Members

Fred Hofmeister (1913-1983). As the operator of Hofmeister's Studio of Physical Culture, he was the Godfather of a vibrant weightlifting scene in mid-20th century Indianapolis. Mickey Hargitay trained here, as did Peter Lupus and William "Dick the Bruiser" Afflis, the Green Bay Packer-turned-pro wrestler who pinned Alex Karras in 1963. Hofmeister's gym, which opened in 1936 and stayed open until Hofmeister's death, had several locations, the last at 314 E. Vermont St. "Inside the gym," wrote Louise Putcamp Jr. for the Indianapolis News in 1962, "is a smell like an elderly tennis shoe. One wall is adorned with photographs of sparsely clad men admiring their own muscles. Surrounded by surrealistic contraptions stands Fred Hofmeister, telling a photographer to 'turn my head that way, so the bald spots won't show in back.'" At one point, Fred had a 49 inch chest. He produced Mr Americas and All-Americans but perhaps his most poignant development was that of local high school athletes and in particular high school football players. Fred was an icon for the city and its athletes. His wooden sled , the 200 pound club and the facilities were legend to the locals.Fair and forgiving, Fred knew work and effort judging no one by skin color only character.