Did Wilt Chamberlain really beat NFL legend Jim Brown in a foot race?

[Juges8932]

Well if you can bench 360 the first time you set your foot in a gym at age 16, why is it so hard to see someone benching 500 who was obviously a freak of nature in several ways?

And yes, I benched 250. Worked out a lot for about four or five years among some friends of mine and we pushed hard in the gym ~3 times a week all year round. Always did lift much with my pecs, although it wore down my shoulders and I pretty much had to re-do my whole work-out-routine after that.

It's hard for me to see because looking at his performance and what he was able to do in comparison to Shaq, someone who benches 450, is much larger, doesn't show him to be that strong. Again, I'm not saying he definitely couldn't, just saying in my humble opinion, Wilt couldn't bench 500 lbs. If I saw him bench 500 lbs, I wouldn't be like OMFG OMFG, did you just see that?!?!? but I would be like wow, didn't expect that.

[JJ81]

Legend has told of this but I was wondering any older posters know if this true? Also that he could bench press 550 - 600 lbs lifting weights with Arnold Schwarzenneger (sp?). Thanks.

That sounds absolutely insane.

[Psileas]

Whether Wilt could or couldn't bench 500 lbs, just ask Arnold himself. There was an online chat of 60-62 year old Wilt with NBA fans and one of them claimed he had recently watched him bench 465 without a problem and asked Wilt how much he could bench then. I'm not ready to call both him and Arnold liars just because Wilt's feats are not featured in Youtube (the only footage from him at the gym is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDHDg5pPrOc). The "Shaq being much stronger" argument, apart from being exaggerated (he may be stronger, but definitely not much stronger), can't be used when only one feature (bench press in this case) is concerned. Ben Wallace is claimed to bench more than Shaq. Araujo was claimed to bench more than Shaq. How about them?

As for the Jim Brown reference, like blaze said, Wilt was a track star and for many years used to be the fastest player (not just big man) in the NBA. They even used to make small bets to the Warriors on who the fastest player was and Wilt easily beat Al Attles in the final. Attles was black and a guard, in case you wondered.

PS. To the ones who can't offer anything else but Chuck Norris jokes: At least try to be creative...

[guy]

Didn't Wilt also say he once won a fight against a mountain lion or something?

[Psileas]

Didn't Wilt also say he once won a fight against a mountain lion or something?

Cal Ramsey was the one who spread the story. Here's a reference:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...lain%2C%20Wilt

[-primetime-]

Whether Wilt could or couldn't bench 500 lbs, just ask Arnold himself. There was an online chat of 60-62 year old Wilt with NBA fans and one of them claimed he had recently watched him bench 465 without a problem and asked Wilt how much he could bench then. I'm not ready to call both him and Arnold liars just because Wilt's feats are not featured in Youtube (the only footage from him at the gym is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDHDg5pPrOc). The "Shaq being much stronger" argument, apart from being exaggerated (he may be stronger, but definitely not much stronger), can't be used when only one feature (bench press in this case) is concerned. Ben Wallace is claimed to bench more than Shaq. Araujo was claimed to bench more than Shaq. How about them?

As for the Jim Brown reference, like blaze said, Wilt was a track star and for many years used to be the fastest player (not just big man) in the NBA. They even used to make small bets to the Warriors on who the fastest player was and Wilt easily beat Al Attles in the final. Attles was black and a guard, in case you wondered.

[COLOR="Red"]PS. To the ones who can't offer anything else but Chuck Norris jokes: At least try to be creative[/COLOR]...

this is why I have trouble taking this very seriously...

because Wilt is the Chuck Norris of the NBA...

I am trying to find any creadable link to these rumors...I can't...

For all I know these came straight out of his book and neither Arnold or Jim even know about this story...

[inclinerator]

r u stupid all pro strongmen are on roids. wilt doesnt bench 500, first of all his arms are long making it even harder to bench than a 6 feet guy

[Jasper]

This is when Wilt played beach volley ball against Willy.

[JJ81]

Wilt is a freak. I also heard that he beat a horse in a race as well.

True mark of a legend. Someone says something about him and nobody can really dismiss it because nobody knows yet it seems to amazing to be true!

[PierceISTruth]

they say that scientist wanted to make a toilet paper out of the hair of wilt chamberlain but failed because the toilet paper wouldn't take **** from no one.

[-primetime-]

Is there anyone here that has some decent input to back this rumor up???

I would really like to know if there is any truth behind this...

[-primetime-]

anyone???

[1987_Lakers]

I read Wilt's bio of couple of years back and it mentioned that Jim Brown actually beat Wilt Chamberlain in arm wrestling, but I don't remember reading anything about Wilt beating Jim Brown in foot racing, although I wouldn't be surprised if he did since Wilt was a track star in High School.

For those who haven't read Wilt's bio...go pick it up. It's a fantastic read.

[inclinerator]

arm wrestling is like more than 50 percent technique rather than all strength. i know plenty of weaker ppl beating ppl that can litterally lift 2-3 times more than them