Donald Thorne Virginia Strength and Power HoF inductee 2023

By Strength and Power Hall of Fame

Donald “Danny” Thorne

 

 

Danny was born in Jamaica and became an Airman stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, in April 1964. While at Langley, Danny lifted for the Langley Air Force Base Weightlifting Team and for the Lower Peninsula Weightlifting Club coached by Bob Crist. While Danny was only stationed in Virginia until about September 1965 he did some impressive lifting.

1^st148lb class 1963 New York State Championships

1^st 148lb class 1964 Capital District Weightlifting meet (Richmond Va.)

1^st 148lb class 1964 Lower Peninsula Championships

1^st 148lb class 1964 Virginia State Championships

1^st 148lb class 1964 Chesapeake Bay Invitational

1^st 165lb class 1964 Colonial Olympic Development Meet

2^nd 165lb class 1965 Chesapeake Bay Invitational

1^st 165lb class 1965 District Heights Weightlifting Tournament

1^st 165lb class 1965 Silver Spring Invitational

 

5/4/1964 Danny set a Virginia State record of 243.5 lbs in the clean & press.

1/24/1965 Danny set a Virginia State record of 260lbs in the clean & press.

1966 Danny held the Press, Snatch, C&J, and Total Chesapeake Bay Invitational Meet Records in the 148lb class.

 

Being black in the mid-1960s it was not unusual for Danny not to be able to compete in areas known at the time as “the Deep South”. Apparently, this area was about anywhere south of the middle of Virginia. Danny would arrive with his team and be told he could not lift. Danny would act as a team coach in those instances. Who knows how many meets Danny could have competed in if he had been allowed to lift?

 

Thank you to Danny’s teammates, John Callis and Tony Zattiero who remember Danny and passed his story on to the S&P HOF.

 

Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Mon Dec 11 21:51:15 UTC 2023 | Last Updated: Sat Dec 23 02:33:29 UTC 2023