USAWA

by Al Myers

I predicted it in my last blog covering the CENTURY CLUB.  Mike Murdock has become the 23rd member to join this exclusive group of USAWA record setters.  Mike is very deserving of this, and all I have to say, is that it is ABOUT TIME!  I have often criticized Mike for only breaking his own records at record days and not growing his absolute count.  If he hadn’t been doing that he would have been over the “100 count” needed to be in the Century Club a long time ago.  It is also very appropriate that he did it at the Ledaig Record Breaker, the club that he lifts with.  I should have announced this before now, but since I did the last count right before Dave’s record day I sorta forgot how close Mike was to being a full-fledged CENTURY CLUB MEMBER!  

Our prez Denny Habecker still holds the lead.  Denny has now turned 70, and it has opened up a new age group for him to attack.  That’s exactly what he has been doing.  He is FIRMLY in first place now with 447 USAWA records.  His lead over Art has widened since last count.  Denny has been on the war path of competing in USAWA events.  There’s not very many he has missed since Nationals.

Since I’ve become the EXPERT PREDICTER, let me announce my prediction of who will be the next USAWA member to join the Century Club. It goes to the recent Hall of Famer Bob Geib.  Bob now has 95 USAWA records, and his presence has been plentiful at recent USAWA competitions.  In visiting with Bob at Worlds, he seems to me to have the enthusiasm of a teenager when it comes to lifting in competitions.  My money is on him (so don’t let me down Bob!!!)

CENTURY CLUB (as of October 23rd, 2012)

RANK	LIFTER	RECORD COUNT
1	Denny Habecker	447
2	Art Montini	413
3	Al Myers	396
4	John McKean	292
5	Noi Phumchona	265
6	Frank Ciavattone	262
7	Dennis Mitchell	260
8	Joe Garcia	243
9	Bob Hirsh	229
10	Bill Clark	200
11	Chad Ullom	195
12	Howard Prechtel	175
13	Dale Friesz	162
14	Jim Malloy	153
15	Scott Schmidt	148
16	John Monk	148
17	Ed Schock	142
18	Chris Waterman	137
19	Dean Ross	132
20	Rudy Bletscher	131
21	Mary McConnaughey	117
22	John Vernacchio	105
23	Mike Murdock	104