1909 Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

John Lemm

Posted on Monday, August 30th, 2021 by John Wood

Another look at John Lemm (in color!), circa 1909, when he had just made his way across the Atlantic Ocean and was looking to take on all comers. Interestingly, Lemm’s manager at this time was William Bankier, The Scottish Apollo.

Yussif Mahmout

Posted on Tuesday, July 24th, 2018 by John Wood

Yussif Mahmout was a great turn-of-the-century catch wrestler who methodically made his way through wrestler of prominence in America until he could at last face Frank Gotch at Dexter Park Pavilion in Chicago on April 14th, 1909.

Mahmout caused an uproar when he entered the ring barefoot as was the custom in his native Bulgaria. The Gotch camp protested, believing it was a ploy to avoid Gotch’s vicious toe hold. The referee ruled in Mahmout’s favor and the match commenced as originally intended… it turned out to be a moot point with the American champion throwing the Bulgarian twice inside of seventeen minutes.

1909 Henry Titus Advertisement

Posted on Friday, February 16th, 2018 by John Wood

Check out this great H.W. Titus advertisement circa 1909. Titus name drops pretty much every great strongman of the day as well as President William Howard Taft. Who knows if any of these gents actually used it, but the fact remains that the Titus course is excellent.

Josef Grafl

Posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2016 by John Wood

Josef Grafl, the great strongman from Vienna, Austria, was the man to beat in the weightlifting world in the early 20th century… Grafl won championships in 1908, 1909, twice in 1910, 1911 and his last in 1913.

As you might guess by the image above, Grafl possessed immense pressing power. In Vienna, circa 1912, Grafl pressed 220.5 lbs overhead for 18 repetitions. This was not “military” style popular today but an even more strict performance: with his heels together. It was later estimated by strength historian David P. Willoughby that this performance was equivalent to a maximum single of 344 lbs.

Richard J. Cox ~ Clubswinging Champion of The World

Posted on Friday, March 18th, 2016 by John Wood

Richard J. Cox developed lung problems when he was 12 years of age, and was labeled a “hopeless” case by his doctors. In a last ditch effort to regain his health, Cox took up Indian club swinging at the urging of his father. Within a few months of regular practice, the young master Cox had not only rid himself of his lung troubles but also gave his first club-swinging performance. Swinging the clubs became a lifelong pursuit for Cox and he won many medals and trophies for doing so. The above photo was taken in 1909, the day he won his first contest. (Looks like club swinging DOES build a little muscle, eh?) Cox eventually succeeded Gus Hill as “Club Swinging Champion of The World.”