Don Long was one of the pioneers of powerlifting in North Carolina. Don actually started out as an olympic lifter in the late 1950's. Don then converted over to powerlifting in the 1960;s . Don was one of the participants in the first State Championships in North Carolina. Don was one of the first men to bench press 400 in North Carolina, the first to bencg 450 and the first man to squat 600. Don's beat lifts were 660 squat, 465 bench, and 540 deadlift at 242 and these lifts were performed without lifting gear.