Orval Dorscht

Orval Dorscht, a native of St. Clements, became a household name for sports fans during the period from 1949-1969. He was an all-round athlete but wrestling was his favourite sport. In 1936 he narrowly missed making the Olympic team. During the early 1940s he travelled the carnival circuit for four months, wrestling under the name of Frenchie Lavoy and Otto Luger, the German Terrier.

In 1950 he won an Ontario 130-pound wrestling title at the Kitchener YMCA. He later conducted coaching clinics at the Waterloo Family YMCA. Dorscht was also an accomplished weight-lifter, winning a championship in one-arm lifting.

Dorscht founded the Dorscht Ladies’ Softball Team, which won the Twin City championship every year from 1949-66 with one exception. They reached the Ontario finals in 1964 and became the Kitchener Kieswetters when he sold the team. He operated Dorscht sporting goods store in Waterloo for about 25 years.