The process of moving from one open window to another is called what? You can always change this later in your Account settings. He provided color commentary on WWF Championship Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling from 1972-76,[6] a role later filled by Sammartino. That said, Antonino Rocca did win his share of championship gold, including two prestigious, albeit regional, versions of the World title; the AWA (Ohio) and the Montreal Athletic Commission World Heavyweight championships. Antonio Rocca a.k.a. The ethnic factor also played a big part. Stanislaus Zbyszko He is generally considered as the box-office draw that helped bring wrestling back to Madison Square Garden, on a regular basis, for the first time since 1938. His fan following was passionate, as is evidenced by the famous riot that erupted at Madison Square Garden on a night in 1957 when Rocca was busted open by Dick the Bruiser. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He is survived by his second wife, Joyce, and his children, Mark, Eric and Natella. [citation needed], Rocca was depicted wrestling Superman on the cover of the Superman No. Wrestling / Antonino Rocca Trained by the Polish strongman Stanislaus Zbyszko in Argentina, Antonino Biasetton (13 April 1921 - 15 March 1977) was an Italian - Argentinian Professional Wrestler who competed from 1942-1976 as Antonino Rocca. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Commentary Career; Ratings; Comments; Personal Data. Apollo made his debut in 1960 in northeastern territories of NWA. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. He also had a successful tag team career, forming a popular tandem with Miguel Perez. He had a love for opera and was apparently described as having an excellent - if . He was part of the Chicago Comiskey Park shows in 1961, teaming with Antonino Rocca, and a popular star on Studio Wrestling during the 1960s. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. He began his career as a professional wrestler in 1942 and by incorporating some of the techniques he acquired as an acrobat and soccer player in Argentina with the traditional pro wrestling of the day, Rocca developed a style uniquely his own, one that was incredibly popular with fans. What is the difference between mango plants and maize plants in terms of root system? However, when this team failed to sell-out the Garden, the pair was split up to wrestle each other in the hopes that business would pick up, but it did not. It will open the lungs, strengthen and steady the heartbeat, tighten the skin, and improve over-all appearance. A spokesman for the Campbell Funeral Home said his body would be cremated. On February 25, 1977, in his last days, Rocca appeared with World Wide Wrestling Federation, officiating a boxing match between Gorilla Monsoon and Andr the Giant at the famed Madison Square Garden. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Ring names Family members linked to this person will appear here. His matches, often tagteam affairs with Miguel Perez of Puerto Rico, attracted sellout crowds, usually exceeding 20,000 at Madison Square Garden. Overview; Career; Titles; . Argentina Rocca Roles: Singles Wrestler Color Commentator Beginning of in-ring career: 1941 End of in-ring career: 1976 In-ring experience: 35 years Specifically: Ashes kept by family, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29542038/antonino-rocca. There was a problem getting your location. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He did this right up until his untimely death in 1977. Antonio Rocca a.k.a. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. He was even described by then National Wrestling Alliance generally recognized champion Pat O'Connor as the "uncrowned champion" in New York City, and it was O'Connor who, on television, challenged Rocca to a match (not held in New York City) to determine who was better. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Antonino Rocca Birthday and Date of Death. He weighed 224 pounds and was one of several recognized heavyweight champions of the world during his career. He was already over, clearly. He had his last match in 1975 when he teamed up with Luiz Martinez, to challenge the IWA world tagteam champions The Mongols (Geeto and Bolo Mongol) for the championship. Gimmick: Year: Promotion: Region: Location: Arena: Event type: How do the protagonist assert conflicts and resolutions on the hierarchical state of affairs of the country. Mondt shared Rocca with other promoters in the region, including a newcomer from Washington, D.C. named Vincent J. McMahon. Although Rocca never held a World Championship, it really didn't matter. This, along with his use of television, allowed McMahon to gain enough leverage to become the major player in the territory. The Times called the largest turnout of these three matches the all-time record for wrestling attendance at Madison Square Garden, although there is some question whether a Jim Londos-led event in the 1930s drew a few hundred more fans. [2] Championships and accomplishments [ edit] A Jacksonville, Florida, poster advertises Rocca Montreal Athletic Commission Failed to delete memorial. Try again later. Rocca was posthumously inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame the following year in 1996. He was recruited at the University of Rosario and was a star player for three years before drifting into pro wrestling. Antonino died on March 15, 1977, at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City after complications following an infection. Antonino,RoccaAntonino,Rocca,born,Antonino,Biasetton,,April,13,,1927,-,March,15,,1977,was,an,Italian,professional,wrestlerRocca,was,a,popular,fan,favorite,an. [5] He began his American professional wrestling career in the late 1940s in Texas. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Among his in-ring achievements, he was a 1x World (Capitol) Tag Team Champion, a 1x World (Montreal) Heavyweight Champion, a 2x NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion and a 1x WWC North American Tag Team Champion. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. He was a major box office draw for the New York City territory. Height: 6' 0" (183 cm) Weight . Before it was ever known as WWE, Antonino Rocca was the top Superstar in the company. There is a problem with your email/password. This was part of a series of three matches between the two held during a four-month period, when the pair earlier drew, on another night, almost as many fans to the Garden. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Live. During his professional wrestling career, he was known for his unique, acrobatic, off-the-ground, flying wrestling style. We have set your language to Last Known Residence . Gender: male. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. This is a carousel with slides. [2], Capitol Wrestling Corporation/World Wide Wrestling Federation (19491976), Learn how and when to remove this template message, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Ohio version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Northeast version), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation, CWC/WWWF International Heavyweight Championship, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, List of premature professional wrestling deaths, "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame", "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (19481990) (2003)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Antonino_Rocca&oldid=1113455962, This page was last edited on 1 October 2022, at 15:27. Antonino Biasetton: Date of death: 15 March 1977 New York City: Place of burial: unknown value; Work period (start) 1942; Country of citizenship: Italy (1946-1977) . Birthplace: Treviso, Italien. During the 1950's, Rocca was wrestling's biggest gate attraction, especially among Latin Americans. Antonino Argentina Rocca is one of the most influential performers that the sport of professional wrestling has ever known and a legitimate trailblazer in the genre of the high flying wrestler. The 1976 horror film Alice, Sweet Alice, featuring child actress Brooke Shields, includes Rocca in a bit part. Birth Place This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Help us build our profile of Angelino Rocca! Antonino Rocca would have been 53 years old at the time of death or 92 years old today. Antonino Rocca was born on April 23, 1923 and died on March 15, 1977. In the late 1950s, Rocca formed a partnership with Puerto Rican Superstar Miguel Perez, and the duo became the first holders of the United States Tag Team Championship, the title that would eventually evolve into today's World Tag Team Championship. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Thanks for your help! Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Back then, it was simply the Capitol Wrestling Corporation, and Rocca was the star of the show, drawing packed houses throughout the Northeast for Vincent J. McMahon. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Browse 25 antonino rocca stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. With the arrival of the 1960s, the establishment of the World Wide Wrestling Federation and main-event performers such as Nature Boy Buddy Rogers and Bruno Sammartino headlining the cards, an aging Rocca, despite his fame and drawing power, found himself being pushed out of the top spot hed enjoyed for so many years. Just a few months in his stint in the CWC, he teamed up with Johnny Valentine to win the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship from the team of the Fabulous Kangaroos(AL Costello and Roy Hefferman). Rocca was involved as a wrestler, but also as a referee in Japan during these years. Vincent Denigris (1938 - August 1984) was an Argentine professional wrestler better known by his ring name Vicente Denigris or Argentina Apollo (often Vittorio Argentina Apollo ). An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. 155 (August 1962) comic book. There is no cause of death listed for Antonino. Please try again later. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Antonino Argentina Rocca I found on Findagrave.com. Death Place Rocca had also been provided with new wrestler, Bruno Sammartino as a partner and second-banana in tag-team matches. [citation needed] In the early 1950s, he held two regionally recognized World Heavyweight Championships while still headlining nationwide, frequently in territories where other wrestlers were the recognized champions. He was a huge draw for the WWWF throughout the 50s and early 60s and headlined madison square garden on many occassions. Cloudflare Ray ID: 78b99aa02da12d52 He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995. [citation needed]. In 1959 and into 1960, Rocca worked briefly with veteran Kola Kwariani and under the controversial promoter, impresario and genuine manager of wrestlers, Jack Pfefer, who took effective control of the Garden's wrestling office. But Rocca was the first major Superstar promoted by the McMahon family, and no such list would be complete without him. Unconfirmed. After a demotion, and with the arrival of Buddy Rogers as the featured star at the Garden in 1961, within a few years Rocca left the WWWF and briefly set up a competing promotion (supported by Jim Crockett and others) based at the Sunnyside Arena in Queens, New York. He regularly earned more than $100,000 a year at his peak, and claimed in 1965 that he had never lost in 4,000 matches. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Antonino Rocca: def. Nothing, really, Antonino Rocca is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame (1995), Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1995), Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (1996), and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2003). He was responsible for the revival of the New York City Metropolitan-Area territory in the late 1940s, which would eventually become part of the modern day World Wrestling Entertainment. Death . In 1963, the Capitol (CWC) promotion may have left the NWA when it was renamed the World Wide Wrestling Federation. In the mid-1970s, he teamed up with Vince McMahon to handle the color commentary on the WWWF's weekly television show. They were never defeated after winning this title but the appellation was abandoned after about five years. Gender: male. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities with both Italian American and especially Hispanic audiences, his following was exceptionally large and loyal. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. As a soccer and rugby-player when he moved to Argentina, before World War II, and an overall athlete, Rocca was known for his unique, acrobatic, off-the-ground, flying wrestling style, which he probably invented, wowing audiences with his dazzling aerial maneuvers. . Merchandise Rocca, who was one of the biggest attractions on the circuit for 25 years, became ill while wrestling an exhibition in Puerto Rico two weeks ago and returned to New York. The two, along with their heel opponents, drew large crowds to Madison Square Garden on a regular basis. Learn more about merges. Make sure that the file is a photo. Rocca was involved as a professional wrestler, but also as a referee in Japan during the late 1960s and early 1970s. WWE history lists a tournament final to crown the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion as Buddy Rogers over Rocca on April 29, 1963 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but this tournament is fictitious. ). Try again later. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/16/archives/antonino-rocca-49-star-wrestler.html. Champions like Thesz, Rogers, and Carpentier all faced Rocca in sold out arenas around the country. Eventually McMahon Sr. took the New York territory back and built it by first featuring "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers and then, a few years later, the by-then charismatic Sammartino as its champion. They captured the defunct WWC North American Tag Team Championship on September 11, 1976 by defeating Los Infernos. Antonino Rocca was born on April 23, 1928 and died on May 15, 1977. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. He was trained by professional wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko in Argentina. 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