Dec. 14, 1964 - Christmas came early for Bruno Sammartino, who regained wrestling’s “diamond-studded” championship belt at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Before a crowd of 11,803, Sammartino, a 260‐pound athlete from Abruzzi, Italy, caught Gene Kiniski coming off the ropes, then applied a reverse full nelson to the stunned 265-pound Canadian. The time was 19:24.
As Al Mitchell, the ring announcer, placed the belt around Sammartino’s waist, Bruno lifted Mitchell high into the air and carried him around the ring.
The gross receipts for the final Garden mat card of the year were $35,726.
In the semifinal, Haystack Calhoun, who supposedly weighs 618, of Morgans Corner, Ark., was awarded the decision over Gorilla Monsoon, a 352‐pound Manchurian.
In other matches, Jerry and Eddie Graham, combined weight 540, of Phoenix, Ariz., defeated Bobo Brazil, 276, of Benton Harbor, Mich., and Gentleman Jim Hady, 230, of Detroit in 9:17.
Steve Stanlee, 228, of Hollywood, Calif., pinned Kenny Ackles, 219, of Santa Monica, Calif., in 10:06. Luke Graham, 278, of Phoenix and Don McClarity, 265, of Omaha, Neb., drew.
In a tag‐team exhibition, Waldo von Erich, 257, of Berlin, and Smasher Sloan, 260, of Butte, Mont., defeated Miguel Perez and Pedro Morales, combined weight 450, of Puerto Rico in 25:42.
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