Eccentric strongman The Great Antonio honoured in Rosemont park

The Great Antonio was an eccentric strongman.

He was known as The Great Antonio – an eccentric Croatian-Canadian strongman, who once broke a Guinness world record by pulling four city buses, each full of passengers.

Antonio Barichievich may have passed away more than 12 years ago, but he has not been forgotten.

A park bench was dedicated to his memory by the borough of Rosemont this week, where his legend still looms large.

“He was impressive, he was what – six feet and a half high, three or four hundred pounds, you know?!” said friend Roger Michel.

In truth he weighed 465 pounds and stood about 6 foot 4 inches. His suits were size 90, and his shoes size 28, according to The Gazette obituary upon his death in 2003 at age 77.

“He has twelve hot dogs, for his breakfast, with mustard and relish and everything. And for dinner, three steaks!” added Michel.

Antonio was known as a wrestler, taking on as many as 18 men at the same time, or carrying six people on his shoulders. He pulled busses, trains and planes.

He also kept every news clipping that had been written about him in garbage bags.

His story was fantastical enough to be an urban legend, but he was real.

He was known for often frequenting the doughnut shop of Rosemont, where he lived.

“This was his neighbourhood, so a lot of people have memories of him. It’s important for us to do this because he was a great Montrealer too, he loved the city. He loved his neighbourhood,” said Rosemont/Petite-Patrie Borough Mayor Francois Croteau at a ceremony honouring the bizarre strongman.

After the ceremony, local author Elise Gravel read from ‘Le Grand Antonio,’ a book that she wrote about Antonio

“I wanted to make a book that would carry the legend of this man to the kids and make him even greater than he was in reality,” she said. “I thought he was an extraordinary character and I didn't want him to be forgotten.”

The Great Antonio carved out a career as a professional wrestler, also appearing in several movies and on variety shows.

“I think people will remember him as some kind of a weird dude but a good one, you know because he had a good heart,” said author Sylvain Laquerre.