- published: 05 Feb 2013
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Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (born October 6, 1935) is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign in professional wrestling history.
Sammartino's wrestling style was more mat-oriented which was typical of wrestlers from his era. His brawling, power moves, and personal charisma helped him become the most popular American wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s.
Born in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy on October 6, 1935, Sammartino was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. Four older siblings died during his time in Italy. During his childhood, Sammartino's family hid from German soldiers in a mountain called Valla Rocca, during the latter stages of World War II. During this time, Sammartino's mother, Emilia, would sneak into their German-occupied town for food and supplies. She once was captured and another time shot in the shoulder during such trips. Eventually, Sammartino caught rheumatic fever but was nursed back to health by his mother with hot blankets and leeches. In 1950, he moved to the United States and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where his father had already lived for several years.
Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time with a professional career that spans 40 years. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and is noted for his lengthy and highly decorated tenures with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (now known as WWE). Flair is officially recognized by WWE, TNA and PWI as a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion (seven-time NWA Champion, seven-time WCW Champion and two-time WWF Champion) although his actual tally of World Championship reigns varies by source—Flair considers himself a 21-time world champion.
In World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he also had two stints as a booker—in 1989–1990 and 1994. Flair also became the first and only man to have won the WWF Championship in a Royal Rumble match, when he accomplished this in the 1992 edition of the event. In 2012, Flair became the first ever double inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame, first inducted in 2008 for his individual career, and for a second time in 2012 as a member of the Four Horsemen. He is also an NWA Hall of Famer (class of 2008). Flair's hair styles and mannerisms are based on those of Buddy Rogers, who previously and famously used the "Nature Boy" gimmick in the 1950s and '60s. Coincidentally, Flair also followed Rogers in becoming the second man to win both the WWF and the NWA World Heavyweight Championships.
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( /ˈʃwɔrtsənɛɡər/; German: [ˈaɐnɔlt ˈalɔʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənˌʔɛɡɐ]; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011.
Schwarzenegger began to weight train at the age of 15 years old. He was awarded the title of Mr. Universe at age 20 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent presence in the sport of bodybuilding and he has written several books and numerous articles on the sport. Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon. He was nicknamed the "Austrian Oak" and the "Styrian Oak" in his bodybuilding days, "Arnie" during his acting career and more recently the "Governator" (from "Governor" and "Terminator").
As a Republican, he was first elected on October 7, 2003, in a special recall election to replace then-Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger was sworn in on November 17, 2003, to serve the remainder of Davis's term. Schwarzenegger was then re-elected on November 7, 2006, in California's 2006 gubernatorial election, to serve a full term as governor, defeating Democrat Phil Angelides, who was California State Treasurer at the time. Schwarzenegger was sworn in for his second term on January 5, 2007.
A special look at WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino
Superstar Graham vs. Bruno Sammartino-1975 MSG
Bruno Sammartino Shoots Hard On Ric Flair
Piper's Pit with Bruno Sammartino: Madison Square Garden, October 21, 1985
Arnold Schwarzenegger inducts Bruno Sammartino into the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame
Bruno Sammartino vs. George Steele- MSG 5/1977
Happy Birthday to Bruno Sammartino
HONKY TONK MAN ON BRUNO SAMMARTINO
Bruno Sammartino vs. Stan Hansen- Steel Cage Match-3/76
Billy Graham shoots on Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko-MSG-1980
"Timeline: History of WWE - Bruno Sammartino" on The 60s official trailer
Bruno Sammartino vs Nikolai Volkoff Wrestling Challenge March 1st, 1987
EXCLUSIVE - Ernie Ladd vs Bruno Sammartino - MSG 3/1/76 - FULL MATCH
Actors: Rokki James (writer), Rokki James (editor), Rokki James (producer), Rokki James (director), Rokki James (actor), Tracey Sheldon (actress), Roland Kickinger (actor), Roland Kickinger (producer), Matthew McGrory (actor), Craig Gellis (actor), Nikki Nemzer (actress), David William James Elliott (actor), Jac Woods (miscellaneous crew), Hugh McChord (actor), Jay Kruetzer (composer),
Plot: A poor young farm boy from Grenoble, France struggles with his ever growing proportions. With obstacles multiplying as he gets larger. The teenager leaves the village he grew up in and uses his gigantic size to his advantage. He grows and grows and grows into one of the most recognized sports figures of the twentieth century earning him the name "Andre the Giant Eighth Wonder of the World".
Keywords: beer, character-name-in-title, giant, giant-hand, grenoble, wrestler