A Trio of Absent Friends

Sadly, lots off people of consequence have died in recent days.  Let us take them in alphabetical order.

Harry Anderson

1952-2018

Actor and performer Harry Anderson was only 65 when he died on April 14th at his home in North Carolina.  He is best known for his role as Judge Harry T. Stone on the terrific  ABC sitcom "Night Court" that ran from 1984-92.  A three time Emmy nominee, he started his show biz career as a magician/busker/street performer in San Francisco and sort of fell into stand up comedy and acting.  After "Night Court" and another sitcom "Dave's World", which had a four year run, he returned to his roots and opened a night club and magic shop in New Orleans.  Of this career change, Anderson stated “I am richer than Davy Crockett, (and) I can settle back and do what I want to do. And what I want to do is card tricks and magic.”

He reluctantly left New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and settled in Asheville, NC.

Hal Greer

1936-2018

Most people under the age of sixty probably had no idea of who Hal Greer was when they read of his death on April 14th at the age of 81.  A native of Huntington, WV, Greer played basketball at his hometown Marshall University, and then had a fifteen year career in the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76'ers.  He was a ten time NBA All-Star, scored over 21,000 points, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.

He was the point guard of the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76'ers that won the NBA Championship.  Greer's teammates included Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, Luke Jackson, and Chet Walker. They compiled a record of 68-13, which at the time was the best single season record in NBA history.  That team was the ONLY team to ever defeat a Bill Russell-led Celtics team in a playoffs series.  To this day, there are many basketball historians who proclaim that 1966-67 76'ers to be the greatest single season team in NBA history.  

Bruno Sammartino

1935-2018

Professional wrestling has changed a lot over the last thirty years or so, but in the early days of televised pro wrestling, which was done on a local basis throughout the country, one man stood out above all, and that was Bruno Sammartino, who died yesterday, April 18th, at the age of 82 after a lengthy illness.  

He was born in Pizzoferrato, Italy, spent much of his early years living off the land and hiding and escaping the armies of Mussolini and Hitler.  His emigrated to America at the age of nine, settled in Pittsburgh, graduated from Schenley High School in 1955.  He tried weightlifting and one way or another was "discovered" and became a professional wrestler. Not just any pro wrestler, but a heavyweight champion who became famous around the world and was reputed to have sold out Madison Square Garden in New York more than any other single performer.  However, Pittsburgh was his home, and he lived in his same modest North Hills home for the last 56 years of his life.

I am pleased to say that, yes, I did see Bruno perform once on a WWWF (as it was then known) wrestling card at the Civic Arena at some point in the mid-1980's.  He was nearing the end of his active career at the point and was billed as "Living Legend Bruno Sammartino".  I don't remember who he grappled with that night, but, yes, he won his match.  

He was indeed a Living Legend and a cherished Pttsburgher.

RIP Harry Anderson, Hal Greer, and Bruno Sammartino.