Timeline Stories

2008 The Paul Anderson Memorial Park became a reality and is located one block from Paul’s birthplace. The focal point of the park is a cascading fountain, which showcases a beautiful life-size bronze statue of Paul raising a barbell overhead.

2011 PAYH celebrates its 50th anniversary. 2016 PAYH adds a substance abuse treatment program in response to the growing addiction crisis. 2017 Funding is secured to develop a vocational program so PAYH young men can learn skilled trades. 2019 The premier episode of the History Channel show, “The Strongest Man in History” features Paul »

1995 Largest weightlifting arena in the Southeast named in Paul’s memory: “Paul Anderson/Howard Cohen Weightlifting Center, Savannah, Georgia. Georgia House of Representatives and Senate passed resolutions in tribute to Paul. The Paul Anderson Memorial Weightlifting Invitational, a pre-Olympic event, was held in Atlanta, GA. A state historical marker was unveiled at »

1983 Appointed lieutenant colonel, aide-de-camp, and governor’s staff by Georgia’s Governor Joe Frank Harris. Citizens of Toccoa, GA, placed a permanent granite marker at his birthplace in Toccoa. Georgia’s Governor Joe Frank Harris proclaimed “Paul Anderson Day”. The United States Congressional Record paid tribute to Paul Anderson. Paul receives a kidney »

1972 Additional youth homes open under the PAYH name in other states. 1974 Inducted into the Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame. 1975 Appointed member, Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Presented Branch Rickey Memorial Award, highest honor presented to a layman by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Autobiography titled, The World’s »

1961 Paul rides a bicycle from Vidalia to Omaha, Nebraska to raise money to start a youth home. He meets Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A and the first contributor to PAYH. PAYH accepts its first youth at the Mimosa Motel in Vidalia, Georgia. Paul, sharing his Christian faith through public speaking »

1956 Exceeds three world records and retains USA National AAU Weightlifting Championship. Paul wins the gold medal at the 1956 Olympic games in Melbourne, Australia. He is the last American to win Olympic Gold in the Super Heavyweight Division. 1957 “The greatest weight ever raised by a human being, 6,270 pounds in »

1950 Paul receives a football scholarship from Furman University; he begins training with weights, which results in his decision to leave Furman and concentrate on weightlifting. 1955 Establishes the first in a series of world records in the press, becoming the first man in the world to officially press 400 pounds. Wins »

1932 Paul is born on October 17th in Toccoa, Georgia. 1938 Paul struggles with Bright’s Disease, which causes severe kidney problem.