Bruno Sammartino

[Gary]

I'am reading a book about Bruno Sammartino.He was a very good wrestler and strong as a bull.He was only 90lbs when he came to the US from Italy at age 14.He built his strenght by lifting weights and eating right.Who was the greatest wrestler you ever saw?Lou Thesz was great.Buddy Rogers,Yukon Eric,Verne Gagne,Hulk Hogan,Steve Austin.Way back there we had George Hackenschimdt,Frank Gotch,Strangler Lewis.White males have the potential for greatness in sports if they start early and get a break.Sammartino is a living legend.

 

[IceSpeed]

Professional wrestling has become such a joke/circus today.It used to be a showcase for athleticism in Bruno's day, but now it is just a circus. It has no connection to sports today. Sammartino's of the new Millenium should join the UFC or real pro wrestling. Probably the UFC because it resembles Pro wrestling more. Of course, there is football.

 

[Don Wassall]

Sammartino refused to attend his induction into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002, citing the drugs, sex and sleaze that has overtaken that particular form of entertainment. He grew up in Pittsburgh and still lives here.You're right Gary that he was strong as a bull, probably still is! I was never a pro wrestling fan but I admire the integrity in his Hall of Fame stance.


http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/other/20020503bruno3.asp

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I don't remember persoanlly any of the old timers, except by watching tapes of them, but some of my favorites from the 70's and early 80's were Jackie Fargo, Austin Idol, Nick Bockwinkle, and Jeff Jarrett. They were pretty big before WWF and WCW took over in the 80's. Bockwinkle was a pretty good technical wrestler, sort of like the older guys. But all of these guys became prominent after wrestling had become a joke. jackie Fargo started in the late 50's or early 60's, and he's the oldest of those guys.

 

[speedster]

For his era Sammartino was decent,but nothing special.He wasn't a great worker and his matches didn't really tell a story like Ric Flair who might be the best of all-time.Flair's matches had a beginning,a middle and an end,he could really work and had great stamina not to mention great charisma.Flair's matches drew incredible heat and to this day he still remains a very visable performer.Having said that,my favourite would be Shawn Michaels.He had everything Flair had but was a high-flier and more of a risk-taker,and of course had loads of charisma,although he wasn't as good with the mic.As far as some of the other wrestlers Gary mentioned,they are all pretty good except Hogan.For all his charisma and incredible popularity,he couldn't work a lick,terrible.Comparing eras in wrestling is tough since all the changes that have taken place,for example,guys like Strangler Lewis could clamp on a submission hold on an opponent and hold it for half an hour or more,so obviously things had to change,but in my opinion the athleticism in wrestling,from the early 90's until now, has never been better.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Flair was and still is good. I watched him in person once, and he is a tough dude. He is truly the dirtiest player in the game. He is also a guy who takes his cues from some of the old-timers.

 

[Gary]

I don't watch Wrestling anymore.But I think Brock Lesnar is a tough/strong guy.The thing about Sammartino is that he came here from Italy really skinny having grown up there during the war when food was hard to get.He grew big(275lbs)and strong(750lb squat)by determination and hard work.Eating solid protien foods like eggs/milk-he said when he was young he couldn't afford meat.We can break this caste system over white males-by learning from Sammartino's example-hard work,drive,good food.White dads should see that there white children get into sports and train hard and eat good food.Lay off the silly computer games and junk food.We need more whites in football and basketball and not rely on the Russians to kick butt in boxing,but get some tough White American lads doing something.WE CAN DO IT- BUT WE NEED TO START NOW!!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Good post Gary and I agree!

 

[speedster]

Brock Lesnar left wrestling to give football a shot,but failed in his attempt to catch on with the Vikings.Kurt Angle who won Olympic gold as an amateur wrestler is another fine athlete who was able to parlay his talents in the pro game and became one of the WWE's biggest stars.

 

[Guest]

i am sure some of you guys remember the von erichs of the early 80's out of dallas and pretty much world famous as far as wrestling went back then. father fritz, older brother kevin(football star) kerry(discus champion) david(basketball player) and mike and chris. unfortunately 4 of the 5 committed suicide and took alot of the fun out of what was a mostly family friendly form of entertainment back then as opposed to now. kevin is still alive and runs his own website. they are still worshipped to this day in isreal. miss them

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Aragorn, I remember the Von-Erichs well. They were some of my favorites to watch wrestling out west. I was a big Memphis wrestling fan back then, but the show that they were on was #2 for me. To me they were a more pure form of wrestling than what the WWF offered, even back then.

 

[Guest]

yes colonel reb, i am glad you were a fan of the von erichs too. it is a shame all the tragedies that happened to that all- american family. they were my heroes growing up when i thought that wrestling was real. they were the good guys who never cheated to win. kevin, the only surviving brother recently visited isreal where after almost 20 years have gone by he and his family is still revered and he was welcomed by the isreali president when he got there. like you , kevin is a born -again believer. memphis wrestling huh, jerry the king lawler's heyday?

 

[Gary]

I remember Fritz Von Erich the most,he was a tough guy.To be blessed with all those sons and then lose them must be a real heartbreaker.Some of these wrestlers from those days would be great in the UFC.When a fight goes to the ground,Judo,Jujitsu and Wrestling are far more important then spinning back kicks and fancy moves.If you can't fight on the ground-you can't fight.If your kids take martial arts,try to get them into something that teaches some type of ground fighting and submission.

 

[speedster]

The Von Erich's were not as All -American as some people think,their background was filled with a lot of lies,some drugs and the typical things you would find when you are talking about pro wrestling.Kerry was probably the most famous of the bunch,but after he lost a part of his foot in a motorcycle accident he obviously was never the same.As far as Jerry Lawler goes,didn't he tape his shows for years in that Memphis television studio,WMC,I think.He had a good long run,but sooner or later,as a performer,you want work in front of a bigger audience,and that's what he has in the WWE,of course the money is pretty good too.

 

[Guest]

yes speedster,I was aware of the drug use and other things behind the scenes with the brothers that came out much later. probably because of the all-american persona they were trying to live up to or get away from. oldest brother kevin was pretty pristine though, no problems. sad to think about.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Jerry "the King" Lawler got his wrestling start because of Jackie Fargo in 1969 in Memphis, his hometown. He was on Memphis wrestling on Channel 3, WREG, then later Channel 5 WMC, and now on Channel 30, UPN. They still tape the shows in studio, and the local weatherman is still the host! Lawler never quit appearing for the local crowds. They still have a few shows a year in the old Mid-South Coliseum, and they are pretty well attended. Lawler even ran for mayor a few years back and came in third.

The reason Memphis wrestling declined was because they lost their old promoter and the WWF and WCW began to get all the good talent. The talent on Channel 5 didn't drop off visibly until the early 90's. They had many guys who went on to big careers elsewhere. To me, the best wrestling will always be Memphis wrestling from the 60's through the 80's.