DLVH84
11-01-2010, 10:28 PM
Legendary wrestler Edouard Carpentier passed away this past Saturday at his home in Montreal of a heart attack. He was 84 years old.
During World War II, Carpentier, who was born in France, was captured by the Nazis, but escaped to join the French Resistance. After the war, he participated in gymnastics, where he excelled in the rings and the trampoline. He participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London and in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
After learning the Greco-Roman wrestling style after suggestion of Lino Ventura, Carpentier moved from his native France to Montreal in 1956. He had an unrecognized NWA World title victory in 1957, defeating Lou Thesz.
Carpentier was technical, but he was also acrobatic with his dropkicks, cartwheels, and soumersaults, and he also added in judo, boxing, and savate. He was the first hybrid wrestler in the world.
After retiring, he would do color commentary for various promotions in Canada, as well as doing French commentary for the WWE.
During World War II, Carpentier, who was born in France, was captured by the Nazis, but escaped to join the French Resistance. After the war, he participated in gymnastics, where he excelled in the rings and the trampoline. He participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London and in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
After learning the Greco-Roman wrestling style after suggestion of Lino Ventura, Carpentier moved from his native France to Montreal in 1956. He had an unrecognized NWA World title victory in 1957, defeating Lou Thesz.
Carpentier was technical, but he was also acrobatic with his dropkicks, cartwheels, and soumersaults, and he also added in judo, boxing, and savate. He was the first hybrid wrestler in the world.
After retiring, he would do color commentary for various promotions in Canada, as well as doing French commentary for the WWE.