| Monday January 8, 1962 |
| The following newspaper articles were originally published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper. They appear here for historical preservational purposes only. Big Mat Card Featured At Auditorium Antonino (Argentine) Rocca, the pride of the Italians, South Americans, and Puerto Ricans, will tangle with Crusher Lisowski, the Polish Powerhouse, in the main match of Promoter Toots Mondt's all-star wrestling show at the Civic Auditorium tonight. The top-ranking pair will meet in a three-fall affair, with the winner getting a possible title shot with Buddy Rogers, the current champion. In other topnotch singles matches, Johnny Valentine will meet Big Moose Cholak, a 410-pounder; Bruno Sammartino, local Italian strong- man, will go against Mr. America Stanlee, another muscleman; Ace Freeman, Hungarian champ, will oppose Red Berry; Man Mountain Campbell will tangle with Alex Kostopoulos, Angelo Savoldi will grapple Zivko Kovacic and Chet Wallick will encounter Billy Fox. Two tag team matches will round out the card. In one, the Kangaroos, world champs, will pit their rough stuff against Bearcat Wright and Sweet Daddy Siki, the Jamaicans. The midgets Sky Low Low and Fuzzy Cupid will rassle Little Beaver and Tiny Tim in the other four man match. The show will get under way at 8:30 and tickets for the show will be available at the Civic Auditorium all day. |
| Rocco Knocks Himself Out! Crusher Gains Mat Win Crusher Lisowski of Milwaukee was a winner over Antonine (Argentine) Rocco in the main event of Promoter Toots Mondt's wrestling show at the Civic Auditorium last night. The 240-pound Polish Powerhouse gained the edge when Rocco, 229, missed with a flying kick and landed on the floor outside the ring where he was counted out. The Crusher won the first fall after 5:49 with a body slam. Rocco came back 4:42 later to make the Crusher submit with a back breaker. The finish came at 1:56 with Referee Izzy Moidel toiling over the prostrate Rocco. Bruno Sammartino, 250, Allison Park, put a bear hug on Mr. America Stanlee, 240, Hollywood, Cal., to win at 8:03 and it took Johnny Valentine, 240, Seattle, only 42 seconds to dispose of Man Mountain Campbell, who was making his second appearance of the night. Big Moose Cholak, Valentine's opponent failed to arrive in time for the bout and Campbell substituted for him. Valentine wound it up in a hurry with a "nut-cracker" and body press. Ace Freeman, 213, New York, defeated Red Berry, 210, Pittsburgh, Kan., at 9:53 and the midget team of Brown Panther and Tiny Tim scored two out of three falls over Sky Low Low and Fuzzy Cupid. The crowd was announced at 8086 and the gate was $20,435. Zivko Kovacic, 220, Northside, pinned Angelo Savoldi, 220, Hoboken N.J., with a reverse full nelson at 9:46. Alexandros Kostopoulos, 225, Athens, Greece, continued his winning ways in a "heady" bout with Gypsy Joe. A local grappler, Steve Novak, Lawrenceville, employed the cobra twist (not a dance) to subdue Man Mountain Cambell, 330, Elkdon, Md., after 9:22. The Bonecracker, a Squirrel Hill product, 215, consumed only 39 seconds before making Gordon Zarbo, 220, Cleveland, yell quits with a full nelson. In the opener, Chuck Wallick 215, Youngstown, O., felled Billy Fox, 210, Cleveland, with a boston crab, at 12:56. The Kangaroos world tag champs, scored the first and third falls to beat Bearcat Wright and Sweet Daddy Siki in a tag team match which followed the main event. |