John Grimek at York Barbell Club
History in Cover@LiftUp :
The original black-and-white photo of legendary U.S. bodybuilder and weightlifter John Grimek (1910-1998) was taken in 1955 by Tommy Kono in front of the entrance to the York Barbell Club in York, PA.
John Grimek trained with the York Barbell Club and was one of the “usual suspects” in Bob Hoffman’s empire of strength headquartered in York. PA. Grimek’s look and feel on the magazine’s photos and competitions, in many ways, helped Bob Hoffman’s enterprise to propel to the very top of American strength-related market. He was a definite “poster boy” of men’s strength and physique as his photos were published on the covers of the “Strength and Health” and all major weightlifting publications of the time.
For many fans, Grimek was known as an outstanding bodybuilder As a bodybuilder, he won the AAU Mr. America (1940, 1941), Mr. Universe (1948) and Mr. USA (1949), In bodybuilding world, Grimek earned such nicknames as “The Glow” and “The Monarch of Muscledom”.
However, Grimek won was successful both in bodybuilding and Olympic weightlifting contests and tournaments of his time. As an Olympic weightlifter, John Grimek competed for the Team USA at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He won the 9th place with the 357.5kg total (115+105+137.5), Grimek won the U.S. national championship in 1936, vice-championship in 1935 and a bronze medal in 1940.