Memories
Chapter Two: I Saw the WWWF In 1967; Relive It With Me
#PWHS #Article #Memories #WWWF
The date was August 8, 1967. I will always remember it as the night I saw Bruno Sammartino. Firstly I'll quote the local unknown reporter’s coverage from the local newspaper, then I will add my personal memories. For those old enough to remember these WWWF names, read and enjoy! Here's what the article read from the August 9, 1967 Sports page of the News Virginian:
“Dooms – Wrestling’s World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino of Abruzzi, Italy, successfully defended his title and his honor in a match here Tuesday night. Sammartino, 260 pounds of tiger-like grace and agility, defeated one of the most unscrupulous villains ever to sully the purity of the mat, one Baron Mikel Scicluna of Malta. The black-hearted Baron also weighed 260 pounds.
Sammartino got the worst of it at first, and the Baron flagrantly cheated by using a weight in his fist when he socked Sammartino. He hid the weight in his trunks, in his fist, under his leg, under his arm, any handy place, and although 1500 fans clearly saw what was going on and repeatedly informed the referee, he never did look in the right place. It nearly drove the fans out of their minds. But Scicluna got his come-uppance in 19 minutes and 56 seconds of the one-fall-to-a-finish championship match by being overconfident and not paying attention. Bruno caught him off guard and quickly tossed him to the mat, shoulders down, and that was that.
The matches fought here last night were under the control of the Virginia State Athletic Commission and were sponsored by the Dooms Volunteer Fire Company to raise money to pay for fire-fighting equipment. Scicluna might not have won the title, but he certainly ought to have won the Academy Award for his performance.
In the tag-team match between Jamaica Kid and Irish Jackie on one side and Little Brutus and Sky Low Low on the other, best two out of three, the good guys got the best two. But not without considerable dirty work on the part of the bad guys, one of whom sported a beard and was dubbed by an angry fan, “Khrushchev,” although he probably meant Castro.
Sky Low Low, weighing all of 87 pounds (this was a midget match) got the first fall over Jamaica Kid who at 94 pounds was the heaviest of the four. The fall came in 7 minutes 26 seconds of action. Irish Jackie retaliated by pinning Sky Low Low in 5 minutes 55 seconds. Jackie and Brutus, by the way, both tip the scales at 90 pounds. The Jamaica Kid sewed it up by flattening Brutus in 5 minutes 43 seconds.
Professor Tanaka of Hiroshima, Japan, weighing 265, took on Smasher Sloan, 276, of Butte, Montana, and proved that while virtue may be its own reward, it does not necessarily triumph. Tanaka, a thoroughly bad sort, mean all the way through, with an infuriating smile, rubbed some sort of powder into Smasher’s eyes. The crowd could have told anyone this was going to happen when the perfidious Jap began spreading the powder about before the match, pretending it was some sort of ceremonial rite. But again, the unsuspecting referee failed to catch on. Tanaka toppled Sloan in 12 minutes 15 seconds.
Another hero bit the dust – or rosin – when Bob Taylor tangled with Luke Graham. Taylor, 235, was referee in every match but this one. Graham, 288, had long curly hair and a beard, which stamped him immediately to the cognoscienti as a man not to be trusted, and sure enough, to trust him was to get gouged or otherwise put upon when the substitute referee was stargazing. Graham won in 10 minutes 5 seconds.
Guillotine Gordon, who refuses to disclose where he is from, an item of interest to those who have seen him only because they would like to avoid the place, tripped up Arnold Skoland, a crew-cut clean-cut likable chap, in openers, taking 10 minutes and 7 seconds to accomplish the fall. Gordon weighed 272; Skoland 240.
There is something about wrestling that brings out the best in people, and shouts of “Bite his finger!” “Choke him!” “Kill him!” “Stomp him first and then kill him!” and “If it hurts, take a naspurn!” rang merrily through the evening air. “
“Dooms – Wrestling’s World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino of Abruzzi, Italy, successfully defended his title and his honor in a match here Tuesday night. Sammartino, 260 pounds of tiger-like grace and agility, defeated one of the most unscrupulous villains ever to sully the purity of the mat, one Baron Mikel Scicluna of Malta. The black-hearted Baron also weighed 260 pounds.
Sammartino got the worst of it at first, and the Baron flagrantly cheated by using a weight in his fist when he socked Sammartino. He hid the weight in his trunks, in his fist, under his leg, under his arm, any handy place, and although 1500 fans clearly saw what was going on and repeatedly informed the referee, he never did look in the right place. It nearly drove the fans out of their minds. But Scicluna got his come-uppance in 19 minutes and 56 seconds of the one-fall-to-a-finish championship match by being overconfident and not paying attention. Bruno caught him off guard and quickly tossed him to the mat, shoulders down, and that was that.
The matches fought here last night were under the control of the Virginia State Athletic Commission and were sponsored by the Dooms Volunteer Fire Company to raise money to pay for fire-fighting equipment. Scicluna might not have won the title, but he certainly ought to have won the Academy Award for his performance.
In the tag-team match between Jamaica Kid and Irish Jackie on one side and Little Brutus and Sky Low Low on the other, best two out of three, the good guys got the best two. But not without considerable dirty work on the part of the bad guys, one of whom sported a beard and was dubbed by an angry fan, “Khrushchev,” although he probably meant Castro.
Sky Low Low, weighing all of 87 pounds (this was a midget match) got the first fall over Jamaica Kid who at 94 pounds was the heaviest of the four. The fall came in 7 minutes 26 seconds of action. Irish Jackie retaliated by pinning Sky Low Low in 5 minutes 55 seconds. Jackie and Brutus, by the way, both tip the scales at 90 pounds. The Jamaica Kid sewed it up by flattening Brutus in 5 minutes 43 seconds.
Professor Tanaka of Hiroshima, Japan, weighing 265, took on Smasher Sloan, 276, of Butte, Montana, and proved that while virtue may be its own reward, it does not necessarily triumph. Tanaka, a thoroughly bad sort, mean all the way through, with an infuriating smile, rubbed some sort of powder into Smasher’s eyes. The crowd could have told anyone this was going to happen when the perfidious Jap began spreading the powder about before the match, pretending it was some sort of ceremonial rite. But again, the unsuspecting referee failed to catch on. Tanaka toppled Sloan in 12 minutes 15 seconds.
Another hero bit the dust – or rosin – when Bob Taylor tangled with Luke Graham. Taylor, 235, was referee in every match but this one. Graham, 288, had long curly hair and a beard, which stamped him immediately to the cognoscienti as a man not to be trusted, and sure enough, to trust him was to get gouged or otherwise put upon when the substitute referee was stargazing. Graham won in 10 minutes 5 seconds.
Guillotine Gordon, who refuses to disclose where he is from, an item of interest to those who have seen him only because they would like to avoid the place, tripped up Arnold Skoland, a crew-cut clean-cut likable chap, in openers, taking 10 minutes and 7 seconds to accomplish the fall. Gordon weighed 272; Skoland 240.
There is something about wrestling that brings out the best in people, and shouts of “Bite his finger!” “Choke him!” “Kill him!” “Stomp him first and then kill him!” and “If it hurts, take a naspurn!” rang merrily through the evening air. “
Terry's Insights
I was only 11 years old and it was the only time that the WWWF came close to my hometown of Waynesboro, that I am aware of. Dooms is like 500 yards beyond my hometown city limits. My biggest memory will never escape my mind: the width of Bruno’s shoulders and the immensity of his chest. He looked the closest to a Super Hero than any man I had ever seen, with a similarity to the Incredible Hulk.
This event was not held in your local high school or arena. It was held on a small-time racetrack where the dirt track racers would fill the bleachers with their fans on Friday and Saturday nights and the racing motors could be heard several miles away. The ring was separated from the bleachered crowd by a mesh fence over 10 foot tall. This made the wrestling a little awkward, especially for the villains who wanted the crowd to see what they were attempting to hide from the poor referee. The wrestlers would change and shower in the firehouse and be brought ringside by vehicles.
I thought the quality of wrestling was real good considering a crowd of only 1500 versus 22,000 in Madison Square Garden. Baron Scicluna was real convincing, even though I knew in my heart he was not supposed to win against World Champ Sammartino. He reminded me of Bulldog Lee Hennig who used to use the same routine with the lead weight foreign object.
The midgets were 90% comedy, 10% skill, but very good at their craft. Tanaka and Sloan was very convincing also to this 11 year old spectator. I do not remember Bob Taylor at all, it was all about Crazy Luke Graham. The reporter completely missed it on this match as I saw my first “crazy” wrestler” with weird neck twitching. Luke would really play it up as the crowd yelled in unison, “Crazy Luke”. Finally, I thought Skoland would win for sure, but Guillotine pulled out the perceived upset.
It was a night of memories that have lasted over 45 years so far. I found this news clipping in my deceased mother’s chester drawers and was so glad she never threw it out. Now if she had convinced me not to get rid of my Micky Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays rookie cards, I would be one real happy fellow. Hope you enjoyed a “Blast from the 60s”.
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Memories: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: February 20, 2016.
Article: #136.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Memories: Chapter Two.
Author: Terry Kent.
Published: February 20, 2016.
Article: #136.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Memories: Chapter Three - Read Here.
Memories: Chapter One - Part One - Read Here.
Other articles by Terry can be Read Here.