USAWA

by Al Myers

I just found this picture, which I found very interesting.  Obviously, the BIG MAN in the center front is none other than the great superheavyweight Russian Weightlifter Vasily Alexeev.   Take a look at all the guys around him – do you recognize anyone??  Does anyone have any guesses when this picture was taken??  Please respond on the USAWA Discussion Forum if you can help me out with information on this picture.

PICTURE UPDATE

This mystery picture has stirred up lots of comments on the USAWA Discussion Forum.  Tom Ryan and Thom Van Vleck figured out when and where this picture was taken, and Scott Tully identified our USAWA President Denny Habecker as the man in the glasses.  This identification still left some confusion, as most of the guys in the picture are wearing glasses.  I finally have the “full report” on this picture, thanks to Denny.  The following is Denny’s comments regarding this picture,“The picture was taken on September 18, 1970 at the Ohio Stater Inn in Columbus, Ohio.  The lifters are all members of the Upper Darby Weightlifting team, except Alexseev of course.   The lifters seated are Dave Brown, Alexseev, and Woody Wilson.  The back row is me, Conrad Falvello, Libro Taglianetti, and Barry Branyon.  We had 2  rooms for the six of us and Alexeev’s room was right across the hall from ours  He came out of his room after he heard the noise of a fire cracker that was thrown into one of our rooms by one of the lifters from the other room.”