RIP Bruno Sammartino

[Shrike02]

  On 4/19/2018 at 2:49 AM, Ricky Jackson said:

And for those a bit more adventurous, one of my favorite Bruno matches, vs Spiros Arion 2/17/75 MSG

 

 

The finishing stretch and the crowd reaction to Bruno's final comeback in this match is completely awesome.

[flyonthewall2983]

[Al]

Thought this after the Jericho interview but man, Sammartinos mother was a goddamned saint.

[SirEdger]

That video package hit me right in the feels yesterday. Now, I need to see that Bruno doc they aired on the Network yesterday.

[flyonthewall2983]

Just finished the doc. First time seeing a lot of this footage, especially Hansen breaking his neck. You can even tell in Stan's body language when he did it that he knew he fucked up that slam.

[PeteF3]

Wow--I believe footage of the actual neck-breaking is considered Holy Grail stuff (there's been long-circulating partial footage of the match, but not the botched slam, if I have the story right).

[fxnj]

So sad seeing Vince's face at 3:20 of the WWE tribute. Looks like he cried quite a bit when they filmed that clip.

[flyonthewall2983]

  On 4/25/2018 at 3:24 AM, PeteF3 said:

Wow--I believe footage of the actual neck-breaking is considered Holy Grail stuff (there's been long-circulating partial footage of the match, but not the botched slam, if I have the story right).

 

The show itself was broadcast on HBO and is otherwise notable for being Ric Flair's first match at MSG (which was on his first DVD). I don't know if it ever aired on WWE's pre-Network on-demand services, though.

[Ricky Jackson]

  On 4/25/2018 at 12:12 PM, flyonthewall2983 said:

 

  On 4/25/2018 at 3:24 AM, PeteF3 said:

 

Wow--I believe footage of the actual neck-breaking is considered Holy Grail stuff (there's been long-circulating partial footage of the match, but not the botched slam, if I have the story right).

The show itself was broadcast on HBO and is otherwise notable for being Ric Flair's first match at MSG (which was on his first DVD). I don't know if it ever aired on WWE's pre-Network on-demand services, though.

Flair's first MSG match was actually on the 3/1/76 show, and that is the one on his first DVD. His second MSG match was indeed on the show headlined by Bruno vs Hansen, but that match, against Frankie Williams, has never surfaced that I'm aware.

 

Also, the botched bodyslam did make at least one other appearance on tape, on an episode of the old Tom Weaver Greatest Sports Legends show devoted to Bruno, in a blink and you miss it montage of Bruno's greatest foes

[flyonthewall2983]

Cause of death was revealed as organ failure due to heart issues stemming from the rheumatic fever he acquired at 12 years old. People with those issues aren't expected to live past 60. Puts it all in a new light. Imagine if he never had that fever he could very well have lived past 100 without those conditions.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

  On 4/27/2018 at 6:36 AM, flyonthewall2983 said:

Cause of death was revealed as organ failure due to heart issues stemming from the rheumatic fever he acquired at 12 years old. People with those issues aren't expected to live past 60. Puts it all in a new light. Imagine if he never had that fever he could very well have lived past 100 without those conditions.

 

The man was just a beast.

[Al]

Of course without the fever he may not have been inspired to take up weightlifting.