John Grimek lifted up musclemen of York, Pa.
This panel, part of the Murals of York series, features two York-based Olympic weightlifters, Tommy Kono, center, and John Grimek, right. That's York Barbell's Bob Hoffman, four-time Olympic coach, at left.
Angela Grimek's grandchildren want to recognize their grandmother's June 24 birthday.
The wife of the late Mr. America and Mr. USA weightlifter John Grimek is turning 90.
This is a reminder that York County is not long past those days when it billed itself as Muscletown USA.
John Grimek was among the most successful of the musclemen training under the tutelage of Bob Hoffman, founder of York Barbell Co.... .
"Never to be Forgotten" included a weight lifting magazine's appraisal of the two-time Mr. America John Grimek: "Grimek put to rest the idea that men who trained with weights were 'muscle bound' and unable to perform well athletically. His legendary posing routines, lasting more than thirty minutes, involved an extraordinary degree of strength, flexibility and coordination." And for a photo of a young John Grimek, see Author muscles way into York's weightlifting, bodybuilding world.
Grimek, who died in 1998, will long be remembered in York. Among other things, he's a big part of the Muscletown USA mural (see above).
Happy birthday, Mrs. Grimek!
tom byrne · July 5, 2006 11:23 AM
IM 75 years old and John was my hero when it came to body building and even though I am now out of shape I have started training again and feel like a million dollars
Jeff Hathcock · October 25, 2006 4:26 PM
I've seen all the muscle champs over the past 40 years and I still conclude that John Grimek had no peer. The man was incredible. Today's bodybuilders - these "monsters of the midway" as Grimek wrote to me - couldn't carry his water. Sure, most have larger measurments and more muscle striations, but when it comes to beauty of form there is no one that has ever compared to John Grimek, and, quite frankly, there never will be. John Grimek was indeed, the Monarch of Muscledom! God bless Angela Grimek on her 90th birthday and the entire Grimek clan!