The professional wrestling community has experienced another loss with the passing of ‘Pistol’ Pete Sanchez on July 27th. Sanchez, known for his role as an enhancement talent, made significant contributions to promotions such as the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), Stampede Wrestling, Amarillo Wrestling, and the Midwest Wrestling Association.
Wrestling journalist Bill Apter reported that Sanchez had been dealing with an illness for some time. Apter praised Sanchez for his strong work ethic and described him as a genuinely pleasant individual to work with.
Sanchez’s career featured notable matches, including his bout against Ric Flair at Madison Square Garden on March 1, 1976. This match was significant as it marked Flair’s debut in a McMahon-endorsed ring following a severe plane crash in October 1975 that nearly ended Flair’s career.
Throughout his career, Sanchez faced and collaborated with many top stars, including Bret Hart, Jake Roberts, the Big Boss Man, and the Road Warriors. Despite often being on the losing end, he achieved victories over notable opponents like Johnny Rodz and Kevin Sullivan. In Stampede Wrestling, under the ring name Caruso, Sanchez won the International Tag Team Championship with Carlos Belafonte, also known as WWE Hall of Famer Carlos Colon. This success contributed to the establishment of the World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico. Sanchez also held tag team titles with Bill Cody and continued wrestling into the early 1990s.
