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Eugene Tremblay

Originating in Sainte-Anne de Chicoutimi, Eugene Tremblay practises several trades before becoming a professional fighter at the beginning of the XXe century. Shouldered by promoters George (Kendall) Kennedy and Doctor J. - P. Gadbois, Eugene Tremblay plays an important part in the rise of popularity of Wrestling in Montreal. Evolving in the light weight category, he faces the best fighters of his generation and attracts a record crowd at Sohmer park on April 15, 1904 for his match against champion George Bothner, According to witnesses', approximately 10.000 people attend the confrontation between the Champ and the contender. The two men battle during four hours and 24 minutes before the referee puts an end to the bout. They will face each other a few more times before Tremblay finally tears off the world title from Bothner on February 10, 1905. It is the beginning of a long reign for him and a prosperous period for the promoter George Kennedy and the professional wrestling scene in Montreal. Several programs will take place for the next decade , including the bout between the world champion Frank Gotch and George Hackenschmidt,

Eugene Tremblay continued to make crowds run during several years. At the end of his career, which continued up until the 20s, he became Wrestling Coach at The Palestre National.

Quebec Mat Legends

No one knows exactly when pro wrestling really started in quebec. Like the USA and Canada though, we had our county fairs and carnival wrestlers. This is partly how pro wrestling started.

Then it moved into venues such as parish halls (with sometimes approbations from the ruling clergy at the time), sports gyms and improvised outdoor venues, in which wooden stands were built in a squared form, hosted pro wrestling as well as variety shows, circuses and boxing matches. (These existed in Montréal-North and the Plateau Mont-Royal district in Montréal). Other venues included sports gymnasiums build over several City of Montreal municipal offices (like the St-Jacques Public Market, the St-Henri Center and several other places)

One of the first major venues in Montréal was the Mont-Royal Arena, which was located corner Mont-Royal and St-Urbain streets in the Plateau district. Many wrestlers did have success here, like Eugene Tremblay,Henri Dufresne and French champion Henri Deglane. However, on a certain night of 1932, a young and talentful kid from Verdun, out fresh from a famed wrestling camp in the Laurentians, would paved the path to Québec's pro wrestling success : Yvon Robert.

Born on October 8th 1914 in Verdun,Montreal.Yvon Robert was exceptionally big and strong as a boy,and showed great athletic skills.In 1931 John Masson,one of Roberts trainers, recommended that he go and train at a Wrestling camp in Val Morin in the Laurentiens.The Camp was headed by Emile Maupas a French Greco Roman Wrestler who also had a lot of succes in Catch Wrestling.

On april 19^th 1932,17 year old Robert fought his first professional wrestling bout.

He was to become one of Quebecs greatest wrestler.

Robert Working for the Toe Hold

Edouard Wiecz Carpentier
Édouard Carpentier was a French professional wrestler who garnered several world championships in a career that spanned the 1950s into the 1980s.

Born Edouard Wiercowicz on July 17, 1926 in Roanne, Loire, France to a Russian father and a Polish mother, he joined the French underground resistance during the period of German occupation during WW2, and was subsequently awarded medals by the French government at the close of the war.

Eddy had always been an avid wrestler and also trained in gymnastics,he also praticed Boxing and Savate.After the war, Wiecz joined actor Lino Ventura's stunt team. He mostly doubled for actor Eddie Constantine in his action movies. But Ventura was also a Catch wrestler in France and saw the fighting abilities of young Édouard. He convinced him to try in that sport.he soon became a big attraction in wrestling rings in france,

Champion wrestler Yvon Robert was on tour in Europe at the time Eddy was becoming popular. He heard about him and was very impressed with his performance. Robert invited him finally in Québec, where he could become a sensation. In 1954, Wiecz arrived in Québec and didn't deceived the demanding wrestling fan over there. He changed his name to Carpentier ( in honor of his Boxing coach George Carpentier)to maintain a French flavour.

When he moved to Quebec,Eddy honed his skills with the likes of Yvon Robert (the short arm scissor expert)and Henry Deglane.French born Deglane had won a Gold medal in the '24 Olympics in Greco Roman Wrestling plus twelve world titles in both freestyle and Greco roman before turning to Catch Wrestling.He moved To Montreal Quebec in the '30s, and lived there until his passing in 1975.Eddy also Trained extensively with legendary Catch Wrestler Karl Gotch and practiced judo with 8th Dan mat wizard Hiroshi Nakamura.

Deglane training for a fight

In the 1960's, Carpentier became champion. In the meantime, he started to teach pro wrestling to young Québec hopefuls. He travelled a lot between the U.S. (AWA), Canada (with the Hart's STAMPEDE WRESTLING) and Japan.