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Contents 1 Discussion 2 Importance 3 Gorilla Monsoon Incident 4 My hero Sammartino 5 = 5.1 Quick Question

[edit] Discussion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated did not exist until 1979.

Francesco is an italian name very popular, franceso doesn't exist

[edit] Importance

The idea that Bruno Sammartino who held the world title for a total of 11 years, should be ranked at a lower importance level than Kurt Angle is an extremely short sighted and subjective view on professional wrestling; I have changed Bruno's importance level to high.

[edit] Gorilla Monsoon Incident

In his autobiography, Cowboy Bill Watts talks about witnessing a backstage confrontation between Monsoon and Sammartino. He says that Monsoon soon found out that "messing with Bruno gets you in deep water". Anyone know the details of that incident?

[edit] My hero Sammartino

The impact of a great Icon:

As a young Italian-American growing up in the late fifties and early sixties I can't begin to tell of the impact Bruno Sammartino had on my life. I wrote this poem about him several years ago which might help to shed some light on the subject.

Nobody Told Bruno

• Once there was a man in plain tights,
• Who strode upon the stage of life.
• On grandma's set of black and white,
• I sat in awe to watch him fight.
• For truth and justice and what was right.
• A paragon of virtue in a world of strife,
• He conquered evil with all his might.
• Lonely child on the emotional border,
• Because of him my world had order.
• When in the arena I sat in the first row,
• I cheered for my hero and cried out Bruno!

==

• Defeating monstrous foes who didn't play fair,
• Good triumphed over evil year after year.
• A giant of a man this true American hero,
• He had yet to learn all this meant zero.
• Like a silent film star who couldn't transition,
• In a submarine world with political derision.
• His speech faltered as discouragement set in,
• He face was slapped and his hand spit in.
• By the new Barnum who said he couldn't win,
• With an old school hero still stuck in the past,
• In a fast paced world seeking color and flash.

[edit] =

• Broken hearted he would slowly fade away,
• His memory alive and yet to this day, I feel
• No one explained to him it was all unreal.
• Now as an old man I pick up his load,
• I lift iron weights in my basement abode.
• Often there I recall his face yet I never debate,
• His battle for Truth and Love over hate.
• As real for him and if you must know,
• In my heart I still cheer for Sammartino!

            christopher cole

[edit] Quick Question

'Wrestling' at least in terms of how it is used in this article still referred to professional (staged) wrestling, right? clarification might help. Piepants 14:25, 22 September 2006 (UTC)Piepants

The article specifically states professional wrestling; in addition, prior to the late 70s, longer-termed champions were much more common than today, when champions come and go within weeks. That is tied more to the nature of the business then versus now. If anything, that ought to be mentioned in an article either about professional wrestling itself, or in an article about the federations/promotions that existed in those days. Mhking 14:52, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Bruno held the belt so long because he was the biggest attraction in the WWWF. Having Bruno on the card almost always meant instant sellout for Vince McMahon Sr. After 8 years as champ, a bad back and the tedium of life on the road led Bruno to want out as champ. Vince Sr. used Pedro Morales as his long term good guy champ after the first Bruno era but Pedro just didn't draw as well as Bruno. Eventually enough money was thrown at Bruno for him to go on a second run as champ. After he broke his neck in 1976, he again gave notice that he was done with being champ.