John Grimek was from the old school of American muscle, when weightlifters could double as body builders. He was 1936 AAU heavyweight champion in weightlifting, which put him on the US Olympic team for Berlin, where he finished ninth. After that he focused on bodybuilding, winning the Mr. American title in 1940 and 1941. In 1948 he won the NABBA Mr. Universe competition, defeating the favored Steve Reeves, and in 1949 he was Mr. USA, again defeating Reeves. Grimek was inducted into the IFBB (International Federation of Body Builders) Hall of Fame in 1999.
United States