Cyr, Louis
Weightlifting
b. Oct. 11, 1863, St. Cyprien de Napierville, Quebec
d. Nov. 10, 1912
Before he became a professional strongman, Cyr was a policeman in Montreal. After he disarmed two knife-wielding thugs and carried them to the police station, one under each arm, to be booked, he got considerable publicity.
Richard Kyle Fox, publisher of the National Police Gazette, then began managing Cyr, who was billed as the "Strongest Man in the World." He went on vaudeville and barnstorming tours, offering to pay $5,000 to anyone who could duplicate or surpass any of his weightlifting feats. No one ever won the prize.
Although he never formally competed, Cyr did a great deal to popularize weightlifting with his exploits. He once lifted a platform carrying eighteen men, a total of 4,300 pounds, on his back. He set a record in 1896 by lifting a dumbbell of 258 pounds with his right hand and one of 254 pounds with his left for a total of 512 pounds. The same year, Cyr picked up a weight of 552½ pounds using just the middle finger of his right hand.
Cyr retired in 1906 and died six years later of Bright's disease, a kidney ailment.