Eddie - Strongman Page #3

Eat, sleep, sh*t it.

It's not a sports team.

It's not we are the strongest man

in the world,

there's not 15 men on a rugby field,

you're out there. Exposed on your own.

So, Strongman is in some ways...

it's a lonely path to follow.

Strength plays a huge role

in human history, in human evolution.

Look back over time...

I mean, manhood stones

are recorded history since 1020,

I believe, in Scotland.

Er, King Malcolm Canmore,

his number one bodyguard was picked

by who could lift the greatest stone.

Thousands of years before that,

you had Milo, the great Olympic champion.

He used to carry the calf

until it became a cow or a bull

across his shoulders.

So, strength was held up in high regard

since the beginning of time.

Then the Victorians

did the first vaudeville,

the first real entertainment on stage.

Strongman, again, kind of grew

in the modern era.

Eugen Sandow.

Luis Cyr, the Canadian,

and his famous dumbbells.

Louis Appollon and George Hanschmidt

and then in 1977,

they said:
"Right, let's find out

who is the World's Strongest Man."

You know and, nowadays, there's

a whole generation who've grown up...

with Strongman on television.

I mean, I actually remember

one of my earliest childhood memories

is watching Geoff Capes

win World's Strongest Man.

-He's sheer...

-Heave!

Capes, he just looked like a bearded

big guy that you see down the pub

What he did was just amazing.

-[man] Heave!

-[intense grunting]

We started it, you know,

in terms of competitiveness

when you look, you know...

the early days. I mean,

it was like eight Americans and me.

You know, that was

the world championships.

And that's where I met Bill Kazmaier.

And to me, he's a legend as well.

We all, at that point, started...

If you like, the global

World's Strongest Man as you see it today.

[commentator]

Battle it is. Kazmaier versus Waddington.

Kaz, as we all affectionately know him,

was just a man possessed

and have wild power.

[moaning and groaning]

[commentator] Oh, Kazmaier wins

and Dave Waddington--

[Bill] Over the years, I became

better and better at powerlifting

and then was invited

to the World's Strongest Man competition.

The first time there I took third place,

cause I didn't really know

what was going on.

I then very quickly went home and...

started events a little bit.

I took three firsts in a row

[applause]

So then Kaz into Jon Pall,

he was the first razzmatazz guy.

Bit of a crazy man.

He was a total extrovert.

[commentator] Just look at that power.

And Geoff's hooked.

[speaking Swedish]

You know, he had a personality

and he shouted and he bawled.

"I'm the Viking" and you know,

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