1960 USA Olympic Team

Strength and Power Hall of Fame

2024

1960 Olympic Team

 

The 1960 Olympics were held in Rome Italy from 8/25-9/11/1960. Weightlifting consisted of 7 weight classes 56kg, 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg, 82.5kg, 90gk and +90kg. The competition for all weight classes was held on 9/7-10/1960 at the Palazzetto dello Sport. The United States Team Manager was John Terpak and the Team Coach was Bob Hoffman.

 

The Athletes

 

Anthony “Tony” Garcy

Originally from Ray Arizona, Tony started lifting in 1955 in El Paso Texas. Tony was El Paso City Champion in 1956 and Texas State Champion in 1957 while still in High School. Tony attended Texas Western College and received his teaching certificate. Tony taught school in York Pennsylvania for a number of years in the 1960’s while representing the York Barbell Club. Tony retired from competitive lifting after the 1967 Senior Nationals. Tony set several American Records during his career and was a 4X Senior National Champion, Pan American Champion and a 2X Olympian.

 

2nd 148lb class 1957 Junior Nationals

2nd 148lb class 1958 Junior Nationals

4th 148lb class 1959 Senior Nationals

1t 148lb class 1959 Pan American Games

1st 148lb class 1960 Senior Nationals

148lb class 1960 Olympic Games (Alternate)

1st 148lb class 1962 Senior Nationals

1st 148lb class 1963 Senior Nationals

4th 148lb class 1964 Olympic Games

1st 165lb class 1966 Senior Nationals

2nd 165lb class 1967 Senior Nationals

 

Dr. John Pulskamp

 

John started lifting in the 1950’s while attending Ohio State University. He started lifting to build his body for other sports but quickly turned to competitive lifting. He was intercollegiate champion in 1958-59 in the 198lb class and founded the OSU Weightlifting Club. He competed in the 1959 World Championships but had to withdraw due to a back injury. John was also an alternate on the 1959 Pan American Team. John retired from competitive lifting after the 1960 Olympics. He attended medical school at OSU receiving his MD. He joined the US Navy in 1961 and completed his residency in orthopedics in 1969. John practiced until 1992, then retired and took up sailing.

 

1st 198lb class 1959 National Collegiates

2nd 198lb class 1959 Senior Nationals

      198lb class 1959 World Championships (Injured)

1st 198lb class 1960 Senior Nationals

4th 198lb class 1960 Olympic Games

 

 

Richard “Dick” Zirk

1936-4/26/2014

 

Dick started lifting in the early 1950’s to improve his strength for high school football. Dick was a football, basketball and track and field star in high school and was inducted into his High School Hall of Fame. After high school Dick received several University football scholarship offers. However, Dick had grown up on his family’s Pansy Farm in Caldwell Township New Jersey and decided to remain in the family business. Dick continued to lift winning the Mr. New Jersey title in 1957 and then discovered competitive weightlifting. He entered his first contest in 1958 and retired after the 1961 World Championships. Unfortunately, Dick’s father died and he had to take over the family farm. At the time Dick was clean and pressing 360, snatching 330, cleaning 450, squatting 500X10 and benching 450X2. Dick was 6’2” and weighed 263 on his way to 300 plus. We lost a lot when we lost this talented athlete with tremendous potential.

 

2nd 225lb class 1958 Junior Nationals

1st Heavyweight class 1959 Junior Nationals

4th Heavyweight class 1959 Senior Nationals

3rd Heavyweight class 1960 Senior Nationals

Heavyweight class 1960 Olympic Games Alternate

2nd Heavyweight class 1961 World Championships

 

Isaac Berger

11/16/1936-6/4/2022

 

Isaac was born in Israel and immigrated to the United States in 1950. Isaac started training at Hy Shaffers Brooklyn Adonis Club about 1952. Isaac improved quickly and was soon representing the United States in International competition. Isaac won his Olympic gold Medal in 1956 while still a teen-ager. Isaac could squat over 227.5kgs and could front squat 185kgs. Isaac represented the York Barbell Club and occasionally worked for York Barbell in York and in California.

 

Olympic Games

1st 132lb class 1956

2nd 132lb class 1960

2nd 132lb class 1964

 

World Championships

 

3rd 132lb class 1957

1st 132lb class 1958

2nd 132lb class 1959

1st 132lb class 1961

2nd 132lb class 1963

 

Pan American Games

 

1st 132lb class 1959

1st 132lb class 1963

 

Senior Nationals

 

1st 132lb class 1955

1st 132lb class 1956

1st 132lb class 1957

1st 132lb class 1958

1st 132lb class 1959

1st 132lb class 1960

1st 132lb class 1961

1st 132lb class 1964

 

World Records

Isaac set 8 World Records

Charles “Chuck” Vinci

2/28/1933-6/13/2018

 

Chuck was from Elyria Ohio and lifted at times for the York Barbell club. Chuck is the best 123lb lifter to represent the United States in international competition. Chuck won the 1956 and 1960 Olympics in the 123lb class. His 1960 Gold Medal is the last Gold Medal won by an American male lifer.

 

Olympic Games

1st 123lb class 1956

1st 123lb class 1960

 

World Championships

2nd 123lb class 1955

2nd 123lb class 1958

 

Pan American Games

1st 123lb class 1955

1st 123lb class 1959

 

Senior Nationals

 

1st 123lb class 1954

1st 123lb class 1955

1st 123lb class 1956

1st 123lb class 1958

1st 123lb class 1959

1st 123lb class 1960

1st 123lb class 1961

 

World Records

12 World Records

 

Tamio “Tommy” Kono

6/27/1930-4/24/2016

 

One of the greatest weightlifters of all time, Tommy started lifting in a California internment camp in the 1940’s. Tommy was sickly as a child and required considerable care. However, Tommy used adversity as a motivator and became an 8X World Champion, 2X Olympic Champion, 3X Pan American Champion, an Olympic Silver Medalist and a 12X Senior National Champion. Tommy set 26 official World Records in 4 different weight classes. I recommend reading Tommy Kono The Life of America’s Greatest Weightlifter by Dr. John D. Fair.

 

2nd 148lb class 1950 Senior Nationals

2nd 148lb class 1951 Senior Nationals

1st 148lb class 1952 Senior Nationals

1st 148lb class 1952 Junior Nationals

1st 148lb class 1952 Olympic Games

1st 165lb class 1953 Senior Nationals

1st 165lb class 1953 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1954 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 194 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1955 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 1955 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1955 Pan American Games

1st 181lb class 1956 Olympic Games

1st 181lb class 1957 Senior Nationals

1st 165lb class 1957 World Championships

1st 165lb class 1958 Senior Nationals

1st 165lb class 1958 World Championships

1st 165lb class 1959 Senior Nationals

1st 165lb class 1959 Pan American Games

1st 165lb class 1959 World Championships

1st 165lb class 1960 Senior Nationals

2nd 165lb class 1960 Olympic Games

1st 181lb class 1961 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1961 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1962 Senior Nationals

2nd 181lb class 1962 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1963 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 1963 Pan American Games

3rd 181lb class 1965 Senior Nationals

 

Dr. James “Jim” George

Jim started lifting in the late 1940’s and joined the American College of Modern Weightlifting Club. Jim would also represent the York Barbell Club later in his career. Jim is a 2X Olympian, a Pan American Games Champion, lifted in 4 World Championships and is a 4X Senior National Champion. Jim set World Records in the snatch and clean and jerk during his career. Jim had a long career as a Dentist and is the younger brother of Dr. Peter George. Jim is a member of the US Weightlifting Hall of Fame.

 

1st 181lb class 1954 Jr. Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1955 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1955 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1956 Senior Nationals

3rd 181lb class 1956 Olympic Games

2nd 181lb class 1957 World Championships

2nd 181lb class 1957 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 1958 Senior Nationals

2nd 181lb class 1958 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1959 Senior Nationals

1st 181lb class 1959 Pan American Games

3rd 181lb class 1959 World Championships

1st 181lb class 1960 Senior Nationals

2nd 181lb class 1960 Olympic Games

2nd 198lb class 1961 Senior Nationals

 

 

James “Jim” Bradford

11/1/1928-9/13/2013

 

 

Jim started lifting in the 1940’s and quickly became a world class heavyweight.  Jim won silver medals at 2 Olympics and silver medals at 4 world championships. Jim could have been the 1951 World Heavyweight Champion but chose to lift for the silver. The defending World and Olympic Champion John Davis was lifting injured and could barely stand on his left leg. Jim took enough weight to tie Davis on his second attempt and then refused his third attempt fearing Davis would try more and further injure himself and possibly end his career. Jim was an army officer and served in Korea which limited his ability to train for a number of years. In 1956 Jim choose to stay home with his pregnant wife instead of going to the Olympics.

 

Olympic Games

2nd Heavyweight 1952

2nd Heavyweight 1960

 

World Championships

 

2nd Heavyweight 1951

2nd Heavyweight 1954

2nd Heavyweight 1955

2nd Heavyweight 1959

 

North American Championships

 

2nd Heavyweight 1950

 

Senior Nationals

 

3rd Heavyweight 1950

2nd Heavyweight 1952

2nd Heavyweight 1959

1st Heavyweight 1960

1st Heavyweight 1961

 

Junior Nationals

 

1st Heavyweight 1950

 

 

 

Norbert “Norb” Schemansky

5/30/1924-9/7/2016

 

Norb competed from 1941 to 1968. He served 3 years in the Army during WW2 and missed 2 years of competition due to two major back surgeries. Due to back surgery Norb missed the 1956 Olympics.  Norb is probably the greatest heavyweight of all time. Norb weighed 182lbs at his first meet in 1941 and 277lbs at one of his last meets in 1967. In 1967 Norb cleaned and pressed 415lbs for the heaviest press of his long career at almost 44 years old. At the 1962 Worlds Norb had a ten kilo lead over Yuri Vlasov going into the C&J. Vlasov’s double dip jerk was passed 2 to 1 giving Vlasov the title. Norb was 38 years old. Norb’s book Mr. Weightlifting details Norb’s long career.

 

Olympic Games

2nd Heavyweight 1948

1st Middle-heavyweight 1952

3rd Heavyweight 1960

3rd Heavyweight 1964

 

World Championships

 

2nd 1947 Heavyweight

1st 1951 Middle-heavyweight

1st 1953 Middle-heavyweight

1st 1954 Middle-heavyweight

2nd 1962 Heavyweight

2nd 1963 Heavyweight

 

Pan American Games

 

1st 1955 Heavyweight

 

North American Championships

 

1st 1949 Heavyweight

1st 1950 Heavyweight

1st 1952 Heavyweight

1st 1957 Heavyweight

1st 1959 Heavyweight

1st 1963 Heavyweight

1st 1964 Heavyweight

 

Senior Nationals

 

2nd 1947 Heavyweight

2nd 1948 Heavyweight

1st 1949 Heavyweight

2nd 1950 Heavyweight

1st 1951 Middle-heavyweight

1st 1952 Middle-heavyweight

1st 1953 Middle-heavyweight

1st 1954 Heavyweight

1st 1957 Heavyweight

3d 1959 Heavyweight

2nd 1960 Heavyweight

1st 1962 Heavyweight

2nd 1963 Heavyweight

1st 1964 Heavyweight

1st 1965 Heavyweight

3rd 1966 Heavyweight

 

Junior Nationals

 

1st 1946 Heavyweight

 

 

 

Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Sat Jan 18 14:30:09 UTC 2025 | Last Updated: Tue Feb 04 11:59:53 UTC 2025