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08/21/2008 Entry: "8/22/2008: Part Two of a Oct 19, 1987 letter from Charles A. Smith"

Pages 3 & $ of letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark, Oct 19, 1987

Saxon too has me enthralled. Here was a man who stood, tops, five feet ten inches- if that- who never went more than 220 to my knowledge, yet here he is, years before we had any juiced up Johnnies, hoisting poundages what would be creditable even by today�s standards.

I, also, have never accepted his two hands anyhow record of 448. This means he first had to bent press 336- how did he get it into his shoulder? This isn�t told ANYWHERE. Then, after getting it to his right arm�s length, and while way way down, he grabs hold of a 112 dumbell and then, getting into his shoulder- we are again not told how he did this ANYWHERE- he then, while still holding that 336 overhead, PRESSES the one hundred and twelve pound DB overhead. It must have been done military style, since he had to preserve stability. How did he manage all this?

I also can�t find out where this was done, in what country, town, gym, or who were the judges present. If it was weighed and if it was underweight or overweight according to the face value of the plates on the bar. This poses the question. Did they take it at plate and collar and bar face value, or did they weigh it and give the actual weight, regardless of what the plates indicated.

For some time now I have been trying to get a copy of the Court case that Saxon had brought against him by Sandow- the trial transcript that is. I know the trial might have taken place at Birmingham Assizes�there�s a lovely word for you- but I can�t be sure about this.

The fussing over a claim Saxon made to the effect that he had lifted a weight Sandow had failed to lift.

It seems that they had a contest. Saxon bent pressed some poundage around 275- long, long way from his 336 or even his reported 370. Sandow failed to come to erect position with the weight, although he did get it to arm�s length- right arm I think.

The judge decided in Sandow�s favor and he was awarded 500 pounds�a whopping sum in those days- by the trial�s judge. The judge said, and rightly, that Sandow HAD lifted it above his head. While this may have been LEGALLY right, it was WEIGHLIFTING WRONG.

It might be of interest to you to know that some of Saxon�s lids are still alive and kicking in Manchester, England. Saxon married an English girl from that heavy manufacturing city. But whether they carry the name of Saxon or Hennig, I don�t know. So what you put out night throw a bright glow on what Saxon did or didn�t do.

But a caveat here. Most, if not all of the stuff that has been written about Saxon is but a repetition of what has been written before. In other words, those that came after other writers have accepted what they have written as Gospel.
Same sort of stuff was written about Oscar Wilde, each so called �historian� repeating the load of idiotic junk that had been previously written- such as Wilde having black teeth because of his treatment for syphilis by mercurial medications, and his being combative and throwing fellow students down a flight of stairs when he was at Oxford, and his reply to the Customs agent when asked at the Port of New York on arrival, if he had anything to declare and saying- ONLY my genius. All false, but all repeated ad nauseum in any book you read about Wilde.

I am getting sick and fed up with these steroid filled sods. Does any one of them own self pride and respect. The price they pay for �winning� is their health and the happiness of their families.

I haven�t heard from Ellio since I wrote a month or so ago over that rascality that was taking place in England, engendered by the bunch of toilet paper masquerading as a mag STRENGTH ATHLETE.

I am real sorrowed over the death of the Wanking Wunder�s gal editor Chris. You could pick up that mag and go through it and find not one iota of bullshit. But pick up any one of the Wanker�s men�s mags and the smell of the barnyard wafted out pronto. One had to wear a pair of hip boots so one could wade through the piles of bovine bowel movement without getting one�s Florsheims besmirched.

A 19 inch arm at 198. Come on Uncle Hezikiah. Come on. Goerner in muscular condition didn�t have an arm that big. True, at 290 and a tad overweight, he did have arms that went over 19. But for a man of 198- and I assume his height is not over 5�8 a 19 inch arm would appear so grotesque that one would wonder if he wasn�t suffering from dropsy. Or else his bladder and kidneys were backing up.

I am getting along as well as any man, confined to a wheel chair and unable to walk, and aching in his heart at not being able to do so. I didn�t get out of the house from August 23rd until last Saturday, October 10th. Then Vera took me over to her place to be climbed over, scaled, and trampled on like Mount Everest, by the two boys�if anyone has sense, he would try and find out where kids this age 5 and 7- get their bloody energy. I ain�t seen anything like it since the last Boston Marathon. They ran everywhere. One would think they�d never heard of walking. But it was marvelous to get out of the house and see the little sods again. They were delighted at my appearance.

That�s what makes my day. Their love and affection is so unconditional. So without the slightest reservation. They jus love you for who you are,

Best of everything to you and yours,
Chas.