RIP "Baron" Mikel Scicluna

[$heriff Tom]

I know Cap will be down regarding this news.

Thank you to www.f4wonline.com for this.

One of WWWF's longest lasting stars passes away after long battle with cancer

Mike "Baron Mikel" Scicluna passed away yesterday from liver cancer. He was 80.

He had been suffering from cancer for several months. He had a lengthy career in wrestling all over the world, and was a headliner during the 60s, with many title shots at Bruno Sammartino including in Madison Square Garden and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. He also held the tag team title with King Curtis Iaukea as well as with Smasher Sloan, and also held the IWA world heavyweight title in Australia.

Long after his prime years, he was a fixture in WWWF rings in prelim matches and was one of the area's most memorable characters of the 70s with him being introduced "from the isle of Malta," and his matches based on constantly hiding a foreign object and selling his ear.

He legitimately was born in Malta, but came to Toronto in 1950 where he learned wrestling.

He wrestled through 1984. He was one of the first inductees in the WWF Hall of Fame, inducted by Gorilla Monsoon.

Visitation will be Friday at Devil Funeral Home in Pittsburgh.

[$heriff Tom]

from the Online World of Wrestling site....career bio.


TITLE HISTORY

NWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles (as Mike Valentino) w/Gene Dubuque defeating Dick Warren & Ramon Torres (August 23, 1958);
WWWF United States Tag Team titles w/Smasher Sloan defeating Johnny Valentine & Antonio Puglisi (September 22, 1966);
IWA (Australia) World Heavyweight title defeating Spiros Arion (June 15, 1968);
IWA (Australia) World Tag Team titles w/Cyclon Negro defeating Mario Milano & Dominic DeNucci (July 6, 1968);
WWWF Tag Team titles w/King Curtis Iaukea defeating Rene Goulet & Karl Gotch (February 1, 1972);



Career Highlights:

Mike Scicluna started his career in Toronto, training with the likes of Waldo von Erich, Wolfman Farkus and Dave McKigney..
Mike Scicluna began wrestling in Toronto in the late 50s, where he was known for several years as Mike Valentino..
~~~Changed his name to Mikel Scicluna in 1965..
Mikel Scicluna wrestled as a vicious heel in the WWWF through the 70s..
Mikel Scicluna was known for finding unique places to hide forign objects to use on his opponents during his matches..
Mikel Scicluna often placed a forign object on the top of his head, while the referee searched his body..
Mikel Scicluna formed a tag team with George "the Animal" Steele in the Pittsburgh territory feuding with Bruno Sammartino..

Match Results (Mostly New York & WWWF):

September 21, 1957-- Dick Hutton defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
October 18, 1957-- Fred Atkins defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
November 20, 1959-- Hard Boiled Haggerty defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
November 26, 1959-- Doc Gallagher defeated Mike Valentino in Cleveland, Ohio..
December 26, 1959-- Mike Valentino defeated Baron Gattoni in Cleveland, Ohio..
January 8, 1960-- Mike Valentino defeated Chief Chewacki in Buffalo, New York..
January 29, 1960-- Ed Miller defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
February 17, 1960-- Mike Valentino defeated Howard Martin in Cleveland, Ohio..
February 24, 1960-- Fred Atkins defeated Mike Valentino in Rochester, New York..
February 10, 1961-- Bearcat Wright defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
February 15, 1961-- Billy Red Lyons defeated Mike Valentino in Rochester, New York..
February 24, 1961-- Hercules Romero defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
April 21, 1961-- Dominic Bravo defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
May 12, 1961-- Miguel Perez defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
July 14, 1961-- Ricki Starr defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
September 8, 1961-- Miguel Perez defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
December 15, 1961-- Ramon Lopez defeated Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
March 31, 1962-- Don Leo Jonathan defeated Mike Valentino in New Haven, Conn..
September 20, 1963-- Tony Simon beat Mike Valentino in Buffalo, New York..
November 6, 1964-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Rocky Shore..
January 27, 1965-- WWWF: Miguel Perez & Victor Rivera defeated Baron Scicluna & Johnny Rodz..
November 5, 1965-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Harvey Jones..
November 10, 1965-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Arnold Skaaland..
December 3, 1965-- Baron Scicluna defeated Chief Big Heart in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
December 11, 1965-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Angelo Savoldi..
December 13, 1965-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Waldo Von Erich..
January 4, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Chief Big Heart..
January 21, 1966-- Baron Scicluna beat Chief White Owl in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
February 2, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Ted Lewin..
March 4, 1966-- Johnny Valentine beat Baron Scicluna in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
March 11, 1966-- WWWF: Bruno Sammartino beat Baron Scicluna..
April 16, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Miguel Perez..
May 7, 1966-- WWWF: Johnny Valentine & Tony Pugliese beat Baron Scicluna & Curtis Iaukea..
May 20, 1966-- Baron Scicluna defeated Tony Pugliese in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
July 1, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Vittorio Apollo..
July 25, 1966-- Baron Scicluna defeated Arnold Skaaland in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
November 18, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna & Smasher Sloan beat Miguel Perez & Argentina Apollo..
December 14, 1966-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna beat Miguel Perez..
January 2, 1967-- WWWF: Ricky Sexton & Arman Hussein defeated Baron Scicluna & Luke Graham..
January 13, 1967-- Baron Scicluna defeated Bobby Hunt in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
February 4, 1967-- WWWF: Spiros Arion defeated Baron Scicluna..
February 24, 1967-- Batman defeated Baron Scicluna in Oil City, Pennsylvania..
March 10, 1967-- Gorilla Monsoon defeated Baron Scicluna in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
March 26, 1967-- WWWF: Spiros Arion defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 21, 1967-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Arman Hussein..
May 8, 1967-- WWWF: Spiros Arion & Bruno Sammartino defeated Baron Scicluna & Tank Morgan..
May 29, 1967-- Baron Scicluna defeated Johnny DeFazio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
June 23, 1967-- Baron Scicluna defeated Arman Hussein..
June 30, 1967-- Johnny DeFazio, Spiros Arion & Antonio Pugliese beat Baron Scicluna, Smasher Sloan & Bill Miller in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
August 21, 1967-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Smasher Sloan..
September 8, 1967-- Baron Scicluna & Smasher Sloan defeated Frank Holtz & Johnny DeFazio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
September 25, 1967-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Gil Gordon..
January 13, 1968-- Baron Scicluna defeated Smasher Sloan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
May 3, 1968-- Tony Altimore& Lou Albano defeated Baron Scicluna & Bull Ramos in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
May 20, 1968-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Louis Cerdan..
June 14, 1968-- IWA (Australia): Baron Scicluna defeated Reggie Parks..
July 20, 1968-- IWA: Baron Scicluna & Cyclone Negro defeated Dominic DeNucci & Mario Milano..
August 9, 1968-- IWA: Spiros Arion defeated Baron Scicluna..
October 6, 1968--- WWWF: Victor Rivera & Haystacks Calhoun defeated Baron Scicluna & Kentucky Butcher..
November 11, 1968-- WWWF: Spiros Arion defeated Baron Scicluna..
November 15, 1968-- Baron Scicluna defeated John Sullivan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
December 9, 1968-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Chuck Adcox..
January 9, 1969-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Carlos Colon..
February 3, 1969-- WWWF: Victor Rivera & Haystacks Calhoun defeated Baron Scicluna & Killer Kowalski..
February 21, 1969-- Baron Scicluna defeated Ron Romero in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
March 19, 1969-- WWWF: Victor Rivera & Haystacks Calhoun beat Baron Scicluna & Gorilla Monsoon..
April 2, 1969-- WWWF: Victor Rivera defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 21, 1969-- WWWF: Dominic DeNucci defeated Baron Scicluna..
May 19, 1969-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Arnold Skaaland..
October 1, 1969-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Chuck Adcox..
October 27, 1969-- WWWF: Ernie Ladd defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 9, 1969-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Jean DuBois..
December 12, 1969-- Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Holtz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
July 11, 1970-- Dominic DeNucci, Bruno Sammartino & Johnny DeFazio beat Baron Scicluna, Professor X & George Steele in Johnstown, Pennsylvania..
August 29, 1970-- Dominic DeNucci & Bruno Sammartino beat Crusher Verdu & Baron Scicluna in Johnstown, Pennsylvania..
October 2, 1970-- Dominic DeNucci & Bruno Sammartino defeated Baron Scicluna & Jos LeDuc in Johnstown, Pennsylvania..
November 13, 1970-- Baron Scicluna defeated Mike Paidousis in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
April 16, 1971-- Baron Scicluna & George Steele defeated Dominic DeNucci & Bruno Sammartino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
December 2, 1971-- Chief White Owl defeated Baron Scicluna in Cleveland, Ohio..
January 14, 1972-- Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Holtz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
January 19, 1972-- Baron Scicluna & Eric the Red defeated Executioner & Pete Sanchez in Buffalo, New York..
February 21, 1972-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Manuel Soto..
March 13, 1972-- WWWF: Pedro Morales defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 8, 1972-- WWWF: King Curtis Iaukea & Baron Scicluna defeated Rene Goulet & Victor Rivera..
May 24, 1972-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Chuck Richards..
September 16, 1972-- Baron Scicluna & Executioner defeated Luis Martinez & Abner Osborne in Akron, Ohio..
October 20, 1972-- Baron Scicluna defeated Manuel Soto in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
November 10, 1972-- Baron Scicluna beat The Executioner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
November 29, 1972-- Baron Scicluna defeated Bull Johnson in Buffalo, New York..
June 1, 1973-- Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Holtz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
August 25, 1973-- Dominic DeNucci & Tony Parisi defeated Baron Scicluna & Magnificent Zulu in Cleveland, Ohio..
September 21, 1973-- Baron Scicluna, John Sullivan & Killer Kowalski beat Tony Parisi, Frank Holtz & Dominic DeNucci in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
October 27, 1973-- Johnny DeFazio & Dominic DeNucci defeated The Shadow & Baron Scicluna in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
March 7, 1974-- Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Holtz in Erie, Pennsylvania..
April 17, 1974-- Baron Scicluna defeated Golden Boy Apollo in Buffalo, New York..
April 27, 1974-- Baron Scicluna defeated Swede Anderson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
May 31, 1974-- Baron Scicluna defeated Bill Miller in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
June 2, 1974-- Baron Scicluna defeated Billy Fontana in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
September 22, 1974-- Baron Scicluna & Louis Cerdan defeated Steve Bolus & Frank Holtz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
October 9, 1974-- Bruno Sammartino defeated Baron Scicluna in Buffalo, New York..
October 25, 1974-- Manuel Soto & Pete Sanchez defeated Baron Scicluna & Larry Sharpe in Monroeville, Pennsylvania..
May 19, 1975-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Bill White..
August 9, 1975-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Manuel Soto..
September 6, 1975-- WWWF: Ivan Putski defeated Baron Scicluna..
September 30, 1975-- WWWF: Larry Zbyszko defeated Baron Scicluna..
November 17, 1975-- WWWF: Pat Barrett defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 29, 1975-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Pete Sanchez..
January 12, 1976-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Francisco Flores..
January 24, 1976-- Baron Scicluna defeated Mike Paidousis in Fairmont, West Virginia..
February 3, 1976-- Bobo Brazil defeated Baron Scicluna in Rochester, New York..
February 21, 1976-- Bobo Brazil beat Baron Scicluna in Erie, Pennsylvania..
March 18, 1976-- Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi defeated Baron Scicluna & Johnny Rodz in Erie, Pennsylvania..
March 29, 1976-- WWWF: Chris Taylor defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 9, 1976-- Baron Scicluna defeated Pete Sanchez in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
April 26, 1976-- WWWF: Tony Parisi defeated Baron Scicluna..
May 15, 1976-- Baron Scicluna & Skandor Akbar defeated Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi in Erie, Pennsylvania..
June 3, 1976-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Bull Pometti..
August 7, 1976-- WWWF: Billy White Wolf & Jay Strongbow defeated Baron Scicluna & Rocky Tomayo..
August 20, 1976-- Baron Scicluna defeated Johnny DeFazio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
October 4, 1976-- WWWF: Bobo Brazil defeated Baron Scicluna..
November 22, 1976-- WWWF: Billy White Wolf defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 3, 1976-- Baron Scicluna defeated S.D Jones in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania..
December 27, 1976-- WWWF: Kevin Sullivan & Andre the Giant defeated Baron Scicluna & Doug Gilbert..
January 17, 1977-- WWWF: Pat Patterson defeated Baron Scicluna..
February 26, 1977-- WWWF: Tony Garea defeated Baron Scicluna..
March 24, 1977-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Ted Adams..
April 14, 1977-- WWWF: Larry Zybszko & Tony Garea defeated Baron Scicluna & Tor Kamata..
June 6, 1977-- WWWF: Peter Maivia defeated Baron Scicluna..
August 29, 1977-- WWWF: Larry Zbyszko & Tony Garea beat Baron Scicluna & George Steele..
October 20, 1977-- WWWF: Mil Mascaras defeated Baron Scicluna..
November 16, 1977-- WWWF: Larry Zbyszko defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 29, 1977-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Pete Reeves..
March 19, 1978-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Dennis Johnson..
June 20, 1978-- WWWF: Dominic DeNucci & Dino Bravo defeated Baron Scicluna & Stan Stasiak..
July 24, 1978-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Tony Russo..
August 10, 1978-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Monroe..
September 16, 1978-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Tony Altimore..
October 16, 1978-- WWWF: S.D Jones defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 5, 1978-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Jose Rivera..
January 5, 1979-- WWWF: Gorilla Monsoon defeated Baron Scicluna..
February 10, 1979-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Frank Williams..
March 5, 1979-- WWWF: Allen Coage defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 12, 1979-- WWWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Tony Altimore..
May 3, 1979-- WWF: Ted DiBiase defeated Baron Scicluna..
June 16, 1979-- WWF: Tito Santana defeated Baron Scicluna..
July 22, 1979-- WWF: Dominic DeNucci, Andre the Giant & Ted DiBiase defeated Baron Scicluna, Johnny & Jerry Valiant..
January 21, 1980-- WWF: Rene Goulet defeated Baron Scicluna..
February 2, 1980-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Johnny Rodz..
March 22, 1980-- WWF: Tito Santana defeated Baron Scicluna..
May 19, 1980-- WWF: Gorilla Monsoon beat Baron Scicluna..
August 9, 1980-- WWF: Dominic DeNucci beat Baron Scicluna..
September 16, 1980-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Rick Martel..
October 23, 1980-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Rene Goulet..
January 15, 1981-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Angelo Mosca..
February 16, 1981-- WWF: S.D Jones defeated Baron Scicluna..
March 13, 1981-- WWF: Rick Martel defeated Baron Scicluna..
April 3, 1981-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Tony Altimore..
June 26, 1981-- WWF: S.D Jones defeated Baron Scicluna..
August 24, 1981-- WWF: Curt Hennig defeated Baron Scicluna..
September 21, 1981-- WWF: Great Yatsu defeated Baron Scicluna..
October 1, 1981-- WWF: Rick Martel defeated Baron Scicluna..
October 24, 1981-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Lee Wong..
November 23, 1981-- WWF: Tony Garea defeated Baron Scicluna..
December 27, 1981-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Lee Wong..
March 5, 1982-- WWF: Tony Garea & Pat Patterson defeated Baron Scicluna & Jerry Johnson..
April 8, 1982-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Barry Hart..
January 13, 1983-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Joe Abby..
January 22, 1983-- WWF: S.D Jones defeated Baron Scicluna..
January 27, 1983-- WWF: Pedro Morales defeated Baron Scicluna..
February 13, 1983-- WWF: Tony Garea & Eddie Gilbert defeated Baron Scicluna & Swede Hanson..
February 18, 1983-- WWF: Johnny Rodz defeated Baron Scicluna..
March 3, 1983-- WWF: Eddie Gilbert defeated Baron Scicluna..
March 14, 1983-- WWF: Baron Scicluna defeated Victor Rivera..
May 23, 1983-- WWF: Don Kernodle defeated Baron Scicluna..

Retirement:

Mikel Scicluna became a truck driver for a New Jersey newspaper after his retirement in the early 80s..
1987: Mikel Scicluna performed in the WWF old-timers battle royal..
Mikel Scicluna was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame..
September 18, 2004--Twin Wrestling: Legends Ceremony for Sweet Daddy Siki, Waldo von Erich, Missing Link & Baron Scicluna

[thecaptain15]

This is sad news indeed.......He gave me many chuckles in my childhood....By the time I was watching him he was more of a jobber but of the SD Jones variety where he would get some limited offense in before the job. There was nothing better then hearing Joe McHugh introduce him from "the Isle of Malta...Baron Mikel Scicluna" while he was sporting the big cape...

At least he led a full life to 80....RIP Big fella....

[$heriff Tom]

Yeah, most of my memories were of the Baron in a Swede Hanson / Iron Mike Sharpe sorta role. But yeah, he got 80 years, and seems to be remembered fondly as I looked through the wrestling sites / blogs.

[4dogg]

he had that cape with the maltese cross on it......a master of foreign objects......and always a heel....and probably the only person i ever knew from malta.....and they are going to have the wake at the Devil funeral home?......rest in peace baron

[4dogg]

...i read another obit and its the DEVLIN funeral home

[thecaptain15]