| Angelo Savoldi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Mario Louis Fornini |
| Born | (1914-04-21)April 21, 1914 Castrocielo,Italy |
| Died | September 20, 2013(2013-09-20) (aged 99) Parsipanny, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Angelo Savoldi |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Billed weight | 210 lb (95 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Hoboken, New Jersey[1] |
| Debut | 1937[1][2] |
| Retired | 1972[2] |
Mario Louis Fornini (April 21, 1914 – September 20, 2013) was an Italian/Americanprofessional wrestler and wrestling promoter, better known professionally asAngelo Savoldi. At the time of his death, he was known as the world's oldest retired wrestler at the age of 99.[3]
Fornini was born inCastrocielo, Italy in 1914.[2] At the age of five, he and his family moved to the United States, where they lived inHoboken, New Jersey.[2] As a child, Fornini was reportedly friends withFrank Sinatra.[2] He first began to wrestle at A. J. Demarest High School (since replaced byHoboken High School), but left during theGreat Depression to get a job cutting metal at the Cleveland Container.[2]
Fornini's brotherLou was aprofessional wrestler inNew York, and so Fornini approached New York promoterJack Pfefer. Pfefer christened him "Angelo Savoldi", and, billed as the brother ofJoe Savoldi, he began wrestling in 1937.[2] By 1938, Savoldi was regularly wrestling throughout the Northeastern United States.[2] DuringWorld War II, Fornini joined theUnited States Navy.[2] He later worked inPuerto Rico, becoming the first American to main event in that region.[4]
It was in the 1950s that Savoldi became a star in theOklahoma region, as a junior heavyweight (a term for lightweight). Wrestling as aheel (villainous character), he held theNWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship three times between 1958 and 1964.[2] In Oklahoma, Savoldifeuded withDanny Hodge. On May 27, 1960, Savoldi and Hodge were facing off in a match, when Savoldi was stabbed with apen knife by an angry fan that turned out to be Hodge's father.[2]
Savoldi finished his in-ring career with theWorld Wide Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) from 1963 to 1972 putting over the promotion'sfaces. He was also a trainer of younger wrestlers,[1] withJack Brisco andHercules Ayala Cortez among them. In the 1970s Savoldi was a minority business partner in the WWWF.[1]
In 1984 Angelo, with his sons Mario, Tom andJoseph Savoldi, establishedInternational Championship Wrestling (ICW) in the Northeastern region.[2] Joseph was a featured wrestler for the promotion. Angelo received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2003, and was inducted into theProfessional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004.
Fornini and his wife were married for 74 years, and had four sons.[2] They lived inParsippany,New Jersey, where Fornini owned a record shop with his son Mario.[2][5]
Fornini died at his home on September 20, 2013, at the age of 99.[3][6] On the September 23, 2013, episode ofWWE Raw, a short "in memoriam" video narrated byVince McMahon was aired.[7]
Lake Parsippany resident Angelo Savoldi, now 93 years old, has wrestled against some of the greatest men ever to enter the ring, and was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004.
,Internet Wrestling Database