Free Republic

Professional wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino has died at 82, WWE announced Wednesday. A sickly, malnourished immigrant boy when he first came to America, Sammartino transformed himself into one of the strongest men in the world, winning the respect and love of legions of immigrants who found hope in his message that hard work brings reward. “You just knew this guy was a nobody,” said Marty Lazzaro, a fan as a kid who became Sammartino's friend and spokesman in adulthood. “But he came here, worked hard, got big and strong and made something of himself. These people weren't just rooting for...

Harry Fujiwara known to WWE fans as Mr. Fuji, died Sunday morning. The five-time WWE World Tag Team Champion was known for his black tuxedo and bowler hat and his trademark move of grabbing a handful of salt (hidden in a small bag in his tights) and throwing it in the eyes of his opponents to “blind” them.

Chief Jay Strongbow, the WWWF star who died today, was always a pretty matter of fact guy, someone who saw his role as a star wrestler as a job and never expressed a great love of the business.

WWE Hall of Famer 'Big Cat' Ernie Ladd passed away after a three year battle with cancer at the age of 68. Before entering the squared circle, Ladd was a player for the San Diego Chargers in NFL and won the American Football League title with the Chargers in 1963. He later joined Houston Oilers and then Kansas City Chiefs before moving to wrestling. Ladd debuted for the WWWF in 1968, managed by The Grand Wizard and had feuds with Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund and Andre The Giant. Upon leaving the WWF he joined Bill Watts in the mid-South and...

Today's fans know him best as the patriarch of a three-generation wrestling family. But during his prime, Bob Orton lined up against everyone from Lou Thesz and Bruno Sammartino to Ed Asner, and there's no doubt that he prided himself in giving them all they could handle. Orton died Sunday night in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas, a week before his 77th birthday. He had suffered a heart attack on Friday at home, and another at the hospital. "He had an eight hour surgery that gave him a 20 percent chance to survive; he did, but about 10 hours...