Professional Wrestler. Born Edouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz, he was an Olympic gymnast when he relocated to Canada in the mid-1950s, to pursue a career as a wrestler. A master of backflips, his acrobatic style gained him popularity with fans and he was dubbed "The Flying Frenchman." The highpoint of his career was his National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship reign from 1956 to 1957. In Chicago on June 14, 1957, in a title match with heavyweight champ Lou Thesz, Carpentier was declared the winner after beating Lou Thesz, who was injured and disqualified for not continuing the match. But since the NWA ruled a title cannot change on a disqualification, they continued to recognize Thesz as World champion. However, the West Coast League WWA recognized Carpentier as World Champion until he was defeated in 1961. In total, he was 4-time International champion (1957 to 1967), 2-time WWA World champion (1961, 1963), WWA World tag champion (1964), 4-time Grand Prix champion (1971 to 1973), Grand Prix tag champion (1973), NWA Americas champion (1974, 1975), International tag champion (1978) and Canadian International champion (1980). After retiring from wrestling in the 1980s, he did play-by-play commentary for the Canadian French language television networks. In 1997, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame and into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010. Cause of death: heart attack.
Professional Wrestler. Born Edouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz, he was an Olympic gymnast when he relocated to Canada in the mid-1950s, to pursue a career as a wrestler. A master of backflips, his acrobatic style gained him popularity with fans and he was dubbed "The Flying Frenchman." The highpoint of his career was his National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship reign from 1956 to 1957. In Chicago on June 14, 1957, in a title match with heavyweight champ Lou Thesz, Carpentier was declared the winner after beating Lou Thesz, who was injured and disqualified for not continuing the match. But since the NWA ruled a title cannot change on a disqualification, they continued to recognize Thesz as World champion. However, the West Coast League WWA recognized Carpentier as World Champion until he was defeated in 1961. In total, he was 4-time International champion (1957 to 1967), 2-time WWA World champion (1961, 1963), WWA World tag champion (1964), 4-time Grand Prix champion (1971 to 1973), Grand Prix tag champion (1973), NWA Americas champion (1974, 1975), International tag champion (1978) and Canadian International champion (1980). After retiring from wrestling in the 1980s, he did play-by-play commentary for the Canadian French language television networks. In 1997, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame and into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010. Cause of death: heart attack.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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