Stanczyk was no ordinary strongman. He was in the possession of extraordinary athletic ability and split second timing. But above all, he was a wonderful competitor and a good sport.
Stan burst onto the national scene in 1942 by winning third place at that year's Senior Nationals as a lightweight (145 BWT) - only his third contest to date.
He racked up a total of 695 with lifts of a 195 press, a 225 snatch, and a 275 clean and jerk. On an extra attempt, Stan easily cleaned 300 pounds only to miss the jerk portion of the lift. Stanczyk was just two weeks past his 17th birthday... Click Here to Continue