York Barbell Co & Weightlifting Hall of Fame

When I was a teenager my buddy Jim and I would go to York Barbell's gym in York City and get protein shakes. Behind the snackbar was the gym where huge men were lifting Made in USA iron. Some of them were Olympians and they were all impressive.  Bob Hoffman, York Barbell's founder, was held in high esteem and he guided the company with skill and leadership.

When Mr Hoffman started pulling away from the company the business started to drift off course.

When he passed on the ship ran aground. "Muscletown USA" (and one of the nation's strongest softball locations) came to an end.

Sadly, the days of hard-working York and Lancaster County men pouring York weights in the heat of a Susquehanna River foundry are gone.

Today all but a few bars are made in China.

I haven't been to the HQ and Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 15 or more years.  The store is fairly well stocked. The guy behind the counter looked like he would fall asleep if it weren't for the very slow trickle of visitors.

The museum is almost exactly as I remember it and that is probably because very little has changed since 1995.  It was that year that it seems that they stopped maintaining it.  Few names or accomplishments have been added to any of the displays since then. Even the Bob Hoffman displays are badly in need of a cleaning.

I never understand situations like this.  The company invests the money in staffing the store and museum 6 days a week. Even a little investment monthly would keep things fresh and new. Surely there are as many deserving power lifters today as in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

My favorite part of the museum is the section talking about Mr Hoffman's military service and the great room where sunshine streams in as cars zip by on Rt 83.