I don't know if any of you have seen this on tv. It seems to be over in Europe where they have these enormous men ~300 lbs and they compete with lifting boulders or pushing fire trucks and other random things. They always have names like Maximus or Boris. Last night I saw an episode from 1978. It seemed even more funny, more random; like men throwing tires (instead of shot put or discus). I know it is amazing physical ability but I can't help but laugh when I watch it.

I used to watch that all the time. My favorite though was the outdoors competition with log running/pole climbing type stuff every morning before school.

My favorite ever was the time the had rigged up a platform and were seeing how many playboy bunnies they could lift.

Bill Kazmaier

Franco Columbu!

I'm sure the fridge race seemed like a good idea at the time. Franco probably disagrees now. It's probably out there on youtube for those who haven't seen it. Enjoy!

Used to be on ESPN all the time, back when ESPN was good. I loved watching these. Better than the crossfit games.

Fridge race? Good lord guess I need to look that up. Well we were poor and didn't have a lot of channels although even if we did I guess I was too girly and watched Punky Brewster and Dawson's Creek. My first time to discover strongest man was this time it was the night before a marathon in Galveston. The weather was so windy and raining and bad and we knew it would continue into race day. My sister and I were nervous but then we came across that on tv. This mans head was turning purple he was straining so hard. We said, well at least we don't have to do that. Now it's like it's become a pre-race ritual.

Great stuff - wish they still showed it!

Re: Fridge Race

I haven't checked the web for video yet, so I don't know how much they show of it. But I remember watching it as a kid. I actually don't care to ever see it again. Here's a section of Columbu's wiki page:

Quote:

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In 1977, Columbu competed in the first World's Strongest Man competition, placing fifth in overall points; a remarkable outing, considering Franco weighed much less than the other competitors. He was forced to drop from competition due to an injury. While leading the "refrigerator race", a downhill race while wearing a heavy, unwieldy refrigerator strapped to the racer's back, Franco stumbled and collapsed with a grotesquely dislocated leg, and aired on national television. After a court settlement, he received a reported $1 million in compensation for his injury. After Arnold Schwarzenegger's comeback victory in the 1980 Mr. Olympia, Franco followed suit and won the 1981 Mr. Olympia.

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Wait, what? A guy voluntarily runs down a hill with a refridgerator and he gets a settlement? I really need to start doing stupider things. I think it would help me.

I guess it wasn't supposed to be intrinsically unsafe. You don't see the idiots in Pamplona getting cash settlements.

I grew up hearing about and knowing Bob Young and Doug Young in my home town. Both were heavy into
this stuff. Doug worked with my dad at one point and said that his grocery bill was $400 a week and this was in the 1970s.

94chem said:

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I guess it wasn't supposed to be intrinsically unsafe. You don't see the idiots in Pamplona getting cash settlements.

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I've been one of those idiots!

Not to belabor the point, but I'm watching one from 1983. There is an apparatus so they can squat a little over half and ton...in the form of bricks of cheese. The bar is bending a whole lot with the weight of the cheese on either side. For some reason, these old ones are even more entertaining than the current ones.

Oogway said:

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One of my favorite 'tasks' was when they would race to put the stone spheres on the columns. That looked really really difficult!

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They are decivingly heavy too. A 24" stone weighs almost 600 lbs

queso1 said:

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LOL. I guess OP never watched ESPN at 2:00 a.m. in the 90s.

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still going on til at least the mid 2000's as well

I remember Magnus Samuelson (I think it was him) snap some Australian dudes arm in half during an arm wrestling competition that was part of the event one time.

Pahdz said:

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I remember Magnus Samuelson (I think it was him) snap some Australian dudes arm in half during an arm wrestling competition that was part of the event one time.

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I remember that one. Nathan Jones. That's the reason I refuse to ever arm wrestle.

yep, that's it, and I'm with ya on the never arm wrestling again thing