Pumpsie Green (1933-2019) Batted: Switch Threw: Right Ave: .246 HRs: 13 First MLB appearance: July 21, 1959 (Boston Red Sox) Last MLB appearance: September 26, 1963 (New York Mets)
Bobby Orr Childhood hero that won the heart and minds of Rhode Island elementary school hockey players when he confidently strolled unannounced into their locker room.
Jim Kearney Professional NFL player that gave a motivating gymnasium presentation in the mid 70s that compelled small town youth to cover their entire elementary school with Kansas City Chief stickers.
Tommy Goodwin (1912-1975) English cyclist who from 1939 to 2016 held the world cycling record for most miles
covered in a year (75,065 miles) on a bicycle. He still holds the fastest completion of 100,000 miles on a bicycle. Tommy did this on a steel Raleigh.
Roger the Alpha Male Red Roo Shown here doing a classic lat spreader, Roger has a strict workout routine and a diet that may (or may not) consist of steroids whilst living in the Alice Springs Kangaroo Rescue.
John Boyd Dunlop Pioneered inflatable rubber bladder technology that ultimately led to a dramatic Super Bowl record of four loses and four wins for the New England Patriots.
Diana Nyad Despite jellyfish stings on her face, breast, chest, neck, and head she completed her swim from Cuba to Florida 35 years after her first attempt.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat who; unfortunately, never visited Pogosa Springs, Colorado.
Warren Buffett For his inspirational quote; "The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say 'no' to almost everything". This has been an Iron Jungle theme since inception and we didn't even know it was "Buffett Approved".
Dave Kingman Professional baseball player that always swung for the fences. Related fact: Dave also struck out a career 1,816 times; the 4th highest total in MLB history.
Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) First person to land a freakin' rocket ship on the moon! "I am, and will ever be; a white socks, pocket protector, nerdy engineer."
"The Most Interesting Man in the World" Because, for just a few seconds, he made us think we still had it. Plus his cool quote of "If you haven't used your backup plan then you played it too safe".
Kamal For entertainment purposes, he soaks himself in lamp oil and burns himself in front of crowds. "I am only scarred about the face and breast, chest, neck, and head . But other than that I look fine"
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Eminent English naturalist who achieved lasting fame by convincing the scientific community that species develop over time from a common origin.
Harvey Mudd A mining engineer and co-founder of one of the richest copper (and perhaps Sapphire) mines in the world. Namesake of Harvey Mudd College founded in 1955.
Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) One of the foremost scientific intellects of all time. Newton had numerous ground breaking discoveries in optics, mathematics, mechanics, gravitation, and chemistry. Many consider Newton the greatest scientist of all time. He was also a virgin all his life.
Marlin Perkins (1905-1986) Recognized as one of the leading ecologists and naturalists in the world. Without the advent of the web and digital wildlife cameras, he helped bring wildlife into American living rooms.
Lance Armstrong National and world champion cyclist, two time Olympian, role model, testicular cancer survivor, and 4-time [now 7-time] winner of the Tour De France.
Barry Bonds Talented, arrogant, and proud of it. Bonds delivers and deserves to be well taken care of. His heroics often snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Don't piss this player off, or he could become public enemy number one.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) The most popular American poet of the 19th century, a storyteller, whose works are still cited or parodied. Longfellow is considered the first professional American poet. A number of his phrases have become a common property.
Andrew Raynes Strongman Andrew "Stumpy" Raynes doesn't stop training until he's sick and shares a common nickname with the world's shortest ATE salesperson.
Kurt Kenobbie Not to be mistaken for some skinny blond guy from the Foothills, a 24 year old Kurt Kenobbie bulked up to levels normally reached by men twice his age.
Dick "Night Train" Lane, 1929-2002 * Abandoned in a Dumpster when he was 3 months old * His mother was a prostitute and his father was a pimp * Childhood nickname "Cue Ball" for having thrown a cue ball into the back of the head of a boy who ran from a lost pool bet * Record-setting rookie defensive back with the Los Angeles Rams in 1952 * Pioneered now illegal clothesline tackle dubbed the "Night Train Necktie" * Six time Pro Bowl Player * Married and divorced three times * Road manager for comedian Redd Foxx * Proved that in America any dream is possible *
Yingying Yingying lifts weights during performances at the Chinese Acrobats Arts Festival in Beijing late October 20, 2001. Yingying is said to be the only member of the endangered species in the world able to dunk a basketball, go down a slide and drive a car.
Izzy Mendelbaum (1913-1998) Even while in his 80's, Izzy was serious force in the gym. Izzy used motivational phrases like, "It's go time", "Drop your purse, Honey", "We're kickin' it up a notch", and "You lag, you drag" to inspire his workout parnters. Our personal favorite was "Get ready for a ride on the pain train!".
Jack Lalanne Legendary fitness pioneer Jack Lalanne boasts a 29 year old body at age 85. Jack has personally warned Iron Jungle members against the nutritional hazards of airline food.
Alt Tab Alt pioneered the "secret super set". Iron Jungle members rely on his ability to pump multiple exercises simultaneously by transferring muscle groups on demand. One exercise on the main floor for all to see; the others hidden in the background away from prying eyes.
Eric the Waiter A bulked-up Eric the Waiter once fueled a legendary Iron Jungle push-up contest by serving high carbohydrate meals delivered on a silver platter.
Howard Schultz Bean roasting pioneer Howard Schultz serves up the official beverage of The Iron Jungle international road warrior wireless player moguls.
Broadway Joe Willie Namath Broadway Joe Willie battled through numerous meniscus tear nightmares. Career highlights include NFL Hall of Fame induction, wearing/selling women's clothing and accessories, and Iron Jungle Hall of Fame membership.
Anna Nicole Smith, 1967-2007 Injury plagues all bodybuilders. ANS reached BBHOF status by dropping a dumbbell and badly injuring her left wrist. We can only speculate that this happened in a weight room while doing double bubble dumbell curls. See Anna's wrist before her injury.
Immyja Elway In a hotly contested battle for this month's honors, Immyja beat out all challengers including Roger the Waiter, Cankle, and others. Immyja showed a rule breaker attitude that cemented his nomination by spitting in the face of authority.
Mr. Fix Mr. Fix gained the respect of The Iron Jungle members by performing an isometric strength training workout in a D/FW airport terminal prior to his international flight departure.
"Friend of Kelso" This nominee says he has heard nothing about being selected into the BBHOF, that he knows nothing about The Iron Jungle and that he hates publicity. Seems like strange words from a guy who selects a different photo of himself to be placed by his advise column in a mainstream powerlifting magazine each month. However, we still like his training methods. [Note: If you have a comment regarding this months nomination, please email it to LightenUpDoctorKen at IronJungle.Com]
Stanazcek Weighing in at 114lbs of pure muscle, Stanazcek blew away all challengers with a 1306 pound double bubble in the squat/deadlift at the IPF World's.
Ray Corbin The famous words of Ray Corbin , the heavily muscled character actor of War Games fame, inspired Jungle members to fight through the pain and take it to another level.
Arron Hitz The following are exact quotes from the emails that got Arron nominated: "HE IS VERY HAPPY THIS WEEK BECAUSE WHOPPERSARE NOW 2 FOR 2 BUCKS. HE WORKOUTS AT POWERHOUSE GYM LOMBARD IL 60148. HE CAN BENCH 315 AT 150PUONDS AND ALL WITHOUT ANYSLEEP!! HE ALSO HAS BEEN CHSASED AND BIT BY DOGS AND DEADLIFTS OVER 500POUNDS. HE MAKES ARONLD SWARZ. IMITAITONS ALOT AT THE GYM TOO. HIS TRAININIS SOMEHTIING TO SEE." [sic]
James Bond 007. Women love him, men want to be him. Iron Jungle members have long aspired to emulate this legendary hero, recently making his Omega Seamaster the official timepiece of the Iron Jungle.
Neil Confessore During his training for the Long Island Marathon, Neil lost 56 pounds in bodyweight, but was still able to maintain a bench press of over 370#. Neil is yet another successful example of the rare "powerlifting marathoner".
Uncle Booger At home or on the road, Uncle Booger's philosophy is to keep all essential tools close by so each workout will have as few interruptions as possible. Uncle Booger's dedication and ingenuity keep him firmly seated on the iron.
Ben Buford Ben who, you ask... Ben led the local black militant force in the movie "Shaft". Ben had bigguns by 1970's standards and looked a lot like the "Incredible Hulk". ..oh, that Ben Buford!
Tim Isaac In July 1997, the doctors said Tim would never lift weights again. In July 1999, with a completely revamped tricep muscle, Tim shocked the powerlifting world by bench pressing 802 pounds. Tim psyches up for his workouts by banging the seat of a metal folding chair against his head five times. This priming ritual is now used in several Iron Jungle locations.
John the Bachelor In seventh grade John stood a towering 6' 1" and was know to unleash his mighty forearm strength with the "book flip" exercise. As a young adult hitting the heavy iron John put a solid 40 pounds on his frame in one season.
Greg Turturro In a world of fancy marketing hype, greedy free agents, and fast food, Greg "The Real Deal" Turturro delivers results. Living alone in his van, Greg lived on sun-cooked pasta and the occasional heater meal. He developed massive forearms by personally revamping his desert home which was flattened by insect infestation and desert winds.
Telly Savalas Telly Savalas became a 1970's icon and renowned spokesman for the Player's Club. "Kojak" was selected for his signature bald head, his membership in the Player's Club and his classy selection in eyewear. On occasion, "Kojak" would show his muscle by roughing up a few bad guys during his TV show.
John Wayne Back when men were men, there stood a hero whose toughness served as a role model for those about to do battle. In a moment of eloquent glory, on screen legend John Wayne delivered a legendary (and ri-'G'-damdiculous) Hall of Fame speech to motivate our young men to make their mark on the world.
The Earl of Sandwich During his money making adventures, which usually meant playing cards, The Earl of Sandwich hated to be interrupted by dinner, so he'd just grab some meat between two slices of bread to expedite getting back to the tables. In other words, he would make big 'ole sandwiches so he could gamble and eat more sandwiches.
Riku Kiri Riku is a top contender in the World's Strongest Man competitions. One year he pushed through incredible pain and competed in the 'car carry' event despite having a broken ankle. This inspired one Iron Jungle member with an ankle injury to continue to focus on his fitness goals. Born in 1963, Riku has been hitting the iron since the age of seven and is a very tough man.
Reggie Reggie's infectious enthusiasm and abundant admiration for great workouts have driven The Iron Jungle members back to their "no frills, no fancy plants, no pretty shirts, just give me cold iron" roots. This Reggie gets no credit to the now famous REGI sammich.
Sammy the Cat After emerging on the Iron Jungle scene in May 1996, Sammy distinguished himself with brilliant feats of strength in a brief yet inspiring career. Sammy was the only IJ member to successfully master the One-Arm Getup, a feat he once performed while perched in a tree. As a beloved Iron Jungle protege, Sammy's loyalty and dedication are will live on forever.
Bill Henderson Bill runs the very motivational "Worlds Strongest Moron" web site and has organized three Strong Man competitions for his workout partners. These efforts has catapulted Bill to be one of the all time favorite IJ BBHOF members. Training on a diet of Eggo Waffles, Cheez-Its, and generic Cherry Cola; Bill has placed as high as 2nd. Bill's fans at The Iron Jungle are hopeful that they will be invited to attend his Strongest Moron competition.
Bill Kazmaier In the 1989 Worlds Strongest Man contest Bill Kazmaier suffered a sprained ankle from the car roll event and a bicep tear nightmare from the stone carry event. Even with these sever injuries, his dedication to strongmanisn drove him to continue the competition. "Kaz" was unanimously nominated during the final workout at The Iron Jungle Phoenix location. The members staged a four hour long workout in 100+ degree heat where Kaz's WSM performance acted as inspiration.
Lonnie Dee Lon's moldable physique single-handedly redefined The Iron Jungle most muscular pose. Striking a Dee pose, when correctly mastered, effectively uses the trap and neck muscles to cut off the blood supply to the poser's brain.
Elijah McCoy (1843-1929) THE REAL McCOY! Engineering innovator Elijah McCoy, while working as a railroad fireman, developed and patented on July 2, 1872 an automatic lubricator for steam engines later used in steamboats and locomotives here and abroad.
Jeff Kwiatkowski At age of 20, Jeff reached a peak level of fitness at 6'0", 235 lbs (9.6% BF). At this time he sported a total of five broken noses and bench press maximum of 385 lbs. Years later, as an encore to pyramiding 20 sets of squats, he fell down a flight of steps only to crash through a large glass viewing window to break his fall. Jeff now bewilders his neighbors by completing a .6 mile Farmer's Walk course though his Manorville, NY subdivision with 105 lbs per hand in 15 minutes.
"ErectoMan" For providing anonymous inspiration to members as they make their 5:45AM pilgrimage to The Iron Jungle. Known only as "ErectoMan", this gaunt figure, in serious need of upper body work, haunts the roadways to The Iron Jungle providing a constant reminder of the importance of weightlifting.
Matty Ferrigno In the 1975 Mr. Olympia documentary "Pumping Iron", Matty Ferrigno mesmerizes the entire family while giving son Lou some timeless bodybuilding tips over dinner. The Matty quote below has become the motivational equivalent of a "double dog dare" at The Iron Jungle.
"Don't feel sorry for yourself. If your training hard, he [Arnold] may be training twice as hard." - Matty Ferrigno
Coach Harlan Coach Harlan was a football coach at Wharton High School in the 1980s. During the off season Harlan's routine of was "less than 8 reps means too much weight and more than 10 reps means not enough". This rule seemed to magically work for all exercises and form was optional. It is a wonder the violently shaking Universal Gym was never capsized from all stations jackhammering at full tilt. To start 1998 The Iron Jungle returned to the basic "get 8 to 10" program on many exercises; however, we use no machines, form and age restrictions are strictly observed.
Melvin Tuten At 6'7" 335lbs, Melvin boldly did the Farmer's Walk marching 100lb dumbbells through crowded downtown Washington, DC streets. In doing so, Huge Melvin unknowingly inspired the 1st annual Iron Jungle Farmer's Walk contest.
Juan Lancaster In Issue #50, page 21 of Hargainer Magazine is a photo of Juan deadlifting his Volvo with a kerb weight of well over 2000 lbs. Juan permanently mounted a T-bar device to his vehicle. This allows him to work in some much needed heavy 'deads' during any long road trip. This devotion to his workouts made him an instant nominee.
Louis Cyr The legendary old time French Canadian strongman. Genetics gifted him with one of the best bodies in the strongman game. The great Cyr's structure is enshrined with a small statue at the York Barbell Company. There is a huge life-size statue of this great man is on display in Toronto.
Bob Mullen Most likely, Bob's roots are far from that of the Iron Game. None of the members have ever spoken with him, but his body composition does not suggest that a trip to a gym has ever been a priority. What Bob does is shoot Colt 45 pistols really fast; more rapidly than anyone else on the planet. Bob is the World Quick Draw Champion. From this day forward, members of The Iron Jungle pull a "Bob Mullen" when a good workout is only possible is a very limited amount of time and the exercises are done in rapid succession
Kenny Kirwin This Rhode Island legend and mentor, introduced Big Mike to the iron game in 1979. To add more weight to an already impressive bench press, Kenny had Big Mike balance on top of the bar for negative work. Kenny also pioneered "Cutting a Deck", now used in today's grueling catapult sets at The Iron Jungle.
Mark Mims Nominated very late in the month, Mark easily defeated all other potential candidates. His dedication to results can only be described as true professionalism. His inspiration changed the attitude and awareness at The Iron Jungle virtually overnight. Mark freely shares his techniques that are often mimicked, but never fully capable of duplication by mere amateurs.
Maxwell "Silver Collar" When it comes to building muscle, The Iron Jungle always counts on the original Maxwell. Referred to by most as "msc" or "s", Maxwell is constant reminder that consistent small progressions in weight equal big and lasting strength gains. Accept no substitutes.
Bob Hoffman Probably the most influential man in the world of iron sports and longtime sufferer of strongmanism. Bob was the father of the York Barbell Company. He also founded the Weightlifting Hall of Fame headquarters, (N 40.02378, W 076.74269) a small, very specialized museum dedicated to the respective heritages of Olympic lifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and strongmanism. Bob's legend was created during the time when strongmen would demonstrate their might by lifting cumbersome objects and performing incredible stunts. Bob himself once bit a nail in half at the World's Fair strongman competition.
Stuart McRobert The fundamental training philosophy of The Iron Jungle is founded on the principles in McRobert's Hardgainer Magazine and BRAWN textbook. Both are a must buy for the drug free athlete devoted to strongmanism. McRobert's method is simple: Your focus should be on the 'big' lifts done in good form. Every workout add a small amount to your lifts. Leave the isolation exercises out of your program; they will only tax your recovery capabilities. Stay away from the hype in the 'muscle mag'.
"Life is short and quickly slips away - make the absolute most of it. Get your act together, direct your own life, realize your own goals."
Maximum Bob Whelan In Maximum Bob words, "toning is an inferior way to train with weights and is nothing more than low standards and surrendering to the norms of society". This symbolizes his dedication to serious bodybuilding. Maximum Bob catapults his clients' pain levels with torturous sets of cannonballed sandbag carries through a brutal obstacle course at his renowned Strength Training facility in Washington, D.C.. Maximum Bob's quest for total failure provides inspiration to The Iron Jungle.
Stan "Flanders" As the saying goes, "You never really appreciate someone until they're gone." A FOR SALE sign appeared on Stan's house and prompted his, long overdue, nomination. Each morning at 6:05AM, Stan unknowingly motivates the bodybuilders at The Iron Jungle by giving them an enthusiastic wave with his massive forearm from across the street . Stan's house was one of the original "Great Places" located on The Iron Jungle sign post.
John Taroli John sparked new motivation to The Iron Jungle in an unconventional sort of way. John, an ex-bodybuilder, is also a very creative metal worker. He fabricated a slick attachment that bolts onto our power rack to hold the Gerard Trap Bar. He then turned us on to some 3/4" rubber mats that are traditional used to line horse trailers. The mats are 1/4" thicker than those square mats generally sold for weightlifting. They also tougher and cost about 1/3 the price! They now pave the entire floor at The Iron Jungle.
Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. Randall J. is the President of IronMind Enterprises, Inc. His philosophy reduces getting big and strong into one simple concept. We quote here from his book: "First load the bar to what you normally [squat] use for ten reps. Now, do twenty - no kidding. Second, every single workout, add at least five pounds to the bar". Super Squats, p. 22. ISBN#0-926888-00-5
Chuck Clark Chuck's posted this Email to advise a young lifter on building bigger legs to earn him this honor: Try this: "Take your 10 rep poundage and do 20 with it for 1 set. Take as many breaths as you need to do this. You should be breathing hard and have the definite opinion that the gym floor looks like a good place to be toward the end of the set. That's it for legs. Next week, come back and do it with 5 lbs more. You want something to back it up? Try reading any of the works of Randall Strossen Ph.D, J.C. Hise, Stuart McRobert, Peary Radar and many others". -Chuck Clark SPT
Drew Israel After shaking uncontrollably while performing a 20 rep set with 450 pounds on the Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Leg Press, Drew proceeded to carry a 200 pound bloody sandbag through a professional Chinatown office building until collapsing in a seizure. Drew "The Living Wall" is so large he was named after a country.
George Zottman The man that added a special twist to the bicep curl. To this day, there or still those that have not heard of The Great Zottman: "I have never seen anyone do a Zottman curl... It seems to be such an obscure exercise that I'm surprised to learn that you [Mike Bucci] actually know who created it". -Michael Fenner, editor, MAF FITNESS NEWSLETTER.
Pat Founder of The Iron Jungle. Selected for his efforts in pioneering a new intensity level for the Farmer's Walk by stunning the crowd with a double cannonball. This practice has now become the norm.
Brooks Kubik Author of the step by step training programs Big Bench and Big Arms. Kubik holds many drug free bench press records and made the "Five-by-Five" bench press routine a mass building standard. Brooks' work is published monthly in HardGainer magazine.
Paul Kelso Founder of The Kelso Shrug System, a bodybuilding routine guaranteed to increase your strength and drop your I.Q. by 15%. In the words of Peary Rader, "Kelso has taken the shrug farther than anyone else in the game."
Jackie Chan Chinese action actor and star of the hit movie Rumble in the Bonx. Jackie sets a great example by always going all out and 110% in everything he does.
Brian D. Kline 4' 4", 105 pound, bodybuilding legend from V. Beach, CA. Best Bench: #315, Best Squat: #375, Best Vertical Leg Press (Kline's favorite exercise): #450.
Peary Rader (1909-1991) Founder of Iron Man magazine and the 20 rep breathing squat. Rader began squatting with 35 pounds for 10 reps and worked up to well over 300 pounds for 20 reps."It's gonna be the hardest work you've ever done. You gotta be absolutely annihilated when you finish. If you even think of a second set, then you are loafing. All the muscle you'll ever build depends on how hard you work on this one set of squats". -P. Rader