Chuck Braxton

"Tribute To Chuck "The Truck" Braxton"

"There are few people in this world who have made a difference in my life. Chuck Braxton was one of those people. He was my coach and my best friend"

-----Matt Poe

Three Best Quotations From Chuck Braxton To Matt Poe

1. "I don't care if it takes you 500 attempts to get this weight, you are not going home letting this weight beat you"

2. "Matt, you have this much of your life to live (holding his hands apart as wide as he could) and I have this much of my life to live (holding his hands very close apart), if I ever catch you using steroids, I will kill you"

3. "When I die, I hope it is on the platform" God was good to him granting him this wish.

Chuck was a POWERLIFTER and a real WORLD CHAMPION. He was not self proclaimed, he was proven. No questions asked. My father, an AAU National Champion, Pioneer of Whichita State's Weightlifting Program, Tennessee State University's Weightlifting Program, Vanderbilt University's Weightlifting Program, and the NFL's Cincinnati Begals Weightlifting Program consulting Paul Brown, introduced me to Chuck when I was 15 years old.

Doc Kreis, Chuck, and my dad were all friends. My dad became one of Doc's mentors and Doc later followed in my dad's footsteps at Vanderbilt. Doc and Chuck met in prison where Doc was the head of recreation at the Georgia State Prison and Chuck was a prisoner serving time for counterfeiting who ended up as a HERO in a prison riot saving many lives.

Doc, Chuck, and my dad all ended up in Nashviille where my dad had just finished mentoring a young man named John Stucky who reined as the best strength coach in America for several years at the University of Tennessee. My dad also sponsored all of Chuck's meets. Doc and my father have remained close friends.

Fate Thomas gave Chuck a job and he used to workout at Vanderbilt, at my dad's weightroom, and Armos gym on Division Street in Nashville. Chuck also was known by everone in Nashville as Santa Clause during the Christmas Season.

"I personally know that Bill and Reed Tricket, Merlin Littlefield, Dickey Lee, and all the McConnell's of McConnell's Catoring were always close to Chuck's heart and he greatly appreciated you"

----Matt Poe

A Bit Of History

As the 1980's started Powerlifting broke away from the AAU and formed it's own organization, the USPF. In North Carolina meets were well attended and lifts rose. Dean Best, Johnnie Howie, Charles Beane, and Tim King ran many meets and powerlifting spread. Steroid use in N.C. became more common as lifts rose. As the origional lifters began to get older, masters lifting began to appear. Lifters like Red Swaim, R.L. Gurley, Chuck Braxton, and others pioneered masters lifting.

Chuck Braxton lifted as a superheavyweight in the late 1970's and 1980's. He later slimmed down to 275. When Chuck was around 350, he was quite a sight with his white hair and beard. He looked like a powerlifting Santa Claus. Chuck had best lifts of over 755 in the squat and deadlift and around 500 in the bench press. Chuck was a very personable lifter and made many friends in the sport. Chuck lifted well to the last and left the earth with his boots on. He passed away right after his squat warm-ups at a meet. He was called to a higher platform.

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