Bruno Sammartino, RIP

[Don Wassall]

Bruno came to the U.S. after WWII from Italy as a skinny kid and built himself into the most famous pro wrestler ever. As a youngster I watched him on Studio Wrestling, a local Pittsburgh show that also featured local legend Bill Cardille and former Pirates great Pie Traynor among others. Bruno Sammartino was a Pittsburgh icon who lived in the same suburban house for the past 62 years (in the northern suburbs where I've lived a good portion of my life) and like another hero from these parts, Arnold Palmer, was a class act who had the common touch and treated everyone well. RIP

 

[celticdb15]

R.I.P Sadly I had never heard of this legend until today! He headlined Madison Square Garden an astonishing 188 times! Good article on his passing.

http://www.wwe.com/article/bruno-sammartino-passes-away

 

[Leonardfan]

Back when I was a teenager I remember my watching the WWF one monday night and my dad laughing and telling me how his dad use to watch pro wrestling. Being of Italian descent I have to think my grandfather was a big Bruno fan. RIP!

 

[The Hock]

A kid I knew back in the day was a big fan of wrestling. Sometimes he would strike a wrestling pose and shout out some pro wrestler's name. One of the names he really seemed to like was "Bruno Sammartino!"

Just had ring to it.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

RIP to another legend of pro wrestling.

Former wrestler & manager “Number One” Paul Jones also passed the day that Bruno did. I remember watching Jones & his (heel) “Army” back in the 80s on Superstation WTBS.

 

[Booth]

Didn't know about Paul Jones passing. I must watch him and Nelson Royal wrestle each other a dozen times in the early 70's. Love ever minute of it. Thanks DD.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Didn't know about Paul Jones passing. I must watch him and Nelson Royal wrestle each other a dozen times in the early 70's. Love ever minute of it. Thanks DD.

I recall watching Jones wrestle in CWF when I’d visit my grandfolks in FLA. However, I most recall him as a heel manager with his “Army” feuding against Jimmy “BoogeyWoogey Man” Valiant in the mid 80s in Jim Crockett Promotions.

 

[Don Wassall]

Bruno Sammartino was always a magical name, the Babe Ruth of his sport. Yes of course pro wrestling was and is an act, albeit one that requires great strength and talent, but the thing to remember about Bruno is how modest he was and how well he treated people. What famous people do with their fame is ultimately what counts.

Tribute to Bruno:

​

 

[werewolf]

Oh, I didn't know about it. I just read "Classy" Freddy Blassie's book about wrestling. Bruno was enormously popular amongst Italian wrestling fans. Blassie played the heel. He said he was lucky to escape alive after doing his dirty bad guy act on Bruno. Even the mob got on his case!

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Oh, I didn't know about it. I just read "Classy" Freddy Blassie's book about wrestling. Bruno was enormously popular amongst Italian wrestling fans. Blassie played the heel. He said he was lucky to escape alive after doing his dirty bad guy act on Bruno. Even the mob got on his case!

Blassie was a ‘master’ heel...another legend of pro wrestling.

 

[werewolf]

I liked Blassie best (funniest) as a manager. He even managed Cassius Clay in his boxer-wrestler debacle with Antonio Inoki. Here he is managing the crazy Iron Sheik, and the nut even dressed up like an Arab!

 

[white is right]

Bruno Sammartino was always a magical name, the Babe Ruth of his sport. Yes of course pro wrestling was and is an act, albeit one that requires great strength and talent, but the thing to remember about Bruno is how modest he was and how well he treated people. What famous people do with their fame is ultimately what counts.

Tribute to Bruno:

​

He was originally a strong man who lost out to noted strong man Paul Anderson to make the 56' Olympic team. He also was a high school level wrestler, that's why he didn't look like a musclebound oaf. I swear if he didn't develop a heart condition, he probably would have lived to 90+ as all recent interviews I saw of him he looked in fantastic shape for a man well into his 70's. Sad news about his passing a few months back.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

He was originally a strong man who lost out to noted strong man Paul Anderson to make the 56' Olympic team. He also was a high school level wrestler, that's why he didn't look like a musclebound oaf. I swear if he didn't develop a heart condition, he probably would have lived to 90+ as all recent interviews I saw of him he looked in fantastic shape for a man well into his 70's. Sad news about his passing a few months back.

Bruno’s dad Alphonso lived to be 94 & his mom (Emilia) lived to be 97, so he had really good longevity genetics.

 

[FootballDad]

I liked Blassie best (funniest) as a manager. He even managed Cassius Clay in his boxer-wrestler debacle with Antonio Inoki. Here he is managing the crazy Iron Sheik, and the nut even dressed up like an Arab!

Speaking of Blassie, who can forget his contribution to the musical arts......

 

[DixieDestroyer]

Speaking of Blassie, who can forget his contribution to the musical arts......

One of the greatest songs in the history of mankind!

 

[werewolf]

One of the greatest songs in the history of mankind!

Ha ha! Blassie said he never even memorized the words. The Doctor Demento radio show had a segment where he played what he called the worst songs in the world. He played Blassie's song about 50 weeks in a row. there are some YouTube videos of Blassie wrestling Bruno Sammartino, but they're basically just doing wrestling schtick. You can see how strong Sammartino is though, when he lifts Blassie over his head. What those guys go through it's no wonder that retired wrestlers are all busted up. Hulk Hogan has had eight back operations. Many wrestlers die young, but Blassie and Sammartino lived to age 85 and 82. Female wrestlers Fabulous Moolah and her partner Mae Young had matches when they were in their 80's. Of course the game plan would have been prepared to make accommodations. I think Mae Young, the oldest active wrestler ever, just put her foot on a wrestler who was thrown out of the ring, at age 87.