Jean Rougeau

Jean Rougeau
Ring name(s) Johnny Rougeau
Billed height 6 ft 2 in
Billed weight 225 lb.
Born June 9, 1929
Died May 25, 1983
Billed from Montreal, Quebec
Trained by Eddie Auger
Yvon Robert
Debut 1951

Jean Rougeau[1] (June 9, 1929 – May 25, 1983) was a professional wrestler better known as Johnny Rougeau. Rougeau started wrestling in 1951 as Johnny Rougeau after an amateur wrestling career. In 1956, he was joined by his brother, Jacques Rougeau, Sr.. He had feuds with Abdullah the Butcher, The Sheik, Ivan Koloff, Hans Schmidt and Killer Kowalski. He founded All-Star Wrestling in 1967.

Contents

Amateur wrestling

Rougeau began his amateur wrestling career in 1943.[1]

Professional wrestling career

Rougeau was also one of the premier promoters in Quebec. In the late 60s, Rougeau gave Ivan Koloff his ring name.[2]

Ice hockey

Rougeau also coached ice hockey with the Laval National in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, which included NY Islander Mike Bossy. He later served as the league's president from 1981 to 1983.[1] The Jean Rougeau Trophy was named in his honor and is awarded to the team that records the most points in the regular season.

Personal life

He was also at times a bodyguard, nightclub owner, and politician.[1] Most notably, he was the bodyguard and chauffeur of Québec Premier René Lévesque during the 1960 election.[1]

In 1982, he was awarded the Bene Merenti de Patria, a silver medal awarded by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society every year to a native of Quebec who has demonstrated service to the homeland.[3]

He died of cancer on May 25, 1983.[1] His funeral was attended by about 7,000 people.[1] He was buried at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.

In wrestling

Championships

In wrestling

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Canadian Hall of Fame: The Rougeau Family". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingRougeaus/home.html. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  2. ^ "'The Russian Bear' bares all in autobiography". Rocky Mountain News. April 20, 2007. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/apr/20/the-russian-bear-bares-all-in-autobiography/. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  3. ^ "Liste des Lauréates et lauréats du prix Bene Merenti De Patria". Bilan du Siècle. http://bilan.usherbrooke.ca/bilan/liste.jsp?titreListe=24. Retrieved 2009-03-26. 
  4. ^ {cite web|url=http://wrestling.johnny-o.net/titles/history.php?title=iwas_inter_hw_montreal|title=International Wrestling Association - Montreal International Heavyweight Championship|publisher=Johnny O's Wrestling Website|accessdate=10/31/2011}
  5. ^ {cite web|url=http://wrestling.johnny-o.net/titles/history.php?title=mac_world_montreal|title=Montreal Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Championship|publisher=Johnny O's Wrestling Website|accessdate=10/31/2011}

External links