Bruno Sammartino (1935–2018)

Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in Pizzoferrato, Italy on October 6, 1935. His father left for America in 1939. During World War II, the remaining family fled invading German forces and hid in the mountains of Abruzzo for 14 months. After the war, they immigrated to the United States mostrar mais and were reunited with his father in Pittsburgh. He worked out with the University of Pittsburgh wrestling coach and competed in locally televised amateur matches. In 1959, he signed a $250-a-week contract with Capitol Pro Wrestling, which became the World Wide Wrestling Federation. He was the heavyweight champion from May 17, 1963 to January 17, 1971 and from December 10, 1973 to April 30, 1977. He retired from full-time professional wrestling in 1981. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. His autobiography, Bruno Sammartino: An Autobiography of Wrestling's Living Legend written with Bob Michelucci and Paul McCollough, was published in 1990. He died on April 18, 2018 at the age of 82. (Bowker Author Biography) mostrar menos