Tony Altimore Tony Altomare ( occasionally misspelled " Altimore " or " Altomaro " ) ( July 24 , 1928 - February 18 , 2003 ) was an American professional wrestler , trainer , and marketer . He is perhaps best known as one half of the tag team " The Sicilians " with Lou Albano , from his debut in 1960 to 1970 . Early life . Anthony C . Altomare was born on July 24 , 1928 in Stamford , Connecticut to Frank and Pauline Altomare ( " née " Vescio ) . He was the oldest of four children : brothers Peter and Robert and sister Madeline . At the age of 18 , Altomare enlisted in the United States Army ' s 82nd Airborne Division , where he served for two years . It was during this time that his mother died , and he became something of a parent to his youngest brother Robert , who was only three at the time . Anthony and Peter , later joined by Robert , became lifeguards for Stamford ' s West Beach , where he would eventually rise to become the city ' s chief lifeguard for a 25 - year tenure . During this time , he instituted free swimming lessons to the public and saved at least several lives . He married Mollie Gawitt of Stamford , and had two children , Brian and Donna . Altomare ' s work as a lifeguard led to a career in entertainment . He appeared in 1964 ' s The Horror of Party Beach , which was shot at West Beach . More importantly , he was recruited into the world of professional wrestling by a promoter who noted his impressive physique . Professional wrestling career . As a wrestler , Altomare was paired with Lou Albano , another Italian , in a stereotypical Italian gangster duo known as " The Sicilians . " The pair won the Midwest tag team championship on the undercard of the June 30 , 1961 Comiskey Park event starring Pat O ' Connor and Buddy Rogers that set the all - time record gate in the United States to that point . Their realistic depiction of gangster characters caught the attention of actual mafiosi in 1961 . In Chicago , Tony Accardo and two associates " requested " that Albano and Altomare cease using the word " mafia . " During their run as Midwest tag team champions , personal differences with bookers and other wrestlers resulted in the pair abandoning the territory quickly enough that they did not lose the title before leaving . In July 1967 , they won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship from Arnold Skaaland and Spiros Arion . Albano and Altomare held the championship for two weeks . After Albano became a manager in 1970 , Altomare continued as a singles wrestler , until retiring sometime before 1979 . He then worked as a road agent and referee . In 1979 , Vince McMahon , Sr . assigned Altomare to be the chaperone of a new and unruly wrestler named Hulk Hogan . Altomare befriended Hogan and thus frequently let Hogan do as he please , including partying and drinking before matches . Nonetheless , Altomare taught Hogan the basics of the wrestling business , in and outside the ring , and in his autobiography , Hogan called Altomare ' s appointment as his chaperone " one of the best gifts McMahon ever gave me . " In 1980 , Altomare filled in for Afa Anoa ' i in a three - on - three match alongside Sika Anoa ' i and his old partner , Lou Albano , ten years after the breakup of the The Sicilians . The two remained friends for life . Later , Altomare was promoted to a low - level executive position within Vince McMahon , Jr . ' s new WWF promotion . He was responsible for ensuring the arrival and sale of WWF - branded merchandise at wrestling shows . In 1984 , he opened a wrestling school in Orange , Connecticut called " The Factory , " where he trained later superstars such as Ted Arcidi and Paul Roma , and established a training relationship with Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels . Death . Tony Alromare died in Stamford of heart failure on February 18 , 2003 , at the age of 74 . He was survived by his wife and two children , and was buried in Spring Grove cemetery in Darien , Connecticut .