Biography
Name: Larry Zbyszko
Nickname: The Living Legend
Affiliation: NWA/TNA
Current Title Holding: None
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 245 lbs.
Date of birth: December 5, 1951
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pro debut: 1972
Trained by: Bruno Sammartino
Finishing move: Shoulder Breaker, The 7 Minute Stall, Larry Land Dreamer
Former Member of: Larry Zbyszko & Tony Garea, Enforcers, Dangerous
Alliance, Old Age Outlaws
Larry Zbyszko was born on December 5, 1951 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Growing up in this city Larry was always interested in becoming a
wrestler, just like his soon to be mentor Bruno Sammartino. As far back
as the ninth grade Larry told his guidance counselor he wanted to be a
pro-wrestler, who proceeded to laugh at him.
To pursue his goal of professional wrestling, Zbyszko began hanging
around the house of WWWF wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino, a Pittsburgh
resident and one of wrestling’s greatest icons.
After years of training with Sammartino, Zbyszko turned pro and made his
wrestling debut in 1972. His baby-faced good looks and association with
Sammartino sprung Larry immediately to a hero status. Zbyszko and Tony
Garea eventually captured the WWWF tag titles in 1978.
But Zbyszko knew that that he’d never reach the top of his profession as
long as fans regarded him as Sammartino’s understudy. In the winter of
1979-80, with his career growing admittedly “stale,” Zbyszko became the
embodiment of treachery in one of the most unforgettable rivalries of
“old school” pro wrestling.
During a television interview, Zbyszko politely asked his mentor to
wrestle him, saying it was the only way he could step out of
Sammartino’s shadow and establish his own identity. Sammartino accepted
the challenge and soon after Zbyszko and Sammartino had a showdown that
turned Zbyszko from a hero to one of the most hated wrestlers of his
time. He achieved victory by hitting his former mentor with a chair,
which was a rarity at the time. The payoff match with Sammartino came on
August 9, 1980, in a steel cage that drew 40,000-plus fans to Shea
Stadium in New York.
For years, he regularly drew choruses of boos by intentionally stalling
in matches, and demanded that referees ask his opponents for a
submission even when he put them in the most inconsequential of holds.
But most of all, Zbyszko never missed a chance to remind the wrestling
world that he had become the “New Living Legend” by his challenge to
Sammartino, who often was referred to as a “Living Legend.” Zbyszko let
the words roll slowly off his tongue, his voice dripping with sarcasm,
and it became the calling card for the rest of his career.
The “Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko won numerous titles in his three
amazing decades of professional wrestling such as:
- Pro-Wrestling Illustrated’s 1974 Rookie Of The Year
- Pro-Wrestling Illustrated’s 1980 Most Hated Wrestler Of The Year
- World Wide Wrestling Federation Tag Team titles with Tony Garea
- World Championship Wrestling Tag Team titles w/Arn Anderson
- American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title
- National Wrestling Alliance National Title
- World Championship Wrestling Television Title
- AWA Americas Title
- Western States Title
- Georgia National Heavyweight Title
Now after thirty amazing years or professional wrestling Larry has decided to
make a complete turn around in his career. Larry is making a move from the
non-stop, action-packed world of professional wrestling to the peaceful,
elegant, world of golf. Larry has been practicing his golf game for the
last twelve years and is competing on the Hooters Senior tour starting
January 11th this 2005 season.
With the help from ZMA-Power, Larry is pain free, able to drive a ball 300
yards, continue to work out, and play golf everyday with enough energy and
focus than ever before.
