As Ottman took a seat at his autograph table, six-year-old wrestling fan, Sal, came up to him with three photos for him to inscribe, all of which were from three different eras of his illustrious career. “I’m all three of these men,” Ottman responded to his young fan, thus showcasing his longevity in the wrestling industry.
“It’s awesome to be here,” Ottman acknowledged about being at the Farmingdale pizzeria, and he serenaded fans to the following paraphrased line (from Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore”) to honor this occasion: “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, we go to Frankie’s,” which resonated well with pizzeria owner, Danny Romano. “It smells good in here, like a nice lady’s perfume to me. I love it,” he said, with excitement.
Regarding his proudest professional moments, he noted that he is proud of all of them. “All these Typhoon, The Shockmaster, and Tugboat dolls came out and I’m on this new 2017 game that will be released. It has been an incredible experience,” he said. “I’ve got to work with guys that I watched on TV. I’ve got to work with up-and-coming guys. I was a wrestling fan before I became a wrestler. Back in Florida, I’m training guys that want to be wrestlers and it’s all fun. It is nice to be appreciated for what you did in the business. It’s the same feeling as Danny making pizza and people enjoying it.”
On his plans for the future, he said, “Have a good time with my wife. Enjoy life with my children and grandchildren. Also, I have two great-grandchildren. I’m in the gym every day and I’m having a good time. I’m happy. That’s the motivator.”
Throughout his career in wrestling, he was privileged to visit 44 different countries and he’s been to 48 of the 50 states. Ottman defined success as “being able to make other people happy, and to make them laugh.” “Hopefully, share how I feel with the people. That’s the best thing,” he said.
Overall, Ottman’s signing and meet and greet event at Frankie’s East Side Gourmet Pizza was well-received by all. “Meeting Tugboat was awesome,” said Sal, age six.
