Cardille, DeFazio Headline KSWA 2014 HOF Class

By “Trapper” Tom Leturgey

The final pieces are starting to fall into place for the Keystone State Wrestling (KSWA) Alliance Hall of Fame in Pittsburgh, PA. The annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament has been a showcase, designed to honor the future of the professional wrestling business, and boast of its rich past.

Upon its inception, the Joe Abby Tournament and Hall of Fame ceremony has been a way the pay tribe to the “territory” that was Pittsburgh and specifically, the “Studio Wrestling” brand that remains prodigious in Western Pennsylvania to this very day. Initial honorees in 2008 were “Killer” Joe Abby and Frank Durso, the Studio Wrestling charlatan and onetime “Advisor” to the VIPs of the KSWA. 

Abby, who lived and worked in and around the Lawrenceville neighborhood within the city of Pittsburgh, lived from 1931 to 1996. He was known as a “man of all trades” who worked as a food salesman, repo man and professional wrestler. Durso, born in 1937, just recently celebrated his 77th birthday. Not more than two years ago, Durso was biting the foreheads of anyone who got in the way of the original VIPs “The Enforcer” Shawn Blanchard or “Dr. Devastation” Lou Martin. Durso, who was a mainstay in Studio Wrestling, returned to the wrestling ring in a tag team match on February 26, 2006. In a rare twist of fortunes, Durso won the KSWA Golden Triangle Championship for mere moments on May 7, 2011. Then-KSWA Owner Bobby O caught Durso cheating, had the match restarted, and Durso lost the title three slaps to the mat later.

In 2009, Brownsville, PA native Bill Eadie received a KSWA Hall of Fame nod. Eadie worked in Detroit in 1973 before moving to Pittsburgh’s thriving pro wrestling scene, where he worked as Bolo Mongol. He would later don a mask as the Masked Superstar. The most famous part of his career came when he was “Ax” to Barry Darsow’s “Smash” in WWF’s “Demolition.” The team still holds the now-WWE record for longest tag team title reign at 698 days. At FanFest, December 6, 2008, Bill Eadie made his first appearance in the KSWA. He and Kris Kash defeated Blanchard and Martin in a tag team match. Eadie then came back for the Joe Abby Tournament on March 28, 2009 and was inducted as the third member of the Hall of Fame. Months later he would bring Darsow with him to Pittsburgh and the duo won the KSWA World Tag Team Championship. They would have to relinquish the belts due to scheduling conflicts, but their dominance was electrifying to the crowd.

In 2010, the Hall of Fame ceremony was unique in another way. Donna Christiantello, the best female wrestler to ever come out of Western Pennsylvania, was honored along with the iconic Dominic DeNucci. Christiantello was trained to wrestle along with a legion of other “girl wrestlers” by the legendary Fabulous Moolah. Christiantello, who saw her ring name go through a variety of spellings, debuted in 1963. She was a National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Tag Team Champion and helped train “Sensational” Sherri Martel among others. Christiantello was a part of Sensational Sherri’s team during the Survivor Series in 1987. She retired in 1991 and moved back to Pittsburgh. She routinely attended KSWA events and enjoyed every opportunity to visit with fans, especially the young girls who fawned over her. Meanwhile, at FanFest on December 5, 2009, DeNucci wrestled Durso in one-on-one action. DeNucci would appear from time to time in KSWA matches, most recently in a tag team match with Doink the Clown against Lord Zoltan and “Nasty” Nick Crane.

In 2011, famed Studio Wrestling athletes Ron Romano and Bobby “Hurricane” Hunt were honored. Romano worked in Studio Wrestling from 1964 to 1969. Primarily a tag team wrestler, Romano was not always cheered by the fans. Mr. Romano passed away in the early 2000’s. Hunt remains a popular figure in Pittsburgh. He wrestled from the early 1960’s until injuries forced him to retire in 1972. A consummate professional, Hunt always did well in matches. His induction into the KSWA Hall of Fame was highlighted by front-page placement in the New Pittsburgh Courier, one of the oldest and most important newspapers in the country that serves the African American community. Romano’s family attended the ceremony as did Hunt and members of his family.

The 2012 Class was the first to recognize a more modern flare. Lord Zoltan, the fabled independent wrestler from Pittsburgh (via Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana) was the first active wrestler to be awarded Hall of Fame credentials. It was also a first as then-Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Councilman Jim Burn presented Zoltan proclamations for his career and charitable work. Zoltan, originally known as Ken Jugan, has for many years held fundraisers for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and other charities. Because of that philanthropy, tireless work ethic and status in the pro wrestling community, Lord Zoltan is widely considered to be the most important independent mat Megastar to ever come from Western Pennsylvania. In addition, sports photographer Howard Kernats became the first “non-wrestler” to ever receive Hall of Fame recognition. Kernats is known and respected world-wide for his work as a professional wrestling photographer.

It should also be noted that 2012 was the first year in which a KSWA Hall of Famer received an award outside of the Joe Abby Tournament. At FanFest on December 8, 2012, the highlighted guest was “The Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino. KSWA Owner Bobby O took the opportunity to include Sammartino into the Pittsburgh Hall of Fame, months before it was announced that Sammartino would accept the accolades of the WWE Hall of Fame.

In 2013, the KSWA Hall of Fame was the most exceptional, eclectic group ever assembled. During an appearance at Horror Realm, Pittsburgh’s premier Horror Movie Convention, George “The Animal” Steele was inducted into the KSWA Hall of Fame on March 17, 2013. On August 17, 2013 Steele returned to the KSWA Arena and received a proclamation for his career. Interestingly, the proclamation, presented by a returning Allegheny County Council Jim Burn was signed by pro wrestlers-turned politicians “Cannonball” Chuck Martoni and the extremely popular “Jumpin’” Johnny DeFazio. The names Martoni and DeFazio would not leave the KSWA radar for long.

Additionally, KSWA “Original” Tommy Faime would be honored for his contributions to the early days of the promotion on March 23, 2013. Faime would hold the KSWA World Heavyweight Championship from April 28, 2001 until September 21, 2002, an impressive 511 days. Faime, who officially retired prior to FanFest on December 3, 2005, has returned to the squared circle on special occasions, most recently in Battle Bowl VI on Saturday, January 11, 2014.

At FanFest, December 7, 2013, “Luscious” Johnny Valiant and a surprise entrant, referee Bucky Palermo, were inducted. Valiant started his career in his hometown of Pittsburgh before launching out into a successful WWF career. He and “brother” the “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant, the Valiants were the first tag team ever inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Palermo, who still works as a shoe repair professional in Lawrenceville, arrived with his son, Eugene, who is well-known by wrestling fans as a valet and independent wrestling-show personality. The 2013 Class, with four members, is the largest in KSWA history.

Now on March 29, 2014 the 7th Annual Joe Abby Memorial Tournament is set to include most of the missing pieces of the premier Hall of Fame in all of independent professional wrestling. Prolific Pittsburgh broadcaster and “Voice of Studio Wrestling” Bill Cardille, along with “Jumpin’” Johnny DeFazio and “Cannonball”/”Masked Marvel” Chuck Martoni are set to take their place in the Hall of Fame ceremony. Cardille interviewed all of the wrestlers that made up Studio Wrestling, and continued on in a variety of other aspects at WIIC-TV, which became WPXI, Channel 11. DeFazio is arguably the second-most popular wrestler to emerge from the “territory” and Martoni was a fixture as well. Both DeFazio and Martoni continue to serve the greater Allegheny County community as members of the elected Council. Martoni represents communities in and around his native Swissvale, while DeFazio has been one of two “At Large” members since the County Council form of government was established. Martoni formerly served as Council President. DeFazio accepted the post this year.

The final pieces continue to amass for one of the most special ceremonial Hall of Fames in all of Professional Wrestling and it remains in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.