Bruno Sammartino, a former heavyweight wrestling champion who died Wednesday at the age of 82, was once asked if professional wrestling matches were fixed. The Italian immigrant bristled at suggestions that he had ever taken a fall and that his injuries were all too real.
"I would be a fool to tell you that there was no fixing," he told The Washington Post in 1980 as his career wound down. "You ask if wrestling is for real? Well, I think my own body answers that question. I have broken more bones than any of the others -- my neck, my collarbone, both arms, wrists, knuckles, all of my ribs, my back. A hairline fracture of the kneecap. My jaw has been wired and rewired. It's incredible to think people would fake that."
In 1959, Sammartino signed a $250-a-week contract with Capitol Pro Wrestling, owned by Vincent J. McMahon and Joseph Mondt, and wrestled in Pennsylvania, New York and other states. McMahon and Mondt later formed the World Wide Wrestling Federation and awarded its heavyweight title to "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in April 1963.
A month later, Sammartino faced Rogers at New York's Madison Square Garden for the title. Rogers was supposed to win. But in a story often told in wrestling circles, Sammartino broke the bad news to Rogers in the ring.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Sammartino said.
He pinned Rogers in 48 seconds.
A friendship
Two years ago, former first lady Barbara Bush posed for a picture with Houston Texans star J.J. Watt. Bush donned a pair of shoulder pads for the photo, which was used in a "tackling illiteracy" campaign.
"I'm looking at her, I'm like, this is the former First Lady of the United States and she has shoulder pads on and eye black and she's with me and we're talking literacy and she's cracking jokes with me between takes," Watt said. "I was like, I don't know what gets better than this. It was special. I've been over to her house and we've have had cookies together and we've done events. She's just as sweet as can be and is a lot of fun to hang around with and I'm very fortunate to know her."
Bush passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92.
"Rest In Peace Mrs. Barbara Bush," Watt wrote on Twitter. "You were a beautiful light in this world and I am forever thankful for your friendship."
Horsing around
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has bought a minority stake in a racehorse that is named after him and will race in the Kentucky Derby.
The 3-year-old colt named Gronk will run at Churchill Downs on May 5. Phoenix Thoroughbreds, a global horse racing investment fund, purchased the horse for more than $400,000 in England last year. Trainer Jeremy Noseda's family are big Patriots fans, so the horse was named after the player.
Terms of the deal with Gronkowski were not revealed.
Reached by the Wall Street Journal, Gronkowski said he hopes to meet the horse a few days before the Derby.
"I've never dealt with horses," he said. "Hopefully I can get a ride on the horse."
Sports quiz
What actor/politician inducted Bruno Sammartino into the WWE Hall of Fame?
Sports answer
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sports on 04/19/2018