Man, it's almost more work finding articles Dale hasn't got on the site than it is to type them up.
Strength & Health April 1972
The athletic career of George Michael Frenn began at North
Hollywood High School, in the San Fernando Valley, in February, 1957. He
started out in track and field as a runner just to be with his then close
friend Brad Bechtol. Brad’s father, Beck, was a crack 440 yard dash man of the
early 1920’s at Sain John’s University. Beck had encouraged his son to go out
for track with the idea of trying to match Beck’s early high school and college
performances. This Brad did, going on to receive a college scholarship for his
running ability. In the meantime, athletics was just the thing that George
needed to start out his life because he had lost his own father when he was 4
years old and being the youngest boy of seven with one older sister and one
younger sister, he did not get the attention and guidance in the developmental
years of high school. So, in a sense, athletics gave him a direction and a set
of goals worth shooting for.
The now strong man spent his 6th, 7th,
8th and 9th years at Sain John’s Military Academy in Los
Angeles where he learned a disciplined life of regimentation. While at that
institution, he tried out for every team sport and could only make 2nd
and 3rd string at the standard sports that young boys play. So
George gave up all hope of playing athletically until he discovered track and
field in high school. He really dug the sport because the athlete could
progress at his own rate and there was never a team cut because you could only
be given a competition suit when you were good enough to perform with the other
athletes on the field. So the harder he trained the better he got and finally
in his senior year, Johnny Sanders, now the director of player personnel for
the Los Angeles Rams, who was track and field coach, gave George a suit for the
one and only track meet that he took part in high school. George did very
poorly in the 220 yard dash and the 880 yard run but he still loved the
competition and he still wanted to participate. So, at the end of the year he
asked his coach about the possibility of getting a scholarship to Abilene
Christian College because that’s where Bobby Morrow went to school and he was
George’s idol. Coach Sanders told him to forget about getting a scholarship to
A.C.C. but he suggested that he enroll at a local junior college and start his
college career there. It should be noted that George tried out for the high
school football team but again failed to make the team for several reasons. He
was in good shape for that period of his life, but the 1959 team at North
Hollywood High School had one All-America and 2 All-American honorable mentions
plus 5 All-L.A. City linemen. In short, the competition was very tough and he
had to settle for 2nd string junior varsity. Also, weight training
had just been introduced to the high school program and no one knew very much
about this method of training other than to say “don’t life too much because it
will make you muscle bound.”
After graduation in June, 1959, George was at a major
crossroad of his life; should he go to college or join the army. Truthfully,
his high school counselor told him that he could never do college work and
consequently had always put him in a shop program for the duration of his high
school days.
It proved to be an easy decision to make in that George
continued to run during the summer of 1959. In July of that year, he went to an
all-comers track and field meet to run the 100 and 220 yard dashes. He came in
last in both races. After the competitions, Gary Comer, a star 440 yard dash
runner made a wise crack to the developing Frenn. He said, “Why don’t you get
into the field events where you belong and stop running?” George was insulted
and got up and walked down the field. It should be pointed out here that George
was no lightweight by sprinter standards. He was 5 feet 11 inches tall and
weighed 185 pounds and truly not very strong. But he had one thing going for
him that few ever really achieve: that is the genuine desire to take part – to
participate for the sheer pleasure of doing something really well. A few
moments after drying his eyes from the Comer insult, it was announced that 2
Olympic champions would compete that evening. They were Harold Connolly, his
now close partner in international hammer throwing and the incomparable Parry
O’Brien, the shot-put and discus king.
Well, the evening was just right; warm, balmy, and quiet.
Harold stepped into the throwing ring and let loose with a great effort. The
silver ball whizzed through the air and George immediately tripped out to the
event. He went around asking who that man was an what is it that he was doing.
He was told that was the hammer throw and that there were very few throwers in
the United States. Well, George went home and he began to think about what he
saw. In October of that year, he finally got up enough courage to call Harold
and introduce himself and ask for some information about the hammer throw.
Harold gave him a book which he had written about the hammer and George began
to study the event. George made his first hammer at Cannon Engineering Company
out of a block of steel and Ted Cannon made the handle for him and attached it
to the block by means of a cable. After 2 months of training with this
contraption, he finally bought himself an official hammer for $26.00 from a
sporting goods store. George entered his first meet with the hammer and got
second with a throw of 90 feet 1 inch. Not bad, except that there were only two
people in the contest. The winner, Tom Pagani, threw 180 feet and after the
competition gave George his first real lesson in hammer throwing. Well, in the
meantime George knew that strength was important because all the throwers were
very large and seemed quite strong. So again George asked Harold for help and
again Harold responded positively. He took George down to the old alley gym at
Muscle Beach where all of the West Coast strong men trained and he took George
through a complete workout once. He instructed George in all of the proper
exercises for throwing the hammer and then he said, “George, you are on your
own. Train hard and you might make it.” This was about the only encouragement
that George got except from the Bechtols. George continued to train at the
alley gym and then at the old Vic Tanny gym at 4th and Broadway in
Santa Monica until he met his coach and close friend, Bill West. This chance
meeting of George and Bill proved to be the greatest thing that ever happened
to George because Bill was able to get the very best out of his young pupil.
George had a strong frame and excellent constitution and he could take the work
that Bill dished out. This meeting took place in February, 1965. Bill and
George started training together on March 6, 1965 at the now famous Westside
Barbell Club. While all of this weight training and running was going on, George
finished a semester at Pierce Junior College, a semester at Abilene Christian
College where he just could not hack the strict religion that was placed on the
students, and 6 semester at Valley Junior College. While at Valley, he earned
his college letter in track and field as a discus thrower under the coaching of
George Ker. Coach Ker also gave George
his first lesson in throwing the 35 pound weight. This event is similar
to the hammer throw but the implement is shorter and it is heavier. After
receiving the Associate in Arts degree from that institution our man about town was supposed to enroll at
the University of Southern California but that scholarship was cancelled
because of a dispute with the narrow minded athletic director, who just could
not see giving a scholarship to a hammer thrower. At this point, we are up to
February, 1964. Athletically, George had placed second in the National
A.A.U. Track and Field Championships in
the hammer throw – yes – believe it or not. In just three years of throwing,
young Frenn, at 21 years of age was the second best thrower in the country and
qualified to make a tour to the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, Harold bumped
George off of the team and he did not get to throw against the Russians, but he
did stay on tour and threw in Poland, England, Romania, Germany and since that
year of 1964, he has competed in just about every major country on the face of
the earth. He has made three trips to the U.S.S.R. with the U.S.A. National
Track and Field Team and 2 trips to the Pan-American Games: Winnipeg, Canada
and Cali, Columbia placing third and second, respectively.
Within the 10 years of Frenn’s athletic career, he has
suffered three major physical injuries. The first took place in high school
while practicing hurdling. Many coaches have their men run the hurdles with a
removable crossbar. This is done in the event the athlete kicks the bar with
his training leg, he won’t kick over the entire hurdle, only the cross bar. In
this particular instance, the bar that George used was too long, so that it
happened that he did knock it off with his trail leg. As he landed back on the
ground from jumping the hurdle the crossbar propped itself up, one end on the
ground, the other pierced George’s lower abdomen and came out his stomach. This
freak accident required 50 stitches to close and he lost one month of training
time.
The second serious injury was a back injury. While squatting
in the old Vic Tanny Gym in Santa Monica, George was trying heavy poundages two
days in a row. Apparently, he was more fatigued than he realized as his back
went out and he lost muscular control of his right leg instantly. This back
injury plagued him all through the track season and this was the probably
reason that he did not make the 1964 Olympic Team. The injury eventually healed
after a great deal of stretching and deadlifting. Doctors wanted to operate and
remove a disc but he would not let them do it. This injury took place in April,
1964.
The third major injury George went through was the weirdest
of them all (not sure how it could be weirder than being impaled on a hurdle
crossbar.) It happened in February, 1966 just 3 days prior to the indoor
nationals in track and field. George was throwing the 35 pound weight at
Cal-State Long Beach and listening to his favorite music at the same time –
that of the great jazz pianist, Erroll Garner. This music psyches him up
because of the great rhythm that Garner creates. Incidentally, George plays the
piano for his own enjoyment and if he really gets bugged he might pick it up
and throw it. This particular throwing session was the final workout before
going to New Mexico to do battle with Harold and Ed Burke for the national
title. George had been over the then world record in that session on at least 8
throws. In fact, a small crowd had gathered and they were awed by this terrific
display of throwing power. George looked at Gary Ordway the discus thrower and
said, “this will be my last throw.” Well, the weight was picked up and spun and
he was about to release it when it got caught on his glove. The force whipped
George around and his right leg got caught against his left leg an instantly he
suffered a spiral fracture of the right fibula. Talk about depression, well
after the cast was applied, George went right over to Bill West’s house and
told him. They then both agreed that George could bench press for the next 13
weeks and this he did. While in that cast, George did some other remarkable
things also. For instance, he began to do quarter squts after a 4 week period
of recovery while still in the cast. You may remember the great contest that
was held in San Diego between Pat Casey and Terry Todd. Well, George was in
that one also. Only he lifted in a cast.
He bench pressed 420 pounds and just missed 440 pounds. He
then squatted 600 pounds believe it or not, he has the pictures to prove it, and
then he deadlifted 585 pounds while in the cast. One week later, he entered the
Coliseum Relays and took the cast off and threw the hammer 191 feet for third
place. He also has thrown the hammer with the cast on 151 feet 7 inches.
In 1964 George enrolled at California State College Long
Beach and earned his letter as a hammer thrower and discus thrower as he did at
Abilene Christian College thus becoming a three year letter man at three
different institutions. While at Cal State, George took a bachelors degree in
Physical Education and one in Psychology. He also earned a Masters Degree in
Physical Education and three California State Teaching Credentials.
During the time of this education, George worked hard with
Bill west and together they won every major contest on the West Coast in
powerlifting and George even won the California State Heavyweight Olympic
lifting title in 1967. In 1971, he was second in this competition. The true
story of Frenn on Olympic lifting is the fact that it is not applicable to
hammer throwing and so he has never put any real time into these lifts, but he
has spent most of his time powerlifting because it applies to hammer throwing
and because Bill West is his close friend and Bill does not Olympic lift.
To list the athletic accomplishments of George Frenn would
take too much space so here are the major awards he has won. He was selected
for the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine July 6, 1970. In 1970 he won the
U.S.A. championships for throwing the 16 pound hammer, the 35 pound weight
indoors, and the 56 pound weight outdoors. He repeated this same trio in 1971
and he is the only man in U.S.A. track and field history to ever do this. In
track and field he holds the following records: American and World Records for the 35 pound weight
indoors, 74 feet 3 ½ inches; 35 pound weight outdoors 68 feet 7 ½ inches; 56
pound weight for height, 17 feet 2 ½ inches (George was the first man to go
over seventeen feet) and he has officially thrown the hammer 232 feet 7 inches.
In powerlifting, he was the fist man to get through the 800 pound squat barrier
and the first man ever to total 2100 pounds. He holds the following records:
American 242 ½ pound class full squat at 853 pounds. He has held the 242 total
record at 2100 pounds and the superheavyweight squat record at 815 pounds and
the deadlift record at 812 ½ pounds. His best official bench press is 520
pounds. Again, here is an exercise that he can not practice very much because
it hinders his hammer throwing but most people don’t realize this.
There is an interesting story about George and the 56 pound
weight. Andy Magna, a New York stock broker sent a 56 pound weight out to
George as a gag. The freight alone was $14.00. The strong man decided to try to
throw it in a competition. He did – and broke the existing World Record by 3 ½
inches. However, when the weight was weighted, it was found to be 5 grams too
light and George did not even get credit for the record. But he was given
another opportunity to throw it at the Rose Bowl and this he did, setting a new
World Record of 48 feet ¾ inch. Immediately after that throw, Harold Connolly
came running up and gave him a great hug and said, “George, you have just
immortalized yourself. No one will ever break that record.” Bob Backus had held
the previous record at 45 feet 7 inches and this record has stood for 14 years.
In 1969 George upped the record again to 49 feet 7 ½ inches and again in 1971
to 49 feet 8 ½ inches. He has a standing offer of $100.00 to anyone who can
break the 56 pound weight throw record if he fails to set a new record in a
follow up competition. Any takers?
The Frito Bandito, as he is sometimes called, has won 10
National Championships: 1 in powerlifting, 2 in hammer throwing, 2 for the 35
pound weight throw, and 5 for the 56 pound weight throw. After all has been
said and done it is of interest that Bob Backus, the former great track and
field man is probably Goerge’s greatest idol along with Harold and Parry. Bob
took notice of the developing youngster and always provided encouragement and
coaching for George whenever he visited Bakus’ Boston Gym. Bob has even paid
expenses for the champion weight thrower to the National Championships just so
he could see George throw.
Probably George’s best and closest friend is Curt Stevens, a
psychological social worker. They met for the first time in May of 1960. Frenn
was having trouble staying in the circle and he would foul out in almost every
competition. He was under a great mental strain so he decided to get some help
through the school counseling service at Valley College. They have been working
together ever since in in-depth psyco-therapy. “This was the smartest thing
that I have ever done. Everyone needs someone that he can discuss anything with
and I have been able to discuss my athletic hang-ups with Curt and he has
helped me straighten them out. This has helped my track and field and
powerlifting competitions greatly” says George. George feels that between Curt
Stevens, Bill West, Harold Connolly, and Bob Backus he received the guidance
and encouragement that got him to where he is today.
What lies ahead for the 30 year old National Champion? Well,
in track and field he wants to make the 1972 Olympic Team and throw the hammer
over 240 feet this year. In powerlifting, he wants to squat 900 pounds possibly
in 1972. Now, the question comes up, “How about a contest between Jon Cole and
George Frenn?” Well, you probably will never see such a contest until after the
1972 Olympic Games because George cannot practice the bench press. However, if
the bench press were eliminated for a contest and the squat and deadlift were
just used, well, that’s another question. Frenn has never been beaten in the
full squat by anyone. And few have ever beaten him in the deadlift and now that
he has learned the secret of the heavy deadlift it is doubtful that he would
lose such a contest to any one. “I know I’m not the world’s strongest man but I
know that Jon Cole is not either.”
Frenn feels that this is an impossible concept to achieve
because nobody is up everyday. You get suck, lose weight and the like. The
world’s strongest man should be strong every day. Suppose you have a bad day
like Cole had at the 1971 Powerlifting Nationals? Are you still the world’s
strongest man even if you set records in competition after the Nationals? Frenn
says no. The champion or the world’s strongest man should always win and always
be up. Since this is impossible to attain, the phoney title should be dropped.
He would be in favor of a title like world’s best Olympic lifter or world’s
best powerlifter but that would be it. Anyone foolish enough to think that he
is the strongest man in the world is on an ego trip. Even Paul Anderson, who
has moved the greatest amount of weight in one lift refuses to call himself the
world’s strongest man. “Believe me,” says Frenn, “the world’s strongest man has
not ever been found. There is always someone to take his place or he simply has
not been found yet.”
George likes to keep himself in shape all year round and
seldom lets his squat go below 700 pounds. He has squatted 700 pounds twice a
week for the last 3 years.
George has taught school for three years but in order to
make the Olympic Team, he resigned to devote full time to training and to a new
career that he has dabbled in off and on, that of picture making. In August of
1971 the North Hollywood strong man met David C. Detert of San Francisco, an
enterprising young man who does entertainment production while managing the
Detert Chemical Company of San Francisco for his father Earl. David was
interested in making a film and had many ideas similar to George’s so the two
formed a production company known as Cinema Associates Ltd. They are currently
working on a film about the 1972 United States Olympic Team which will be
televised nationally prior to the Summer Games. The film uncovers many of the
sacrifices that international and Olympic caliber athletes must make in order
to represent their country in the Games. The film is a news documentary type
which has much sports action and commentary from many of the nation’s leading
amateur athletes and promises to be one of the finest works of its kind ever
presented for viewing. Because of his commitment in the film industry, George
has not had the time to answer the many fan letters that he has received but
hoped that everyone will excuse this.
In closing, Frenn doubts seriously that we will ever see
powerlifting in the Olympic Games. For one thing the Olympic Games have too
many sports now, the Games are too big. For another thing, the rules are too
strict and they are not uniform around the world. Finally the present concept
of bodyweight classes is old and out0moded and this seriously hurts
powerlifting at the international level. If powerlifting maintains the same
bodyweight standards as Olympic lifting then the power men are going to be held
back as well as the sport. Most foreign countries have little men in the Games
as lifters and a change of the bodyweight classification would eliminate these
countries from competition.
The complete training routine that George is on is here and
as you can see he really gets it on. Thoe that train with him can tell you that
he actually handles that much weight in his regular training sessions without
really getting psyched up. If you intend to follow it, great, but get about 6
years of experience behind you first. George has done it. Maybe you will also.
George Frenn’s Powerlifting Training Schedule as of
January, 1969
He is the 1970 National A.A.U. Hammer Throw, 35 Pound, and
56 Pound Weight Throwing Champion. In 1967, he won the National A.A.U.
Powerlifting Championship. He is the American Record Holder for the 2 weight
throws and the 242 ½ pound class full squat with a lift of 819 pounds (now 853
lbs.)
“I train only on Tuesdays and Saturday with the weights and
I throw the hammer and run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
When I train for the Powerlifts I do bench press; otherwise, I never do any
pressing movements as it hurts the hammer throw.”
TUESDAY
Bench Press
Bench Squats (20 inch bench)
Low Box Squats (14 inch box) 4 sets x 1 rep
Lat Pull Downs: 3 sets x 10 reps heavy as you can go
Good Mornings: 3 sets x 5 reps 135, 225, 315, sometimes 425
Power Cleans: 5 sets x 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Triceps Extensions: 3 sets x 10 reps heavy as you can go
For the bench press and the bench squat, do 12 sets. Low Box
follows bench squats
“As for Saturday’s training, I do only the bench
press, full squat, and deadlift. For the bench press schedule, follow the one I
use on Tuesdays. Use the bench squat schedule for your full squats. The sets
are the same but the poundages are not quite that heavy. During the hammer
throwing season, I do not bench press, so I substitute the power clean and
snatch for the bench press. Follow the power clean schedule for these two
exercises.”
