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Great Antonio

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Last updated by M.A LeBlanc on August 21, 2023

Career Highlights

  • 1945: The Great Antonio immigrated to Canada, where he initially made his living as a wrestler giving exhibitions of strength..
  • 1952: The Great Antonio made the Guinness Book of Records by pulling a 433-ton train in Montreal along the tracks for 19.8 metres..
  • 1960: The Great Antonio scored his second Guinness entry by pulling four city buses loaded with passengers along St. Catherine Street..
  • 1970s: The Great Antonio travelled the world, putting on exhibitions of strength and wrestling..
  • The Great Antonio appeared on several TV programs such as Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson and NBC’s Real People..
  • The Great Antonio owned what he said was the world’s largest rocking chair – 4 metres high and 2 metres wide..
  • 1971: The Great Antonio nearly won the North American title in Calgary, but the match ended with a riot!
  • The Great Antonio braided his dreadlocks into a club held together with masking tape and used his matted locks to play “hair golf”..
  • Lois Siegel, an indy filmmaker in Montreal, featured The Great Antonio in “A 20th Century Chocolate Cake” – filmed in the early 80s..
  • The Great Antonio is sadly found homeless in Montreal roaming the streets like a madman..
  • September 7, 2003: The Great Antonio (age 77) passes away after suffering a heart attack in a supermarket in Montreal..