1959 Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Chuck Davis

Posted on Monday, February 29th, 2016 by John Wood

Here’s one you don’t see every day: the man under the barbell is Chuck Davis, doing an impressive neck bridge lift of 350 lbs. This feat happened at a show in March of 1959 and was featured in the Knoxville News Sentinel. This clipping was sent in by Chuck’s good friend Bob Simpson (spotting on the right above.) Bob tells us that Chuck rarely did this lift, perhaps only a dozen times but accomplished 400 lbs. at 200lbs bodyweight. Having done a little of this kind of training, I can tell you that this is IMPRESSIVE. Chuck was also featured in Strength and Health.

Iron Man Lifting News – Vol.4, No. 4 – December, 1959

Posted on Sunday, January 31st, 2016 by John Wood

Iron Man Magazine was mostly oriented towards bodybuilding so Peary Rader started up another side-publication oriented towards heavy weight lifting and what would eventually become Powerlifting. “Iron Man Lifting News” started out in 1954 at brochure size and eventually grew to a full fledged magazine. Issues are pretty rare as they were only available by subscription and never appeared on the newsstand. As a result, a number of incredible training articles flew under the radar. To give you a great example, this issue — Vol. 4, No 4. from December, 1959 — was devoted specifically to how to clean and jerk maximum poundages. As you can see, the techniques of several great champions, Schemansky, Kono, Louis Martin, and others were analyzed in great detail.

Copies are extremely hard to come by but in case you are interested, this issue of Lifting News is posted in its entirety in THE IRON LEAGUE.

Mr. America Magazine, January, 1959, Larry Cianchetta Coverman

Posted on Sunday, August 30th, 2015 by John Wood

Larry Cianchetta (later known as Larry Powers) from Staten Island, New York graced the cover of the January, 1959 issue of Mr. America Magazine. He went on to win a number of bodybuilding titles including, appropriately enough, the IFBB Mr. America in 1960. Also, the article ‘Rope-Chinning for Blade Sharp Definition,’ by E.M. Orlick is available at The Iron League.

1959 Senior National Weightlifting Championships Program

Posted on Friday, September 26th, 2014 by John Wood

A look at the program/ score card for the 1959 US. Senior National Weightlifting Championships. Cover man Tommy Kono, unsurprisingly, won the 165-1/4 pound class with a 905 lb. total. Other winners included Chuck Vinci, Isaac Berger, Paul Goldberg, Jim George, Clyde Emrich and Dave Ashman.

Jack Kanner

Posted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2014 by John Wood

Jack Kanner

Jack Kanner was a boxing and wrestling promoter in the Denver, Colorado area from the 1920’s through the 1960’s. Ol’ Jack didn’t just sit in the stands and eat popcorn either: to stay in shape, he often liked to climb the poles of the playground structures at the park around the corner from his house. Here’s Jack in the middle of a workout on March 13, 1959. Jack was 61 years of age at the time and clearly a great example to us all.

Tossing The Unspunnen Stone

Posted on Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 by John Wood

In Fribourg, Switzerland, during the annual Alpine Games, they conduct a traditional event: tossing the famous Unspunnen Stone, The stone, which weighs 176 pounds, is shown here being heaved by Ernest Hulman, who won the 1959 edition of the stone tossing contest with a throw of 8½ feet.