 RichF |
February 16th, 2011 21:51 GMT |
 
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Topics: 45
Replies: 270
Member
Post: #657839
PT: #1/10
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Anyone remember when Lou Albano and Tony Altamore teamed up as the Sicialians? How did the get over, who did they go against? I remember as a kid in the magazines there was a story and the headline was "The Sicilians Running out of Pacience"
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Topics: 158
Replies: 781
Member
Post: #657884
PT: #2/10
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I've heard different stories of how they were used in the WWWF, but they were booked by Bruno as the #1 heel team in the Pittsburgh area from the Spring of 1968 to September of 1969. Bruno brought Tony Altomore into the area in November, 1967 and asked Dr. Bill Miller to put him over, which he did, in December of 1967. Altomore beat Miller via COR in less than 10 minutes by raking his eyes with a piece of wood which the ref did not see, of course. I remember Tony telling Bill Cardille the following evening on Studio Wrestling that miller was 6'7", 315 pounds when he entered the ring, but 5', 200 pounds when he got through with him. Lou Albano came in a few month later and the Sicilians were formed. Their first big win was against the heel team of Bull Ramos and Baron Mikel Scicluna in March or April of 1968. They had a lot of semi-main and main events at the Civic Arena for over a year. They lost to Professor Tanaka and Mitsu Arakawa in September, 1969 and were actually cheered for the first time during that match. The "evil" Japanese duo won by throwing salt in Altomore's eyes and getting a pin. Ironically, the Sicilians were used in Sep 69 to help turn a returning Dr. Bill Miller face. Miller was against Albano in a one fall match on Studio Wrestling and Miller quickly put Albano in a backbraker submission in less than a minute! Altomore came in, and the Sicilians started working Miller over, and Battman made the save....great stuff! I never thought the Sicilians were that great in the ring, but they did draw some heat in their matches.
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Topics: 35
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Member
Post: #657911
PT: #3/10
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There is a good story I heard of Albano & Altimore meeting with lets just say a "figure head" in Chicago about The Sicilians tag team look!
Lets just say that they got called to a meeting and the main figure head told Lou & Tony he liked their look but to lose the white gloves. Well Lou when nuts and Tony had to tell him to relax. After that meeting Lou and Tony never wore the white gloves again.
By the way the "Figure Head" wasn't a wrestling promotor!!
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Topics: 75
Replies: 927
Member
Post: #658284
PT: #4/10
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They made a bizarre appearance on the Morton Downey TV show during its heyday. Naturally, the topic was about wrestling as a shoot or work. Though they were guests, they were on opposite sides of the loud dispute that ensued. Tony was in the audience and not acknowledged as being associated with Lou in the past. Albano, of course, was a relatively famous face at that point. Altomare was dressed like a gangster from the 1920s. It was all very strange. To top it off, Ted Arcidi was on the show, too.
Plunge is right about the big push in the late 60s in Pittsburgh. When the team broke up, Altomare stayed on to wrestle locally for a few more years.
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| "How much did they PAY for the PLASTIC SURGERY!!!!??"
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Topics: 3
Replies: 209
Member
Post: #658460
PT: #5/10
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Funny Altimore story, told to me by someone who worked there at the time. Apparently, he still had some ties to the WWF at this point and had been selling legit WWF merch, likely lifted from their warehouse, from the trunk of his car around arenas near his home in Ct. The night of a show in Hartford Stephanie spots a guy hawking shirts from his car a block from the show and when they come face to face that was the end of Altimore's connection to the WWF.
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Topics: 225
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Super Admin.
Post: #659567
PT: #6/10
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The Sicilians were one of my favorite teams. Something about their swagger intrigued me. Loved how they broke the rules. I've been told that Tony had a great knack of getting Albano all riled about things. Supposedly they were quite the pair.
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Topics: 29
Replies: 727
Member
Post: #659599
PT: #8/10
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After a spot show in New Castle,Pa.,Tony and Lou stopped at the Croton Cafe which was just down the street from Flaherty Field where the show was held.In Pa each customer was only allowed to purchase two six packs of beer.Tony came in and bought two,then Lou came in and did the same.Thus they had 24cans to last them on the long ride home.They drove in each weekend to Pittsburgh for spot shows,tv,and arena shows.
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Topics: 75
Replies: 927
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Post: #661411
PT: #9/10
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Quoted from: Eater of the Dead, March 05th, 2011 20:17 GMTQuoted from: Monessen, February 21st, 2011 18:12 GMTThey made a bizarre appearance on the Morton Downey TV show during its heyday. Naturally, the topic was about wrestling as a shoot or work. Though they were guests, they were on opposite sides of the loud dispute that ensued. Tony was in the audience and not acknowledged as being associated with Lou in the past. Albano, of course, was a relatively famous face at that point. Altomare was dressed like a gangster from the 1920s. It was all very strange. To top it off, Ted Arcidi was on the show, too.
Plunge is right about the big push in the late 60s in Pittsburgh. When the team broke up, Altomare stayed on to wrestle locally for a few more years.
Was Tonys past as a wrestler acknowledged at all? I take it Albano took the position it was a shoot and Altimore took the opposite position?
From what I recall, Lou was still in kayfabe mode. When Downey pressed him about pre-determined finishes, Lou reverted to his standard "Whenever I lost, it was always to the better man." So he really did still try to maintain it was a shoot.
Tony was there for some purpose that eluded me. His diction was thick and hard to understand. He was dressed like he was auditioning for Godfather III. He kept bellowing about something, but it wasn't clear.. But, no, they didn't acknowledge a history between the guys.
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| "How much did they PAY for the PLASTIC SURGERY!!!!??"
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Topics: 33
Replies: 548
Member
Post: #661430
PT: #10/10
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I have some footage of Altomore being a ref on wwf tv , and reffing matches which involved Albano wrestlers . No mention of any alliance.
Check out the footage where Albano trains Moohlah before the brawl to settle it all with Wendi Richter. During the training sessions Altomare is hanging around them with a kangol cap and a Mickey Mouse 3/4 shirt with cut tassels . Still no mention of any alliance.
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