USAWA

by Al Myers

Arthur Saxon (April 28, 1878 to August 6, 1921)

Arthur Saxon was an old time strongman who never left any questions about what weight he lifted – his lifts where often weighed and people who questioned his strength were silenced. Saxon preferred barbells and dumbbells in his strength shows and never performed show acts that included trickery or slight of hand. Even when the famous Scottish Strongman Donald Dinnie questioned whether Arthur Saxon could do what he said he could Arthur sought out Dinnie and preceded to prove himself by lifting on Dinnie’s equipment. He bent pressed 340 pounds using Dinnie’s weights!! Donald Dinnie became a believer that Arthur Saxon was a strong as he said he was.

However, despite living a lifting career that never left questions unanswered – his death was quite different – and clouded with mystery.  I have read three different accounts of how Arthur Saxon died – and I don’t really know which one is correct. All sources seem to be reputable. I am sure these accounts are debatable – and if anyone knows more on this please email me so we can discuss it.

Story 1: After WWI, Arthur resumed putting on Strength Shows by himself.  The war had caused the Saxon Trio to break up. Times were tough and Arthur continued to put on show after show to make ends meet. Due to his long hours and poor working conditions, he developed pneumonia but declined medical attention.  He continued to put on performance after performance until eventually the pneumonia overcame him.

Story 2: Arthur was at the height of his career.  During one of his strength shows, he was doing a support lift where he was supporting a heavy wooden bridge that a car was driven over. Apparently, the wooden bridge broke and the car and several people fell on him causing great injury. He was in the hospital a long time, and had operations where “iron bolts” were driven in at several places. He never fully recovered, and died from pneumonia as a complication of his weakened condition.

Story 3: Arthur was married to an English girl that he met while putting on his strength show tours throughout England.  However, he was in Germany while she was still in England when the war started. After the war, circumstances arose that prevented Arthur and his wife from being reunited. This caused Arthur to go into a deep depression, and on a cold winter night, he went on a drinking binge.  The police found him the next day, lying in the street dead. The cause of death was given as pneumonia.

Which story would you like to believe?
My pick is Story #1 – a mighty strongman never quitting until his dying breath!!

Which story is true?
Who knows. Even the whereabouts of Arthur Saxon’s  gravesite is unknown!!

Arthur Saxon died at the age of 43 – the same age that I am now. This is the reason that I am honoring Arthur Saxon at my 2010 Dino Gym Challenge by hosting the “Arthur Saxon Pentathlon”.