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Working Americans Vol. 10: Sports & Recreation

1995 Profile

As a professional strongman, Mark Strahorn had done it all—often on national television; at six foot two inches and 300 compact pounds, Mark boasted the kind of body capable of wrestling an anchor chain to a standstill.

Life at Home

  • In competition Mark Strahorn had dragged a Mack truck up a ramp, flipped an 800-pound tire a dozen times across a football field and lifted a 400-pound Atlas stone (a concrete ball with lead cores) and still failed to win America's Strongest Man Contest.

  • On some cable channels—especially those in the high two figures, he was a regular at 2 a.m. when repeats of the World's Strongest Man Contests received their most consistent exposure.

  • Despite years of competition and television publicity, Mark was best known as the friendly barkeeper at the Elk's Horn in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

  • The total earnings from strongman contests were less than $20,000.

  • Growing up in upstate New York, Mark was the son of a welder and an emergency room nurse.

    Too small to play football as a boy, Mark grew to a compact 300 pounds.

    WA10_p463_001.jpg

  • His parents had a good marriage and liked, but did not worship, their three children.

  • From an early age, Mark was expected to work beside his father, always relegated to grunt work and was ignored when he complained.

  • His dad also built him his first set of weights from scrap metal.

  • Only an average athlete growing up, Mark was too small to play football, weighing only 156 pounds in the 10th grade.

  • And then, after graduating high school and working on construction, he began to grow.

  • He also continued lifting weights.

  • Three years later he entered a competitive bodybuilder contest long before made-for-TV strongman specials became a feature of late-night television.

    An 800-pound tire was no match for Mark.

    WA10_p464_001.jpg

Life at Work

  • When he wasn't working, Mark Strahorn, 33, was training for the next strongman competition.

  • Nearly everyone in the sport was required to hold a full-time job: in previous years the title of America's Strongest Man had been held by a cop, a salesman for a nutrient supplement company and a bartender.

  • In Eastern Europe, stronger men were national celebrities; in America, most were just big, big guys.

  • Mark figured, “That's life.”

  • There was no room for introspection in the midst of the dead lift when it felt like battery cables were hooked to his sciatic nerve.

  • Or during a seated rope pull, when his vertebrae popped like firecrackers; deep down he knew he would pay for this abuse one day.

  • Or even when he read about a fellow strongman—and friend—who had died suddenly in the midst of a strenuous workout.

  • The media always blamed steroids.

  • Mark understood that a gigantic dead lift could exert enough physical pressure to kill.

  • It's also the point that the exhilaration of adrenaline kicked in.

  • One strongman reported, “Six hundred seventy-five pounds for eight reps, last set was pretty cool, shins were bleeding, nose was bleeding, couldn't hear out of my right ear for 30 seconds, acid reflux, fun all the way around.”

  • In all, Mark lifted six days a week—anything that was heavy—Atlas stones, lead cylinders, barbells, cars, anything.

  • Monday was bench/back, Tuesday was hips and thighs (squats), Wednesday was GPP/conditioning work, typically some sled-dragging or weighted walks.

  • “I also hit my core hard on this day,” he remarked.

  • Thursday he did Olympic lifts: snatches/cleans and jerks, front squats in that order.

  • Friday was more conditioning work, Saturday was event work; “Sunday I'm off completely.”

  • Strongman competition workouts legitimately took 45 minutes; shorter if he pushed his pace.

  • “I just find that working more often helps my recovery, and I'm too obsessive-compulsive to just stay away,” he explained.

  • Strongman contests have their roots in early twentieth-century circuses, the American West, and stone lifting in ancient northern Spain.

  • Modern strongman contests officially date to 1977 when Bruce Wilhelm won the first World's Strongest Man competition.

  • Since then the strongest men on the planet have come together annually in a series of unique tests of strength to determine the World's Strongest Man.

  • The competitions have been held in a variety of locations including Zambia, Iceland, Mauritius, Malaysia, Morocco, China and the U.S.

  • Many of the gigantic competitors received their training as Olympic weightlifters or, as in the case of British champion Geoff Capes, an Olympic shot-putter.

  • The reigning champions were both from Iceland: Jon-Pall Sigmarsson, who earned four championships between 1984 and 1990, and Magnus ver Magnusson, who had won in 1994 and was favored in 1995.

  • Mark understood that at 33 he was running out of time; it's one of the reasons he became part owner of the bar in Jackson Hole.

  • “I'll know when it's time,” Mark said. “My back will tell me in a loud voice.”

Life in the Community: Jackson Hole, Wyoming

  • Jackson Hole, Wyoming, had become a tourist town.

  • Archeologists claimed that people had been visiting the valley for 12,000 years.

  • During those prehistoric times, no one tribe claimed ownership to Jackson Hole, but Blackfeet, Crow, Gros Ventre, Shoshone and other Native Americans used the valley during the warm months.

  • Severe winters prevented habitation.

  • Between 1810 and 1840, the area was a crossroads for the six main trapper trails that converged in Jackson Hole.

  • Mountain men held annual summer rendezvous, or trade shows, there, where they sold their furs or traded them with companies like the Hudson Bay Company and the Astoria Fur Company for winter supplies.

  • These gatherings also allowed the trail-weary mountain men a chance to eat, drink and exchange tales with other trappers.

  • By 1845 the fur trade had ended, as the fashion of men's beaver hats back East gave way to silk hats.

  • Then the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, which allowed settlers to acquire land at the cost of improvement, attracted homesteading families along with a sizable influx of Mormon settlers.

  • The inhospitable climate with its very limited growing season soon caused some homesteaders to sell out, while others grew hay and 90-day oats and raised beef cattle as cash crops.

  • For many, outfitting and guiding became a means of supplementing family income as wealthy Eastern visitors traveled to the valley.

  • Ranchers quickly determined that wrangling city dudes was easier and more profitable than wrangling cows.

  • In the early twentieth century, economic downturns further encouraged the development of dude ranches.

    Geographic beauty attracted tourists to Jackson Hole.

    WA10_p466_001.jpg

  • Tourism became a significant business in the valley after the formation of Grand Teton National Park and the designation of other federal lands, including Yellowstone National Park.

  • The expansion of Grand Teton National Park in 1929, 1943 and 1950 spawned a different type of tourism.

  • Tourists from all over the world, numbering as many as three million annually, visited the area for the scenery, the wildlife, the recreational opportunities, the geographic features, and the romance of the American West.

  • Through the years, the many movies made in Jackson Hole have added to the valley's fame, including an early version of Nanette of the North in 1921, Shane and Spencer's Mountain in 1963.

HISTORICAL SNAPSHOT 1995

  • America boasted 720,000 physicians and 190,000 dentists

  • The movies Braveheart with Mel Gibson, Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks, Leaving Las Vegas with Nicholas Cage and Dead Man Walking with Susan Sarandon all premiered

  • Fifty-seven million viewers watched the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, accused of killing his estranged wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman

  • Top record singles for the year included “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John, “Gangsta's Paradise” by Coolio and “Dear Mamma”’ by Tupac Shakur

  • The frozen body of a 500-year-old Inca girl was found bundled in fine wool in the Peruvian Andes

  • Two Americans were arrested for the Oklahoma City terrorist bombing, which killed 169 people and left 614 injured

  • Research showed that three ounces of salmon a week reduced the risk of fatal heart arrhythmias by 50 percent

  • Businesses nationwide introduced casual Fridays, allowing employees to wear less formal attire

  • The Centers for Disease Control reported a leveling off of teen sexual activity; reportedly, 52.8 percent used condoms

  • Blue M&Ms, custom-made coffins, Pepcid AC and the computer language Java all made their first appearance

  • More than seven million people subscribed to online computer services such as America Online, CompuServe and Prodigy

  • Hollywood's most expensive film, Waterworld, which cost $200 million to make, was a box office flop

  • Louis Farrakhan led a “Million Man March” on Washington, attracting 400,000 men who pledged to take greater social and family responsibility

  • The 104th United States Congress, the first controlled by Republicans in both houses since 1953 to 1955, convened

  • At Super Bowl XXIX the San Francisco 49ers become the first National Football League franchise to win five Super Bowls, as they defeated the San Diego Chargers

  • Mississippi ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery

  • The New Jersey Devils swept the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings to win their first Stanley Cup in the lockout shortened season

Selected Prices

Apple Personal Computer $1,099.00 Armoire $899.00 Automobile, Lincoln Mark VIII $20,292 Comforter $160.00 Exercise Equipment, Treadmill $299.96 Hotel Room, Chicago. $160.00 Low Flush Toilet $270.00 Luggage, Samsonite $399.99 Videotape, Lethal Weapon $15.99 Water, 1.5 Liter $0.49

“Charles County Sheriff's Office Hosts Strong Man and Woman Contest,” Southern Maryland News, September 1, 2004:

To help combat domestic violence and raise awareness of this important issue, the Charles County Sheriff's Office and the North American Strongman Society hosted the fourth annual Strong Man and Woman Contest August 7 at White Plains Regional Park.

Four weight classes—200 pounds, 231 pounds, 265 pounds and heavyweights—competed in six events. The first event in the competition was the axle press for max weight, which required competitors to raise a weighted truck axle over their heads. The winner for this event was Jeremiah DiRuzzo in the 200-pound class, Adam Keep in the 231-pound class, Jedd Johnson in the 265-pound class and Mark Lehman in the heavyweight class.

The next event was the stone load where competitors had to lift six stones weighing from 235 to 329 pounds from the ground onto barrels standing from 47 inches to 52 inches off the ground. Only two competitors from the 231-pound class—Joe Snarly and Keith Pickey—were able to successfully place all six stones on the barrels. Johnson and Lehman of the 265-pound class and heavyweight class, respectively, were able to also place all six stones on the barrels.

In the third event, the farmer's walk and keg carry, competitors must carry 250 pounds in each arm for 20 yards to a cone, turn around, walk back to the starting point and carry a 250-pound keg for 30 feet, all in the fastest time. Kevin Senato won the 200-pound class, Snarly won the 231-pound class and Johnson and Lehman won their respective classes.

The next event was the sandbag carry-yoke walk, where competitors were required to carry a sandbag ranging from 225 to 245 pounds 50 feet, then pick up and carry a 640to 770-pound yoke back. Winners were Rob Lemerise in the 200-pound class, Graham Bartholomew in the 231-pound class, Dan Cenidoza in the 265-pound class and Lehman in the heavyweight class.

The tire flip was the next competition and required competitors to flip a 680-pound tire. Winners included Senato in the 200-pound class, Bartholomew in the 231-pound class, Cenidoza in the 265-pound class and Lehman in the heavyweight class.

The last competition was Conan's Wheel, where competitors were required to walk between 525 to 625 pounds in a circle, approximately 80 feet. Winners included Senato in the 200-pound class, Keep in the 231-pound class, Johnson in the 265-pound class and Lehman in the heavyweight class.

Competitive World's Strongest Man Events

Carry and Drag (Anvils, Anchor and Chain)

Competitors carry two 130 kg anvils a set distance, and then drag an anchor and chain weighing 300 kg a further set distance until the whole anchor and chain crosses the finish line. The winner is the athlete who covers the most distance in the shortest time.

Giant Log Lift

The athlete stands with his back facing a 380 kg tree trunk and lifts it over his head as many times as possible within the designated time. The winner is the athlete who successfully completes the most repetitions within the time limit.

Pillars of Hercules

The athlete stands with arms extended, gripping handles that restrain two pillars, one at each side. Timing will stop when the athlete is no longer able to hold the 150 kg weights. The winner is the athlete who holds the Pillars in the correct position for the longest time.

Fingal's Fingers

The five large poles are lifted in ascending order of weight and flipped over 180 degrees. The winner is the fastest to flip all the fingers, which vary in length from 3.5 m-5.5 m and in weight, 200/225/250/275/300 kg.

Truck Pull

The athletes wear a harness and pull a Mack cab truck and trailer, with the help of a rope, along the road, facing the direction of the finishing line throughout the pull. The winner is the athlete who completes the course in the fastest time, or who covers the most distance in the fastest time.

Dead Lift (Barrels)

Competitors are required to lift a number of heavy barrels, which are dropped one by one into a frame. On completion of a good lift, another barrel is loaded automatically, until time runs out or all the barrels are lifted. The athlete lifting the most weight in the shortest time wins. Start weight: 1st Barrel 260 kg, 2nd Barrel 275 kg, 3rd Barrel 285 kg, 4th Barrel 300 kg, 5th Barrel 320 kg, 6th Barrel 335 kg.

Squat Lift

The competitors stand under the bar and must squat down until they are below parallel and lift the weight back up to the fully erect position; each time they return to the erect position, more weight will be added to the apparatus. The winner is the athlete who successfully lifts all weights in the fastest time, or the most weight in the time allowed (75 seconds).

Overhead Lift (For Reps)

Athletes lift a wooden log from the ground and then raise it overhead as many times as possible in the time limit, returning the weight back to the floor in a controlled fashion before attempting to do the next lift. The winner is the one who completes as many lifts as possible within the time limit. Weights: 115 kg—Time limit: 75 seconds.

Atlas Stones

The athlete picks up the lightest stone first and places it onto a platform, and continues until all five have been put on the wall or until his time has run out. The winner is the athlete who places the most stones onto the platforms in the quickest time. Weights: 100, 112, 120, 140, 160 kg.

Giant Farmer's Walk

The competitor carries a weight in each hand over a marked course as quickly as possible. Weights: 2 × 160 kg.

Dead Lift (For Reps)

A car is positioned on a frame which has handles extending from underneath the car. The athlete grips the handles and lifts the car to the “knees locked” position and places the car down on the ground again. The winner is the athlete who completes the most lifts in a given amount of time. Weight of an average car (approximately 1,800 kg).

Fridge Carry

Athletes carry a yoke that holds two fridge freezers on their shoulders over the course as quickly as possible within the time limit. The winner is the athlete who completes the course in the shortest time or, failing that, the one who travels the farthest in the quickest time. Weights: 415 kg/904 lbs—Course: 30 metres—Time Limit: 60 seconds.

Plane Pull

The competitors pull a plane, with the help of a harness and rope, along a set course. The winner is the athlete who covers the complete course in the fastest time or, failing that, who covers the biggest distance in the shortest time. Length of course: 30 metres—Time Limit: 75 seconds—Weight: approximately 70 tons.

Africa Stone

Athletes must wrap their arms around the stone, interlocking their fingers. They remove the stone from the stand and walk as far as possible along a course until they cannot carry it any further. If the athlete drops the stone on the ground, or steps out of the designated lane, the attempt will be terminated. The winner is the athlete who carries the stone the farthest distance. Weight: +/−175 kg—Course: for distance.

“Steroids Don't Cause Rage Outbursts, Study Says,” Syracuse Herald Journal, July 4, 1996:

Body builders already believed it, and science has finally proved it: Steroids make big muscles. But researchers found no evidence that steroids make users prone to outbursts of anger known as “roid rage.”

The carefully controlled study showed convincingly for the first time a few weeks of male sex hormone injections substantially beef up arms and legs and increase strength.

In addition, psychological tests and questioning of the men's spouses found no evidence that steroids made them angrier or more aggressive.

Steroids are widely thought to cause violent mood swings, and people charged with violent crimes have pleaded roid rage as a defense.

But among steroid users who are mentally healthy, “testosterone doesn't turn men into beasts,” said Dr. Shalender Bhasin of Charles H Drew University in Los Angeles. Bhasin left open the possibility that in people who are mentally unbalanced to begin with, steroids can make them worse.

Possession and distribution of steroids without a prescription is a federal crime, punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of at least $1,000.

Doctors have warned that potential side effects include sterility, testicular shrinkage, acne, abnormal liver function, baldness, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Bhasin and his colleagues said the results in no way legitimize steroid use by athletes, but suggested steroids may be a good way to help AIDS patients and others whose muscles waste away because of disease.

“Legend in Making, Minors Alan Again Player of the Year,” Mark Pierce, Alton Telegraph (Illinois), July 7, 1994:

Corrie Alan is quickly becoming the stuff of a legend.

That's a strong word legend but it fits. How else to describe a softball pitcher who has a career record of 63-4? How else to describe a hurler who was 23-2 last season with a 0.27 ERA?

Well, you can describe her as the player of the year. Again.

For the second straight season, the last these 5 foot seven Junior has been tabbed Telegraph Prep Softball Player of the Year.

In saving with a repeat performance, Alan said her 1994 campaign but there is similar to what she accomplished in 1993.

“I didn't really do much different this season,” Alan said. “We had another good season.”

The Minors, 24-2 this year, continued to be the dominant Class A softball squad in the area and earned a second consecutive berth in the Class A state tournament.

“Media Making Racket over Glen Ellyn's Dynamic Duo of Tennis,” Chicago Daily Herald, September 28, 1995:

If the name Engel sounds familiar lately, perhaps it is because of the mini-media blitz we have been seeing in recent weeks for the sibling tennis players Marty and Adria En-gel of Glen Ellyn.

They have been featured in the media for their tennis prowess and it's doubtful the name will leave the public's eye anytime soon.

Marty, 22, a fifth-year senior at Northern Illinois University, appeared in a “Faces in the Crowd” segment of the September 18 issue of Sports Illustrated after winning the men's singles title at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Summer Collegiate Championships. He also appeared in the September 21 issue of Tennis Week. The title also gave him an automatic berth in the U.S. Open tryouts.

While Marty was gracing the inside pages of national magazines, Adria, 15, was featured in a Sports Channel segment last Friday evening. It was Adria's first time on television, but it's doubtful it will be the last. This sophomore at Glenbard West is traveling down a path leading to professional tennis. And she's taking the scenic route.

“This year I started playing pro tennis just to see how I would do out there,” she said. “In March I went to Mexico for a month. I played four tournaments there and the last tournament was the Masters. It's a lot of fun. A good experience and really good competition. I like it more than Juniors.”

Although Adria has chosen not to play on her high school tennis team to concentrate on tournament play, she has also decided not to forsake her high school years as some aspiring players have done in the past. She's content to do it her way and is quite proud of her world ranking of 755.

“The truly cool to see you have a professional ranking in the world,” she said. “I think I'm really lucky to be able to be doing all that I'm doing. I'm just really excited.”

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
"1995 Profile." Working Americans Vol. 10: Sports & Recreation, edited by Scott Derks, Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=WA10_0072.
APA 7th
1995 Profile. Working Americans Vol. 10: Sports & Recreation, In S. Derks (Ed.), Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=WA10_0072.
CMOS 17th
"1995 Profile." Working Americans Vol. 10: Sports & Recreation, Edited by Scott Derks. Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=WA10_0072.