Paul Anderson (weightlifter)

Paul Anderson
Personal information
Nationality American
Born (1932-10-17)October 17, 1932
Toccoa, Georgia, U.S.
Died August 15, 1994(1994-08-15) (aged 61)
Vidalia, Georgia, U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in (177 cm)[1]
Weight 360 lb (163 kg)
Sport
Sport Olympic weightlifting, Strongman, Powerlifting
Medal record
Men's weightlifting
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
1956 Melbourne +90 kg
World Championships
1955 Munich +90 kg
U.S. National Weightlifting Championships[2][3]
1st 1955 +90kg
1st 1956 +90kg

Paul Edward Anderson (October 17, 1932 - August 15, 1994) was an American weightlifter, strongman, and powerlifter. He is an Olympic gold medalist, World Champion and two-time National Champion in Olympic weightlifting. Anderson played a big part in the manifestation of powerlifting as a competitive sport. He is considered to be one of the strongest men in recorded history for his mostly unequaled feats of strength.[4][5][6]

Early life

Anderson was born in Toccoa, Georgia, the only son of Ethel Bennett and Robert Anderson.

As a teenager, he began his early weight training on his own in his family's backyard to increase his size and strength so that he would be able to play on the Toccoa High School football team, where Anderson earned a position as first-team blocking back.[7] He used special homemade weights that his father made out of concrete poured into a wooden form.[8]

Anderson later attended Furman University for one year on a football scholarship before moving to Elizabethton, Tennessee with his parents. In Elizabethton, Anderson met weightlifter Bob Peoples, who would greatly influence him in squat training and introduce him around weightlifting circles.[7][9]

Career

In 1955, at the height of the Cold War, Anderson, as winner of the USA National Amateur Athletic Union Weightlifting Championship, traveled to the Soviet Union, where weightlifting was a popular sport, for an international weightlifting competition. In a newsreel of the event shown in the United States the narrator, Bud Palmer, commented as follows: "Then, up to the bar stepped a great ball of a man, Paul Anderson." Palmer said, "The Russians snickered as Anderson gripped the bar which was set at 402.5 pounds, an unheard-of lift. But their snickers quickly changed to awe and all-out cheers as up went the bar and Anderson lifted the heaviest weight overhead of any human in history." "We rarely have such weights lifted," said the solemn Russian announcer as Anderson hoisted 402.41 lb (182.53 kg). in the two-hand press.[10] Prior to Anderson's lift, the Soviet champion, Alexey Medvedev, had matched the Olympic record of the time with a 330.5 lb (149.9 kg) press. Anderson then did a 402.5 lb (182.6 kg) press. At a time when Americans were engaged in symbolic Cold War battle with the Soviet Union, Anderson's strength—and his singular, tank-like appearance became a rallying cry to all.[11]

During the 1955 World Championships in Munich, Germany that October, Anderson went on to establish two other world records (for the press - 407.7 lb or 184.9 kg - and total weight cleared - 1,129.5 lb or 512.3 kg) as he easily won the competition in his weight class to become world champion. Upon his return to the United States, Anderson was received by then Vice-President Richard Nixon, who thanked him for being such a wonderful goodwill ambassador.

In 1956, Anderson won a gold medal in a long, tough duel in the Melbourne, Australia Olympic Games as a weightlifter in the super-heavyweight class (while suffering from a 104 °F or 40 °C fever) with Argentine Humberto Selvetti in the amount of weight lifted, but because Anderson weighed in at 137.9 kilograms (304 lbs), was lighter than Selvetti, who weighed 143.5 kilograms (316 lbs), Anderson was awarded the gold medal.

Anderson could not compete in the 1960 Olympics because he had been ruled a professional for accepting money for some of his weight lifting and strength exhibitions. Thus at the 1960 Olympics the Soviet heavyweight Yury Vlasov bested records set at the 1956 Olympics, with Anderson not competing in the contest. A short time later however, not to be outdone by the Russian and to verify his position as the World's Strongest Man, Anderson lifted the same weight as the Russian three times in quick succession demonstrating unbelievable strength. The extraordinary American athlete that Anderson was solidified his position as the most dominant lifter in the world and cemented his legacy as the strongest of the strong.[12][13][14][15]

Family life

In 1960, Paul Anderson married Glenda Garland. The couple were devout Christians. They had one child, Paula, born in 1966.

Paul Anderson Youth Home

Paul Anderson and his wife Glenda founded the Paul Anderson Youth Home, a home for troubled youth in Vidalia, Georgia in 1961. Paul and Glenda both helped to build and support the Home with an average of 500 speaking engagements and strength exhibitions per year—notwithstanding the chronic congenital kidney disease that eventually killed him at age 61. Paul was famous for strength stunts such as driving a nail with his bare fist and raising on his back a table loaded with eight men.

Guinness Book of Records

The Guinness Book of World Records (1985 edition) lists his feat of lifting 6,270 pounds (2844.02 kg) in a back lift as "the greatest weight ever raised by a human being".[16]

Anderson turned professional after the 1956 Summer Olympics, and so many of his feats of strength, while generally credible, were not done under rigorous enough conditions to be official. Nevertheless, Guinness Book of World Records did cite him in its 1985 edition for a backlift of 6,270 pounds. This became the basis for his reputation as the "World's Strongest Man".[17]

Death

As a child, Anderson suffered from Bright's Disease (now known as chronic nephritis), a kidney disorder, and he eventually died from kidney disease.[18] While competing, he weighed between 275–370 lb (125–168 kg)[19] and was 5 feet 9.5 inches (1.765 m)[1] tall.[7]

Legacy

Paul Anderson's true life testimony can be heard as a dramatization through "Unshackled!" radio ministries on program number 2521. "Unshackled!" has also produced a comic booklet telling the story of Paul Anderson in addition to his radio dramatization.

The Paul Anderson Youth Home in Vidalia, Georgia is a ministry established in memory of Anderson.

Big A Road in Toccoa, Georgia is named for Paul Anderson. Paul Anderson Memorial Park, that features a large statue of him performing an overhead barbell lift,[20] located at the corner of Tugalo Street and Big A Road in Toccoa, is also named for him.[21]

Personal records

Official records

Olympic weightlifiting

done in official competition[1][19]

Unofficial lifts

Lift included in the Guinness Book of World Records This record has been expunged due to no official witness being present, and no evidence of the weight's measurement. (Source: "Guinness Book of World Records".)

→ listed as the greatest weight ever lifted by a human being[1][22]

Powerlifting

Guinness also listed Anderson's best powerlifts[1]

done in small exhibitions or training (according to Paul Anderson himself)

Since Anderson's squat totals were 200 pounds more than (even today's best lifters with the latest training methods and nutrition) anyone else, the squat totals have to be taken with a grain of salt.

Olympic weightlifting

best gym lifts (according to Paul Anderson himself)[1]

Other lifts

done in small exhibitions or training

Quotes about Anderson

What some of the greatest lifters in history have to say about Paul Anderson[25]

"I could do 310 in a standing one arm side press with a dumbbell, Paul could do it for reps with ease."
"Though I never met him personally until the Strength Symposium in Florida, I saw films of him lifting in his heyday, with such absolute ease it was astonishing. Using his strength to benefit others is something that should make all powerlifters proud. What a great benefactor to mankind."
"My love and respect for Paul runs deep. His ability to lift enormous weights in limited movements surpasses all. Those who attempt to discredit him shame our sport."
"He’s the King of Strength. His backlift was unbelievable. But more amazing was his total commitment as a Christian."
"Paul was an inspiration to me. Some of his feats may never be surpassed."
"A lot of lifters gathered at Sydney's on Santa Monica Beach near the base of the Pier. Here, as they got pissed [drunk], their stories became more and more fantastic. One heard of deltoids like watermelons and squats of a thousand pounds. (This last turned out to be a solid fact for the incredible Paul Anderson. He was squatting with almost twice as much as anyone else's maximum.)"[26]
"Absolutely no question, Paul was the Strongest of the Strong. His physical deterioration and prolonged illness for the last 16 years of his life was fate unbefitting such a great strongman and humanitarian. Paul was really a powerlifter and did the overhead lifts only because Powerlifting as a sport did not exist 40 years ago. He excelled and was world and Olympic champ because he was far stronger than anyone else. When I hear people talk that a Powerlifter will never win an Olympic Gold Medal, I tell them that Paul Anderson already did it, almost forty years ago."

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paul Anderson: Superman from the South by Jim Murray
  2. ↑ "U. S. Weightlifting Champions - Men (all weightclasses)". Hickok Sports.com. Archived from the original on 2004-03-27. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
  3. ↑ "Olympic Weightlifting On the Web!". LiftTilyaDie.Com. Retrieved 2012-10-01.
  4. ↑ http://www.paulandersonpark.com/short_walk.php
  5. ↑ http://www.newyorker.com/books/double-take/paul-anderson-worlds-strongest-man
  6. ↑ http://www.cbass.com/ANDERSON.HTM
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 American Strength Legends. Paul Anderson. posted at samson-power.com
  8. ↑ Bisher, Furman (October 8, 1955). "The Strongest Man on Earth". Saturday Evening Post. 228 (15): 96. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  9. ↑ Poliquin, Charles (April 2012). "Squat or Deadlift?". Flex. 30 (4). Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Moscow Marvel". Time. 65 (26). 27 June 1955. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  11. ↑ Morais, Dominic G. (2013). ""Lifting the Iron Curtain: Paul Anderson and the Cold War's First Sport Exchange". Iron Game History. 12 (2): 33. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  12. ↑ http://www.bodybuildingdungeon.com/forums/bodybuilding-discussion/29873-insane-lifts-paul-aderson.html
  13. ↑ http://www.chidlovski.net/liftup/l_galleryResult.asp?a_id=6
  14. ↑ http://www.samson-power.com/ASL/anderson.html
  15. ↑ http://thealphaproject.org/2012/07/02/squat-freak/
  16. ↑ http://www.samson-power.com/ASL/anderson.html
  17. ↑ http://www.newyorker.com/books/double-take/paul-anderson-worlds-strongest-man
  18. ↑ Thomas, Robert McG. (16 Aug 1994). "Paul Anderson Is Dead at 61; Was 'World's Strongest Man'". New York Times: B 10. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 The Strength Legacy of Strongman Douglas Silva by Charles Poliquin
  20. ↑ http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM992A_Paul_Anderson_Toccoa_GA
  21. ↑ "Paul Anderson Memorial Park". Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "Paul Anderson attempting to lift a train car". Floyd Jillson Photographs, Atlanta History Center. Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  23. ↑ Perine, Shawn (2015). "The 10 Strongest Humans Ever to Walk the Earth". Muscle & Fitness. 76 (3). Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  24. ↑ Simmons, Louie (December 2013). "Don't Deadlift". Flex. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  25. ↑ Paul Anderson - The Strongest Man in Recorded History! by Bill Hinbern
  26. ↑ Sacks, Oliver (October 2015). "Mind Over Muscle". Muscle & Fitness. 116. Retrieved 4 June 2016.

Further reading


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.