Louis Cyr (French pronunciation: [lwi siʁ]; born Cyprien-Noé Cyr; October 10, 1863 – November 10, 1912) was a Canadian strongman. In his career spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries he performed feats of strength such as lifting 500 pounds (227 kg) with one finger and backlifting 4,337 pounds (1,967 kg), which inspired former International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation chairman Ben Weider to declare in 2000 that Cyr is the strongest man ever.
Since his strength was so far above and beyond the ordinary during his time, he and his contemporary Louis 'Apollon' Uni were collectively called the 'Kings of Strength'.
Cyr was born in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, Canada East. Coming from a French-Canadian family, he began developing his extraordinary strength at an early age. From the age of twelve Cyr worked in a lumber camp during the winters and on the family's farm the rest of the year. Discovering his exceptional strength at a very young age, he impressed his fellow workers with his feats of strength. After learning of the tale, Cyr attempted to mimic the practice of legendary strongman Milo of Croton, who as a child carried a calf on his shoulders, continuing to carry it as it grew into a full-grown bull and he into a grown man. Cyr's calf, however, bolted one day, kicking him in his back, after which he instead began carrying a sack of grain 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) every day, adding 2 pounds (0.91 kg) each day. According to one of his biographers, his mother decided "He should let his hair grow, like Samson in the Bible". She curled it regularly.
Louis started his strong man career at the age of 17, after some publicity came about due to an incident when the young Louis was reported to have lifted a farmer's heavily laden wagon out of the mire in which it had become stuck. He was matched in a contest against Michaud of Quebec, who was recognized as Canada's strongest man of the time. Cyr beat him in tests of lifting of heavy stones by hoisting a granite boulder weighing 480 lb (220 kg).
In 1878, the Cyr family immigrated to Lowell, Massachusetts in the United States. In Lowell, Cyr changed his name from Cyprien-Noé to Louis, as it was easier to pronounce in English. Again, his great strength brought him fame. At 17 years old, he weighed 230 pounds (104 kg). He entered his first strongman contest in Boston at age 22, lifting a horse off the ground. The fully grown male horse was placed on a platform with two iron bars attached, which enabled Cyr to obtain a better grip. The horse weighed at least 3⁄4 short ton (0.68 t).
In 1882, while working as a logger, Louis married Melina Comtois. The following year he and his wife returned to Lowell, hoping to capitalize on his fame there. A tour of the Maritimes was organized, and while it may have benefited the organizer, Cyr gained no profit financially. He then began touring Quebec with his family in a show they called "The Troupe Cyr".
He was urged by friends to enter the world of professional strong men, lifting mainly crude solid or shot-filled weights.
From 1883 to 1885, Cyr served as a police officer in Montreal, Quebec. Following this, he went on tour with a troupe that included a wrestler, a boxer, and a weightlifter. He entered a strongman competition in March 1886, in Quebec City, against the reigning Canadian strongman, David Michaud. Cyr lifted a 218-pound (99 kg) barbell with one hand (to Michaud's 158 pounds or 72 kg) and a weight of 2,371 pounds (1,075 kg) on his back, to his opponent's 2,071 pounds (939 kg) to win the title of strongest man in the country.
With little reward at this early foray into professional weightlifting, Louis was forced to seek other employment. Cyr became a police officer after breaking up a knife fight and carrying both participants to the police station.
Prudent with his earnings, Louis left the police force and purchased a tavern/restaurant in St. Cunégonde, where he also featured a gymnasium that became a mecca for strength athletes and fighters. Cyr was well acquainted with John L. Sullivan, being one of the few to defy Sullivan's commands to drink when he drank. Sullivan was known as The Boston Strong Boy and was very powerful, but not in Cyr's class. Cyr, happy in his own environment, beat all comers when challenged to perform. His daughter was born in 1887 and died in 1935
Cyr's exploits were reported in publications such as the 'Pink Un' and the Police Gazette, published by Richard K. Fox, a promoter of strength athletes including Travis and Eugen Sandow. Fox offered a prize of $5,000 to anyone who could defeat Cyr in his strength feats. Promoted by Fox, Louis won a contest in 1885-1891, defeating competitors such as Sebastian Miller, Bienkowski, Cyclops, August Johnson, and Richard Pennell. Eugen Sandow was also among those who attempted to challenge Cyr, and a diamond-studded belt was to be awarded to the winner if such an event took place. Sandow did not pursue further challenges later in his career, following earlier defeats, including one against McCann.
There was no doubt that Cyr was an unusual man regarding size and measurements, the latter often causing debate. Although Dr. Dudley A. Sargent, famous Harvard University physical director recorded measuring Cyr in 1895 when Cyr was 32 years old and weighed 291 lb (132 kg). Sargent listed Cyr's height as 5'8.5". Other measurements, most on the conservative side as compared to other biographers, were neck – 20 inches (51 cm), biceps – 20 inches (51 cm), forearms – 16.3 inches (41 cm), wrists – 8.2 inches (21 cm), chest (normal) – 55.2 inches (140 cm), chest expanded – 60 inches (150 cm), waist - 47.4 inches (120 cm), hips – 48.1 inches (122 cm), thighs – 28.5 inches (72 cm), knees – 17", and calves - 19.3 inches (49 cm), far short of the quoted 28", but perhaps a possible 23" later when of higher body weight. Ankle 10.3 inches (26 cm) and Shoulder width with calipers ... across the deltoids 25.6 inches (65 cm). The above details were just one set of figures relating to Cyr's size, others being recorded by Willoughby when for example Cyr was 47 years old (in 1910) gave him calf 23", neck 22 3/4", biceps 21 1/2". chest normal 59 1/2" and thighs 33" with other parts to match the increase in weight, being at the time a heavier 365 lbs. Ben Weider, who was privileged to access family archives, was even more generous giving arm size 24 inches (61 cm), forearms 19 inches (48 cm), and calves, the disputed 28 inches (71 cm), following a similar line to Jowett.
While several of Cyr's feats of strength may have been exaggerated over the years, some were documented and remain impressive.
lifting a platform on his back holding 18 men for a total of 4,336-pound (1,967 kg)
lifting a 534-pound (242 kg) weight with one finger
pushing a freight car up an incline
At 19 years old, he lifted a rock from ground up to his shoulder, officially weighted at 514 pounds
He beat Eugen Sandow's bent press record (and therefore the heaviest weight lifted with one hand) by 2 pounds (0.91 kg) to a total of 273 pounds (124 kg).