POP HOLY FAKE NEWS BATTMAN! IN 1966, TONY MARINO'S 'BATTMAN' AND TOM FOTI'S 'ROBIN' WERE A POPULAR TAG TEAM DESPITE NEVER ACTUALLY BECOMING ONE
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BY THOMAS LETURGEY - PITTSBURGH CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM
or many fans of Pittsburgh’s Studio Wrestling, Tony Marino’s “Battman” was a pretty big deal. The gimmick, which could never happen today because of the obvious copyright infringements, was popular with fans and is an iconic part of wrestling’s history. A new TV show made the character and his sidekick, Robin extremely popular. In pro wrestling, Marino was Battman, and Robin was portrayed by Canadian wrestler Tom Foti. But when and where did the gimmick start? And when did Battman and Robin join forces? Like the original Batman, there is a complicated history. Origin Story: Battman Tony Marino’s local incarnation of the then-TV character burst onto the scene, not in Pittsburgh, but according to Wrestledata.com, in Cleveland on March 31, 1966. There, Battman defeated Paul DeGalles in 5:15 at the Cleveland Arena. But there were earlier sightings. Battman showed up earlier that March wrestling preliminary matches at the NWA in Detroit. Even earlier that year, there was a Battman listed as the tag-team partner of the legendary Gorilla Monsoon. But it isn’t likely that the caped crusader of the squared circle would make his debut for a loss in a random tag match. The original comic book character was becoming popular after the The Adam West-helmed Batman television show debuted on January 12, 1966. It’s common knowledge in wrestling fan circles that Marino’s “Battman” featured the double T to differentiate, and
Tony "Battman" Marino in action. (Screencap from youtube.com)
presumably avoid lawsuits, from the TV crime fighter. However, the DC-comics spelling is frequently used in everything from Civic Arena wrestling programs to news filings, results and other promotional pieces. Like the TV show and comics, if there was a Battman, there had to be a Robin. Origin Story: Robin Around this time, John Foti was wrestling almost exclusively in Canada for Stu Hart’s Stampede promotion. The 38-year-old 5’9”, 215-pound Canadian, and the 35-year-old Marino, 5’9” and 235-pounds,
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were on cards together in 1965, months before the show debuted. Foti, was asked by the promoter to be the Boy Wonder. But despite what you might think, it wasn’t to fight along Battman’s side. But, despite urban legend, there’s no proof whatsoever that the Dynamic Duo ever actually teamed up to fight crime or throw dropkicks. In fact, there is little proof that the two appeared together beyond a photo session with photographer Roger Baker. More on that in a minute. In April, Battman wrestled all over the east, from Buffalo to Cincinnati, Toledo to Toronto.
And like the superhero, this Caped Crusader got the win wherever he went. In singles competition, he remained undefeated in May, but lost in a tag team contest with Lou Klein against Nicoli Volkoff (not the Nikolai Volkoff of later WWF fame) and Boris Volkoff. Foti spent the vast majority of his time north of the border for Stampede. He was never involved in a recorded tag team match with Battman during this time, and “Robin” can’t be found in singles competition. The two reportedly debuted at the Maple Leaf Gardens, but actually didn’t compete in a match
