Pete George Passes Away
by Suzy Sanchez
USA Weightlifting is saddened to hear of the loss of Dr. Pete George at the age of 92 on July 27, 2021. It was reported by his family he was deeply looking forward to seeing the 2020 Olympic team in action in Tokyo.
Dr George is one of the last of the great era of USA Weightlifting which dominated the World and Olympic Games in the 1950s. A 3x Olympian, George became Olympic Champion in 1952 and won two silvers at London 1948 and Melbourne 1956 as well as World Championship titles 5 times in 1947, 1951, 1953, 1954 and 1955 setting 4 World records along the way.
He also published a book named the secrets of the squat snatch, and is somewhat credited with the popularity of the modern day snatch rather than split snatch, that is almost exclusively practiced today in Weightlifting.
Away from the platform, Dr George had a successful Orthodontic practice and later became an educator in the same subject.
A legend passes, and a sport mourns. Thank you, Dr. George for your outstanding contribution throughout your life to the sport of Weightlifting.