| Buddy Rogers v.s. Bruno Sammartino May 17, 1963 Madison Square Garden, New York City On May 17, 1963 Bruno Sammartino defeated "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers to win the World Wide Wrestling Federation heavyweight championship title. Bruno would successfully defend and keep his world championship title for nearly eight years, a feat no other wrestler has been able to match. After losing the title to Ivan Koloff in 1971 Sammartino would win back the championship from Stan Stasiak in 1973. He would successfully defend the title for three more years until losing a controversial match against "Superstar" Billy Graham. The following photographs are from Bruno's championship match against Buddy Rogers. The match lasted just 48 seconds as Sammartino lifted Rogers up on his shoulders for a "backbreaker". Rogers surrendered the match and title to Sammartino. |
| On June 3, 1963 Bruno Sammartino returned to Pittsburgh's Civic Arena for his first defense of the championship title. Bruno met Hans "The Great" Montier for a best of three rounds title match. The following are newspaper articles from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. They are used here for historical preservation purposes only. |
| Saturday June 1, 1963 Civic Arena Mat show Complete Promoter Toots Mondt has completed the card for his all star wrestling show at the Civic Arena Monday night with the closing of a match between Frank Holtz of Pittsburgh and Wild Bill Scholl of Columbus, O. Topping the card will be a joust between Bruno Sammartino and Hans (The Great) Montier for the World Wide Wrestling Federation title, held by Sammartino. In other matches, The Shadow will meet Bobo Brazil; Johnny Valentine and Ace Freeman will go against the Kangaroos; Baron Gattoni will oppose two men, Jerry Dorsey and Ivan Zukoff; Johnny DeFazio will meet Tommy O'Toole. Tickets for the show are still available at the Civic Arena, Kaufmann's, Horne's, and the Travel Ticket agency, Penn-Sheraton Hotel. |
| Bruno Sammartino v.s. Hans "The Great" Montier June 3, 1963 Civic Arena - Pittsburgh, PA |
| Monday June 3, 1963 Sammartino Risks Mat Title Tonight Bruno Sammartino risks his newly-attained World Wide Federation heavyweight championship when he meets Hans (The Great) Montier, claimant on the International crown, in the main event of the all-star wrestling show at the Civic Arena tonight. Sammartino won the title by beating Buddy Rogers several weeks ago. Montier, the husky from Nuremberg, Germany, has been recognized as the European ruler. The Shadow will grapple Bobo Brazil, the giant from Benton Harbor, Mich., and the Kangaroos from Australia will meet Johnny Valentine and Ace Freeman, a popular pair, in a tag team match. Baron Gattoni, the 310 pounder, will take on two opponents, Ivan Zukoff and Jerry Dorsey, in a handicap event, with Johnny DeFazio, Mt. Washington, going against Bull Johnson, Hamilton, Ont., Duke Hoffman, Buffalo, meeting Tommy O'Toole, Phoenix, Ariz., and Frank Holtz, Pittsburgh, opposing Wild Bill Scholl, Columbus, O. The show will get under way at 8:30. Tickets are still on sale at Kaufmann's, Horne's, the Civic Arena, and the Travel Ticket Agency, Penn-Sheraton Hotel. |
| Tuesday June 4, 1963 Sammartino Retains His Wrestling Crown Bruno Beats The Great Montier, Two Falls To One, At Civic Arena Bruno Sammartino of Allison Park retained his World Wide Wrestling Federation heavyweight title by scoring two falls over Hans (The Great) Montier of Nuremberg, Germany, in the main event of the mat show held at the civic arena last night. Montier, 250, was credited with the first fall at 6:37 with a full nelson. He fell to the floor backwards with Sammartino on top, and Referee Paddy Grimes gave him the fall. Bruno won the next fall with a bear hug at 5:03 and picked off the clincher when the two repeated their first fall. This time Sammartino was awarded the pin at 6:17. A crowd of 5,376 paid $15,283.42 to watch the show. Bobo Brazil, Benton Harbor, Mich., won by disqualification over the Shadow, 263, at 4:52. The Shadow was penalized by Referee Izzy Moidel for punching with a foreign object in his hand. The Kangaroos, Roy Heffernan and Al Costello, scored a fall over Ace Freeman and Argentine Apollo to win the tag team match at 10:14. In other matches, Baron Gattoni, Piamonti, Italy, 310, pinned Jerry Dorsey, Toronto, Ont., 230, at 7:52 and Ivan Zukoff, Moscow, 230, at 2:03 in a handicap event; Duke Hoffman, Omaha, 250, felled Tommy O'Toole, Phoenix, 245, at 15:53; John DeFazio, Mt. Washington, 218, used a cradle hold to flop Bull Johnson, Winnipeg, Can., 227, at 12:23 and Frank Holtz, Carnegie, 223, flipped Wild Bill Scholl, Columbus, O., 230, with a body slam at 10:11. |