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Ross Township Renames Park After Pro Wrestler Bruno Sammartino

Former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino poses with a painting of him in his Pittsburgh home.
Gene J. Puskar
/
AP
Former pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino poses with a painting of him in his Pittsburgh home.

A Pittsburgh suburb on Friday honored pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino by renaming a park in the longtime resident's honor.

Sangree Park in Ross Township will be known as Sammartino Park, after the man who lived in the community for more than 50 years.

Sammartino appeared in the ring between 1963 and 1987. He was the longest reigning champion in World Wrestling Entertainment history and was a member of its Hall of Fame. He was known as “The Living Legend."

Sammartino was born in Italy and survived World War II before his family joined his father in Pittsburgh in 1950.

"Bruno is an internationally known figure and a lot of people knew that he was from Pittsburgh but didn’t know that he lived in this community, in Ross Township” said Dan DeMarco, president of the Ross Township Board of Commissioners.

Sammartino died in 2018 at age 82. He was survived by his wife and three sons.

Associated Press