Norbert Schemansky (Szymanski)
Former weightlifting athlete, engineering technician
Born May 30, 1924, Detroit (MI), U.S.; son of Joseph and Josephine (Idalski); married Bernice (Spencer); children: Paula, Pamela, Larry, Laura.
Career: professional weightlifting athlete, 1946-65; Olympic champion: silver medal, London (United Kingdom), 1948, gold medal, Helsinki (Finland), 1952, bronze medals, Rome (Italy), 1960, and Tokyo (Japan), 1964; 1st place, World Championships in Weightlifting, 1951, 1953, 1954, 2nd place, 1947, 1962, 1963; 1st place, National Championships in Weightlifting, 1949-54, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1965; gold medal. Pan Am Championships, Mexico City (Mexico), 1955.
Member of: charter commissioner, City of Dearborn, 1978.
Honors: for World War II: 5 Battle Stars, and Belgian Fourragere; Mr. Michigan, Best Built Athlete in Michigan, 1953; Outstanding Athlete of the World (6th in the world), 1955; 2nd place, Prize of Moscow, 1963; nominated U.S. Amateur Athlete of the Year (several times); Michigan State Sports Hall of Fame; Polish - American Sports Hall of Fame.
Served with: U.S. Army, World War II, private first class (pfc), 1943-45.
Affiliation: Catholic.
Language: English
Hobbies: fishing.
Home: 24826 New York Street, Dearborn, MI 48124.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996.
Schemansky (Szymanski) Norbert
Famed international weight lifting champion. Won four medals - gold, silver and two bronze in four Olympic Games, 1942-52-60 and 64. He was known as the world's greatest strength athlete in 1951-52-53-54.
(Inducted into the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1979)Source: National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame