Harry Keeling Jr Virginia State Strength and Power HoF inductee 2020 (Contributor)
By Strength and Power Hall of Fame
Harry Keeling Jr. (Contributor) 5/3/1909-6/21/1979. Harry organized the first weightlifting meet held in the tidewater area in 1938 (see 4/1938 Strength and Health). The meet was held at the Central Gym 228-234 Old Arcade Building Norfolk. Seven lifters attended. Harry was coaching and providing equipment and a facility for lifters to train as well as providing awards. Harry asked the Navy to allow their personnel to form teams and compete against the local weightlifting clubs that were forming thanks to Harry’s efforts. The Navy agreed and the respective ships began to form teams. For several years prior to WW2 meets were held monthly or bimonthly. Here are a few. Battleship Arkansas VS Norfolk Lifters 3/4/1939, Seventeen lifters attended. Battleship Arkansas VS Central Gym Norfolk 4/22/1939. Sixteen lifters participated. Harry also organized meets between the local clubs. Norfolk City Park Weightlifters VS Edgewater Weightlifters 1941, nine lifters attended. Portsmouth Weightlifters VS Edgewater weightlifters 1941, eight lifters participated. Portsmouth YMCA VS City Park Weightlifters VS Edgewater Weightlifters 1/7/1942, fifteen lifters attended.
In the 1930’s Harry was appointed to the Virginia Association of the Amateur athletic Union and was on the original weightlifting committee which was chaired by Dr. Howard L. James. Harry served as an administrator from the inception of weightlifting as an organized sport in Virginia into the 1950’s. Harry continued to organize meets throughout the 1940’s despite WW2. He continued to support weightlifting as a lifter, coach, meet director, (financially) well into the 1950’s. His leadership during the late 1930’s helped make weightlifting a major sport in the tidewater area and the State of Virginia.
Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Sun Sep 27 19:14:15 UTC 2020 | Last Updated: Thu Dec 21 16:36:19 UTC 2023