Eric Henry Edward Tovey (January 3, 1929 – 9 September 9, 2016), known professionally as Lord Littlebrook, was a British midget wrestler. He enjoyed his greatest success during the 1970s, when he held the NWA World Midget's Championship. He was also part of the WrestleMania III card in 1987 in front of a record 93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, then the largest professional wrestling attendance in North American history.
Career[]
Tovey was born in England and grew up with six siblings. He began performing in front of audiences in the circus at the age of 14 serving as an acrobatic midget clown. Tovey traveled to the United States with the circus in 1949 but lost his job when the circus went out of business. He was then convinced by a friend that he would be an ideal midget wrestler. After three months of training, Tovey made his debut as "Lord Littlebrook" against Major Tom Thumb. Although from a plebeian background, Tovey took a nobility gimmick in line with the general American stereotype of Britishers.
He is credited as being one of the first wrestlers to use aerial assaults on his opponents, paving the way for high wire acts such as Jimmy Snuka, The Rockers, and Koko B. Ware.
As Littlebrook, Tovey enjoyed great success in places such as Australia, Japan and Thailand. From 1956 to 1958, he wrestled in New York state. He faced other midget wrestlers, including several who he would later wrestle in the World Wrestling Federation. He won most of his matches, although he was booked to lose several tag team matches. In the late 1960s, he competed regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. Again, he wrestled in matches against other midget wrestlers and was victorious in the majority of his matches.
In 1979, Littlebrook began wrestling with the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He was brought in to team with The Crusher in a feud with Lord Alfed Hayes and Super Destroyer Mark II. In 1986, he competed in a tag team match at the AWA's WrestleRock event, teaming with Little Tokyo. The pair lost to Little Mr. T and Cowboy Lang. He also competed in WrestleMania III in a mixed tag-team match with Little Tokyo and King Kong Bundy against Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver and Haiti Kid. Littlebrook's team was disqualified when Bundy powerslammed Little Beaver.
Tovey was involved in the wrestling business for 47 years as a wrestler, manger and a trainer. He trained Colonel DeBeers, as well as Butch Reed and Mike George. In the late 1980s, Tovey, as Lord Littlebrook, was brought in to World Championship Wrestling to manage Jack Victory and Rip Morgan, who teamed as The Royal Family. Tovey has also been enshrined into the Canadian Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Personal life[]
Tovey lived in Saint Joseph, Missouri with his daughter, Lucky. He also had two sons, Chris and Bobby, both of whom compete as Kato and Beautiful Bobby with the midget wrestling group the Half Pint Brawlers, and 28 grandchildren. Since retiring from wrestling, Tovey has been diagnosed with dementia and has lost the use of both of his legs. He died in his home in Saint Joseph, Missouri at the age of 87.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Awards
- Canadian Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (19??)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2004)
