The Mac Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I was flicking through a copy of the mag "Strength Athlete", when I came across an article by David Gentle that mentioned Jack Fritsch (sp?), from Austin, Texas, who reputedly pinched a pair of old York 45ers back in 1965. Does anyone have any infrmation on this guy?? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Chris, See The Super Athletes p 218 where he is described as "able to pinch-lift one of the new-design York 45-pound barbell plates by the hub with an extra 10 pounds added." Also mentions he could pinch two 45's together one handed. This was 1965 and is also mentioned in Ironman Nov 1976 on page 31. Both sources are Willoughby, of course, who adds regarding a writer doubting that any of the oldetimers could have done it, "...Herman Gorner, for one, could have done it with pounds to spare. 'Apollon' (Louis Uni), the French giant of strength, may have donme it even more easily, since his hands were larger than Gorner's and his gripping strength was colossal." He also thought others could have done the pinch lift of the 45s as well. Oh, Chris, old buddy, old pal, do you have any extra copies of the Strength Athlete you would like to sell? And are you speaking of the mag from a few years ago or from 50 years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted January 17, 2003 Author Share Posted January 17, 2003 Joe, Only a few years ago (mostly 85-87 I think) I'm afraid, although I think I may have some partial scraps of much older mags (one containing a report on a very young Louis Martin, our greatest ever Olympic Lifter). When I go home tonight I'll have a look and come up with a list of what I've got Strength Athlete-wise - let you know sometime over the weekend or early next week - and if you're interested in any of it just let me know. Laters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted January 17, 2003 Author Share Posted January 17, 2003 Does anyone had any additional info - ht, wt, age etc....or is he just someone who appears only in a couple of references and then dissapears.... Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Yes! My collection is weak in modern British mags, but The Strength Athlete is one I favor. The older Strength Athlete (started 1959) is a wonderful mag reminiscent of the earlier British Amateur Weightlifter & Bodybuilder. PM me when ready, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Mr Roark I have Strength Athlete Nos=233,234,235,236,237,238239,240, 241,252,254. They are yours if you want them,just give me a P O BOX number to mail to. Forgot to say ,i dont want anything for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Gazza, I have sent you a PM, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 ROARK Glad i could help,they will be put into the post tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Gazza, A sincere thank you! Chris, I have nothing else on Jack F- just those couple of refs. I checked with a friend who also keeps files and he has nothing to add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Black Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I checked Chapman's and Gentle's book this morning after reading the post and read the pinch grip chapter. There was no mention of Fritsch. This surprises me because the feats that are listed don't seem as significant as pinching 2 wide 45's. Why would Gentle leave this out of the later written book? Maybe there was some doubt about the feat (but that's a total guess). By the way, I now have two wide Hampton 35's and it wouldn't surprise me that someone that could pinch these (70-pounds) could easily pinch 2 normal 45's and my guess is that they could pinch at least 125-pounds with a 2" fixed apparatus. In the Chapman & Gentle book there is a picture of Davis pinching two normal 35's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted January 19, 2003 Author Share Posted January 19, 2003 (edited) Joe, Funnily enough, the issues Gazza has are almost exactly the same ones I have (I haven't inventoried them yet) - I don't think the glossy format lasted that long. If I have any different ones I'll send them to you too - just let me know to where it goes.... I do have something a little bit special though - I have partial remnants of an issue from 1959, with a "Weightlifters and Bodybuilders" foreword by George Kirkley. Tom, As for Gentle leaving out Fritsch's feat? All I can say that his writing leaves a little to be desired when it comes to verifying facts, and is often a little....patchy. Great guy though. Edited January 19, 2003 by The Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stCoC Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Jack was pictured in a two part article "Mighty Mitts" in 1965 in Muscular Development Magazine. I spoke with a friend of Jacks several years ago and he told me to look him up if I ever was in Austin Texas. I called and spoke with Jacks wife and she said he long ago retired due to arthritis in both hands. The picture caption stated "he managed to lift the pair of wide York 45s a few inches from the ground". It was a great picture that I as a 15 year old never forgot.RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrannosaurus Dave Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Right you are about the S&H article: March 1965, John Decola on the cover. The picture on page 22 shows Fritsch lifting two wide 45's, but does not show his face, which is a disservice I think. Todd's article states that Fritsch was 6 feet tall, 225 pounds and without unusually large hands. He could clean a pair of 35 pound plates with either hand and could clean and press a pair of 75 pound solid dumbbells using only his middle fingers. Hometown, Austin, Texas. Right after this article appeared, a few other men wrote in that they too could pinch the wide 45's, but no photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Thanks for the Info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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