Little Beaver (wrestler) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Beaver |
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Little Beaver, circa 1973
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| Birth name | Lionel Giroux |
| Born | January 14, 1934 Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | December 4, 1995 (aged 61) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Little Beaver |
| Billed height | 4 ft 4 in (132 cm) |
| Billed weight | 60 lb (27 kg) |
| Debut | 1949 |
| Retired | 1987 |
Lionel Giroux (born January 14, 1934 – died December 4, 1995) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was famous by his ring name, Little Beaver. He is most remembered for wrestling in a special match at WrestleMania III in 1987.
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Little Beaver's Wrestling Journey
Lionel Giroux started his wrestling career in 1949. He was only fifteen years old at the time. He began wrestling for different promoters in Quebec, Canada.
Little Beaver, along with another wrestler named Sky Low Low, became very famous. They were known as "midget wrestlers." They were so popular that they could attract large crowds to wrestling events. Giroux helped create the fun and funny matches. These matches became a special part of midget wrestling in Canada and the United States. In 1973, he even won an award. He was named the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Midget Wrestler of the Year.
WrestleMania III Appearance
Little Beaver's last wrestling match was at WrestleMania III in 1987. This big event took place in the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. He was 52 years old then.
In this match, Little Beaver teamed up with Hillbilly Jim and another midget wrestler, the Haiti Kid. They faced King Kong Bundy and his partners, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook. King Kong Bundy was disqualified for attacking Little Beaver. This meant Little Beaver's team won the match. During this match, Little Beaver got a back injury from King Kong Bundy. This injury made him retire from professional wrestling.
A few months after WrestleMania III, Little Beaver was still involved in wrestling. He was in Hillbilly Jim's corner for a match against the One Man Gang. This match was at the Boston Garden. Little Beaver got involved in the match several times. He even hit the One Man Gang with a broom after the match. The One Man Gang then caught Little Beaver. He performed a move called the "747 Splash" on him.
Little Beaver's Legacy
Lionel Giroux passed away on December 4, 1995. In 2003, he was honored for his wrestling career. He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was to the world of professional wrestling.
Championships and Awards
Little Beaver won many titles and awards during his wrestling career. Here are some of his achievements:
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Midget's Championship (2 times)
- NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Midget Wrestler of the Year (1973)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee (2003)
- Other Achievements
- Midgets' World Championship (3 times)
- Midgets' World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jim Corbett
