Vintage Wilt Video

[Chin Diesel]

Some recently found videos from Wilt in 1957.

Ridiculous athleticism for any player in that era. The clip is almost 20 minutes long, but check out the segment that starts about 53 seconds in to the tape. He literally runs past the entire defense on a fast break. Literally has to be seen to understand.

 

[Cheddie]

He was a truly extraordinary athlete - an amazingly strong man who used to bench over 500 lbs. with Arnold and who seriously entertained boxing Ali. The game was called much looser then and the refs admitted that they allowed opposing teams to willfully foul Wilt. I remember reading one time that Wilt dunked a ball so hard it broke another player's foot after going through the net.

 

[sammydabiz]

There's like 8 white dudes on the court, of course he's the fastest one...
He's probably playing against mid major talent

 

[superjohn]

Incredible athlete, could he really bench 500 lbs.? I've been lifting weights off and on for most of my life and 500 lbs. is an incredible lift for anyone, let alone a guy with that kind of wingspan.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Incredible athlete, could he really bench 500 lbs.? I've been lifting weights off and on for most of my life and 500 lbs. is an incredible lift for anyone, let alone a guy with that kind of wingspan.

The beauty of the players before the digital age was they could become legends based off of anecdotal evidence or reporters with a bent towards hyperbole.

Could he bench 500lbs? As you said someone with his long arms, it should be impossible.

But we know what he did in track and field in HS. That should have been impossible.

We know the numbers he put up in college and the NBA. That should have been impossible.

We know he played pro beach volleyball until he was almost 50. That should have been impossible.

We know he laid waste to 10,000 women. Outside of Gene Simmons and me, that should have been impossible.

So, could he bench 500 lbs.? Who knows. It's the stuff of legends.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Incredible athlete, could he really bench 500 lbs.? I've been lifting weights off and on for most of my life and 500 lbs. is an incredible lift for anyone, let alone a guy with that kind of wingspan.

I call BS.

 

[superjohn]

Great story here but I'm still going to have to call bull on the 20,000 women thing and the 500lb. bench.

 

[intlzncster]

Great story here but I'm still going to have to call bull on the 20,000 women thing

An overestimate. But his actual numbers, like his basketball stats, are surely shocking:

Quick math: Wilt probably first got laid at 12 (6'5 then maybe?), but let's say 14. Minimum one new one a week from 14 on til 16, then 3 per week thereafter for highschool. 3somes 365 in college. Probably more in the NBA, but lets go with it. Let's say he takes the odd night off...300 days per year.

14-16 -> 52x3=156
17-50-> 300x33=9900

So he's at least at 10,000 by 50.

 

[huskyharry]

Great story here but I'm still going to have to call bull on the 20,000 women thing and the 500lb. bench.

500 lb. bench is hard to fathom but Arnold says Wilt was beating some of the top power lifters of the time by about 20% on triceps extensions (another exercise where long arms are a hindrance), so not impossible?

 

[superjohn]

500 lb. bench is hard to fathom but Arnold says Wilt was beating some of the top power lifters of the time by about 20% on triceps extensions (another exercise where long arms are a hindrance), so not impossible?

I don't know what Arnold was talking about with the tricep extensions, that wasn't that much weight and power lifters don't exactly do tricep extensions.

 

[Sportsman5]

I don't know what Arnold was talking about with the tricep extensions, that wasn't that much weight and power lifters don't exactly do tricep extensions.

without a pulley system and for reps it is a lot and if you do westside routine than you'll do triceps extensions for accessory work. however, to lift 500 for a full rep with his 7 foot + wingspan wilt would have had to generate literally the same power as the most genetically gifted lifters of all time who trained for decades specific to benching and used anabolics. crazier things have happened on planet earth though.

 

[Huskybass]

Wilt averaged 30 points, 23 rebounds and 4.4 assists for his career...and he waxed an unbelievable amount of tail. I am not worthy.

 

[husky99]

Wilt looks 2x faster then all the other players

 

[Palatine]

The real best basketball player of all time.

 

[bmayuc]

He was a truly extraordinary athlete - an amazingly strong man who used to bench over 500 lbs. with Arnold and who seriously entertained boxing Ali. The game was called much looser then and the refs admitted that they allowed opposing teams to willfully foul Wilt. I remember reading one time that Wilt dunked a ball so hard it broke another player's foot after going through the net.

Wilt is amazing, but did u see that video lol... looked like womens lacrosse. Put a body on him someone.

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[Palatine]

Wilt is amazing, but did u see that video lol... looked like womens lacrosse. Put a body on him someone.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

When you put a body on Wilt, you just bounced off.

 

[intlzncster]

His free throw technique was entertaining as hell to watch for some reason*. Reminded me of Nintendo basketball. Actually, a lot of the game did.

*Can see why he sucked at them though.

 

[IMind]

My son played a hockey tournament with a game in the old Hershey Park Arena where Wilt scored 100 pts. It was awesome just to walk around the old locker rooms and feel the history of the place. The place hasn't change much since Wilt scored the 100 pts.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I call BS.

The claim (that Wilt was able to bench over 500 lbs) was corroborated by a number of people. He was an all american high jumper at Kansas and the only reason he didn't compete in the 100 yard dash was because Harp (the hoops coach) wouldn't allow it.

Tommy Heinsohn (who was among the largest and strongest players of his day) had a story about grabbing Wilt's forearm with both hands after Wilt was passed the ball near the basket (to keep Wilt from shooting) and Wilt lifted Heinsohn off the ground like he was a feather while putting in a layup.

 

[bmayuc]

When you put a body on Wilt, you just bounced off.

a bunch of 5'5'' guys would bounce of me too (im 6')

Wilts great, one of the top 5 best ever. But damn I hate Bunyaneering nostalgia in sports. Just feels silly.

 

[intlzncster]

a bunch of 5'5'' guys would bounce of me too (im 6')

Wilts great, one of the top 5 best ever. But damn I hate Bunyaneering nostalgia in sports. Just feels silly.

Besides, different eras are so different, that they should be evaluated on their own anyway. What were you like against your peers, not compared today.

Between Wilt and Russell, I personally take Russell. Wilt's got better numbers (and was stuck on worse teams), but Russell is my kind of player. He's like Emeka on drugs.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Tommy Heinsohn (who was among the largest and strongest players of his day) had a story about grabbing Wilt's forearm with both hands after Wilt was passed the ball near the basket (to keep Wilt from shooting) and Wilt lifted Heinsohn off the ground like he was a feather while putting in a layup.

Tommy Heinsohn - who I love - played at 6-7 and around 220 pounds. (Or, in other words, a little shorter and 30-40 pounds lighter than Lebron James.) He also chainsmoked in the locker room at halftime. So there's always a problem comparing one generation to another.

 

[intlzncster]

Tommy Heinsohn - who I love - played at 6-7 and around 220 pounds. (Or, in other words, a little shorter and 30-40 pounds lighter than Lebron James.) He also chainsmoked in the locker room at halftime. So there's always a problem comparing one generation to another.

One of the reasons I hold a candle for the 'glory days' of sports. So many more characters about the place then. Too much cookie cutter media creations these days.

 

[PacificStorm]

Incredible athlete, could he really bench 500 lbs.? I've been lifting weights off and on for most of my life and 500 lbs. is an incredible lift for anyone, let alone a guy with that kind of wingspan.

How about this?
http://www.stack.com/video/1860738144001/Roy-Hibbert-540-lbs-Deadlift/