Bruno Sammartino, Legendary Wrestler, Gone at 82

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Dignitaries are dropping like flies. Hate it.

 

[mwfudge]

That sucks. He's one of my old school favorites. I remember when he would referee on some of the WCW pay-per-views in the late '80s and early ;90s. I also remember when he appeared on the Phil Donahue show and all but buried Vince McMahon over the steroid allegations.

Bouna notte, Bruno.

 

[mwfudge]

And Vince McMahon lives. There is no god!

 

[sloth43]

Pretty sure that's where Mr Peter Hernandez got inspiration for his 'Stage' name.

 

[Nole Lou]

Total legend, but I'll never forget he was part of the most disappointing match I ever saw. When I was a teenager in the 80s, for a while we went to see the WWF whenever they rolled through town. Saw some really exciting cards over the years...of course, they were just house shows, so never saw belts change hands, but saw all the greats from say, 85-88 era.

Well, one show was supposed to be headlined by Andre the Giant vs The Missing Link. The Missing Link was in and out in a flash, but for a brief moment he was getting a push on the TV show, and Andre was always a big treat to see live. Like the documentary said...it was a big deal, and he only came through about once every three shows or so, as I remember.

So, we get to the main event...and Andre is a no show. Replacing him...Bruno Sammartino. Sammartino was a bout 50 years old and not an active wrestler at the time. Now, of course, we wouldn't think TOO much about a 50 year old in the ring being able to put on a bit of a show, for as long as guys like Flair and Hogan etc drew, but at the time, and to a 14 year old, he might as well have been 90 and rode up in a wheelchair.

I knew him as a name of course, but he didn't mean much to me as a relatively recent fan. In retrospect, I see how for fans that were ten years older than me or something would have gotten a huge thrill to see him in the ring. Me...I felt ripped off.

Then the match starts...they lock up, throw a couple punches, Bruno knocks the Link down, the link gets his foot tangled between the first and second ropes, and gets counted out on his butt trying to get his ankle unstuck. That's it. Lasted a minute tops, that was your main event.

I'm guessing Andre's no show was a VERY last minute thing, and Sammartino must have been traveling with them already. Maybe he'd just had surgery or something and literally couldn't perform at all, but it's hard to believe that's the best they could come up with.

 

[seminoledq]

Total legend, but I'll never forget he was part of the most disappointing match I ever saw. When I was a teenager in the 80s, for a while we went to see the WWF whenever they rolled through town. Saw some really exciting cards over the years...of course, they were just house shows, so never saw belts change hands, but saw all the greats from say, 85-88 era.

Well, one show was supposed to be headlined by Andre the Giant vs The Missing Link. The Missing Link was in and out in a flash, but for a brief moment he was getting a push on the TV show, and Andre was always a big treat to see live. Like the documentary said...it was a big deal, and he only came through about once every three shows or so, as I remember.

So, we get to the main event...and Andre is a no show. Replacing him...Bruno Sammartino. Sammartino was a bout 50 years old and not an active wrestler at the time. Now, of course, we wouldn't think TOO much about a 50 year old in the ring being able to put on a bit of a show, for as long as guys like Flair and Hogan etc drew, but at the time, and to a 14 year old, he might as well have been 90 and rode up in a wheelchair.

I knew him as a name of course, but he didn't mean much to me as a relatively recent fan. In retrospect, I see how for fans that were ten years older than me or something would have gotten a huge thrill to see him in the ring. Me...I felt ripped off.

Then the match starts...they lock up, throw a couple punches, Bruno knocks the Link down, the link gets his foot tangled between the first and second ropes, and gets counted out on his butt trying to get his ankle unstuck. That's it. Lasted a minute tops, that was your main event.

I'm guessing Andre's no show was a VERY last minute thing, and Sammartino must have been traveling with them already. Maybe he'd just had surgery or something and literally couldn't perform at all, but it's hard to believe that's the best they could come up with.

So I do have something in common with Bruno Sammartino.