Bruno Sammartino, pro wrestling champ of the 1960s and ’70s, dies at 82
Bruno Sammartino, an Italian immigrant who was heavyweight champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a record 11 years in the 1960s and ’70s, long before the federation admitted that its matches were scripted and largely choreographed entertainment shows, died Wednesday at 82.
His death was announced on the website of WWE, the organization also known as World Wrestling Entertainment, a successor of the World Wide Wrestling Federation. No other details were provided, but a family friend and former wrestling announcer, Christopher Cruise, told The Associated Press that Sammartino had been hospitalized for two months. Sammartino lived in Pittsburgh.