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PRINTER'S NO. 3487
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
899
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY D. COSTA, MURT, TOOHIL, BERNSTINE, QUIGLEY,
DiGIROLAMO, O'NEILL, BARRAR, RYAN, MILLARD, HEFFLEY, WARD,
MARSHALL, MARSICO AND SAYLOR, MAY 3, 2018
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 3, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the life of former heavyweight wrestling champion
and Pennsylvania hero, Bruno Sammartino, and expressing
condolences on his passing.
WHEREAS, Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in
Pizzoferrato, Italy, on October 6, 1935; and
WHEREAS, Bruno was the youngest of Alfonso and Emilia
Sammartino's seven children and spent his childhood in the
Abruzzo region of Italy; and
WHEREAS, In 1939 Bruno's father immigrated to the United
States, although the remaining Sammartino family members were
not able to reach the United States until years later, having
been faced with significant obstacles to immigration brought on
by World War II; and
WHEREAS, While the war was ongoing, during a period of German
occupation, Bruno and his family fled Nazi forces, escaping into
the mountains of Abruzzo where they hid for approximately 14
months; and
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WHEREAS, After the war, Bruno and other members of the
Sammartino family immigrated to the United States, settling in
Pittsburgh where they were reunited with Bruno's father; and
WHEREAS, The war left Bruno malnourished and sickly, and he
would later recall that he weighed only 90 pounds when he first
arrived in the United States; and
WHEREAS, His poor health and limited English speaking ability
made Bruno the target of bullies at Schenley High School; and
WHEREAS, As a result, Bruno became determined to work towards
becoming physically fit through weightlifting and wrestling; and
WHEREAS, By the time Bruno graduated from high school in
1953, he had attained remarkable physical prowess and weighed
225 pounds; and
WHEREAS, Over the next several years, Bruno continued to lift
weights and train, eventually setting a world record by bench
pressing 565 pounds; and
WHEREAS, In 1959 Bruno married Carol Teyssier, and in the
same year signed a $250 a week contract with Capitol Pro
Wrestling; and
WHEREAS, In 1963, wrestling in the World Wide Wrestling
Federation, Bruno pinned heavyweight wrestling champion Buddy
Rogers at Madison Square Garden, marking the beginning of
Bruno's championship career; and
WHEREAS, Bruno reigned as heavyweight wrestling champion from
1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977, holding the title for
more than 12 years in total, the longest running champion of the
World Wide Wrestling Federation and the longest world
championship reign in professional wrestling history; and
WHEREAS, Bruno retired from full-time professional wrestling
in 1981, although he later appeared in a few exhibition matches
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and became a wrestling commentator during the early 1980s; and
WHEREAS, In 1987 Bruno officially retired and left the
professional wrestling industry; and
WHEREAS, Bruno was inducted into the World Wrestling
Entertainment's Hall of Fame in 2013; and
WHEREAS, Sadly, on April 18, 2018, Bruno Sammartino died at
82 years of age; and
WHEREAS, Despite his early life experience being one of
adversity, given his humble background, his childhood in war
torn Italy and having to adapt to a new culture as an
adolescent, Bruno ultimately achieved great success; and
WHEREAS, His life story exemplifies how the American Dream
can be achieved through hard work and an unwavering spirit; and
WHEREAS, Bruno not only developed his phenomenal physique and
performed feats of great strength, he forged a meaningful life
as a proud resident of his adopted hometown of Pittsburgh and as
a loving husband and father; and
WHEREAS, While his career led him around the world where he
gained great acclaim performing in front of sellout crowds,
Bruno remained a humble and sincere man who was extremely proud
of his heritage and of his Pittsburgh roots where he was first
recognized as the "Italian Strongman," not only for his
athleticism, but for his genuine good guy personality that has
made him such an endearing figure; and
WHEREAS, It is for these reasons that Bruno will always be
remembered as a hometown hero and the embodiment of a great
Pennsylvanian; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
life and accomplishments of Bruno Sammartino and extend
condolences to his family, friends and admirers.
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