The Theft of the Championship Belt
by George Jowett
The Championship Belt of Warren Lincoln Travis, which now resides at the York Barbell Museum.
Talking about getting sore, can you imagine the even-tempered Warren Lincoln Travis getting sore? He did once. He was giving an exhibition down in New England, and at the entrance of the show he had his diamond belt and some other trophies on display. He had hired a man to watch them but Warren forgot to hire somebody else to watch the watcher. The result was, the caretaker of the trophies beat it with the whole outfit, which is worth a snug fortune. Did Warren camp on that guy’s trail? OH! boy, he didn’t wait for a train. The spirit of Achilles was in his heels, and he was traveling faster than any train. But, the best Travis could do was to locate the pawn shop where the smart boy had hocked the goods. Warren wept for joy when he grabbed his cherished possessions, but the thief got away. Luckily for him, for if Travis had ever got his hands on him, it would have been the parting of the ways, as Warren would have distributed him to the four winds. However, Warren still remembers it and is willing to laugh with you over the escapade.
Credit: The Key to Might and Muscle by George Jowett