Tarzan Tyler

{{Short description|Canadian professional wrestler and manager (1927–1985)}}

{{Infobox professional wrestler

|name =Tarzan Tyler

|birthname =Camille Laurent Tourville{{Cite web |last=Gleason |first=Daren |title=Tarzan Tyler: Decades of Glory, Day of Tragedy |url=https://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/intlwrestlingmont/intlwrestlingmon16.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040808080722/https://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/intlwrestlingmont/intlwrestlingmon16.htm |archive-date=August 8, 2004 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Kayfabe Memories}}

|names = Tarzan Tyler
Tarzan Tourville
The Boot

|image = Tarzan Tyler in 1973.jpg

|caption = Tyler in 1973

|height = 6 ft 3 in

|weight = 270 lb

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|12|4}}

|birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1985|12|24|1927|12|4}}

|death_place = Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, Quebec, Canada

|billed = Miami Beach, Florida

|trainer = Jacques Rougeau, Sr.
Édouard Carpentier
Yvon Robert Jr.

|debut = 1949

|retired =

|website =

}}

Camille Laurent "Tarzan" Tourville (December 4, 1927 – December 24, 1985), better known by his ring name Tarzan "The Boot" Tyler, was a Canadian professional wrestler and manager. He was one-half of the first WWWF World Tag Team Champions, along with Luke Graham.

Professional wrestling career

Tourville competed as an amateur wrestler until he was spotted by local promoter Sylvio Samson, who started booking him. He began wrestling in Montreal throughout the early 1950s as Tarzan Tyler.{{Cite web |title=Wrestler Profiles: Tarzan Tyler |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/tarzan-tyler.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302100250/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/tarzan-tyler.html |archive-date=March 2, 2008 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Online World of Wrestling}} His first bout in the Montreal Forum saw him compete against Don Leo Jonathan as a face. Tourville also competed as Tarzan Tourville, and under this name, wrestled in Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time in 1958.{{Cite web |title=Tarzan "The Boot" Tyler |url=http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/tyler.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630010004/http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/tyler.htm |archive-date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame}} On May 27, 1960, Tourville teamed with the Mighty Ursus, defeating Oattem Fisher and Luther Lindsay to win the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship, and dropped it in July to Jim Wright and Gypsy Joe.{{Cite web |title=Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-int-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008161845/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-int-t.html |archive-date=October 8, 2014 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}} Tyler moved to the United States during the 1960s after having spent nearly 10 years wrestling in Canada.{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/298 298]|publisher=DK|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/298}} He found success while wrestling in Texas, winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Jay York among other titles. In 1964, he would wrestle as a heel in Florida and also served as a booker.

By 1965, Tyler began to wrestle for the WWWF, challenging Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Championship albeit unsuccessfully.{{Cite web |title=Ring Results: 1965 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1965/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323043447/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1965/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=The History of WWE}} He often competed for world championships against such stars as Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, and Dory Funk Jr. On June 3, 1971, Tyler and Crazy Luke Graham defeated Dick the Bruiser and The Sheik to become the inaugural WWWF World Tag Team Champions.{{Cite web |title=History of the World Tag Team Championship |url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207191326/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam |archive-date=February 7, 2010 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=WWE}} Later that year, he would also face Pedro Morales at a show in Madison Square Garden during the main event for the WWWF Championship. On November 12, he and Graham defeated WWWF International Tag Team Champions The Mongols (Geto Mongol and Bepo Mongol) for their titles.{{Cite web |title=WWWF/WWF International Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pa/w/studio/wwwf-in-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040620213422/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pa/w/studio/wwwf-in-t.html |archive-date=June 20, 2004 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}} They lost the World Tag Team Championship on December 6 to Karl Gotch and Rene Goulet.

In 1973, Tyler was injured during a match with André the Giant, and as a result, he was paralyzed for months.{{Cite web |last=Gleason |first=Daren |title=Tarzan Tyler: Decades of Glory, Day of Tragedy: Part 2 |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/intlwrestlingmont/intlwrestlingmon16-2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040816161701/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/intlwrestlingmont/intlwrestlingmon16-2.htm |archive-date=August 16, 2004 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Kayfabe Memories}} Once he returned from injury, Tyler would start using a loaded boot, where he tapped his boot on the mat three times (to slip a foreign object) before kicking his opponent; this earned him his nickname of "The Boot". By the 1970s, he returned to Montreal and worked for Grand Prix Wrestling initially before it shut down, then appeared as a top heel for George Cannon's Superstars of Wrestling. Tyler was a manager for Gino Brito's Lutte Internationale before his death.

Personal life and death

Tourville grew up in Montreal and his friends nicknamed him "Tarzan" by the age of ten.

On December 24, 1985, Tourville died in a car crash along with fellow wrestler Pierre 'Mad Dog' Lefébvre and referee Adrien Desbois in Laurentides Wildlife Reserve upon returning from a wrestling event in Chicoutimi, Québec.{{Cite web |last=Laprade |first=Pat |author-link=Pat Laprade |date=December 24, 2015 |title=30 years later: The car crash that killed Tyler, Lefebvre and Desbois |url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2015/12/24/22586678.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108102433/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2015/12/24/22586678.html |archive-date=January 8, 2020 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=Slam! Sports |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}} Their car had slid on a curve, killing them after they hit a tow truck. He was 58 years old.{{Cite news |date=December 26, 1985 |title=Two wrestlers, referee killed in car crash |page=3 |work=The Gazette |location=Montreal, Quebec |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/50118308/ |access-date=July 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706002851/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/50118308/ |archive-date=July 6, 2023}}

Championships and accomplishments

American Wrestling Association
AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times){{Cite web |title=Midwest Heavyweight Title (Nebraska) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ne/awa/awa-mw-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619055627/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ne/awa/awa-mw-h.html |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |access-date=July 6, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}

Big Time Wrestling
NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Alaskan{{cite book | first1=Royal | last1=Duncan | first2=Gary | last2=Will | title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present | location=Pennsylvania |year=2000 | publisher=Archeus Communications | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 | chapter=Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch and McLemore]}}

Central States Wrestling
NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{Cite web |title=NWA Central States Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524032702/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-h.html |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}

Championship Wrestling from Florida
NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (2 times){{Cite web |title=NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-bk.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316063320/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-bk.html |archive-date=March 16, 2016 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{Cite web |title=Florida Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527133843/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA Florida Television Championship (2 times){{Cite web |title=NWA Florida Television Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-tv.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321072929/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-tv.html |archive-date=March 21, 2016 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (2 times){{Cite web |title=Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-south-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322131950/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-south-h.html |archive-date=March 22, 2018 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) – with Louie Tillet{{Cite web |title=NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Florida) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722215802/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-t.html |archive-date=July 22, 2019 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (2 times) – with Tim Tyler (1) and Freddie Blassie (1){{Cite web |title=NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-nwa-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210134203/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-nwa-t.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}

International Wrestling Association
IWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{Cite web |title=IWA North American Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/iwa/iwa-na-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405100849/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/iwa/iwa-na-h.html |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}

Japan Wrestling Association
NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bill Watts{{Cite web |title=NWA International Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/int-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120090212/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/int-t.html |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}

Mid-South Sports
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{Cite web |title=Georgia Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116032102/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-h.html |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Lenny Montana{{Cite book |last=Duncan |first=Royal |title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |last2=Will |first2=Gary |publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2000 |isbn=0-9698161-5-4 |location=Pennsylvania |language=en |chapter=Georgia: NWA World Tag Team Title [Gunkel & Barnett]}}
NWA International Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Lenny Montana{{Cite web |title=International Tag Team Title (Georgia) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/nwa/ga-int-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201145303/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/nwa/ga-int-t.html |archive-date=December 1, 2022 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}