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04/28/2005 Entry: "4/29/05: Pat Casey, Notes on His Career, compiled by Joe Roark"

Pat Casey, notes on his career, compiled by Joe Roark
Born July 15, 1939
Died April 22, 2005 age 65

Pat's landmark 615 pound bench press came on March 25, 1967 at age 27 years, 8 months, 1 week, 3 days.

On June 29, 1957 Pat Casey, age 17, placed fifth at the Mr. Teenage America contest held in Berkeley, California.
1. Mike Ferraro
2. Don Watson
3. Bob Jaramillo
4. Freeman (first name I do not know)
5. Pat Casey
One of the physique judges was Bill Pearl, who would become a life-long friend.

So far as I am aware that was his only physique competition- and although after his famous career in bench pressing had ended he thought about physique competition again, he did not compete again.

Below are some references from various magazines- some are mere mentions, or paragraphs, some are articles.

Note: # = paragraph(s)

Physical Power magazine:
Jan 1962 p 34 # world record in bench 514.25 on Dec 2, 1961 at the Pasadena YMCA

Jul 1962 p 26 # photo 517.5 bench press on May 26, 1962

Jan 1963 p 11 # photo heavy bench

Oct 1963 p 30 # photo missing a 550 bench press (made 540)

Ironman magazine:
Sep 1958 p 34 # age 18 weighing 215 benched 450 with a 22" wide grip

May 1959 p 32 A Training Session With Pat Casey, the West Coast Teenage Sensation-Frederick
-photo just failing with 480, but hopes to succeed with 500 before his 20th birthday, which would be July 15, 1959. He did not break 500 in the bench (504) until Feb 9, 1960.
-photo benching 500; he uses a dead stop at the bottom
-photo pulling two 180 pound dumbbells for a set of five reps on incline press
-in the standing press ('military' press) he has made two reps with 280 .
-squats once per week with sets of 425.

Dec 1963 p 25 # full page photo

Mar 1992 p 184 Pat Casey's 600 pound Bench Program- McCreary

Lifting News magazine:
Apr 1961 p 8 An inter-gym bench contest Feb 25, 1961 was his FIRST CONTEST, and he won the heavyweight class with a 460 pound bench at 265 pounds bodyweight.
-was just getting over a bad cold and "His style was the best of all the contestants and he narrowly missed 480 twice. His training best is 494 with a two second count."

Feb 1962 p 2 He benched 515 while weighing 259.
P 6 At the 1962 Southern California Powerlifting Championships he benched 500 at 261 bodyweight.

Apr 1962 p 7 On Mar 17, 1962 in Santa Monica at the Southern California Squat contest he squatted 575. Attempted 600 on fourth attempt, failed.

Jul 1962 p 7 Benched 517.25 pounds at Leo Stern's contest.

Sep 1962 p 4 photo # made 525 bench in training

Mar 1963 p 3 Photo/story at Southern California Powerlifting Championships where he benched 530, curled 200 in perfect style, and deep squatted 580. The bench was a new national record.

Sep 1963 p 6 Recent bench # is new world record of 540

Jan 1964 p 7 #just failed a 560 bench, thinking incorrectly he was trying 550.

Mar 1964 p 3 # recently got 5 singles with 540 in the bench

Jul 1964 p 11 Photo preparing to try 560 bench- did not make it #; is reported doing five or six singles with 540.

Mar 1965 Cover photo

Apr 1965 p 17 # On Apr 17, 1965 at Mr. California contest he benched 570; just missed 580. [Karl Norberg age 75 made 430 pounds!]

Jul 1965 p 13 # photo benching 570, just failed with 580; bodyweight 'over' 280

Jan 1966 p 12 At the Long Beach Powerlifting meet Aug 7, 1965 at YMCA won heavyweight class via 530 - 680 - 645 = 1855 (bodyweight 295) His 530 bench weighed in at 548, and his 680 squat weighed in at 698.75
P 16 Oct 23, 1965 at San Pedro Powerlifting Meet won heavyweight class via 550 - 660 - 650 = 1860 [Osmo Kiiha got 320-410-470 = 1,200]

Jun 1966 p 9 # photo benching 552.5 at a meet in San Luis Obispo

Jul 1966 Cover photo squatting 774.5
p 16 # photo bench 571.75, then moments later made 592 "with little trouble"
P 16 On May 21, 1966 he won heavyweight class at the San Diego Invitational Powerlifting Meet via 592 - 774.5 - 635 = 2001.5

Dec 1966 p 9 # benched 580, Squat 800 [face value 805], deadlift 650 for 2035 total; almost benched 605

Jan 1967 p 15 Wins heavyweight class Oct 15, 1966 at Los Angeles YMCA at the Los Angeles Invitational Powerlift Championships; two photos: failing with 605 bench, and squatting with 800(?)
Winning via 580 - 805 - 650 = 2035

Apr 1967 p 10 # 600 pound bench press and almost 615 in Los Angeles

May 1967 p 7 # in Southern California, benched 615.5 pounds. His back was bothering him so he deadlifted only 650 and squatted 700.

Jun 1967 p 5 pho # benched 600; then moments late made 615

Dec 1967 p 18 # retires from competition; working full time in his Pioneer Health Club

Mar 1968 p 6 # bodyweight 265, will re-enter bodybuilding

May 1968 p 12 # bodyweight 255, can still bench 475

Health & Strength magazine:
Jan 10, 1963 p 46 photo doing dumbbell bench with 200 in each hand

Muscle Builder magazine:
Feb 1960 p 44 # age 19 stood 6' tall, weighed 240, hopes to bench press 500 before age 21. Has done 480 with close grip, and has benched with a 180 pound dumbbell in each hand on incline for 5 reps

Oct 1966 p 34 Pat Casey - by Tanny

May 1967 p 36 Larry Trailor Challenges Pat Casey- by Tyler shows photo of Larry benching 500
P 38-39 Five sequence photos 800 pound squat
Sep 1967 p 34 Secrets of Pat Casey's Squat Power- as told to Tanny bodyweight 320; photo squatting 775 while weighing 312. Has recently done 835 in training and is aiming for 900. In 1966 he was intending to drop to 220 for physique contests. Operates the Pioneer Health Club at 15720 Pioneer Boulevard in Norwalk, California.

Muscular Development magazine:
Mar 1964 p 14 "I'm Going to Bench Press 600 pounds"- as told to Pearl

Feb 1966 p 13 photos attempting to bench 550 and 570, also photo of him deadlifting and squatting

Sep 1966 p 14 Becomes first man to break the 2000 pounds total in Powerlifting-J. Terlazzo

Oct 1966 p 30 Pat Casey sets Powerlifting Records- Mozee

Sep 1967 p 26 Pat Casey Crashes the 600 pound Barrier - 615.5 pounds - by R. Borden

Feb 1960 p 32 photo with his wife Carol

Strength & Health magazine:
Jul 1963 p 30 Pat Casey- King of the Bench Pressers - Pearl

Nov 1965 p 24 Shoulder training for Bulk & Power- as told to Pearl

Dec 1965 p 71 his 'West Coast ' column debuts, featuring bits of news from the west coast iron scene.

May 1967 p 37 photo benching 600, failed at 615

Powerlifting USA magazine:
May 1981 p 28 Pat Casey for the Hall of Fame- Vuono

Apr 1983 p 70 Pat Casey- Vuono

Apr 1985 p 16 Casey at the Bench, part 1 - Everson

May 1985 p 14 Casey at the Bench, part 2 - Everson

Oct 1990 p 26 More From Ken Leistner on Pat Casey - Leistner

MILO magazine:
Jan 1994 p 16 Pat Casey and the Bench- Wilhelm

The Iron Game (book) by David Webster, see page 109

The Super Athletes (book) by David P. Willoughby, see pages 128,129,130,131,133,136,137

The Iron Master magazine by Osmo Kiiha:
Apr 1998 p 28 Bench Pressed 600 in the 1960s - by Weis

The 44 page manual by Bruce Wilhelm: PAT CASEY: King of the Powerlifters, may be purchased from Bruce Wilhelm Exercise Equipment, P.O.Box 2269, Daly City, CA 94017. Price is $15.95 plus $4.50 shipping and handling, but please check first with Bruce for availability.

There are other specific dates and lifts mentioned in Wilhelm's book which any student of iron history will find helpful.

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