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Strongest man in the world
On Tuesday 13 February 1923, in a strong man contest held before a packed house in City Hall in Augusta, Maine, John B Gagnon beat Warren L Travis of Brooklyn, NY - holder of the official title of World's Strongest Man. In 10 lifts, taking only 25 minutes, Gagnon lifted a total of 7,552 kg (16,650 pounds). Because it was not an "officially sanctioned" match, Travis was able to retain the title; he also would not schedule a return match against Gagnon.
John B Gagnon (1883-1939) was born in Caribou, Maine. He was 5' 10'' tall, and weighed 230 pounds. He could tear a horseshoe apart with his bare hands; bend a railroad spike into a U; pick up 794 pounds with one finger. The only man to do more weight than John B Gagnon in a back lift is the late great Paul Anderson, who held the World Guinness Record of 6,270 pounds.
John B Gagnon's recorded lifts, all accomplished in 25 minutes:
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Finger lift.................................................794 pounds TOTAL WEIGHT LIFTED..............16,650 lbs. . .in 25 minutes. |
The Strongest Man Alive organisers believe the strongman title should go to John Wooten of Massachusetts. At 51 years old, he had towed a Mississippi river boat against the current, piggybacked an elephant, stopped two jet planes from taking off by holding them down, and pulled a 280-ton train along a track. John Wooten is 1,86 m (6'1") tall and weighs 132 kg (290 lb). He got his start in the strongman business in 1969 when he happened to meet a 79 kg (175 lb) man in his 70s who could bend 60-penny railroad spikes in his bare hands and taught him how to back-lift elephants.
Modern strongman legend Mariusz Pudzianowski from Poland has won more World's Strongest Man competitions than anyone else, taking the title a record fifth time in 2008.
One of the most popular strongmen of all time is Jouko Ahola of Finland (pictured below). Named the strongest man in the world in 1997 and 1999, he held the record for lifting the heaviest stone: the stone weighed 215 kg (414 lb). The 1,85 m (6 ft) tall Jouko also was the world's car-carrying champion.
Jouko Ahola
Story contribution by Philip L. Gagnon, Sr.
