. Four older siblings died during his time in Italy. During his childhood, Sammartino's family hid from German
soldiers in a mountain called Valla Rocca, during the latter stages of World War II
. During this time, Sammartino's mother, Emilia, would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. She once was captured and another time shot in the shoulder during such trips. Eventually, Sammartino caught rheumatic fever
but was nursed back to health by his mother with hot blankets and leeches. In 1950, he moved to the United States
and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, where his father had already lived for several years.
When Sammartino first came to America, he was sickly from his experiences of surviving during the war years. His slight frame, along with his tenuous grasp of English, made him an easy target for bullies in school. Sammartino wanted to build himself up physically and became devoted to weight training.
Bruno's devotion to weightlifting nearly resulted in a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. He was edged out by legendary strongman Paul Anderson
- who outweighed Sammartino by 70 pounds. In the early years of Sammartino's career, he was measured at 5'8" and weighed around 250 pounds. In his later years, chronic back injuries caused him to keep his weight under 235 pounds.
Bruno set a world record in the bench press with a lift of 565 pounds in 1960.
Sammartino also competed in bodybuilding and won "Mr. Allegheny" in the late 50s.
His high school, Schenley High School
, didn't have a wrestling program, but he worked out with the University of Pittsburgh
wrestling team under storied coach Rex Peary. Sammartino became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince
put him on his television show. It was there that he was spotted by local wrestling promoter Rudy Miller, who recruited Sammartino for professional wrestling. Miller knew that Sammartino could easily be marketed as an ethnic strongman, and that he would appeal to Italian immigrants who supported wrestling.
While working in construction in 1956, Sammartino wrestled an orangutan
at a carnival. After taking much punishment, Sammartino punched the orangutan in the stomach and was disqualified by the animal's owner. Sammartino left the cage with swollen eyes and shredded clothes. Because of the disqualification, the owner refused to pay Sammartino the $50 he was promised for the match.
and it was broadcast on WIIC-TV
Channel 11. The host was Pittsburgh personality "Chilly" Bill Cardille
.
In 1966, Sammartino bought the Pittsburgh-based Spectator Sports promotion. The promotion was a stopping point for national stars such as Gorilla Monsoon
, The Crusher
, Bill Watts
, George Steele
, and Bobo Brazil
, as well as featuring local talent like Johnny De Fazio
, Frank "Carnegie Cop" Holtz, Hurricane Hunt, Tony "The Battman" Marino, and John L. Sullivan
(who later gained fame as Johnny Valiant). Unlike many promoters, Bruno was said to be a good pay-off man & very fair to his fellow wrestlers. Many men, including George "The Animal" Steele, have stated that Bruno has always shown concern for how much all of the wrestlers earn on a card - not just himself. Sammartino sold the promotion in 1971. He was later asked by the new Buffalo-based owners to help with the booking of Pittsburgh area shows. The local TV show was canceled in 1974, and the promotion shut down. The Pittsburgh area then became part of the WWWF territory.
was January 2, 1960 against Bull Curry
(who was substituting for Killer Kowalski
). Within six months of his debut in wrestling, Sammartino was headlining at Madison Square Garden (starting in tag matches, teaming with Antonino Rocca
).
On February 18, 1961, Sammartino faced Chick Garibaldi in an afternoon match at the Sunnyside Gardens
in New York
. During the match, Sammartino bodyslammed Garibaldi and immediately noticed his opponent's eyes roll up inside his head. By the time the ref checked on the fallen wrestler, he was dead in the ring. It was later determined that Garibaldi had died from a heart attack. In the movie Legends Never Die, Sammartino stated that it took him many years to get over that incident.
Sammartino made major headlines when he became the first (and only) man to lift the 640 lb (290.3 kg) Haystacks Calhoun
in a match. He did not slam him as much as lift him shoulder-height...and drop him.
After tiring of low payoffs and broken promises, Sammartino left Vincent McMahon Sr.
's Capitol Wrestling Corporation to join a rival New York promoter and former McMahon Sr. partner Kola Kwariani. Kwariani's hold on New York soon weakened because of low attendance and athletic commission pressure to curb violence. In an effort to increase attendance, Kwariani had Sammartino wrestle his tag partner Antonino Rocca
twice during this time. Sammartino was then told by Rudy Miller to jump back to McMahon.
Sammartino found himself with even fewer dates and payoffs than the first time he wrestled for McMahon. He gave notice to McMahon that he was going to San Francisco, and its large Italian population, to wrestle for promoter Roy Shire. Very soon after arriving, Sammartino was informed by the local athletic commission that he was suspended. Unable to find work across the country (because every state athletic commission honors suspensions given by other state athletic commissions), Bruno headed back to Pittsburgh to work as a laborer. Sammartino found out that his suspension was due to his skipping a match he was booked for in Baltimore. He was also booked to wrestle in Chicago that same night. In his autobiography, Sammartino states that he believed McMahon set him up, by double-booking him and not informing him of his match in Baltimore, as a way of punishment for working for Kwariani.
On the advice of wrestler Yukon Eric
, Bruno contacted Toronto
promoter Frank Tunney
hoping to take advantage of Toronto's large Italian population. Despite McMahon trying to blackball him there as well, Tunney decided to take a chance. Bruno made his Toronto debut in March 1962 and very quickly, with the help of self-promotion in local newspapers and radio programs, became an attraction. His ability to speak Italian also ingratiated himself with that immigrant population. With Canadian legend Whipper Billy Watson
, Bruno won his first championship in September 1962, the local version of the International tag team title. Soon, he was in demand by other promoters in different Canadian territories.
During his tenure in Toronto, Bruno wrestled and beat the (then) National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA) Champion Buddy Rogers for the title. Rogers was unable to continue after being accidentally butted in the groin while attempting a leap frog. Sammartino refused to accept the title under the circumstances.
Sammartino also wrestled NWA Champ Lou Thesz twice in Canada. One match ended in a draw and the other with Thesz scoring a fluke pin after a collision despite Sammartino controlling the 20 minute match from the beginning. Thesz recounted the matches as nothing special. Bruno has said in interviews that noted "shooter" Thesz did not try to take any advantage of him (as he often did in matches against wrestlers he did not like), but that he was prepared to respond in the event he did.
Meanwhile, McMahon Sr. was having a tough time drawing fans with newly created World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion Buddy Rogers in New York. Tired of dealing with the NWA, McMahon crowned Rogers WWWF Champ in a mythical tournament set in Rio de Janiero, Brazil soon after Rogers dropped the NWA title to Thesz. McMahon claimed the title change was not legit, since in those days, the title matches were 2 out of 3 falls - and Thesz won a one fall victory.
Eventually, promoters Toots Mondt
and McMahon Sr. cleared up Sammartino's suspension by paying his $500 fine (Bruno says they took it out of his future purses). After many weeks of phone calls with McMahon trying to lure Bruno back, Sammartino demanded a title run.
To show his gratitude to Tunney, Sammartino still wrestled every other Sunday on the big shows - regardless of how hectic his schedule became.
on May 17, 1963, defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds. Bruno has said in interviews that Rogers had to be tricked into the MSG main event. Supposedly, Rogers was to win on some sort of disqualification. It was Sammartino himself that broke the news to him in the ring. He simply said, "We can do this the easy way...or the hard way." Rogers could not cope with the power of Sammartino from the very beginning. Whilst the crowd at Madison Square Garden had expected a tough contest they were shocked at the manner in which Sammartino was able to completely dominate the champion. It took just 48 seconds to crown Sammartino the WWWF Champion. Distraught and surprised Rogers quickly left the ring.
Rogers claimed until his dying day that he had suffered a heart attack a week before the match and was dragged out of a hospital to have the match. Bruno has said (and other wrestlers on the card verify) that all wrestlers were examined and passed by the State Athletic Commission doctor that night as was customary in those days. Bruno has also pointed out that if Rogers was sick, he never took time off from his schedule after he lost the belt. Others have pointed out that Rogers worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later (he would later return for two brief comebacks, and much later as a manager)
Rogers and Sammartino did face each other two months later at Madison Square Garden in a tagteam match, with Rogers & Handsome Johnny Barend defeating Bruno & Bobo Brazil 2 falls to 1. Sammartino did not trust Rogers (who had a reputation for taking cheap shots) and the two did not work together very much during the match.
However, Rogers retired prior to their scheduled title rematch on October 4, 1963, in Jersey City, NJ's Roosevelt Stadium.
Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new #1 contender, Gorilla Monsoon
(Monsoon won on disqualification, starting a monumentally successful feud).
Sammartino kept this title for seven years, eight months, and one day; it still stands as the longest continuous world title reign in men's wrestling history.
Sammartino was so popular that in 1965 he was picked by the National Wrestling Alliance
board to wrestle against the legendary Lou Thesz
in a match for both the NWA and WWWF titles. Sammartino, already working an extremely busy schedule, refused the title match opportunity for fear that winning the title would make his schedule even more hectic. NWA officials then selected Gene Kiniski
as Thesz's opponent and he went on to become the new NWA champion.
On September 28, 1965, after a match with Tarzan Tyler
in Madison Square Garden, Sammartino went to a restaurant in Times Square
. When he returned, he found that a car window was shattered and his $10,000 championship belt was stolen.
Sammartino headlined cards that filled Madison Square Garden on a monthly basis. He battled the top bad guys
of his time, including Killer Kowalski
, Giant Baba
, Gene Kiniski
, Dr. Bill Miller, Dr. Jerry Graham
, Bull Ramos
, Hans Mortier
, Waldo Von Erich
, "Crusher" Reginald Lisowski
, Johnny Valentine
, The Sheik
, Freddie Blassie, Curtis Iaukea
, Tarzan Tyler
, Bill Watts
, Gorilla Monsoon
, Professor Toru Tanaka, Handsome Johnny Barend, The Kentucky Butcher (John Quinn) and George "The Animal" Steele
.
During this time, Bruno was involved in a shoot with Dr. Bill Miller. In a tag match with Tony Parisi against Miller and Baron Sicluna, Miller( who had a long amateur wrestling background) decided he would shoot on both Parisi and Bruno. After taking a beating in the ring, Parisi tagged out to Bruno. When Miller attempted to shoot on him, Bruno immediately snapped on a front facelock until Miller bled from his nose and passed out in the middle of the ring. Afterwards, Miller approached Bruno in the dressing room, shook his hand and profusely apologized.
Sammartino defended the belt all over the world, including Australia, Spain, Mexico and Japan.
Bruno was honored with a private audience with the Pope in the Vatican during this period.
While in Japan, Bruno had a confrontation with an up and coming Antonio Inoki in an Osaka tag match. At the urging of noted "shooter" Karl Gotch, Inoki attempted to slap a real submission hold on the World Champion and make him quit. Bruno immediately powered out of the hold, pounded Inoki unmercifully and pitched him out of the ring. Inoki ducked Bruno for the rest of the match.
Years later, when Inoki broke away and formed New Japan Pro Wrestling, the WWWF signed a deal with them in Japan. Bruno refused to work for Inoki, preferring to stay loyal to his old friend Giant Baba, the owner of All Japan. They had several marathon matches in the '60s, usually ending in hour-long draws.
On January 18, 1971, Sammartino lost the championship at Madison Square Garden to Ivan Koloff. The crowd was so stunned into silence that Sammartino thought his hearing had been damaged. After the pin, Koloff slowly walked across the ring while the ref raised his hand three times. The announcer came into the ring with the belt but, fearful of a riot, did not present it to Koloff. Koloff left the ring while Sammartino stayed inside to keep the crowd's attention off Koloff. As Sammartino left the ring, people started crying.
Sammartino has said that the crowd's reaction disturbed him while he sat in the dressing room after the match. Three weeks later, Pedro Morales
beat Koloff to win the title; Sammartino congratulated Morales as the new champion was announced. While Morales drew well in New York
, the crowds declined in other cities.
Meanwhile, on January 14, 1972, Sammartino returned to Los Angeles
, California
for the first time in five years to participate in the highlight of promoter Mike LeBelle's year: a 22-man battle royal. The battle royal included competitors such as Rocky Johnson
, Mil Máscaras
, John Tolos
, Haystacks Calhoun
, and Ripper Collins. The final two men left in the ring were Collins and Sammartino. After brawling for about five minutes, they noticed that they were the only ones left. After Sammartino bodyslammed Collins several times, he then applied the bearhug. Collins submitted and Bruno was the champion, and the $11,000 winner, of the third annual Olympic Battle Royal. This battle royal marked the first time that The Wrestler, an "Apter Mag" had fans vote on Match of the Year. It went on to become the Match of the Year for 1972.
Later in 1972, Sammartino was asked back by McMahon Sr. to regain the title. After refusing McMahon's initial offer, Sammartino was offered a percentage of all the gates when he wrestled and a decreased work schedule.
Soon after, Bruno and champion Morales teamed up for a series of tag matches. In a televised match, Professor Tanaka
blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. When their eyes cleared, to the surprise of the crowd, they kept fighting each other.
2 weeks later, all syndicated wrestling shows in the WWWF showed a clip of Morales and Sammartino signing a contract for a title match at Shea Stadium. When McMahon gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away.
On September 1, 1972, they wrestled to a 75-minute draw at Shea Stadium
in New York. Despite miserable weather (cold & rainy), the gate narrowly missed becoming the largest take for an outdoor wrestling show at that time.
The match was a scientific trading of holds and mat wrestling that was not particularly exciting. McMahon did not film the proceedings, so all that exists are still photographs. The only real excitement was provided by George "The Animal" Steele, who tried to interfere in the match - but was restrained by an army of police before he could enter the ring.
who had won the title from Pedro Morales nine days earlier in Philadelphia. Philly was chosen because of the passionate nature of Morales' following at Madison Square Garden. WWWF officials felt a riot might ensue if Pedro was beaten at the Garden.
In his second reign, Bruno defeated contenders such as John Tolos
, Bruiser Brody, Spiros Arion
, Ken Patera
, Bugsy McGraw
, Freddie Blassie, Baron Von Raschke
, Waldo Von Erich
, Ivan Koloff, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Don Leo Jonathan
, Angelo Mosca
, Ernie Ladd
, Big Bob Duncum and Nikolai Volkoff
. He also encountered old foes Killer Kowalski & George Steele. His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days.
During this time, on April 26, 1976, Sammartino suffered a neck fracture in a match against Stan Hansen
at Madison Square Garden, when Hansen improperly executed
a body slam and dropped Sammartino on his head. Despite doctors' orders, Bruno insisted on flying home to Pittsburgh that night. Sammartino was concerned that his elderly parents would find out he was in a NY hospital with a broken neck and would die from the shock.
After two months, Sammartino famously returned, and faced Hansen in a rematch on June 25, 1976 at Shea Stadium, which was on the closed circuit TV undercard of the famous Ali
vs. Antonio Inoki
match for WWWF cities.
Sammartino was rushed back into action by Vince McMahon Sr.
when the advance gate for the show was a disaster. McMahon claims that the entire WWWF was in peril of folding because of his investment in this card.
Bruno was in no shape to wrestle but nonetheless entered the ring to score a decisive count-out win when Hansen ran away. More importantly, Sammartino drew a large live audience, and big closed circuit TV receipts (the Ali/Inoki match, without the Sammartino/Hansen match, drew very poorly in most of America.) Bruno contends that he was never paid the percentage of the closed circuit gate that he was promised.
The match was rated 1976 Match of the Year by a number of wrestling magazines. Subsequently, after a chance to recover and train, Sammartino scored decisive cage match wins over Hansen around the WWWF circuit.
His second title reign was only supposed to last a year but each year Bruno received bigger payoffs to stay on. Around this time, Bruno's yearly pay equaled that of the highest paid athletes in any professional sport. With only having to appear in the biggest arenas and with an increase of the gate percentages, Bruno had, up to this point, the greatest financial deal in wrestling history.
In early 1977, after suffering the broken neck and many other ailments, Bruno informed McMahon Sr. that he was done with his second title reign. It ended in Baltimore on April 30, 1977, when he was defeated by "Superstar" Billy Graham. In a controversial ending, Graham had both feet braced on the ropes (which is illegal in pro wrestling) while successfully pinning Sammartino.
. The Philly match was the only documented instance of Sammartino losing a Steel Cage Match. He lost by accidentally knocking a bloody & battered Graham through the cage door.
After his second reign ended, Sammartino leisurely toured the U.S. and the world. He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race
to a one hour draw in St. Louis. He also wrestled and defeated, Blackjack Mulligan
, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch
, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens
.
During this time period, Sammartino did a rare "clean job" for Killer Kowalski
in Canada. At the time, Kowalski was the Grand Prix World Champion and recounted in an interview that "he was touched" his old friend & rival would do that for him.
One of the most emotional feuds of Sammartino's career started on January 22, 1980, when his former student Larry Zbyszko
violently turned against him during a scientific wrestling exhibition, broadcast on the World Wrestling Federation
's Championship Wrestling
show. Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko (whom Bruno described as a "Judas
") pay dearly. Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium
. As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. This feud is considered by many wrestling historians and journalists to be the biggest feud in the history of wrestling in the northeast.
In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan
claimed that his match with Andre the Giant
was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium, however the feud
between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. In contrast Hogan and André headlined exactly one card in White Plains, New York
before they wrestled at Shea. They drew a paltry 1,200 in a building that held 3,500.
In February 1980 headlining a card at Wheeling,West Virginia, Bruno was scheduled to wrestle Hulk Hogan. Hogan no-showed due to an injury and was replaced by Sgt. Slaughter.
Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981, in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey
. Sammartino pinned George "The Animal" Steele in his match. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan.
It was during this time Sammartino found out through Angelo Savoldi, a recently fired office employee of Capitol Wrestling Corporation, that he had been cheated by Vince McMahon on the promised gate percentages for his entire second title run. Bruno filed suit against McMahon and his Capitol Wrestling Corporation. The suit was eventually settled out of court by McMahon's son, Vince McMahon after his father had died. Part of the settlement included Sammartino returning to do color commentary on WWF television in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars for what amounted to nineteen days of work.
The primary reason Sammartino returned was an attempt to promote the wrestling career of his son David Sammartino
, who became a wrestler against his father's wishes. Despite lingering effects from previous injuries, Sammartino agreed to come out of retirement to help his son launch his career. Bruno says that this time period was his least favorite of his career.
At the inaugural WrestleMania
at a sold out Madison Square Garden
in 1985, Sammartino was in his son's corner, for his match against Brutus Beefcake
. The match ended in a double-disqualification after the Sammartinos began brawling with Beefcake and his manager Johnny Valiant
. He returned to in ring action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake & Valiant at Madison Square Garden. The Sammartinos also teamed against Paul Orndorff
and Bobby Heenan
in various arenas. Despite being in his mid-50's, Sammartino proved to be in much better physical shape than his opponents, often leaving them "blown up" by the middle of the match.
David Sammartino eventually realized he was being used by McMahon to get his famous father to wrestle, Sammartino still drew huge crowds in the northeast. Disenchanted, the younger Sammartino quit the WWF several times. This forced his father to continue to wrestle, in hopes that he could get his son back in McMahon's good graces.
Sammartino's most notable feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
. An irate Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview, after Savage bragged about injuring Ricky Steamboat
, by driving the timekeeper's bell into Steamboat's throat during a televised match.
Sammartino defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
via disqualification at the Boston Garden
. This allowed Savage to keep the belt, as titles cannot change hands via count out or disqualification.
Sammartino would often teamed with Tito Santana
and his old enemy George "The Animal" Steele
(who was a face at this point in his career) to wrestle Savage and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
. The climax of the their feud came was a victory for Sammartino & Santana in a steel cage match in Madison Square Garden.
Sammartino also engaged in a feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper
after Piper insulted his heritage on a segment of Piper's Pit
at Madison Square Garden. Sammartino faced Piper in both singles & tag matches. Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden.
In 1986 Sammartino competed in a 20 man battle royal at WrestleMania 2
in at the Rosemont Horizon
in Chicago
. The battle royal featured not only professional wrestlers but also professional football players. Sammarino was eliminated by Killer Kowalski protege Big John Studd
. André the Giant would go on to win the battle royal.
Later on in 1986 Sammartino would team with Jake "The Snake" Roberts
, and Santana in a 6 man Elimination Tag Team Match against The Hart Foundation
& The Honky Tonk Man
. Sammartino was the sole survivor of the match pinning the Honky Tonk Man for the win.
Sammartino's last major feud came in the summer of 1987 against The Honky Tonk Man for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
. Although he dominated the matches against the champion, Sammartino never won the title, winning most of his matches by count out or disqualification.
Sammartino also feuded with Hercules Hernandez
during this time. Sammartino had his last singles match in the WWF against on August 28, 1987 as he defeated Hercules via count out at the Paul Boesch
Retirement Show in Houston, Texas
.
Sammartino's final WWF match saw him team with Hulk Hogan
to defeat King Kong Bundy
and One Man Gang
. Sammartino continued doing commentary on the WWF Superstars of Wrestling
until March 1988.
, and WCCW
.
On October 28, 1989, Sammartino made a special appearance at the NWA PPV Halloween Havoc, where he was the special guest referee in a "Thunderdome" cage match which featured Ric Flair
and Sting taking on Terry Funk
and The Great Muta
. Sammartino ended up exchanging blows with Muta at the end of the match and ran him off.
Sammartino would appeare at several WCW
events in a minor analysis role in the early 1990s.
He has often appeared in the media in opposition to the WWE on shows like Phil Donahue, Geraldo, CNN News, etc.
On July 26, 2004, Sammartino met in Pittsburgh with Vince and WWE officials about doing a DVD release and providing commentary for WWE 24/7 Classics, but Sammartino would not agree to be a part of the current product.
He was invited to stay for the Raw show that night, but declined because he did not want to be seen endorsing the product. He was told the main event was Chris Benoit
vs. Triple H
. He reportedly told them he would've stayed if Benoit was wrestling Kurt Angle
; one of the people he said this to was Triple H, who he didn't know. This was also the same night of an incident with Ric Flair (see below). Contract talks stalled.
Aside from 'feuding' with wrestling, Bruno also has a strained relationship with his son, David, after "a series of things happened."
In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific
to produce an action figure
, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10.
Sammartino has appeared for independent wrestling promotion Ring of Honor
, and was featured on Total Nonstop Action's Kurt Angle biographical DVD. In it, he praises Angle and says that he generally doesn't watch wrestling unless he finds out that Angle's going to wrestle.
On March 25, 2010, Sammartino was honored at the 74th annual Dapper Dan Dinner, a popular awards and charity fundraising event in Pittsburgh, with a lifetime achievement award, for which fellow former Studio Wrestling
personalities Bill Cardille
, "Jumping" Johnny De Fazio
, Dom DeNucci, Frank Durso, and referee Andy "Kid" DePaul
were all present.
On October 8, 2011 Sammartino briefly returned to the Pro Wrestling scene as a special guest when he joined a wrestling show held in his honor by Adriatic Wrestling League, an italian pro-wrestling promotion. "Through The Eyes Of The Legend", was held in his country of his birth, Pizzoferrato
Abruzzi.
, saying that McMahon has been detrimental to his father's
creation. Sammartino has refused to provide commentary on WWE-produced retrospectives of his career, instead participating in a series of independently-produced documentaries, including Bruno Sammartino's Legends Never Die, La Roccia, The Passing of the Belt, and The Boys are Back. Despite being the biggest drawing card in wrestling during the 1960s and 1970s, Bruno was not mentioned in the A&E
wrestling documentary The Unreal History of Professional Wrestling. He attributes this to McMahon, who provided much of the footage to the production.
, and twins Darryl and Danny. He and his wife have lived in Ross Township
, Allegheny County
near Pittsburgh since 1965.
Note: Both were only released in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWWF), holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
reign in professional wrestling history.
Sammartino's wrestling style was more mat-oriented which was typical of wrestlers from his era. His brawling, power moves, and personal charisma helped him become the most popular American wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s.
Early life
Born in PizzoferratoPizzoferrato
Pizzoferrato is a comune and town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Former WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino is from Pizzoferrato....
, Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on October 6, 1935, Sammartino was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. Four older siblings died during his time in Italy. During his childhood, Sammartino's family hid from German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soldiers in a mountain called Valla Rocca, during the latter stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During this time, Sammartino's mother, Emilia, would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. She once was captured and another time shot in the shoulder during such trips. Eventually, Sammartino caught rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
but was nursed back to health by his mother with hot blankets and leeches. In 1950, he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where his father had already lived for several years.
When Sammartino first came to America, he was sickly from his experiences of surviving during the war years. His slight frame, along with his tenuous grasp of English, made him an easy target for bullies in school. Sammartino wanted to build himself up physically and became devoted to weight training.
Bruno's devotion to weightlifting nearly resulted in a berth on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. He was edged out by legendary strongman Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson
- Politics and public figures :* Paul Anderson , member of the Minnesota House of Representatives* Paul H. Anderson , U.S. judge* Paul Francis Anderson , U.S...
- who outweighed Sammartino by 70 pounds. In the early years of Sammartino's career, he was measured at 5'8" and weighed around 250 pounds. In his later years, chronic back injuries caused him to keep his weight under 235 pounds.
Bruno set a world record in the bench press with a lift of 565 pounds in 1960.
Sammartino also competed in bodybuilding and won "Mr. Allegheny" in the late 50s.
His high school, Schenley High School
Schenley High School
Schenley High School is both a public school building and a school program that closed with the graduating class of 2011. Schenley High School is located in the North Oakland neighborhood at the edge of the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2008 the school's staff and...
, didn't have a wrestling program, but he worked out with the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
wrestling team under storied coach Rex Peary. Sammartino became known for performing strongman stunts in the Pittsburgh area, and sportscaster Bob Prince
Bob Prince
Robert Ferris Prince was an American radio and television sportscaster and commentator best known for his 28-year stint as the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball club, with whom he earned the nickname “The Gunner” and became a cultural icon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Prince was...
put him on his television show. It was there that he was spotted by local wrestling promoter Rudy Miller, who recruited Sammartino for professional wrestling. Miller knew that Sammartino could easily be marketed as an ethnic strongman, and that he would appeal to Italian immigrants who supported wrestling.
While working in construction in 1956, Sammartino wrestled an orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
at a carnival. After taking much punishment, Sammartino punched the orangutan in the stomach and was disqualified by the animal's owner. Sammartino left the cage with swollen eyes and shredded clothes. Because of the disqualification, the owner refused to pay Sammartino the $50 he was promised for the match.
Studio Wrestling–Pittsburgh Promotion (1959–1974)
Sammartino made his professional debut in Pittsburgh on December 17, 1959, pinning Dmitri Grabowski in 19 seconds. On December 23, he defeated Miguel Torres, for the local Spectator Sports promotion, in Pittsburgh. He soon became extremely popular. The name of the local TV wrestling program was Studio WrestlingStudio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hosted by Bill Cardille through most of its run, although he...
and it was broadcast on WIIC-TV
WPXI
WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the...
Channel 11. The host was Pittsburgh personality "Chilly" Bill Cardille
Bill Cardille
William Robert "Bill" Cardille , is a broadcast personality from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early career:...
.
In 1966, Sammartino bought the Pittsburgh-based Spectator Sports promotion. The promotion was a stopping point for national stars such as Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
, The Crusher
Reginald Lisowski
Reginald Lisowski was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The Crusher ....
, Bill Watts
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
, George Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...
, and Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
, as well as featuring local talent like Johnny De Fazio
Johnny De Fazio
Johnny De Fazio, known to fans as Jumping Johnny De Fazio, is a former professional wrestler from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a fan favorite and was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He wrestled for the old Studio Wrestling program on WIIC-TV in Pittsburgh, hosted by Bill Cardille...
, Frank "Carnegie Cop" Holtz, Hurricane Hunt, Tony "The Battman" Marino, and John L. Sullivan
John L. Sullivan (wrestler)
John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
(who later gained fame as Johnny Valiant). Unlike many promoters, Bruno was said to be a good pay-off man & very fair to his fellow wrestlers. Many men, including George "The Animal" Steele, have stated that Bruno has always shown concern for how much all of the wrestlers earn on a card - not just himself. Sammartino sold the promotion in 1971. He was later asked by the new Buffalo-based owners to help with the booking of Pittsburgh area shows. The local TV show was canceled in 1974, and the promotion shut down. The Pittsburgh area then became part of the WWWF territory.
Early headlines (1959–1962)
Sammartino's first match in Madison Square Garden in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was January 2, 1960 against Bull Curry
Bull Curry
Fred Thomas Koury, Sr. was an American of Lebanese decent who was best known as a professional wrestler under the name ”Wild Bull” Curry. Bull Curry is recognized as one of the originators of the hardcore style predating even legends such as The Sheik and Abdullah the Butcher...
(who was substituting for Killer Kowalski
Killer Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
). Within six months of his debut in wrestling, Sammartino was headlining at Madison Square Garden (starting in tag matches, teaming with Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca was an Italian-born Argentine professional wrestler. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities with both Italian-American and especially Hispanic audiences, his following was exceptionally large and loyal.He had a love for opera and was apparently described as having an excellent...
).
On February 18, 1961, Sammartino faced Chick Garibaldi in an afternoon match at the Sunnyside Gardens
Sunnyside Gardens, Queens
Sunnyside Gardens, in the Sunnyside neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens, was one of the first developments to incorporate the "superblock" model in the United States...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. During the match, Sammartino bodyslammed Garibaldi and immediately noticed his opponent's eyes roll up inside his head. By the time the ref checked on the fallen wrestler, he was dead in the ring. It was later determined that Garibaldi had died from a heart attack. In the movie Legends Never Die, Sammartino stated that it took him many years to get over that incident.
Sammartino made major headlines when he became the first (and only) man to lift the 640 lb (290.3 kg) Haystacks Calhoun
William Calhoun
William Dee Calhoun was a professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun. The gargantuan wrestler was one of the foremost drawing cards during the industry’s “Golden Age” of the 1950s and 1960s while sporting his trademark white T-shirt, blue overalls, and...
in a match. He did not slam him as much as lift him shoulder-height...and drop him.
After tiring of low payoffs and broken promises, Sammartino left Vincent McMahon Sr.
Vincent J. McMahon
Vincent James "Vince" McMahon, better known as Vince McMahon, Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for founding the American promotion, World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now known as WWE.-Early life:Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6, 1914 in Harlem,...
's Capitol Wrestling Corporation to join a rival New York promoter and former McMahon Sr. partner Kola Kwariani. Kwariani's hold on New York soon weakened because of low attendance and athletic commission pressure to curb violence. In an effort to increase attendance, Kwariani had Sammartino wrestle his tag partner Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca was an Italian-born Argentine professional wrestler. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities with both Italian-American and especially Hispanic audiences, his following was exceptionally large and loyal.He had a love for opera and was apparently described as having an excellent...
twice during this time. Sammartino was then told by Rudy Miller to jump back to McMahon.
Sammartino found himself with even fewer dates and payoffs than the first time he wrestled for McMahon. He gave notice to McMahon that he was going to San Francisco, and its large Italian population, to wrestle for promoter Roy Shire. Very soon after arriving, Sammartino was informed by the local athletic commission that he was suspended. Unable to find work across the country (because every state athletic commission honors suspensions given by other state athletic commissions), Bruno headed back to Pittsburgh to work as a laborer. Sammartino found out that his suspension was due to his skipping a match he was booked for in Baltimore. He was also booked to wrestle in Chicago that same night. In his autobiography, Sammartino states that he believed McMahon set him up, by double-booking him and not informing him of his match in Baltimore, as a way of punishment for working for Kwariani.
On the advice of wrestler Yukon Eric
Eric Holmback
Eric Holmback was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Yukon Eric.Holmback spent the majority of his career in Southern Ontario, Canada, where he won the NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship on two occasions with Whipper Billy Watson in 1955 and 1961 and the Montreal...
, Bruno contacted Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
promoter Frank Tunney
Frank Tunney
Francis Martin “Frank” Tunney was a Canadian professional wrestling promoter, based in Toronto.-Early years:...
hoping to take advantage of Toronto's large Italian population. Despite McMahon trying to blackball him there as well, Tunney decided to take a chance. Bruno made his Toronto debut in March 1962 and very quickly, with the help of self-promotion in local newspapers and radio programs, became an attraction. His ability to speak Italian also ingratiated himself with that immigrant population. With Canadian legend Whipper Billy Watson
Whipper Billy Watson
William John Potts, O.Ont was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Whipper Billy Watson, and was a two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.-Early life:...
, Bruno won his first championship in September 1962, the local version of the International tag team title. Soon, he was in demand by other promoters in different Canadian territories.
During his tenure in Toronto, Bruno wrestled and beat the (then) National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA) Champion Buddy Rogers for the title. Rogers was unable to continue after being accidentally butted in the groin while attempting a leap frog. Sammartino refused to accept the title under the circumstances.
Sammartino also wrestled NWA Champ Lou Thesz twice in Canada. One match ended in a draw and the other with Thesz scoring a fluke pin after a collision despite Sammartino controlling the 20 minute match from the beginning. Thesz recounted the matches as nothing special. Bruno has said in interviews that noted "shooter" Thesz did not try to take any advantage of him (as he often did in matches against wrestlers he did not like), but that he was prepared to respond in the event he did.
Meanwhile, McMahon Sr. was having a tough time drawing fans with newly created World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion Buddy Rogers in New York. Tired of dealing with the NWA, McMahon crowned Rogers WWWF Champ in a mythical tournament set in Rio de Janiero, Brazil soon after Rogers dropped the NWA title to Thesz. McMahon claimed the title change was not legit, since in those days, the title matches were 2 out of 3 falls - and Thesz won a one fall victory.
Eventually, promoters Toots Mondt
Toots Mondt
Joseph Raymond "Toots" Mondt was a former wrestling promoter who revolutionized the wrestling industry in the early to mid 1920s and co-promoted the World Wide Wrestling Federation...
and McMahon Sr. cleared up Sammartino's suspension by paying his $500 fine (Bruno says they took it out of his future purses). After many weeks of phone calls with McMahon trying to lure Bruno back, Sammartino demanded a title run.
To show his gratitude to Tunney, Sammartino still wrestled every other Sunday on the big shows - regardless of how hectic his schedule became.
Longest reigning WWWF Champion (1963–1971)
He won the WWWF World Championship titleWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
on May 17, 1963, defeating "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds. Bruno has said in interviews that Rogers had to be tricked into the MSG main event. Supposedly, Rogers was to win on some sort of disqualification. It was Sammartino himself that broke the news to him in the ring. He simply said, "We can do this the easy way...or the hard way." Rogers could not cope with the power of Sammartino from the very beginning. Whilst the crowd at Madison Square Garden had expected a tough contest they were shocked at the manner in which Sammartino was able to completely dominate the champion. It took just 48 seconds to crown Sammartino the WWWF Champion. Distraught and surprised Rogers quickly left the ring.
Rogers claimed until his dying day that he had suffered a heart attack a week before the match and was dragged out of a hospital to have the match. Bruno has said (and other wrestlers on the card verify) that all wrestlers were examined and passed by the State Athletic Commission doctor that night as was customary in those days. Bruno has also pointed out that if Rogers was sick, he never took time off from his schedule after he lost the belt. Others have pointed out that Rogers worked mainly in short tag matches until his first retirement one year later (he would later return for two brief comebacks, and much later as a manager)
Rogers and Sammartino did face each other two months later at Madison Square Garden in a tagteam match, with Rogers & Handsome Johnny Barend defeating Bruno & Bobo Brazil 2 falls to 1. Sammartino did not trust Rogers (who had a reputation for taking cheap shots) and the two did not work together very much during the match.
However, Rogers retired prior to their scheduled title rematch on October 4, 1963, in Jersey City, NJ's Roosevelt Stadium.
Sammartino instead that night had his first match against new #1 contender, Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
(Monsoon won on disqualification, starting a monumentally successful feud).
Sammartino kept this title for seven years, eight months, and one day; it still stands as the longest continuous world title reign in men's wrestling history.
Sammartino was so popular that in 1965 he was picked by the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
board to wrestle against the legendary Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
in a match for both the NWA and WWWF titles. Sammartino, already working an extremely busy schedule, refused the title match opportunity for fear that winning the title would make his schedule even more hectic. NWA officials then selected Gene Kiniski
Gene Kiniski
Eugene Nicholas "Gene" Kiniski was a Canadian professional wrestler and the father of wrestlers Nick Kiniski and Kelly Kiniski. "Canada's Greatest Athlete" as he billed himself for promotional purposes was born outside of Edmonton, Alberta...
as Thesz's opponent and he went on to become the new NWA champion.
On September 28, 1965, after a match with Tarzan Tyler
Camille Tourville
Camille Tourville was a professional wrestler and manager better known as Tarzan Tyler. He was one-half of the first WWF Tag Team Champions, along with Luke Graham...
in Madison Square Garden, Sammartino went to a restaurant in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
. When he returned, he found that a car window was shattered and his $10,000 championship belt was stolen.
Sammartino headlined cards that filled Madison Square Garden on a monthly basis. He battled the top bad guys
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
of his time, including Killer Kowalski
Killer Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
, Giant Baba
Shohei Baba
was a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
, Gene Kiniski
Gene Kiniski
Eugene Nicholas "Gene" Kiniski was a Canadian professional wrestler and the father of wrestlers Nick Kiniski and Kelly Kiniski. "Canada's Greatest Athlete" as he billed himself for promotional purposes was born outside of Edmonton, Alberta...
, Dr. Bill Miller, Dr. Jerry Graham
Dr. Jerry Graham
Jerry Martin Matthews , better known by his ring name Dr. Jerry Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time spent in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and as the founder of the Graham wrestling family.Jerry Martin Matthews was adopted by his stepfather Harold...
, Bull Ramos
Apache Bull Ramos
Manuel Ramos , better known as Apache Bull Ramos, was an American professional wrestler from his debut in 1956 until the 1970s who primarily worked as a heel. He had notable feuds with Bruno Sammartino, Dutch Savage, Jimmy Snuka, Terry Funk and Mil Máscaras...
, Hans Mortier
Hans Mortier
Jacob "Jaap" Grobbe , better known as Hans Mortier, was a Dutch professional wrestler best known for his stint in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and his feud with WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino in the 1960s.-Professional wrestling career:Before becoming a professional wrestler, Grobbe worked...
, Waldo Von Erich
Waldo Von Erich
Walter Paul Sieber was a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Waldo Von Erich. He was billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich, but was not actually related to Fritz or the rest of the Von Erich family....
, "Crusher" Reginald Lisowski
Reginald Lisowski
Reginald Lisowski was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The Crusher ....
, Johnny Valentine
Johnny Valentine
Johnny Valentine was a professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. He has been inducted into four halls of fame for his achievements in wrestling...
, The Sheik
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
, Freddie Blassie, Curtis Iaukea
King Curtis Iaukea
Curtis Piehau Iaukea, III was a professional wrestler better known as King Curtis Iaukea. Iaukea won championships in several of the major regional US promotions, both as a single and in various tag team combinations, during the 1960s. He then competed in the World Wrestling Federation where he...
, Tarzan Tyler
Camille Tourville
Camille Tourville was a professional wrestler and manager better known as Tarzan Tyler. He was one-half of the first WWF Tag Team Champions, along with Luke Graham...
, Bill Watts
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
, Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
, Professor Toru Tanaka, Handsome Johnny Barend, The Kentucky Butcher (John Quinn) and George "The Animal" Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...
.
During this time, Bruno was involved in a shoot with Dr. Bill Miller. In a tag match with Tony Parisi against Miller and Baron Sicluna, Miller( who had a long amateur wrestling background) decided he would shoot on both Parisi and Bruno. After taking a beating in the ring, Parisi tagged out to Bruno. When Miller attempted to shoot on him, Bruno immediately snapped on a front facelock until Miller bled from his nose and passed out in the middle of the ring. Afterwards, Miller approached Bruno in the dressing room, shook his hand and profusely apologized.
Sammartino defended the belt all over the world, including Australia, Spain, Mexico and Japan.
Bruno was honored with a private audience with the Pope in the Vatican during this period.
While in Japan, Bruno had a confrontation with an up and coming Antonio Inoki in an Osaka tag match. At the urging of noted "shooter" Karl Gotch, Inoki attempted to slap a real submission hold on the World Champion and make him quit. Bruno immediately powered out of the hold, pounded Inoki unmercifully and pitched him out of the ring. Inoki ducked Bruno for the rest of the match.
Years later, when Inoki broke away and formed New Japan Pro Wrestling, the WWWF signed a deal with them in Japan. Bruno refused to work for Inoki, preferring to stay loyal to his old friend Giant Baba, the owner of All Japan. They had several marathon matches in the '60s, usually ending in hour-long draws.
On January 18, 1971, Sammartino lost the championship at Madison Square Garden to Ivan Koloff. The crowd was so stunned into silence that Sammartino thought his hearing had been damaged. After the pin, Koloff slowly walked across the ring while the ref raised his hand three times. The announcer came into the ring with the belt but, fearful of a riot, did not present it to Koloff. Koloff left the ring while Sammartino stayed inside to keep the crowd's attention off Koloff. As Sammartino left the ring, people started crying.
Sammartino has said that the crowd's reaction disturbed him while he sat in the dressing room after the match. Three weeks later, Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through to the late 1980s...
beat Koloff to win the title; Sammartino congratulated Morales as the new champion was announced. While Morales drew well in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the crowds declined in other cities.
Meanwhile, on January 14, 1972, Sammartino returned to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for the first time in five years to participate in the highlight of promoter Mike LeBelle's year: a 22-man battle royal. The battle royal included competitors such as Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. Quite popular in his own right in the 1970s and 1980s, he is also known for being the father of actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson...
, Mil Máscaras
Mil Máscaras
Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...
, John Tolos
John Tolos
John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:...
, Haystacks Calhoun
William Calhoun
William Dee Calhoun was a professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun. The gargantuan wrestler was one of the foremost drawing cards during the industry’s “Golden Age” of the 1950s and 1960s while sporting his trademark white T-shirt, blue overalls, and...
, and Ripper Collins. The final two men left in the ring were Collins and Sammartino. After brawling for about five minutes, they noticed that they were the only ones left. After Sammartino bodyslammed Collins several times, he then applied the bearhug. Collins submitted and Bruno was the champion, and the $11,000 winner, of the third annual Olympic Battle Royal. This battle royal marked the first time that The Wrestler, an "Apter Mag" had fans vote on Match of the Year. It went on to become the Match of the Year for 1972.
Later in 1972, Sammartino was asked back by McMahon Sr. to regain the title. After refusing McMahon's initial offer, Sammartino was offered a percentage of all the gates when he wrestled and a decreased work schedule.
Soon after, Bruno and champion Morales teamed up for a series of tag matches. In a televised match, Professor Tanaka
Charles Kalani, Jr.
Charles "Charlie" J. Kalani, Jr. was an American professional wrestler, professional boxer, college football player, soldier, actor, and Martial Artist who, in fighting rings, was also known as Professor Toru Tanaka, or simply, Professor Tanaka.-Early life:He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son...
blinded both men with salt and they were maneuvered into fighting each other. When their eyes cleared, to the surprise of the crowd, they kept fighting each other.
2 weeks later, all syndicated wrestling shows in the WWWF showed a clip of Morales and Sammartino signing a contract for a title match at Shea Stadium. When McMahon gestured for them to shake hands, both wordlessly turned and walked away.
On September 1, 1972, they wrestled to a 75-minute draw at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
in New York. Despite miserable weather (cold & rainy), the gate narrowly missed becoming the largest take for an outdoor wrestling show at that time.
The match was a scientific trading of holds and mat wrestling that was not particularly exciting. McMahon did not film the proceedings, so all that exists are still photographs. The only real excitement was provided by George "The Animal" Steele, who tried to interfere in the match - but was restrained by an army of police before he could enter the ring.
Second WWWF Championship reign (1973–1977)
Eventually, on December 10, 1973, Sammartino regained the WWWF Championship by defeating Stan StasiakStan Stasiak
George Stipich , better known by his ring name Stan Stasiak, was a Canadian professional wrestler and fifth World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion. He is the father of professional wrestler Shawn Stasiak.-Career:...
who had won the title from Pedro Morales nine days earlier in Philadelphia. Philly was chosen because of the passionate nature of Morales' following at Madison Square Garden. WWWF officials felt a riot might ensue if Pedro was beaten at the Garden.
In his second reign, Bruno defeated contenders such as John Tolos
John Tolos
John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:...
, Bruiser Brody, Spiros Arion
Andres Labrakis
Andres Labrakis is a Greek retired professional wrestler who had extensive and successful careers in both Australia and the United States. Known as Spiros Arion and The Golden Greek, he debuted in 1961 and retired in 1978.- Europe :...
, Ken Patera
Ken Patera
Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter...
, Bugsy McGraw
Bugsy McGraw
Bugsy McGraw is the ring name of former professional wrestler Michael Davis. He also wrestled under the name "The Skull." He is not to be confused with the other wrestler named Mike Davis.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling :...
, Freddie Blassie, Baron Von Raschke
James Raschke
James Donald Raschke is a retired professional wrestler best known as Baron von Raschke.-Career:...
, Waldo Von Erich
Waldo Von Erich
Walter Paul Sieber was a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Waldo Von Erich. He was billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich, but was not actually related to Fritz or the rest of the Von Erich family....
, Ivan Koloff, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
, Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Mosca is a former Canadian Football League player and professional wrestler. He is also known by the wrestling nicknames King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules...
, Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd
Ernest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:...
, Big Bob Duncum and Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
. He also encountered old foes Killer Kowalski & George Steele. His second title run lasted three years, four months, and twenty days.
During this time, on April 26, 1976, Sammartino suffered a neck fracture in a match against Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
at Madison Square Garden, when Hansen improperly executed
Botch (professional wrestling)
To botch in professional wrestling means to attempt a scripted move that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up. Most botches are harmless but embarrassing, such as a wrestler simply flubbing a line or missing a cue, or falling before his...
a body slam and dropped Sammartino on his head. Despite doctors' orders, Bruno insisted on flying home to Pittsburgh that night. Sammartino was concerned that his elderly parents would find out he was in a NY hospital with a broken neck and would die from the shock.
After two months, Sammartino famously returned, and faced Hansen in a rematch on June 25, 1976 at Shea Stadium, which was on the closed circuit TV undercard of the famous Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
vs. Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
match for WWWF cities.
Sammartino was rushed back into action by Vince McMahon Sr.
Vincent J. McMahon
Vincent James "Vince" McMahon, better known as Vince McMahon, Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for founding the American promotion, World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now known as WWE.-Early life:Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6, 1914 in Harlem,...
when the advance gate for the show was a disaster. McMahon claims that the entire WWWF was in peril of folding because of his investment in this card.
Bruno was in no shape to wrestle but nonetheless entered the ring to score a decisive count-out win when Hansen ran away. More importantly, Sammartino drew a large live audience, and big closed circuit TV receipts (the Ali/Inoki match, without the Sammartino/Hansen match, drew very poorly in most of America.) Bruno contends that he was never paid the percentage of the closed circuit gate that he was promised.
The match was rated 1976 Match of the Year by a number of wrestling magazines. Subsequently, after a chance to recover and train, Sammartino scored decisive cage match wins over Hansen around the WWWF circuit.
His second title reign was only supposed to last a year but each year Bruno received bigger payoffs to stay on. Around this time, Bruno's yearly pay equaled that of the highest paid athletes in any professional sport. With only having to appear in the biggest arenas and with an increase of the gate percentages, Bruno had, up to this point, the greatest financial deal in wrestling history.
In early 1977, after suffering the broken neck and many other ailments, Bruno informed McMahon Sr. that he was done with his second title reign. It ended in Baltimore on April 30, 1977, when he was defeated by "Superstar" Billy Graham. In a controversial ending, Graham had both feet braced on the ropes (which is illegal in pro wrestling) while successfully pinning Sammartino.
Later WWWF/WWF Career & Initial Retirement (1978–1981)
Despite a very long and financially successful series of re-matches against Billy Graham, Sammartino was unable/unwilling to regain the title. His final attempt was in Philadelphia, just a few days before Graham was scheduled to lose the title to Bob BacklundBob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
. The Philly match was the only documented instance of Sammartino losing a Steel Cage Match. He lost by accidentally knocking a bloody & battered Graham through the cage door.
After his second reign ended, Sammartino leisurely toured the U.S. and the world. He wrestled then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
to a one hour draw in St. Louis. He also wrestled and defeated, Blackjack Mulligan
Blackjack Mulligan
Robert Jack Windham , better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan is a former professional wrestler and a former American football player...
, Lord Alfred Hayes, Dick Murdoch
Dick Murdoch
Hoyt Richard "Dick" Murdoch was an American professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:A second-generation wrestler, the son of 1950s Texas wrestler Frankie Hill Murdoch, Dick Murdoch grew up with fellow second-generation wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, watching their fathers...
, Kenji Shibuya, and "Crippler" Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens (wrestler)
Carl Ray Stevens , better known as Ray "The Crippler" Stevens or Ray "Blond Bomber" Stevens, was an American professional wrestler. Stevens was a wrestling superstar since the early years of the television era until he retired during the early 1990s...
.
During this time period, Sammartino did a rare "clean job" for Killer Kowalski
Killer Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
in Canada. At the time, Kowalski was the Grand Prix World Champion and recounted in an interview that "he was touched" his old friend & rival would do that for him.
One of the most emotional feuds of Sammartino's career started on January 22, 1980, when his former student Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
violently turned against him during a scientific wrestling exhibition, broadcast on the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
's Championship Wrestling
WWWF Championship Wrestling
WWF Championship Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired from 1978 to 1986 and was the original television show of the WWF...
show. Sammartino, shocked and hurt by Zbyszko's betrayal, vowed to make Zbyszko (whom Bruno described as a "Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
") pay dearly. Their feud culminated on August 9, 1980, in front of 36,295 fans at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. As the main event of 1980's Showdown at Shea, Sammartino defeated Zbyszko inside a steel cage. This feud is considered by many wrestling historians and journalists to be the biggest feud in the history of wrestling in the northeast.
In his autobiography, Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
claimed that his match with Andre the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
was the real reason for the huge draw at Shea Stadium, however the feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between Sammartino and Zbyszko sold out everywhere in the build-up to the show. In contrast Hogan and André headlined exactly one card in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
before they wrestled at Shea. They drew a paltry 1,200 in a building that held 3,500.
In February 1980 headlining a card at Wheeling,West Virginia, Bruno was scheduled to wrestle Hulk Hogan. Hogan no-showed due to an injury and was replaced by Sgt. Slaughter.
Sammartino retired from North American wrestling full-time in 1981, in a match that opened the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
. Sammartino pinned George "The Animal" Steele in his match. Sammartino then finished up his full-time career by touring Japan.
Return to WWF (1984–1988)
In 1984 Bruno made an appearance at an Italian Festival in Wheeling,WV to do a weightlifting exhibition while there he was interviewed by a local TV station and when asked if he still watched TV wrestling he said it made him sick and that he would never watch it. He didn't like the direction that it was taking.It was during this time Sammartino found out through Angelo Savoldi, a recently fired office employee of Capitol Wrestling Corporation, that he had been cheated by Vince McMahon on the promised gate percentages for his entire second title run. Bruno filed suit against McMahon and his Capitol Wrestling Corporation. The suit was eventually settled out of court by McMahon's son, Vince McMahon after his father had died. Part of the settlement included Sammartino returning to do color commentary on WWF television in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars for what amounted to nineteen days of work.
The primary reason Sammartino returned was an attempt to promote the wrestling career of his son David Sammartino
David Sammartino
David Lugogo Sammartino is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for being the son of former World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino.-Career:...
, who became a wrestler against his father's wishes. Despite lingering effects from previous injuries, Sammartino agreed to come out of retirement to help his son launch his career. Bruno says that this time period was his least favorite of his career.
At the inaugural WrestleMania
WrestleMania (1985)
WrestleMania was the first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The attendance for the event was 19,121 fans...
at a sold out Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in 1985, Sammartino was in his son's corner, for his match against Brutus Beefcake
Edward Leslie
Edward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
. The match ended in a double-disqualification after the Sammartinos began brawling with Beefcake and his manager Johnny Valiant
John L. Sullivan (wrestler)
John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
. He returned to in ring action soon after with his son, as they wrestled against Beefcake & Valiant at Madison Square Garden. The Sammartinos also teamed against Paul Orndorff
Paul Orndorff
Paul Parlette Orndorff, Jr. is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff...
and Bobby Heenan
Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
in various arenas. Despite being in his mid-50's, Sammartino proved to be in much better physical shape than his opponents, often leaving them "blown up" by the middle of the match.
David Sammartino eventually realized he was being used by McMahon to get his famous father to wrestle, Sammartino still drew huge crowds in the northeast. Disenchanted, the younger Sammartino quit the WWF several times. This forced his father to continue to wrestle, in hopes that he could get his son back in McMahon's good graces.
Sammartino's most notable feud during this run was with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
. An irate Sammartino attacked Savage during a TV interview, after Savage bragged about injuring Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
, by driving the timekeeper's bell into Steamboat's throat during a televised match.
Sammartino defeated Savage in a lumberjack match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
via disqualification at the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
. This allowed Savage to keep the belt, as titles cannot change hands via count out or disqualification.
Sammartino would often teamed with Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
and his old enemy George "The Animal" Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...
(who was a face at this point in his career) to wrestle Savage and "Adorable" Adrian Adonis
Adrian Adonis
Keith A. Franke was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis.-Career:Franke trained under Fred Atkins and debuted in 1974, wrestling under his own name...
. The climax of the their feud came was a victory for Sammartino & Santana in a steel cage match in Madison Square Garden.
Sammartino also engaged in a feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
after Piper insulted his heritage on a segment of Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring Roddy Piper which was a mainstay of WWF/WWE television from 1984 to 1987, and then returned briefly in 1989. Also, Piper hosted similar segments while wrestling for other promotions in 2003 - 2011....
at Madison Square Garden. Sammartino faced Piper in both singles & tag matches. Sammartino teamed with Paul Orndorff in his matches against Piper, while Piper would tag with his "bodyguard", Ace "Cowboy" Bob Orton. Sammartino would eventually get the upper hand in the feud, by defeating Piper in a steel cage match at the Boston Garden.
In 1986 Sammartino competed in a 20 man battle royal at WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2 was the second annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
in at the Rosemont Horizon
Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The battle royal featured not only professional wrestlers but also professional football players. Sammarino was eliminated by Killer Kowalski protege Big John Studd
Big John Studd
John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.-Career:...
. André the Giant would go on to win the battle royal.
Later on in 1986 Sammartino would team with Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
, and Santana in a 6 man Elimination Tag Team Match against The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation referred to several teams or stables in the World Wrestling Federation , usually consisted of members or close friends of the Hart wrestling family from Canada....
& The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
. Sammartino was the sole survivor of the match pinning the Honky Tonk Man for the win.
Sammartino's last major feud came in the summer of 1987 against The Honky Tonk Man for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
. Although he dominated the matches against the champion, Sammartino never won the title, winning most of his matches by count out or disqualification.
Sammartino also feuded with Hercules Hernandez
Ray Fernandez
Raymond Fernandez was a professional wrestler who primarily wrestled in Florida and Texas before joining the World Wrestling Federation. He was best known by the ring name Hercules Hernandez or simply Hercules...
during this time. Sammartino had his last singles match in the WWF against on August 28, 1987 as he defeated Hercules via count out at the Paul Boesch
Paul Boesch
Paul Max Boesch was a professional wrestling promoter most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter for Houston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with the Universal Wrestling Federation, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation.-Biography:Paul...
Retirement Show in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Sammartino's final WWF match saw him team with Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
to defeat King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
and One Man Gang
George Gray (wrestler)
George Gray is an American professional wrestler best known as One Man Gang and Akeem "the African Dream".-Early years:...
. Sammartino continued doing commentary on the WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
until March 1988.
Post WWF Career
After leaving the WWF, Sammartino began doing commentary for Herb Abrams' upstart Universal Wrestling Federation as it attempted to go national and compete with the WWF, the NWANational Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
, and WCCW
World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
.
On October 28, 1989, Sammartino made a special appearance at the NWA PPV Halloween Havoc, where he was the special guest referee in a "Thunderdome" cage match which featured Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
and Sting taking on Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
and The Great Muta
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
. Sammartino ended up exchanging blows with Muta at the end of the match and ran him off.
Sammartino would appeare at several WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
events in a minor analysis role in the early 1990s.
2000–present
Over the years, Bruno has become an outspoken critic of the path McMahon has taken pro wrestling, particularly in the use of steroids, other illicit drugs and borderline obscene wrestling angles. In the last stage of his career, he refused to travel with the younger wrestlers for fear of being stopped in a vehicle containing drugs. McMahon provided wrestler-turned-road-agent Chief Jay Strongbow (Joe Scarpa) as a travel partner.He has often appeared in the media in opposition to the WWE on shows like Phil Donahue, Geraldo, CNN News, etc.
On July 26, 2004, Sammartino met in Pittsburgh with Vince and WWE officials about doing a DVD release and providing commentary for WWE 24/7 Classics, but Sammartino would not agree to be a part of the current product.
He was invited to stay for the Raw show that night, but declined because he did not want to be seen endorsing the product. He was told the main event was Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
vs. Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
. He reportedly told them he would've stayed if Benoit was wrestling Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
; one of the people he said this to was Triple H, who he didn't know. This was also the same night of an incident with Ric Flair (see below). Contract talks stalled.
Aside from 'feuding' with wrestling, Bruno also has a strained relationship with his son, David, after "a series of things happened."
In 2006, he signed an independent deal with Jakks Pacific
Jakks Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a range of products that feature numerous children's toy licenses...
to produce an action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
, which is part of the WWE Classic Superstars line, Series 10.
Sammartino has appeared for independent wrestling promotion Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
, and was featured on Total Nonstop Action's Kurt Angle biographical DVD. In it, he praises Angle and says that he generally doesn't watch wrestling unless he finds out that Angle's going to wrestle.
On March 25, 2010, Sammartino was honored at the 74th annual Dapper Dan Dinner, a popular awards and charity fundraising event in Pittsburgh, with a lifetime achievement award, for which fellow former Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hosted by Bill Cardille through most of its run, although he...
personalities Bill Cardille
Bill Cardille
William Robert "Bill" Cardille , is a broadcast personality from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early career:...
, "Jumping" Johnny De Fazio
Johnny De Fazio
Johnny De Fazio, known to fans as Jumping Johnny De Fazio, is a former professional wrestler from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a fan favorite and was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He wrestled for the old Studio Wrestling program on WIIC-TV in Pittsburgh, hosted by Bill Cardille...
, Dom DeNucci, Frank Durso, and referee Andy "Kid" DePaul
Andy DePaul
Andy "Kid" DePaul is a noted amateur and professional boxer and referee. He has been the...
were all present.
On October 8, 2011 Sammartino briefly returned to the Pro Wrestling scene as a special guest when he joined a wrestling show held in his honor by Adriatic Wrestling League, an italian pro-wrestling promotion. "Through The Eyes Of The Legend", was held in his country of his birth, Pizzoferrato
Pizzoferrato
Pizzoferrato is a comune and town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Former WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino is from Pizzoferrato....
Abruzzi.
Criticism of pro wrestling today
In his retirement, Sammartino has publicly criticized the direction professional wrestling has taken, making reference to lurid storylines, over-the-top theatrics, and drug and steroid abuse. In particular he has been critical of Vince McMahonVince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
, saying that McMahon has been detrimental to his father's
Vincent J. McMahon
Vincent James "Vince" McMahon, better known as Vince McMahon, Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for founding the American promotion, World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now known as WWE.-Early life:Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6, 1914 in Harlem,...
creation. Sammartino has refused to provide commentary on WWE-produced retrospectives of his career, instead participating in a series of independently-produced documentaries, including Bruno Sammartino's Legends Never Die, La Roccia, The Passing of the Belt, and The Boys are Back. Despite being the biggest drawing card in wrestling during the 1960s and 1970s, Bruno was not mentioned in the A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
wrestling documentary The Unreal History of Professional Wrestling. He attributes this to McMahon, who provided much of the footage to the production.
Backstage incidents
- In the late 1960s, Sammartino was involved in a fight with former PA Athletic Commissioner Joe Cimino. Cimino was new to his post at this time and overheard Sammartino talking about a planned finish against Baron Sicluna in a match in McKeesportMcKeesport, PennsylvaniaMcKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
, located right outside of Pittsburgh. The commissioner walked over to Sammartino and told him he didn't approve of the finish. A short argument ensued which ended with Sammartino throwing a punch at the commissioner. Referee Izzy Moidel stepped in to stop the fight and took the punch meant for Commissioner Cimino. The entire incident was witnessed by current Western PA Commissioner and former referee Andy DePaulAndy DePaulAndy "Kid" DePaul is a noted amateur and professional boxer and referee. He has been the...
.
- In his autobiography, The Cowboy and the Cross: The Bill Watts Story: Rebellion, Wrestling and Redemption, Bill Watts tells of witnessing a backstage incident between Sammartino and Gorilla MonsoonGorilla MonsoonRobert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
. Watts wrote that Monsoon "soon found himself in deep water" when messing with Sammartino. He did not go into further detail on the incident out of respect for Monsoon.
- When Bruno was about 51 years old, he was involved in an infamous backstage fight with a former football player. Six men were backstage at a wrestling show in an area that was restricted. When Sammartino spotted the men, he told them that if security saw them in this area, they might get in trouble. Dave "Rooster" Fleming, a former CFL player with the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-CatsThe Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
, stuck his hand out to Sammartino. When Sammartino went to shake his hand, Fleming began to squeeze hard. Sammartino asked him what he was doing to which Fleming replied "You're nothing but a washed up old man." Sammartino responded "Not too washed up to take care of you." Upon hearing that, Fleming took a swing at Sammartino but it was blocked. Sammartino then punched him and knocked him down. Sammartino soon found himself fighting the other five men at once. At this time, the Iron Sheik was in the showers after his match and heard the commotion. He immediately jumped in next to Bruno and the two wrestlers proceeded to "clean house" according to Bruno.
- July 26, 2004 at Mellon ArenaMellon ArenaCivic Arena is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel...
in Pittsburgh was the site of the infamous "who snubbed who?" non-confrontation with Ric FlairRic FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
. Flair denigrated Sammartino's wrestling ability in his bookTo Be the ManTo Be the Man is an autobiographical book written by professional wrestler Ric Flair and Keith Elliot Greenberg, and edited by Mark Madden. It was published by WWE Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster in July 2004...
. Flair claims Sammartino refused to shake his hand at the event; Sammartino says Flair saw him coming down the hall, turned, and rushed away.
Personal life
Bruno has been married to his wife Carol since 1959 and has three sons, DavidDavid Sammartino
David Lugogo Sammartino is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for being the son of former World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino.-Career:...
, and twins Darryl and Danny. He and his wife have lived in Ross Township
Ross Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Ross Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 31,105 at the 2010 census. In September 2007, Ross Township adopted the Strong Mayor/Weak Council form of government allowed by Pennsylvania statutes for townships of its class.The township is part of...
, Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
near Pittsburgh since 1965.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bearhug
- Hammerlock
- Pendulum backbreaker
- Signature moves
- Abdominal stretch
- Armbar
- Arm drag
- Belly to back suplex
- Body slam
- DropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Full nelson
- Hip toss
- Multiple jabJabA jab is a type of punch used in the martial arts.Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended...
s to the opponent's midsection - Running big boot
- Running high knee
- Shoulder block
- Airplane spin
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The Living Legend"
- "The Italian Superman"
Championships and accomplishments
- Grand Prix WrestlingGrand prix wrestlingGrand Prix Wrestling is a wrestling promotion run and owned by Emile Duprée. Grand Prix Wrestling has currently stopped touring due to heavy traveling costs...
- GPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Édouard CarpentierÉdouard CarpentierÉdouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz was a Québécois professional wrestler better known by his ring name Édouard Carpentier. In a career that spanned from the 1950s into the 1970s, he garnered several world championships.-Early life:...
- GPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Édouard Carpentier
- Maple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf WrestlingMaple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)The Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship was the top tag team professional wrestling championship in the Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Wrestling from 1961 through 1977...
(1 time) - with Whipper Billy WatsonWhipper Billy WatsonWilliam John Potts, O.Ont was a Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Whipper Billy Watson, and was a two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion.-Early life:... - NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version) (1 time)
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Match of the Year (1972) Battle royalBattle royal (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
on January 14, Los Angeles, CALos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... - PWI Match of the Year (1975) vs. Spiros ArionAndres LabrakisAndres Labrakis is a Greek retired professional wrestler who had extensive and successful careers in both Australia and the United States. Known as Spiros Arion and The Golden Greek, he debuted in 1961 and retired in 1978.- Europe :...
on March 17, New York, NYNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... - PWI Match of the Year (1976) vs. Stan HansenStan HansenJohn Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
on April 26, New York, NY - PWI Match of the Year (1977) vs. Billy Graham on April 30, Baltimore, MDBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
- PWI Match of the Year (1980) vs. Larry ZbyszkoLarry ZbyszkoLawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
at Showdown at Shea in a steel cage match - PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1976)
- PWI Stanley Weston Award (1981)
- PWI Wrestler of the Year (1974)
- PWI Match of the Year (1972) Battle royal
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2002
- World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
- WWA World Tag Team ChampionshipWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s when the promotion closed.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Dick the BruiserWilliam AfflisWilliam Fritz Afflis , best known as Dick the Bruiser, was an American football player and professional wrestler.-Early life:...
- WWA World Tag Team Championship
- World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF International Tag Team ChampionshipWWF International Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWF International Tag Team Championship was a tag team championship in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1969 to 1972 and in the renamed World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for a short time in 1985.-Title history:-See also:...
(2 times) - with Dominic DeNucciDominic DeNucciDominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.-Early career:...
(1) and Tony MarinoTony MarinoTony Silipini is a former American born Italian professional wrestler who is best known as Tony Marino.-Early career:Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the...
(1) - WWWF United States Tag Team ChampionshipWWWF United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWWF United States Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1963 until 1967. Originally, the WWF was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance operating out of the Northeast and was called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation...
(1 time) - with Spiros ArionAndres LabrakisAndres Labrakis is a Greek retired professional wrestler who had extensive and successful careers in both Australia and the United States. Known as Spiros Arion and The Golden Greek, he debuted in 1961 and retired in 1978.- Europe :... - WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
(2 times)
- WWF International Tag Team Championship
- World Wide Wrestling Alliance
- Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Feud of the Year (1980) vs. Larry Zbyszko
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1996)
- Other titles
- Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
walk of fame - Received the Key to the City in Franklin, Pennsylvania as part of IWC's Night of Legends 3 on March 24, 2007
- Madison Square Garden
DVDs
- Bruno Returns to Italy With Bruno Sammartino 2006
- Bruno Sammartino Behind the Championship Belt 2006
Note: Both were only released in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
External links
- Online World of Wrestling profile
- Video: Beginning of the Sammartino-Zbyzsko feud
- Bruno's Re-released self-titled Autobiography