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Tarzan Tyler

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Tarzan Tyler
Birth nameCamille Laurent Tourville[1]
Born(1927-12-04)December 4, 1927
Montreal, Quebec,Canada
DiedDecember 24, 1985(1985-12-24)(aged 58)
Laurentides Wildlife Reserve,Quebec,Canada
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Tarzan Tyler
Tarzan Tourville
Billed height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[2]
Billed weight270 lb (122 kg)[2]
Billed fromMiami Beach, Florida,United States[2]
Trained byJacques Rougeau, Sr.
Édouard Carpentier
Yvon Robert Jr
Debut1949[2]

Camille Laurent Tourville(December 4, 1927 – December 24, 1985), better known by hisring nameTarzan "The Boot" Tyler,was a Canadianprofessional wrestlerandmanager.He was one-half of the firstWWWF World Tag Team Champions,along withLuke Graham.

Professional wrestling career[edit]

Tourville competed as an amateur wrestler until he was spotted by local promoter Sylvio Samson, who started booking him.[1]He began wrestling in Montreal throughout the early 50s as Tarzan Tyler.[3]His first bout in theMontreal Forumsaw him compete againstDon Leo Jonathanas aface.[1]Tourville also competed as Tarzan Tourville, and under this name, wrestled inMaple Leaf Gardensfor the first time in 1958.[4]On May 27, 1960, Tourville teamed with the Mighty Ursus, defeating Oattem Fisher andLuther Lindsayto win theStampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship,anddroppedit in July to Jim Wright andGypsy Joe.[5]Tyler moved to the United States during the 1960s after having spent nearly 10 years wrestling in Canada.[2]He found success while wrestling in Texas, winning theNWA World Tag Team Championshipwith Jay York among other titles.[1]In 1964, he would wrestle as aheelin Florida and also served as abooker.[1][3]

By 1965, Tyler began to wrestle for the WWWF, challengingBruno Sammartinofor theWWWF Championshipalbeit unsuccessfully.[6]He often competed forworld championshipsagainst such stars asVerne Gagne,Lou Thesz,andDory Funk Jr.[2][4]On June 3, 1971, Tyler andCrazy Luke GrahamdefeatedDick the BruiserandThe Sheikto become the inauguralWWWF World Tag Team Champions.[2][7]Later that year, he would also facePedro Moralesat a show inMadison Square Gardenduring the main event for the WWWF Championship.[4]On November 12, he and Graham defeatedWWWF International Tag Team ChampionsThe Mongols (Geto MongolandBepo Mongol) for their titles.[8]They lost the World Tag Team Championship on December 6 toKarl GotchandRene Goulet.[7]

In 1973, Tyler was injured during a match withAndré the Giant,and as a result, he was paralyzed for months.[3][9]Once he returned from injury, Tyler would start using a loaded boot, where he tapped his boot on the mat three times (to slip a foreign object) before kicking his opponent; this earned him his nickname of "The Boot".[3][4][9]By the 1970s, he returned to Montreal and worked forGrand Prix Wrestlinginitially before it shut down, then appeared as a top heel forGeorge Cannon'sSuperstars of Wrestling.[4]Tyler was a manager for Gino Brito'sLutte Internationalebefore his death.[4]

Personal life and death[edit]

Tourville grew up in Montreal and his friends nicknamed him "Tarzan" by the age of ten.[1]

On December 24, 1985, Tourville died in a car crash along with fellow wrestlerPierre 'Mad Dog' Lefébvreand referee Adrien Desbois inLaurentides Wildlife Reserveupon returning from a wrestling event inChicoutimi,Québec.[10]Their car had slid on a curve, killing them after they hit a tow truck. He was 58 years old.[11]

Championships and accomplishments[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefGleason, Daren."Tarzan Tyler: Decades of Glory, Day of Tragedy".Kayfabe Memories. Archived fromthe originalon August 8, 2004.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  2. ^abcdefgShields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009).WWE Encyclopedia.DK.p.298.ISBN978-0-7566-4190-0.
  3. ^abcd"Wrestler Profiles: Tarzan Tyler".Online World of Wrestling. Archived fromthe originalon March 2, 2008.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  4. ^abcdef"Tarzan" The Boot "Tyler".Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame. Archived fromthe originalon June 30, 2008.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  5. ^ab"Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2014.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  6. ^"Ring Results: 1965".The History of WWE. Archived fromthe originalon March 23, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  7. ^abc"History of the World Tag Team Championship".WWE.Archived fromthe originalon February 7, 2010.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  8. ^ab"WWWF/WWF International Tag Team Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2004.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  9. ^abGleason, Daren."Tarzan Tyler: Decades of Glory, Day of Tragedy: Part 2".Kayfabe Memories. Archived fromthe originalon August 16, 2004.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  10. ^Laprade, Pat(December 24, 2015)."30 years later: The car crash that killed Tyler, Lefebvre and Desbois".Slam! Sports.Canadian Online Explorer.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2020.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  11. ^"Two wrestlers, referee killed in car crash".The Gazette.Montreal,Quebec.December 26, 1985. p. 3. Archived fromthe originalon July 6, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  12. ^"Midwest Heavyweight Title (Nebraska)".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2023.RetrievedJuly 6,2023.
  13. ^Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch and McLemore]".Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  14. ^"NWA Central States Heavyweight Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon May 24, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  15. ^"NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon March 16, 2016.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  16. ^"Florida Heavyweight Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon May 27, 2016.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  17. ^"NWA Florida Television Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2016.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  18. ^"Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida)".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon March 22, 2018.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  19. ^"NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Florida)".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon July 22, 2019.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  20. ^"NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida)".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  21. ^"NWA International Tag Team Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon January 20, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  22. ^"Georgia Heavyweight Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon November 16, 2018.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  23. ^Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gunkel & Barnett]".Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  24. ^"International Tag Team Title (Georgia)".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon December 1, 2022.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.
  25. ^"IWA North American Heavyweight Title".Wrestling Titles. Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2023.RetrievedJuly 5,2023.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tarzan_Tyler&oldid=1234294695"