Lionel Giroux
Encyclopedia
Lionel Giroux was a Canadian
midget wrestler who is best known by his ring name
Little Beaver. His most famous appearance was in a six-man match at WrestleMania III
for the World Wrestling Federation
.
. He, along with Sky Low Low
, became two of the most famous midget wrestlers in wrestling who had enough drawing power to command a large portion of the live gate for wrestling events. Giroux helped to create the comedy matches that have since become a trademark for midget wrestling in Canada and the United States. In 1973, Giroux won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Midget Wrestler of the Year award.
His last in-ring appearance was at WrestleMania III in the Pontiac Silverdome
in Pontiac
, Michigan
in 1987, at the age of 52. Giroux, wrestling as Little Beaver, teamed with Hillbilly Jim
and Haiti Kid
defeating King Kong Bundy
, Little Tokyo
and Lord Littlebrook
after Bundy was disqualified for attacking Little Beaver. During the match, Giroux suffered a back injury at the hands of Bundy, which forced him to retire from professional wrestling. In a 1998 interview with King Kong Bundy, Bundy said he hoped that he wasn't responsible for Giroux's early death, saying he wouldn't want that on his conscience.
. In 2003, Giroux was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
midget wrestler who is best known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Little Beaver. His most famous appearance was in a six-man match at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
for the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
Career
Lionel Giroux began his wrestling career in 1950, at the age of fifteen, and then began to wrestle for promoters in QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He, along with Sky Low Low
Marcel Gauthier
Marcel Gauthier was a Canadian professional midget wrestler who worked as Sky Low Low. He had a longtime feud with Farmer Brooks.-Professional wrestling career:...
, became two of the most famous midget wrestlers in wrestling who had enough drawing power to command a large portion of the live gate for wrestling events. Giroux helped to create the comedy matches that have since become a trademark for midget wrestling in Canada and the United States. In 1973, Giroux won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
Midget Wrestler of the Year award.
His last in-ring appearance was at WrestleMania III in the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
in Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in 1987, at the age of 52. Giroux, wrestling as Little Beaver, teamed with Hillbilly Jim
Hillbilly Jim
Jim Morris , best known to fans as Hillbilly Jim, is an American professional wrestler and disc jockey. He was one of the World Wrestling Federation's most popular wrestlers of the mid-to-late 1980s.-Career:...
and Haiti Kid
Raymond Kessler
Raymond Kessler was an American professional wrestler, who had dwarfism, wrestled under the name Haiti Kid in the World Wrestling Federation. He appeared in Mr. T's corner at WrestleMania 2 in his match against Rowdy Roddy Piper...
defeating King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
, Little Tokyo
Shigeri Akabane
Shigeri Akabane , known by his ringname Little Tokyo, was a Japanese professional midget wrestler who competed in North American promotions during the 1970s and 1980s including Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation, most...
and Lord Littlebrook
Eric Tovey
Eric Tovey is a British former Midget wrestler best known as Lord Littlebrook. He enjoyed his greatest success during the 1970s, when he held the NWA World Midget's Championship.-Career:...
after Bundy was disqualified for attacking Little Beaver. During the match, Giroux suffered a back injury at the hands of Bundy, which forced him to retire from professional wrestling. In a 1998 interview with King Kong Bundy, Bundy said he hoped that he wasn't responsible for Giroux's early death, saying he wouldn't want that on his conscience.
Death and legacy
Giroux died on December 4, 1995 of emphysemaEmphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
. In 2003, Giroux was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Amsterdam, New York. It was previously located in Schenectady, New York...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Midget's ChampionshipNWA World Midget's ChampionshipThe NWA World Midget's Championship was the National Wrestling Alliance's midget singles title.-Title history:-External links:*...
(2 times)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- Midget Wrestler of the Year (1973)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of FameProfessional Wrestling Hall of FameThe Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Amsterdam, New York. It was previously located in Schenectady, New York...
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee (2003)