Franklin mayor proclaims March 24 as Bruno Sammartino Day in city
By LEIGH PROTIVNAK

The legendary wrestler will be featured in an exhibition at Franklin High School to benefit the Little League's "Field of Dreams."

The Night of Living Legends sponsored by the Franklin Little League Association has sparked some fond memories of the glory days of professional wrestling for Franklin Mayor Bob Heller.

The studio wrestling exhibition will take place Saturday, March 24, at Franklin High School.

In honor of the occasion, the mayor has declared March 24 Bruno Sammartino Day in Franklin, and the professional wrestling legend will be given a key to the city.

At 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and weighing in at 285 pounds, Sammartino would be dwarfed by today's studio wrestlers, but in the 1960s and 70s, "the Italian Strongman" was larger than life. Sammartino, who was one of professional wrestling's biggest draws at the time, was especially popular in western Pennsylvania because of his Pittsburgh roots.

"He was like the Steelers, a real hometown boy," Heller said.

Sammartino was born in Pizzaferrato, Italy, in 1935, and relocated to Pittsburgh in 1951. He got his start in professional wrestling after nearly making the 1956 Olympic weight lifting team.

Heller said the novelty of watching television at home was a key to the popularity of the sport, broadcast from Pittsburgh on Fridays or Saturdays.

Names like "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers and Gorilla Monsoon, and wild antics added to the appeal. Lines between good guys and bad guys were more clearly drawn back then than in present day pro wrestling, and Sammartino was "definitely a good guy," Heller said.

Though Heller was not too into studio wrestling, he can vividly remember his father, Lawrence "Jock" Heller, watching wrestling on the family's small black and white television, flinching and feeling each wrestler's pain.

He worked most every week night, but Lawrence Heller always made time to watch the wrestling matches on the weekends - even when he was visiting family out of town. Lawrence Heller died in 1962, one year before Sammartino claimed his world championship title.

Sammartino, sometimes known as "the Original Italian Stallion," was the World Wide Wrestling Federation champion for 12 years. He holds the record for the longest world championship reign in professional wrestling at seven years, eight months and one day.

One of the most sensational bouts of Sammartino's career was in 1980, when Larry Zbyszko, Sammartino's former student, turned against him. The drama between the two culminated in a cage match at Shea Stadium in front of more than 35,000 fans, where Sammartino won.

Sammartino will be pitted with Dominic Denucci during the Night of Legends against his old pupil Larry Zbyszko and Lord Zoltan. Other bouts will include Tito Santana versus Greg "the Hammer" Valentine; Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart versus Salvatore Sincere; A.J. Styles versus the Abyss; and a special appearance by Ivan Putski.

Tickets - first row ringside $25, other ringside $20, and $15 general admission - are available at Filmfest video in Franklin and Oil City and at the door. Doors will open at 6:30 and the first match will start at 7 p.m.

The event will benefit the Franklin Little League Association "Field of Dreams" - a sports complex with 11 ball fields, a soccer field, scenic walking trail, playground, basketball court and a picnic pavilion.

Planning has been in the works for the sports complex for nearly five years, and organizers hope to break ground this spring near the Franklin High School baseball field in Sandycreek Township.