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Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr (French pronunciation: [lwi siʁ]; born Cyprien-Noé Cyr; October 10, 1863 – November 10, 1912) was a French Canadian strongman. In his career spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries he performed feats of strength such as lifting 500 pounds (227 kg) with one finger and backlifting 4,337 pounds (1,967 kg), which inspired former International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation chairman Ben Weider to declare in 2000 that Cyr is the strongest man ever.
Since his strength was so far above and beyond the ordinary during his time, he and his contemporary Louis 'Apollon' Uni were collectively called the 'Kings of Strength'.
Cyr was born in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, Canada East. Coming from a French-Canadian family, he began developing his extraordinary strength at an early age. From the age of twelve Cyr worked in a lumber camp during the winters and on the family's farm the rest of the year. Discovering his exceptional strength at a very young age, he impressed his fellow workers with his feats of strength. After learning of the tale, Cyr attempted to mimic the practice of legendary strongman Milo of Croton, who as a child carried a calf on his shoulders, continuing to carry it as it grew into a full-grown bull and he into a grown man. Cyr's calf, however, bolted one day, kicking him in his back, after which he instead began carrying a sack of grain 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) every day, adding 2 pounds (0.91 kg) each day. According to one of his biographers, his mother decided "He should let his hair grow, like Samson in the Bible". She curled it regularly.
Louis started his strong man career at the age of 17, after some publicity came about due to an incident when the young Louis was reported to have lifted a farmer's heavily laden wagon out of the mire in which it had become stuck. He was matched in a contest against Michaud of Quebec, who was recognized as Canada's strongest man of the time. Cyr beat him in tests of lifting of heavy stones by hoisting a granite boulder weighing 480 lb (220 kg).
In 1878, the Cyr family immigrated to Lowell, Massachusetts in the United States. In Lowell, Cyr changed his name from Cyprien-Noé to Louis, as it was easier to pronounce in English. Again, his great strength brought him fame. At 17 years old, he weighed 230 pounds (104 kg). He entered his first strongman contest in Boston at age 22, lifting a horse off the ground. The fully grown male horse was placed on a platform with two iron bars attached, which enabled Cyr to obtain a better grip. The horse weighed at least 3⁄4 short ton (0.68 t).
In 1882, while working as a logger, Louis married Melina Comtois. The following year he and his wife returned to Lowell, hoping to capitalize on his fame there. A tour of the Maritimes was organized, and while it may have benefited the organizer, Cyr gained no profit financially. He then began touring Quebec with his family in a show they called "The Troupe Cyr".
Soon proving his immense strength, he was urged by friends to enter the exciting, albeit highly precarious world of professional strong men, lifting mainly crude solid or shot-filled weights.
From 1883 to 1885, Cyr served as a police officer in Montreal, Quebec. Following this, he went on tour with a troupe that included a wrestler, a boxer, and a weightlifter. He entered a strongman competition in March 1886, in Quebec City, against the reigning Canadian strongman, David Michaud. Cyr lifted a 218-pound (99 kg) barbell with one hand (to Michaud's 158 pounds or 72 kg) and a weight of 2,371 pounds (1,075 kg) on his back, to his opponent's 2,071 pounds (939 kg) to win the title of strongest man in the country.
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Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr (French pronunciation: [lwi siʁ]; born Cyprien-Noé Cyr; October 10, 1863 – November 10, 1912) was a French Canadian strongman. In his career spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries he performed feats of strength such as lifting 500 pounds (227 kg) with one finger and backlifting 4,337 pounds (1,967 kg), which inspired former International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation chairman Ben Weider to declare in 2000 that Cyr is the strongest man ever.
Since his strength was so far above and beyond the ordinary during his time, he and his contemporary Louis 'Apollon' Uni were collectively called the 'Kings of Strength'.
Cyr was born in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, Canada East. Coming from a French-Canadian family, he began developing his extraordinary strength at an early age. From the age of twelve Cyr worked in a lumber camp during the winters and on the family's farm the rest of the year. Discovering his exceptional strength at a very young age, he impressed his fellow workers with his feats of strength. After learning of the tale, Cyr attempted to mimic the practice of legendary strongman Milo of Croton, who as a child carried a calf on his shoulders, continuing to carry it as it grew into a full-grown bull and he into a grown man. Cyr's calf, however, bolted one day, kicking him in his back, after which he instead began carrying a sack of grain 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) every day, adding 2 pounds (0.91 kg) each day. According to one of his biographers, his mother decided "He should let his hair grow, like Samson in the Bible". She curled it regularly.
Louis started his strong man career at the age of 17, after some publicity came about due to an incident when the young Louis was reported to have lifted a farmer's heavily laden wagon out of the mire in which it had become stuck. He was matched in a contest against Michaud of Quebec, who was recognized as Canada's strongest man of the time. Cyr beat him in tests of lifting of heavy stones by hoisting a granite boulder weighing 480 lb (220 kg).
In 1878, the Cyr family immigrated to Lowell, Massachusetts in the United States. In Lowell, Cyr changed his name from Cyprien-Noé to Louis, as it was easier to pronounce in English. Again, his great strength brought him fame. At 17 years old, he weighed 230 pounds (104 kg). He entered his first strongman contest in Boston at age 22, lifting a horse off the ground. The fully grown male horse was placed on a platform with two iron bars attached, which enabled Cyr to obtain a better grip. The horse weighed at least 3⁄4 short ton (0.68 t).
In 1882, while working as a logger, Louis married Melina Comtois. The following year he and his wife returned to Lowell, hoping to capitalize on his fame there. A tour of the Maritimes was organized, and while it may have benefited the organizer, Cyr gained no profit financially. He then began touring Quebec with his family in a show they called "The Troupe Cyr".
Soon proving his immense strength, he was urged by friends to enter the exciting, albeit highly precarious world of professional strong men, lifting mainly crude solid or shot-filled weights.
From 1883 to 1885, Cyr served as a police officer in Montreal, Quebec. Following this, he went on tour with a troupe that included a wrestler, a boxer, and a weightlifter. He entered a strongman competition in March 1886, in Quebec City, against the reigning Canadian strongman, David Michaud. Cyr lifted a 218-pound (99 kg) barbell with one hand (to Michaud's 158 pounds or 72 kg) and a weight of 2,371 pounds (1,075 kg) on his back, to his opponent's 2,071 pounds (939 kg) to win the title of strongest man in the country.