During the 1950's the first organized contests appeared in North Carolina Odd lift contests , whigh were the for runners of powerlifting and Olynpic Lifting contests were held several times a year.
Odd lift contests were held each year in Greensboro by Bill Piephoff (right holding child) during the 1950's R.L. Gurley(bottom left) who became a top powerlifter during the 1970's and Inagural Hall of Fame member often competed in them.
Olympic lifting contests were held during the 1950's Byron Swain lifted in many of them
R.L. Gurley squatting 400 lbs in a 1955 odd lift meet. Notice there were not even squat stands back then. Below he is seen military pressing in the same meet
Some of the founders of weightlifting in North Carolina
