Tony Marino
Encyclopedia
Tony Silipini is a former American
born Italian
professional wrestler
who is best known as Tony Marino.
he was called Dino Lanza.
, who had purchased the promotional office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, brought Marino into Pittsburgh as "Battman" and installed him as a major wrestler in the territory. As The Battman, Marino became a fixture and very popular wrestler on Pittsburgh's very popular Studio Wrestling
TV show. By 1970 the Batman gimmick was phased out.
Bruno Sammartino. Marino wrestled with a mask as "The Battman" on the Pittsburgh circuit.
in Madison Square Garden, where they defeated International Tagteam Champions Professor Toru Tanaka & Mitsu Arakawa in 2 straight falls. Marino and Rivera were the tag champions for almost seven months. Along the way, they scored wins over Killer Kowalski and Waldo Von Erich at Madison Square Garden, and Kowalski & Krippler Karl Kovacs at Sunnyside Gardens, Queens, NY. On June 15, 1970, they lost their titles 2 falls to 1 to The Mongols, the team of Bepo Mongol
and Geto Mongol
. Both tagteams were undefeated up to that point. In 1972, Marino left WWWF.
territories. In December 1972, he defeated Kurt Von Hess
and Karl Von Shotz along with Fred Curry
to win the Detroit version of NWA World Tag Team Championship
. On January 5, 1973, they lost the titles back to Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz. They received their second Detroit titles on February 2 and lost it back to Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz on February 18.
Marino had then notable feuds
with The Stomper, Ben Justice and Killer Tim Brooks
. In 1974, he formed a tag team with Bobo Brazil
. They defeated Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz to win the Detroit titles. Marino got his third Detroit Tag Team Championship. The titles were held up in June 1974 in match against Ben Justice and Killer Tim Brooks. They won rematch on June 15. They lost their titles to Killer Tim Brooks and Abdullah the Butcher
. They defeated Killer Tim Brooks and Abdullah the Butcher and received the titles back. They lost the titles to The Mongols and this was Marino's final Detroit Tag Team Championship. He retired from wrestling in 1987.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
born Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
who is best known as Tony Marino.
Early career
Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the country. In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
he was called Dino Lanza.
World Wide Wrestling Federation (1966-1972)
With the Batman craze sweeping the country in 1966, Marino created a wrestling version of the superhero. His custom outfits were created by Karl & Hildegarde's of Columbus, Ohio. He debuted the persona in the Buffalo, NY area and had a smaller wrestler dressed as Robin. Bruno SammartinoBruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
, who had purchased the promotional office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, brought Marino into Pittsburgh as "Battman" and installed him as a major wrestler in the territory. As The Battman, Marino became a fixture and very popular wrestler on Pittsburgh's very popular Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hosted by Bill Cardille through most of its run, although he...
TV show. By 1970 the Batman gimmick was phased out.
Teaming with Bruno Sammartino
He formed a tag team with WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Bruno Sammartino. Marino wrestled with a mask as "The Battman" on the Pittsburgh circuit.
Teaming with Victor Rivera
On December 9, Tony teamed with Victor RiveraVictor Rivera
Víctor Rivera is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended up in sixth place at the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan. In the same year the wing-spiker was named Best Spiker at the NORCECA Championship in Anaheim...
in Madison Square Garden, where they defeated International Tagteam Champions Professor Toru Tanaka & Mitsu Arakawa in 2 straight falls. Marino and Rivera were the tag champions for almost seven months. Along the way, they scored wins over Killer Kowalski and Waldo Von Erich at Madison Square Garden, and Kowalski & Krippler Karl Kovacs at Sunnyside Gardens, Queens, NY. On June 15, 1970, they lost their titles 2 falls to 1 to The Mongols, the team of Bepo Mongol
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
and Geto Mongol
Newton Tattrie
Newton Tattrie is a retired professional wrestler who started his career in the 1960s working for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. During his career, Tattrie wrestled all over the globe, wrestling for promotions across the US and Canada, Africa, Japan,...
. Both tagteams were undefeated up to that point. In 1972, Marino left WWWF.
National Wrestling Alliance (1972-1987)
In 1972, Marino started traveling in National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
territories. In December 1972, he defeated Kurt Von Hess
Bill Terry (wrestler)
Bill Terry was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Kurt Von Hess, who competed in North American and international promotions during the 1970s and '80s, including International Wrestling Enterprise, Maple Leaf Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling...
and Karl Von Shotz along with Fred Curry
Fred Curry (wrestler)
Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. better known by his ring name ”Flyin'” Fred Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. The son of "Wild Bull" Curry, Fred Koury was one of the most popular stars in the Midwest United States during the 1960s.-Career:In the 1960s, Koury, Jr. took up...
to win the Detroit version of NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)
The Detroit, Michigan version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1964 until 1980, when the Detroit promotion closed.-Title history:...
. On January 5, 1973, they lost the titles back to Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz. They received their second Detroit titles on February 2 and lost it back to Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz on February 18.
Marino had then notable feuds
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with The Stomper, Ben Justice and Killer Tim Brooks
Killer Tim Brooks
Timothy Paul Brooks is a retired American professional wrestler, better-known by his ring name "Killer Tim Brooks". He competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, Pacific Northwest Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling during the 1970s and...
. In 1974, he formed a tag team with Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
. They defeated Kurt Von Hess and Karl Von Shotz to win the Detroit titles. Marino got his third Detroit Tag Team Championship. The titles were held up in June 1974 in match against Ben Justice and Killer Tim Brooks. They won rematch on June 15. They lost their titles to Killer Tim Brooks and Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
. They defeated Killer Tim Brooks and Abdullah the Butcher and received the titles back. They lost the titles to The Mongols and this was Marino's final Detroit Tag Team Championship. He retired from wrestling in 1987.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Abdominal stretch
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA DetroitNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)The Detroit, Michigan version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship existed from 1964 until 1980, when the Detroit promotion closed.-Title history:...
(7 times) - with Fred CurryFred Curry (wrestler)Fred Thomas Koury, Jr. better known by his ring name ”Flyin'” Fred Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. The son of "Wild Bull" Curry, Fred Koury was one of the most popular stars in the Midwest United States during the 1960s.-Career:In the 1960s, Koury, Jr. took up...
(4) & Bobo BrazilBobo BrazilHouston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
(3)
- World Wide Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWWF International Tag Team ChampionshipWWF International Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWF International Tag Team Championship was a tag team championship in the World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1969 to 1972 and in the renamed World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for a short time in 1985.-Title history:-See also:...
(2 times) - with Bruno SammartinoBruno SammartinoBruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
(1) & Victor RiveraVictor RiveraVíctor Rivera is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended up in sixth place at the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan. In the same year the wing-spiker was named Best Spiker at the NORCECA Championship in Anaheim...
(1)
- Other titles
- West Virginia Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with José Marino