Английская Википедия:Alexander Zass
Шаблон:Infobox professional wrestler
Alexander Ivanovich Zass (6 March 1888 – 26 September 1962)[1] was a Russian[2] strongman, professional wrestler, and animal trainer.[3] He was better known by his stage names, The Amazing Samson,[4][5] Iron Samson,[5] or simply Samson,[6] Zass has been credited as the "first Russian champion in weightlifting in the pre-Revolutionary era".[7]
Biography
Zass was born on 6 March 1888[1] in Vilnius,[7] then part of the Russian Empire.[1] While a young man, Zass' strength training included "bending green branches".[5]
During First World War, Zass served in the Russian army, fighting against the Austrians.[5] He was taken as a prisoner of war four times, but managed to escape each time.[3] As a prisoner, he pushed and pulled his cell bars as part of strength training,[8] which was cited as an example of the effectiveness of isometrics.[9] At least one of his escapes involved him 'breaking chains and bending bars'.[3] He went on to promote the use of isometric exercises.[4]
Following the war, Zass joined a circus to perform feats of strength, touring internationally.[7][8] It has been claimed that Zass was a spy and secret agent working for Russian military intelligence, using his circus travelling as cover.[1] In 1926, his autobiography, The Amazing Samson: as Told by Himself, was published.[10]
His first wife, Blanche M M Zass, died on 22 August 1928 in Forest Hill Kent aged 19.[1] He was still performing as a strongman in the 1930s.[9]
From the 1930s until his death, Zass lived in Hockley, Essex, staying in a bungalow along with other former circus acts.[1][11] He died in 1962; after a dawn funeral (a circus tradition), he was buried in the parish church of St Peter & St Paul in Hockley, England.[1] The inscription on the grave is: [three lines of Cyrillic script, translated as: Dear Shura [pet name for Alexander] You are always with us Sister Nadya Zass, nephew Yura] / ALEXANDER ZASS (Samson) / The worlds strongest man / died 26th Sept 1962 aged 74.[12] His estate was valued at £2263 2s.[13]
He was honoured with a statue in a museum in Orenburg, Russia.[1]
Strength feats
Zass has been credited with various feats of strength:
- Carrying his injured horse in wartime[7]
- Carrying on his shoulders two lions as part of his circus act[7]
- Carrying on his shoulders simultaneously a grand piano, a pianist and a dancer.[14]
- Catching a woman fired from a cannon[11]
- Suspending a piano from his teeth[1]
- Bending with his bare hands an iron bar 5 inches long and 0.625 inches square into a U-shape[15]
- Being able to "pound a 5-inch spike through a 2 inch thick plank using only the palm of his bare hand"[15]
References
External links
Шаблон:Physical culture Шаблон:Authority control
- ↑ 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 1,5 1,6 1,7 1,8 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 3,0 3,1 3,2 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 4,0 4,1 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 5,0 5,1 5,2 5,3 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 7,0 7,1 7,2 7,3 7,4 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 8,0 8,1 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 9,0 9,1 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 11,0 11,1 Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ England and Wales, National Probate Calendar 1962
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ 15,0 15,1 Шаблон:Cite book
- Английская Википедия
- 1888 births
- 1962 deaths
- Burials in Essex
- Circus strongmen and strongwomen
- People associated with physical culture
- People from Rochford District
- People from Vilnius
- Russian male professional wrestlers
- Strength training writers
- Russian military personnel of World War I
- Russian prisoners of war
- World War I prisoners of war held by Austria-Hungary
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