The Man from The Isle of Malta: Baron Mikel Scicluna

Robert Segedy

“In the corner to my left, from the Island of Malta, weighing in 275 pounds, Baron Mee-gel See-Cluna.” Joe McHugh.

To readers of a certain age hearing that introduction on a Saturday morning would induce chills.  The Baron started his career under the name of Mike Valentino in the 1950’s in Canada. It wasn’t until 1965 that he became the infamous “Baron Mikel Scicluna” when he started wrestling in the WWWF. Entering the ring draped in a royal blue cape emblazoned with the Maltese Cross on the back, Scicluna made himself a well-rounded heel wrestler, known for his treacherous ways and his dependence upon a “foreign object” usually a roll of quarters.

 However, we must examine Scicluna’s origins prior to his entering the well-known territories of the WWWF. Prior to this, Frank Tunney sent Scicluna West to get some exposure wrestling at Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling in Canada. While in the NWA San Francisco territory on August 23, 1958, he captured the NWA World Tag Titles (San Francisco version) with Gene Dubuque. This is where he first obtained a taste of the gold and he found it to his liking. Scicluna discovered that he developed a liking to wrestling as a heel because it was much easier than gaining the fan’s admiration. On November 4, 1965, he was introduced to WWWF audiences as Baron Mikel Scicluna and the rest is history.  

Won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with Smasher Sloan on September 22, 1966, in Washington, DC beating Johnny Valentine and Tony Parisi for the belts. Then while being managed by Captain Lou Albano they won the WWWF World Championship with King Curtis Iaukeau on February 1, 1972, in Philadelphia. On June 15, 1968, he defeated Spiros Arion for Australia’s IWA world Championship. Many times, he would challenge both Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales for the WWWF Championship. Of note is a match that ended in 6 minutes versus Waldo Von Erich held at Madison Square Garden. When opposing Sammartino on January 26, 1966, in the main event at the Garden, he was disqualified when Sammartino accidentally kicked the referee trying to escape Scicluna’s finisher the Hangman’s Hold thus ending the match in 25:47.

Scicluna found himself a part of wrestling history as his opponent was Gorilla Monsoon in a televised match. Monsoon had given Scicluna a Manchurian Chop and was tossed over the top rope. Scicluna was disqualified as he walked back to the dressing room in disgust; however, there was a surprise guest in the audience, Muhammed Ali. Ali entered the ring from the audience and attempted to spar with Monsoon, but Monsoon was having none of it and he responded with an airplane spin. This was of course all part of a pre-planned angle to build up anticipation to Ali’s infamous boxer vs. wrestler match with Antonio Inoki held on June 26, 1976, in Nippon Budokan arena.

The Baron retired from active competition in 1983. His last full year of wrestling was in 1982 and he is recorded as having 188 matches, but that number may be incorrect due to faulty record keeping. The Baron’s last recorded match for the WWF was July 22, 1983, resulting in a no contest with Chief Jay Strongbow at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

The Baron was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 1996. He died on March 23, 2010 of pancreatic cancer at age 80. Another great villain goes down in history.