1964 USA Olympic Team
Strength and Power Hall of Fame
2024
1964 Olympic Team
The 1964 Olympics were held in Tokyo Japan from 10/10-24/1964. Weightlifting consisted of 7 weight classes 56kg, 60kg, 67.5kg, 75kg, 82.5kg, 90kg and +90kg. The competition for all weight classes was held on 10/11-18/1964 at the Shibuya Public Hall. The United States Team Manager was John Terpak and the Team Coach was Bob Hoffman.
The Athletes
Gary Cleveland
1/18/1942-1/4/2004
Born in Nebraska and raised in Omaha and St. Louis, Gary became interested in lifting at age 13 after seeing a television clip of Paul Anderson’s performance in Moscow in January 1955. At first Gary trained at home and then at the St. Louis Boys Club where he learned the press, snatch and clean & Jerk. In 1958 Gary won the Strength and Health Magazine Self Improvement Contest for Boys. Winning over hundreds of entrants Gary’s prize was a trophy and a York Olympic Standard Barbell. Gary’s first competition was in 1958 and he won the Missouri State Championships in the 165lb class. Gary was a 2X Senior National Champion, a World Championships team member and an Olympian.
2nd 165lb class 1960 Senior Nationals
165lb class 1960 Olympic Team (alternate)
3rd 181lb class 1961 Senior Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1962 Senior Nationals
5th 181lb class 1962 World Championships
3rd 181lb class 1963 Senior Nationals
5th 181lb class 1963 World Championships
1st 181lb class 1964 Senior Nationals
5th 181lb class 1964 Olympic Games
1st 181lb class 1965 Senior National
Louis “Lou” Riecke
10/2/1926-5/31/2017
Lou started lifting in 1943 as a high school senior at the New Orleans Athletic Club to improve his athletic ability. After discharge from the Navy, Lou won the NCAA Weightlifting Championships and 3 national YMCA titles. Lou was a Junior National Champion and had 5 second place finishes at the Senior Nationals, placed 5th at the 1961 World Championships and was a member of the 1964 Olympic Team. In 1964 at 38 years old Lou set a World Record in the snatch of 325lbs in the 181lb class. Lou retired from lifting in 1964 and became the first Strength Coach for the Pittsburg Steelers from 1970-1980. The Steelers won 4 Super Bowls during Lou’s tenure.
1st 165lb class 1955 Junior Nationals
4th 165lb class 1956 Senior Nationals
1st 165lb class 1957 National Collegiates
2nd 165lb class 1958 Senior Nationals
2nd 165lb class 1959 Senior Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1960 Senior Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1961 Senior Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1963 Senior Nationals
181lb class 1964 Olympics (injured)
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
William “Bill” March
2/4/1937-10/9/2022
Bill began lifting in the 1950’s in York Pa. Bill won several State and regional meets during his career. Bill was an Olympian, Pan American Champion, 2X World Championships team member and a 5X Senior National Champion. Bill set a world record in the Press, set several national records and was Mr. Universe in 1965. In 1966 Bill had a tryout with the Baltimore Colts football team and came very close to making the team.
1st 198lb class 1961 Junior Nationals
1st 198lb class 1961 Senior Nationals
1st 198lb class 1962 YMCA Nationals
1st 198lb class 1962 Senior Nationals
3rd 198lb class 1962 World Championships
1st 198lb class 1963 Senior Nationals
1st 198lb class 1963 Pan American Games
2nd 198lb class 1963 Moscow Prize
1st 198lb class 1964 Senior Nationals
4th 198lb class 1964 Olympic Games
1st 198lb class 1965 Senior Nationals
198lb class 1965 World Championships (injured)
3rd 242lb class 1969 Senior Nationals
1st 242lb class 1969 Tournament of the Americas
Gary Gubner
12/1/1942-5/25/2024
Gary began lifting in the late 1950’s. Lifting as a heavyweight he established Jr. World Records in Weightlifting and in the Shot. Gary was an international level athlete in both Track and Field and Weightlifting.
2nd Heavyweight 1960 North American Championships
1961 Maccabiah Games
1st Heavyweight Weightlifting
1st Shot Put
1st Discus
3rd Heavyweight 1962 World Championships
2nd Heavyweight 1964 Olympic Tryouts
4th Heavyweight 1964 Olympics
2nd Heavyweight 1965 Senior Nationals
1st Heavyweight 1965 North American Championships
2nd Heavyweight 1965 World Championships
1st Heavyweight 1966 Senior Nationals
2nd Heavyweight 1966 North American Championships
1st Heavyweight 1967 Philadelphia Open
Held all Jr. World Records in the Heavyweight Class 1962-1964
Held American Records in the Press and Total in the Heavyweight Class
Set several American Records in the Press
Pressed 450lbs from the rack in 1968
Set 3 indoor World Records in the shot in 1962
Ranked 2nd in the World indoor shot 1962
USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame
National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
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
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
World and National Records
Norb set 22 world records and 34 National records
Joseph “Joe” Puleo
Joe is from Detroit and started lifting when he was 15. Joe held all the Jr. World Records in the 165lb class in 1962 and set several national records during his long career. Joe won 5 Senior Nationals, 2 Pan American Games (1963 & 1967), made 3 world championships teams and 2 Olympic Teams (1968 & 1980). Joe was an alternate on the 1964 Olympic Team. Joe was on several All American Teams and was a member of the Strength and Health Team of the Decade (1960’s).
1st 165lb class 1960 Michigan State YMCA Championships
1st 165b class 1960 Teenage Nationals
4th 165lb class 1960 Senior Nationals
1st 165lb class 1961 Jr. Nationals
1st 165lb class 1961 Teenage Nationals
1st 165lb class 1962 Senior Nationals
1st 165lb class 1962 World Championships Tryouts
1st 165lb class 1963 Philadelphia Open
1st 165lb class 1963 Senior Nationals
1st 165lb class 1963 Pan American Games
1st 165lb class 1964 Senior Nationals
1st 165lb class 1964 Olympic Tryouts
165lb class 1964 Olympic Games (alternate)
1st 181lb class 1965 YMCA Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1965 Senior Nationals
1st 181lb class 1965 North American Championships
1st 181lb class 1966National Collegiates
1st 165lb class 1966 Senior Nationals
1st 181lb class 1966 North American Championships
1st 181lb class 1967 Senior Nationals
2nd 181lb class 1967 Little Olympics
1st 181lb class 1967 Pan American Games
1st 181lb class 1968 Senior Nationals
181lb class 1968 Olympic Games
2nd 181lb class 1970 Senior Nationals
7th 181lb class 1970 World Championships
2nd 198lb class 1980 Senior Nationals
198lb class 1980 Olympic Team (USA Boycott)
Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Sat Jan 18 14:38:59 UTC 2025 | Last Updated: Thu Feb 06 19:04:05 UTC 2025