Topic: Joe Mills & the CFWLC

[michael murphy]

The only photo I have of John Sobiria that belonged to Joe Mills. I would think that there are very few photos of John remaining today. The photograph is signed, "Sincerely, John S."

[michael murphy]

I searched yesterday for a photograph of John McKenna. The only two I have from Joe Mills did not scan well-they were too small. I also have a newspaper piece featuring Joe & John lifting but there is a section of John's shoulder missing with his jerk of 303. This lift was done in St. Joseph's Gym in Central Falls, R.I.

In the team photo that I have scanned John McKenna is fourth in from the right with the glasses and the Falcon sweatshirt. Joe LaChance is the first person on the right followed by Joe Mills. The only other lifter I can identify is Oliver Tremblay that was a Notre Dame A.C. teammate of Joe's. He is the second one in on the left. I don't have any idea where the photo was taken or what year.

As I thought about it today I think I was incorrect stating that John McKenna was the first person in New England to clean & jerk 300 pounds. I think John was the second person. I am almost certain that the first person was Roland Pateneaude who lifted for Wilfrid Hebert's Amicale-Franco-Belge Club of Woonsocket, R.I.

If Millsey, Ray Bonin or Roger Dery were alive they could verify this without a lot of researching through the pages of S&H. Will scan a photo of Roger Dery next.

[michael murphy]

Joe Mills considered Roger Dery the finest technical lifter in New England before WWII. I was introduced to Roger by Ray Bonin. Roger started at Romeo Bergeron's Canadian A.C. but eventually moved over to Wilfrid Hebert's Amicale-Franco-Belge Club.

Roger told me that the person that was most beneficial to him from a coaching perspective was Michel Mathieu. He was the man that developed many of the Woonsocket barbell men.

Many lifters, including Joe Mills, compared Roger's style to that of John Terpak especially when it came to the snatch. Roger told me that when he spoke to John Terpak for advice that John told him to continue what he was doing and not to change anything-meaning that he was progressing well following his own training methods.

In the scan below I have attached the top three competitors from the 148 pound class from the 1942 Senior Nationals May 25th, 1942 in Cincinnati. Left to right: Anthony Terlazzo (1st place), Roger Dery (2nd place) & Stan Stanzcyk (3rd place).

[michael murphy]

Joe Mills also made the trip to Cincinnati in late May of 1942 for the Senior Nationals at Veterans Memorial Hall. In the July 1942 issue of S&H Bob Hoffman wrote the following, "Joe Mills of the Notre Dame A.C., Central Falls, R.I., had not been in action for some time, but when he lined up for the competition, I for one felt that he didn't come so far for nothing, that he must be in good enough shape to be one of the leading competitors. Joe had won his share of honors in the past, being one of the few lifters in the world to clean & jerk double his bodyweight."

Joe won the National title tying in the total with Hy Schaffer of the Adonis A.C. of Brooklyn, N.Y. Joe weighed 130.75 while Schaffer was one and a half pounds heavier. Fred Currie finished in third place. Joe's lifts were 190-190-255. In the clean and jerk, Joe opened with a successful lift of 245. He failed with his second attempt of 255 and made it on a third attempt to tie Hy Schaffer who was the Junior National Champion that year.

Within two months, July 23rd, 1942, Joe was inducted into the military service. Attached is a scan of Joe during his lifting days before the War. This photo hung on the wall of the Central Falls WLC. A fabulous shot of Joe smiling.

[Les Kernodle]

not as knowledgable as my friend here Michael Murphy ,,, who seems to be an extert of Joe , Bednasrki and other lifters of the early years and old-time strongmen in general ,,, but I fouond this photo of JOe Mills , not sure of yesr etc....
but it is definately Joe ,........I only knew him as the coach of Central Falls , Bob Bednarski and Mark Cameron and many others by then an older guy , but heard of his rep ....