BLACK IRON
THE JOHN DAVIS STORY
A World Premier Book Review by Robert Drucker
Black Iron brings forth one of the greatest weightlifting stories ever told. Photograph courtesy of Brooks Kubik.
As I was reading Black Iron, a new book by Brooks Kubik, I began to realize something very profound: I was reading one of the greatest weightlifting stories ever told! This thought stayed with me throughout the entire dramatization, and after my reading was complete I was left with a major challenge. How, I wondered, can I possibly capture the essence of Kubik's new masterpiece in a short review? Never before have I come across a weightlifting book that is so full of history, culture, life lessons, powerful thoughts, and deep philosophies. To be sure, the treatment of weightlifting in this book is the best I have ever read. And, I have read dozens of books about how to lift heavy iron; but, none of them shows you how to think like a champion weightlifter as well as Black Iron does. Nonetheless, it is the story, how the story is told, and the drama brought forth which brings this book to life. At many times, I had to remind myself that I was at home reading a book and not in Paris or Vienna watching the World weightlifting championships.
After reflecting upon my challenge, I decided that I cannot possibly capture in a book review all, or even most, of the many historical events, struggles, triumphs, personalities, and training lessons that Brooks so brilliantly covers across over 400 pages of text. Nor can I bring to life his wit, his humor, and his uncanny ability to tell a story. And, I certainly cannot cover the vast array of training programs presented in the book. What I can do, and did, is summarize the book in my own words and give you some highlights. Be warned though, my treatment is nowhere near complete; it is just a small sampling of the many great things to be found in Black Iron. And, I will say here that I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of this book. In my opinion, this work is the Sgt. Pepper's or the masterful Fifth Symphony of weightlifting books.
Kubik's new work brings forth a dramatic retelling of the John Davis story. In this book, you will learn more about this great champion, what he stood for, and how he thought than from any other source. And, much of the information in this book came directly from the memories of some of John's closest friends – people who knew him well, competed with him, and / or trained with him. With all this said, let's take a brief look at what Black Iron is all about.
A Synopsis of Black Iron
Black Iron is a remarkable story about John Davis and the many battles and racial prejudices he overcame to become one of the most accomplished weightlifters in history. In dramatic form, master story teller Brooks Kubik captures the life of the great weightlifter and the people who were closest to him through a cast of lively characters. The story begins when Frank McMillan lands his first job as a journalist and is told by an intimidating senior editor to write a story about a dying weightlifter who “was some kind of champion athlete when he was younger.” Fearing that his first job could be cut short, the rookie journalist nervously heads over to the St. Francis Gardens Nursing Home where John Davis is spending the final days of his life. At first, Frank is turned away by Sister Bernadette, but subsequently he meets two weightlifters who have come to the nursing home to pay their respect to the former lifting champ. The two lifters agree to help the young journalist land an interview with John Davis under the condition that he writes the “real” story about his life.
Realizing his lack of knowledge about the sport, the two lifters give Frank a crash course in weightlifting to better prepare him for a potential interview with Davis. They describe the three Olympic lifts and how they are performed, the organization of weight classes in lifting competition, and how weightlifting differs from powerlifting and bodybuilding. The two muscle men also explain to the young reporter how John Davis gained a reputation for being “The Strongest Man in the World” during his heyday.
With a bit of persuasive talking by the two weightlifters, Sister Bernadette agrees to ask John Davis if he would like to have visitors. After hearing that the two lifters saw him make the “400” in Los Angeles back in 1951, Davis grants permission for all three men – the two lifters and Frank – to visit him. However, before Sister Bernadette brings the three men to a colorful and peaceful garden where Davis is seeking warmth, she warns them that the former champion is a very sick man and dying of cancer.
When the two weightlifters and Frank are brought into the garden, they spot an old and frail man sitting in a wooden chair. Upon seeing the sickly man, Frank immediately knows that this person is John Davis. When it is Frank's turn to speak, he admits that he is not a weightlifter, but rather a reporter seeking an interview. The young man is relieved when Davis expresses trust and asks him, “What do you want to know about me?”
Caught off guard by Davis’s question, Frank nervously utters back, “Tell me – just tell me what you want the world to know. What you want people to remember.” After a brief pause, the former strongman reflects about lifting a heavy concrete block as part of a wager at Tompkins Park in Brooklyn. It was this event, Davis explains to the young journalist, which was the trigger point in his long and accomplished weightlifting career.
Through a narrator, Brooks tells the story of Tompkins Park and the events which lead John Davis to discover the barbell at the age of 16. John falls in love with lifting heavy iron, and with the help of an encouraging training buddy he embarks on an amazing journey to become an Olympic weightlifting champion. His journey moves fast and with breathtaking results. He studies the accomplishments of some of America's best lifters in Strength and Health, and he becomes inspired by Tony Terlazzo, the first American weightlifter to win a gold medal in modern times. Seeking to meet Terlazzo, John attends the Patterson Strength Show with his training partner where they see many outstanding strength athletes perform, including Sig Klein. But, for Davis, the highlight of the evening occurs when the inspiring weightlifter sees Terlazzo perform a special exhibition match with Johnny Terpak. After the friendly competition, the two champs sign autographs and they outline their training program for a group of fans in the warm-up area. John and his training partner listen in as Tony describes how he dramatically improved his press by following instructions given to him by his coach, Bob Hoffman.
After the strength show comes to an end, John draws attention from both Terlazzo and Terpak. The two York lifters are amazed by his muscular build and pressing ability, especially after learning that the teenager has only been training with barbells for two weeks. Unduly impressed with Davis, Terlazzo introduces him to Bob Hoffman, and the famous coach recognizes that the inspiring teenager has the potential to become a World champion.
Guided by advice from Hoffman, and still just 16 years old, Davis decides to enter some lifting contests to “get some experience.” His training partner spots an advertisement for a local lifting contest, and soon after John heads over to the French Sporting Club where he registers to compete in the 181-pound class of the event. After collecting a participant's fee from Davis, Henri Soundieres, the Weightlifting Director at the club, gives the young lifter sound advice for selecting weights for his first competition. Steve also urges Davis to pay close attention to the lifting styles and techniques used by the other participants. Taking his partner's advice, the future champion observes a variety of lifting styles, and he learns various mental techniques that lifters use to summon maximum energy.
John's first contest at the French Sporting Club is a success, and as the rising star becomes even stronger, he gains ground in the competitive world by taking on some of America's best lifters at the New York City Invitational Meet, the Junior New York City Weightlifting Championships, the Junior Metropolitan Weightlifting Championships, the Senior Metropolitan Weightlifting Championships, the Junior Nationals, the Senior Nationals, and the North American Championships. Among the star lifters John challenges include Steve Gob, Stanley Kratkowski, and John Grimek. His battles with these giants are described in vivid detail, and the fierce drama brings the reader right to the competition floor!
Not long after qualifying for the 1938 World Championships at 17 years of age, Bob Hoffman holds up the Manhattan at the New York pier to give Davis sound advice for winning a world title in Vienna. Hoffman's words are gripping, up close, and personal. With his coach’s advice in mind, the big weightlifter then sails out to sea with the rest of the American team to do battle with great champions from the other side of the globe. Grimek faces a hardship on the ship, and the pressure is on Davis to win the 181-pound class for the American team. The seventeen year old faces an enormous battle with Louis Hostin, a French Olympic champion, and Fritz Halla, a World champion and member of the a powerful German-Austrian Team. And, even teammate John Grimek, despite the troubles he faced during his voyage to Europe, gives John a run for his money. The action is fast paced and furious, and Davis ends up making some amazing lifts that bring the Austrian audience out of their seats.
At this point in the book, it becomes apparent that John Davis was telling Frank and the two weightlifters about his early success as a competitive lifter just before he drifted off to a sound sleep. One of the weightlifters tells Sister Bernadette that the three of them will come back to the garden the following day. He tells her, “We want to hear the rest of the story. I mean - to hear it from him. The way he remembers it.” Frank and the weightlifters end up spending nine days with the great champion before the “rest” of the story is fully captured.
On the second day, Frank and the two weightlifters return to the garden in the morning after breakfast. Upon their return, John pulls out a thick scrapbook that his mother put together. It contains published articles from magazines and newspapers about him, and it also has lots of photos of him and his friends. Flipping through the pages of the scrapbook, the former weightlifting champ continues onward with his story. Again, Brooks captures John's reflections through a narrator.
Via a telegram, Hoffman learns that Davis became a World champion and a world record holder in Vienna. Thrilled by the news, the coach immediately types a report for Strength and Health to reflect John's impressive victory and the success of the American team. Hoffman's exact words are reprinted in the book, and the congratulations the coach gives John Davis is quite touching.
Following his victory at the World Championships in Vienna, it becomes apparent to many followers of the iron sport that Davis is quickly becoming one of the best lifters in the world. His lifts are quickly approaching the record marks set by Germany's World and Olympic Heavyweight champion, Josef Manger. And, it is just a matter of time before Davis will challenge Steve Stanko as the supreme American Heavyweight.
For reasons given in the book, Davis is unable to train with the rest of Hoffman gang in York. Bob helps the young weightlifter find a place to stay and train in nearby Philadelphia. The coach also gives John financial assistance to help him with room and board, and to finish high school. This is just one example of many given in the book that reflects Hoffman's altruistic tendencies.
While living in Philadelphia, John takes up training at the South Phillie Weightlifting Club, and here he has some of the most productive workouts of his life. He also meets a number of friends at the club, many who are established weightlifters. John especially becomes good friends with Leo Saltzman, a fellow weightlifter who shares an interest in singing opera. John also meets Hyman Cohen, the President of the Weightlifting Club at the Young Men's Hebrew Association. John and Hyman become training partners and form a long-lasting bond.
Davis makes tremendous progress at the South Phillie Weightlifting Club, and throughout 1940 he continues to collect big trophies and set World records. During the Middle Atlantic Championships, John takes on Steve Stanko as a heavyweight, and what he does to defeat the giant muscle man is nearly unbelievable. Other victories for Davis quickly follow, including winning the Heavyweight class at the National Bent-Press Championships, and taking first place at the Senior Nationals as a member of the 181 pound class.
At the 1940 Senior Nationals, Davis gets a scare from rival Steve Gob. But, after a making a world-record snatch he secures and holds onto the lead. Stanko also does well, winning the Heavyweight class with a mind-blowing 950-pound total! The action is extremely intense, and the reader can sense that Davis and Stanko are heading on another collision course.
The inevitable collision between the two mighty American titans occurs during the fall of 1940 at the annual Invitation weightlifting contest held by the Western Union Recreational Association of New York City. Both Davis and Stanko compete in the Heavyweight class, and their clash produces a spark of fireworks that has the crowd jumping high off of their seats! The lifting was so sensational during this event that Bob Hoffman referred to it as the “World's Greatest Lifting Contest.”
Slightly more than a month later, Davis once again faces off against Steve Stanko at the 1941 Senior Nationals. Also competing as a Heavyweight is the behemoth Louis Abele, a sensational lifter who had finished just behind Stanko during the same competition during the two previous years. John gets himself into a bit of trouble after missing his opening clean, but he subsequently crawls back into the spotlight with some sensational lifting. Sadly, this event turned out to be Stanko's last weightlifting contest for a reason detailed in the book.
Just before stopping the interview for the day, John Davis tells Frank and the two weightlifters that the War years put a stranglehold on the Olympic Games and on international weightlifting competition. The dying champion explains that this stranglehold, along with his draft into the Army, cost him the “best years” of his lifting career. His story is so vivid, you feel like you are right there in the garden listening to John speak.
The next morning the group meets for the third time at the garden of the nursing home. John reveals his greatest regret in life, a regret that greatly surprises Frank and the two weightlifters. John also explains how an article about him in Reader's Digest helped launch the career of Bud Greenspan, the famous film director, writer, and producer known for his sports documentaries. Brooks’ capture of this story is sensational.
Turning to a less serious side, John then entertains Frank and the two weightlifters by telling them a hilarious story involving fellow lifter Frank Kay, several bottles of beer, and a 275-pound barbell. All of the gentlemen get a good laugh, and just for a second it is easy to forget that John is gravely ill.
With Frank's urging, John starts talking more about the War, the hardships he and others faced during the fighting years, and how his duties overseas forced him to cease training for an extended period of time. He also explains in more detail how the War stopped international weightlifting competition. Davis’s words are moving, and they give the reader much to think about.
Frank's skill as a journalist is beginning to shine, and he asks John what got him lifting again after the War. The former world-record holder tells the young journalist that he wanted to help Bob Hoffman realize his dream of establishing the American weightlifting team as the best on Earth. Kubik does a great job here bringing to light how strong Davis’s commitment was to his coach.
When Frank asks why it was so important to Hoffman that the USA have the best weightlifting team in the world, Davis gives a most incredible and thought-provoking answer. What the champion says is a reminder that freedom is always worth fighting for, and that the deplorable events that occurred during the War must never happen again. The history given here is much more thought-stimulating than anything I learned in school.
As the American team starts to reform after the War, Bob Hoffman is confronted with three facts: (1) Most of the pre-War USA lifters are no longer active or dominate in lifting; (2) the new USA champs are largely untested in international competition; and (3) reports from abroad indicate that the Russian and Egyptian lifting teams are likely better than any American lifting team that could be assembled. Hoffman is further tormented when he receives a definite notice that a World Championship will take place in Paris on October 19, 1946. The coach scrambles to put a team together and make all the necessary arrangements for engaging his team in competition. The hardships faced and the sacrifices made by Hoffman and the selected USA team members to compete in Paris were many and extraordinary. Kubik’s description of the events that unfold are exemplary, and they give the reader a much better understanding of who Hoffman was as a man, how he thought, and what he stood for.
For the Paris trip, Hoffman sends Emerick Ishikawa (132-pound class), Stanley Stancyzk (148-pound class), Frank Spellman and Johnny Terpak (165-pound class), Frank Kay (181-pound class), and John Davis (Heavyweight) to do battle. During a team meeting, Hoffman tells his team what they need to do to for the USA to win. However, for Hoffman’s plan to have any chance of working there can be no error; everybody has to perform as instructed. The problem is the Americans are up against formidable forces. Egypt is out for blood with a front line that includes Fiad, Touni, and many other sensational lifters. The German team is gone, but a large and powerful Russian team has emerged on the scene. The Russian lifters are highly skilled, well supported by the State, and very determined to win. Their lineup is nothing short of an all-star team. Novak (181-pound class) seems unbeatable, and Kutsenko and Ambarzumian (their two Heavyweights) are so massive they make John Davis look small.
Through sheer determination the American team manages to take a slim lead over their rivals after Frank Kay gives one of the greatest performances of his career in the 181-pound class. However, the American lead is none too secure, and an ENORMOUS pressure is on Davis to carry the American team to victory through a battle of the Heavyweights. The odds seem stacked against Davis and the American team, because both Kutsenko and Ambarzumian have an opportunity to rack up points for the Russians. To make matters worse, the Americans face the possibility that an awarded point could be taken away from them upon review of a controversial ruling.
I won’t spoil things by telling you whether or not Davis and the American team pulled through to victory. I will say that the Americans get a bit of help from a friend, and the action brought forth in the book is bone chilling. Unless you were there, Kubik’s coverage of the 1946 World Championships is the best way to experience that Earth-shattering night in Paris.
As 1947 rolls around, the Cold War is in full force and the fight to see who has the best weightlifting team is more intense than ever. John suffers from a leg injury, and it looks like the Russian team is starting to pull away from the Americans. Unable to fully prepare because of his injury, Davis performs far below his best at the Senior Nationals, and the World Championships is just weeks away. To make matters worse, news from Russia indicate that Kutsenko made a number of very impressive lifts at the National Meet in Moscow and later at the European Championships. The news is very discouraging to Bob Hoffman, and he becomes very concerned that his star lifter may not heal on time to challenge and beat the Russian Heavyweights. When the Russians and the Egyptians drop out of the World Championships at the last minute, Bob feels little relief. Winning is not enough for the renowned coach. He obsessively wants his American team to surpass the lifting accomplishments that the Russians achieved during their two recent meets in Moscow and Helsinki, Finland. Just as importantly, Bob does not want to give the Russians any right to claim that Kutsenko is the strongest man in the world.
Bob needs a miracle to achieve what he is seeking for the American team, and this prompts him to have a private talk with a still-injured John Davis prior to the competition. When talking with John, Bob asks the muscleman for a favor. Bob’s request is incredibly motivating, and one can feel the burning desire John must have felt not to let his coach down. Once again, Brooks does a tremendous job bringing Hoffman’s personality and coaching skill back to life.
John’s success in weightlifting brings him more than glory, trophies, and fame – it brings him relentless criticism from a pool of critics, including Bob Hoffman! Kubik puts us into the mind of Davis, and we feel his frustration as he steps into the line of fire.
Despite being a World champion, the great weightlifter seeks to answer his critics and redeem himself at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. Hoffman is none too pleased with Davis’s “lazy” effort on his first few lifts, but later the excitement jumps off the Richter scale as the champ goes all out to calm and satisfy his coach. Joe DiPietro, Frank Spellman, Pete George, Stan Stanczyk, and Norb Schemansky also shake things up in London, and Brooks captures the action in exquisite detail.
As Davis’s interview with Frank continues, the great champion reflects on his resentment that Bob Hoffman referred to him as “lazy” in numerous articles he penned. But, despite his resentment, Davis has many good things to say about Bob, and it is clear that the former Olympic champion had the utmost respect for his coach, and vice versa. What John says about Bob Hoffman clearly shows that the York leader was a man of enormous character.
At the 1949 World Championships, the Egyptian team gives the Americans a run for their money. Mahgoub (123-pound class), Fayad (132-pound class), Shams (148-pound class), and Touni (165-pound class) deliver some mighty blows for Egypt, but both Stancyzk (181-pound class) and Davis (Heavyweight) pound their competition into the ground. John, not satisfied with a mere victory in his weight class, decides to attempt a 402.5-pound clean and jerk for a new World record. This draws hostility from the European crowd because they regard Rigoulot as a legend, and the possibility of an American matching or beating his strength records does not sit well with them. The writing here brings forth yet another “real-life” example from Brooks on how politics and national pride intertwined with international weightlifting competition back in the day.
Shortly after the 1949 World Championships, a special weightlifting exhibition is staged at the Elysee Montmartre in Paris. Many members of the American team participate in the event, and Joe DiPietro, Joe Pitman, and Pete George entertain the French crowd with some sensational lifting. But, the highlight of the evening comes when John Davis attempts to lift the Apollon Wheels, a 365-pound mass of iron made from a thick axle and two railcar wheels. Rigoulot, it is claimed, had once lifted this wheel assembly overhead, but it was generally regarded as too heavy and awkward for anybody else to lift, even the World’s Heavyweight champion.
As Davis approaches the Apollon Wheels, the excitement inside the Elysee Montmartre is stupendous, and the crowd is held in total suspense. There is enormous concern from Hoffman and other spectators that the big American is going to fail and get injured, and after Davis pulls the enormous wheels from the floor, the Earth shakes violently. What happens after the Earth shakes is an incredible story, but you'll need to read the book to get the mind-blowing details.
After his momentous victory at the 1949 World Championships, Davis finds his passion for lifting rejuvenated. With his competitive spirit and body in full gear, the champion lifter does some incredible lifting at various competitions and exhibitions as the year 1950 progresses. At the famed Philadelphia Academy of Music, a place of special meaning to John Davis, the American Heavyweight totals over 1,000 pounds at the Senior Nationals. Then, after an extended stay in California, the champ returns to Paris and once again faces off with the mighty Russian, Kutsenko at the World Championships. The Russians try to pull a quick and dirty stunt to stop Davis, but their plan is put to the test when the mighty American warrior decides to settle an argument the best way he knows how – with heavy lifting. Next up, John utterly shocks and thrills a series of German crowds as they watch the champion toss heavy barbells like toys during a goodwill tour. This story is especially touching because it depicts how a mutual love of weightlifting brings the German and American lifters together in peace and harmony despite the recent war events.
In 1952, the first ever Pan-American Games are held in Buenos Aires. John Davis is the big star of the meet, and he proves without doubt that he is the world’s strongest man by breaking his own World record in dramatic fashion. John was able to eat exceptionally well during his preparation stay at the Argentinean Military Academy, and doing so probably made him stronger. But, Brooks sadly explains that the superstar faced a number of financial hardships throughout his lifting career that kept him from eating properly. In fact, the account of John’s struggle during his lifting days to secure enough food to eat is utterly shocking. The author also reflects upon what may have taken place had John not been chronically plagued with financial hardship. Interestingly, Brooks explains in Black Iron that Davis received multiple offers as a star lifter to improve his financial situation, but flatly turned them down. Why this was so can be learned from the book, but I can tell you that a rare blend of honor, loyalty, and character on the part of the strongman had a lot to do with it.
Arguably, Davis’s greatest triumph during his illustrious career occurs on Saturday, June 16, at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The occasion is the Senior Nationals, and the American lifter is in top form. After beating a young Doug Hepburn, the big guy from Brooklyn makes one the greatest lifts ever made. Kubik's description of the action is so vivid, you can hear the audience go utterly berserk with a thundering and deafening applause.
Despite the enormity of Davis’s lift in Los Angeles, Jim Bradford does something even more incredible during the 1951 World Championships in Milan, Italy – but not with a barbell – with his heart! Brooks tells the story better than anybody else can, so I won’t provide any details here. I will say, however, that at this event Davis is in severe pain due to a recurring leg injury, and what he does to preserve his integrity, and what Bradford does for him, is absolutely amazing. For those of you who may not know, Jim Bradford in 1951 was a rising Heavyweight and teammate of John Davis on the American team.
John's leg injury continues to plague him as 1952 rolls around, but being an Olympic year the superstar is determined to help his team, his coach, and his country win gold. The Russians are stronger than ever, and without Davis in peak form, the chances of the USA winning a team championship at the Games are remote. To better understand the plight the American team was facing, Kubik brings us into the world of weightlifting in Russia during the Cold-War years, and he reveals how and why the communist state made sure their athletes were among the best in the world. A comparison of how the Russian lifters were treated in their country versus how the American lifters were treated in America will have you in a uproar in no time. Nonetheless, the history presented by the author is extremely interesting and informative.
Despite the depth and skill of the Russian team, things go well for Davis and the American lifters during the Olympic championships of 1952. The Games are held in Helsinki, Finland, and the Russian lifters and coaches can only watch in awe as Davis polishes off an American victory. However, for Davis, this would be the last time he would take first place at the Olympics or a World championship. He was getting older, and his leg problem was worsening. In addition, the emergence of Doug Hepburn and Paul Anderson on the scene only worsens the troubles for the aging Brooklyn powerhouse. And, on August 30, 1953, Hepburn becomes known as the “World's Strongest Man” after he defeats John Davis at the World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden with a total just over 1,030 pounds.
Reflecting upon his last days as a competitive lifter, a dying John Davis tells Frank and the two weightlifters a few last words about his life and what it stood for before he forever drifts off into a world of peace. It was difficult not to shed a few tears as John speaks his final words. And, although Frank loses a great friend, in the end he is a transformed and better man thanks to what he learned from the great champion. I was also a transformed and better man after learning from John Davis. You will be too.
Order Info
Black Iron - The John Davis Story can be ordered from the author via his website, www.brookskubik.com. The cost of the book is $34.95 + shipping and handling.
Feedback
Comments regarding this review are greatly appreciated and should be sent to robdrucker@musclesofiron.com.