Also known as Edouardo Wieckorski, Eddie Wiecz
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A Heavyweight visitor to Britain with genuine international credentials Edouard Carpentier combined an impressive physique, wrestling knowledge and athletic style developed during his earlier gymnastic career.
Born in France in 1926 Edouard Wiercowicz was a prominent member of the resistance during the second world war, receiving the Military Cross for bravery. He turned professional wrestler in the early 1950s and quickly gained popularity for his speed, energy and exciting manoeuvres. His initial visit to Britain was in 1953, at that time using the names Eddie Wiecz and Eduardo Wiercorski. The name on the birth certificate was Édouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz.
He moved to Montreal in 1956, adopting the ring name Edouard Carpentier. He defeated Lou Thesz the following year for the NWA World heavyweight championship.
Graeme Cameron has filled us in with the background to this NWA claim. Graeme tells us, “It would be more accurate to refer to Edouard Carpentier as the ‘Interim’ National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion. This all has to do with the champion at the time, Lou Thesz, wanting to take the belt and defend it on an International tour to Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The president of the NWA, Sam Muchnick and the board of directors were not keen on this. Almost every promoter in North America wanted Thesz to defend the title on their cards plus they were worried about a foreign promoter going into business for themselves and double crossing them by having the title holder lose to the local champion (which has happened several times throughout history)”
Thesz was insistent so Muchnik and colleagues came up with the idea of someone defeating Thesz in a controversial manner. Carpentier was nominated. Carpentier defeated Thesz by two fall to one but one of those two falls was by disqualification. If something happened while Thesz was overseas they could ignore it and carry on with Carpentier as champion, if not they could rescind recognition of Carpentier when Thesz returned. For a very short period of time in June/July of 1957 there were actually two champions, with Thesz defending it overseas and Carpentier in North America.
As it turned out nothing happened on Thesz’s tour. He defended the belt against Rikidozan in Japan, Lord Jan Blears, Ski Hi Lee and Ricky Waldo in Australia and Emile “King Kong Czaya” in Singapore and returned home. It was then announced that the title change with Carpentier was not valid due to the fall being won by disqualification (even though titles had changed hands that way before). The Thesz-Carpentier match is actually the origin of the no title changes by disqualification or knock out rule
Edouard Carpentier returned to Britain in the 1960s, notably drawing with Geoff Portz at the Royal Albert Hall. The contest was scheduled over four ten minute rounds with Charles Mascall reporting that the strength of Portz and the brilliance of the acrobatic Carpentier provided beautiful, scientific skill which earned a standing ovation from the fans.
Edouard dutifully lost against Jim Armstrong when the BBC ventured fleetingly into the realms of televised wrestling in May 1965. In 1966 he featured in a documentary, “The Wrestler,” broadcast on BBC1. The documentary, a production of the National Film Board of Canada, included extensive coverage of a tag match in which Carpentier and Dominic DeNucci wrestled the Kangaroos.
Edouard Carpentier – born 17th July, 1926, died 30th October , 2010
Page added 30/10/2022
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