 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1929[1] |
| Died | March 20, 2010[4] (aged 80) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer[5] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Mike Valentino[1] Baron Mikel Scicluna[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2] |
| Billed weight | 256 lb (116 kg)[2] |
| Billed from | Isle of Malta[1] |
| Debut | 1953[1] |
| Retired | November 16, 1987 |
Mikel Scicluna (July 29, 1929 – March 20, 2010) was a Malteseprofessional wrestler who gained his fame during the 1960s and 1970s.[6] He reached the peak of his success inWWWF where he was 2-time tag-team champion, having held theUnited States Tag Team championship once and theWWE World Tag Team Championship once.
Scicluna started wrestling during the 1950s,[7] and used the name Mike Valentino early in his career. Scicluna worked primarily inCanada until 1965, when he ventured to theWorld Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), now known as WWE, using his most famous moniker "Baron" Mikel Scicluna.[1]
Scicluna was famous for entering the ring with a royal blue cape over his shoulders, indicating that he was of Maltese royal descent. Scicluna was also known for being a master of the "foreign object", mainly utilizing a roll of coins to bash opponents out of sight of the referee.[1] He enjoyed success as a tag team wrestler, winning theWWWF United States Tag Team Championship withSmasher Sloan on September 22, 1966, inWashington, D.C. (though they eventually lost the belts in the same city toSpiros Arion andAntonio Pugliese), then theWWWF World Tag Team Championship withKing Curtis Iaukea on February 1, 1972, inPhiladelphia.[8][9]
In singles competition, Scicluna defeated Spiros Arion for Australia'sIWA World Championship on June 15, 1968, and would challengeBruno Sammartino andPedro Morales for theWWWF Championship from time to time. One of his biggest career wins was pinningWaldo Von Erich in six minutes at Madison Square Garden, prior to two Garden title matches with Sammartino. In the first match at MSG against Sammartino he was disqualified; Sammartino scored the pin in a rematch. Scicluna went on to lose a series of matches to Spiros Arion.[1] In June 1976, Scicluna found himself part of history, as the opponent forGorilla Monsoon on the night Monsoon engaged in an impromptu tussle with boxing greatMuhammad Ali. Scicluna was wrestling Monsoon in a televised match and was sent over the top rope to the floor after receiving a Manchurian Chop. Scicluna waved off his opponent and walked off, taking a countout loss. From there, Ali entered the ring from the audience and tried to jab at Monsoon. Monsoon responded by dropping Ali with an airplane spin. This angle was a part of the buildup towardAli's infamous boxer vs. wrestler match withAntonio Inoki later in the month.[1]
Scicluna retired from active competition in 1983.[1] On November 16, 1987, Sciculuna returned to theWorld Wrestling Federation for a one-night appearance at a house show in East Rutherford, New Jersey participating in a Legends Battle Royal won byLou Thesz. After that, he retired from wrestling. He was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fameclass of 1996.[1]
He was the son of Vincenzo Scicluna and Maria (née Catania) who were married in Mosta, Malta, on 27 August 1927. He was named after his paternal grandfather Michele Scicluna. In retirement, he lived inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] He also worked as a driver for theNew York Times.[3] He had a wife, Gloria, and one son.[3] Scicluna died March 20, 2010, from pancreatic cancer.[3]
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