Who's Who In The Iron Game:
Bob Hoffman
by Peary Rader
This is the second article of a series dedicated to those who have done so much toward the progress of the Iron Game for the past 30 years. We will be glad to receive the nominations of our readers of those deserving this honor and recognition of their work.
BOB HOFFMAN in his favorite pose taken several years ago |
THE subject of this month's story is probably known to every barbell man in the world. In fact it is possible that he is the best known figure in the weightlifting world today.
Bob Hoffman was not always a weightlifter or even interested in weight lifting. In his early years he practiced almost every sport known. He was particularly good at track, handball and was a good oarsman. He tells us of winning nearly 600 trophies during these early years and making many records in his favorite sports.
He reached his present height of 6'3" weighing only 140 pounds. He is a veteran of World War I and it was not until after his return from the service as a war hero that he became interested in barbells. At this time he began a career as a traveling salesman. He likewise was a partner in the York Oil Burner Co. In those days weight lifting was a very minor sport and often in even National Championships there might be but one or two men entered in the class. Bob first learned of barbells in 1923 but did no serious training at the time. However, he did fool around with the weights some. In 1924 he won his first contest to become York's strongest man. At that time he weighed 180 pounds and lifted a total of 1017 1/2 pounds against 1015 by Don Pitts who weighed just 131 pounds. Bob was a strong man of three months training at this time. He later went up to 230 pounds in bodyweight but much of it was soft so he trained down to about 215. In either 1927 or 1928 (we are not sure) Bob won the National title. Even then his lifts were very low compared to later. By 1931 he was so situated in his Oil Burner business that he could go off the road and stay at home and get in some regular training. He had built what was termed the finest barbell gym in the world at that time with living quarters for him and his wife above. He gradually accumulated a team of lifters from various parts of the country. They, along with Bob, were able to train under the ideal conditions that he provided and were soon the top men of the country. Even yet Bob had not become a professional and still lifted along with his team as their heavyweight. Although Bob was much heavier he still did not present the muscularity that he later showed. He was just a big man. He was always a poor presser due to poor leverage. At this time his best lifts were 135, 180 and 262. At this time 262 was a very high clean and jerk and Bob often made the highest lift in the meet. Some of the early members of his team were Joe Miller, who came from Salunga, Pa., Bill and Walter Good, Bob Mitchell Wally Zagurski, Dick Bachtell and Joe Firito. Most of these fellows worked at the oil burner factory until in 1933 Bob started his "Strength and Health" a small magazine of 6x9 and 32 pages printed on enamel paper that sold for 20c per copy. It was a beautiful little magazine and filled with many choice morsels of information. It was rough going for several years because the magazine didn't sell enough to pay for itself. Bob soon had a barbell company going and all the boys began working in this factory building and selling equipment to keep the magazine going. It was soon increased to 8 x 11 inch size and went on the news stands.
Bob eventually sold his interest in the Oil Burner factory and invested his money wisely in things that brought him a substantial income. All through the years he has proven himself to be one of the keenest and most astute of business men. He was very fortunate that he did not have to live from the income of the magazine, and any income could be turned directly back into the business. For many years you might say he ran the business as a hobby but eventually it began paying off and they began to expand their facilities until they have become the largest manufacturers of barbell equipment in the world.
It was shortly after Bob started the magazine that he decided on a specialized bodybuilding program. If we recall rightly, he was weighing around 215 at the time. He followed this program for some months and we have been told that Bob took terrific work outs -- so heavy that he could hardly drag around for awhile but they paid off and he eventually reached a bodyweight of 260 pounds with quite large measurements. He claimed an 18" arm at one time with a chest of over 50 inches (we believe it was 52"). He was able to snatch 220 and believe he reached 230 once. Clean and jerk 300 (he worked long and hard to make this one). He jerked over 300 from behind his neck. We remember the boys telling of Bob making so many attempts on this that the skin was torn from the back of his neck and shoulders. He specialized on the bent press for some time and claims a lift of 282 lbs. He eventually brought his two arm press to 200 pounds in spite of bad leverage. Bob often gave exhibitions of chain breaking on his huge chest. We believe he has about the deepest chest of anyone we have seen.
As Bob became older he found it wise to cut down his weight slightly to keep his waist trim. He is now nearing his 50th birthday and states that he hopes to do a bent press of 250 pounds that day.
About the time the last war started, Bob acquired his own foundry so that there would be no interruption in the manufacture of barbells. However, it was impossible to obtain steel and iron during that time and so he made composition weights for civilians during the war. However, they sold a large amount of weights to Uncle Sam during that time to train the soldiers with after Bob had finally convinced them of their value. He also was quite busy manufacturing war materials. He has accumulated much property including two food markets, amusement park, hotel, 7 farms, a score of dwelling houses and we do not know what else besides his magazine and barbell business. By these wise investments he has made a fortune.
Bob has spent tremendous sums of money on the weight lifting game. Probably much more so on lifting than bodybuilding. Even those who do not see eye to eye with him on all things have to admit that he has done more for the barbell game than any other man living. When he first started barbell training, we had no lifters of International caliber. But now and for many years we have led the world as all of you know. Much of the credit is due to the hard work, fighting spirit and financial support of Bob Hoffman.
Bob is an excellent talker and has one of the best memories we know of. There is nothing he likes better than taking his team to various weight lifting meets, acting as master of ceremonies and talking to enthusiasts of the Iron Game. He has been instrumental in getting much publicity for the weight game into the biggest magazines in the world such as Life, Sat. Evening Post, Colliers, Look, Fortune, and others. It is true that Bob has made money in the barbell game but it is also true that he has spent a fortune in it too.
I'm sure that most of us fail to realize the debt the Iron Game and we as individual participants, owe Bob Hoffman for the work he has done and the progress that has been made through his efforts.