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Reinhoudt Earns More Honors

Don Reinhoudt, seen in this file photo from the 1970s, has been inducted into eight halls of fame for his strong-man prowess. P-J file photo

The recognition keeps coming for Don Reinhoudt.

The Fredonia native was voted into the National Strength and Power Hall of Fame last month and will be officially honored at a banquet and dinner next year. He will also serve as that organization’s first-ever president.

“Don’s experience as the World’s Strongest Man and multi-world champion and world record holder make him the obvious choice,” said Bill Clark, National Strength and Power Hall of Fame vice president, in a press release. “Don Reinhoudt’s name is synonymous with leadership and success and the Strength and Power Hall of Fame is honored and privileged to both induct him and have him as the figurehead of our fraternity.”

For those keeping score, that’s eight halls of fame, including the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, for the former World’s Strongest Man during a career in which he set 51 world records, including the historic raw total of 2,391 pounds. Earlier this year, he was named a Top 10 All-Time Strongman of the Century by the International Powerlifting Federation.

“To be very honest with you, I’ve been out of competition for about 40 years,” said Reinhoudt in May. “I just thought my ship has sailed and, of course, there are nine guys that are much better than me with their totals, but it was very flattering. I guess I had forgotten that I did some pretty good lifts.”

Pretty good?

Check out these accomplishments for Reinhoudt, who now lives in Lily Dale: 2,500-pound car lift; 1,000-pound back lift; 20,000-pound truck pull; 10,000-pound tram pull, 350-pound log lift; 300-pound barrel lift; and 175-pound dumbell press.

If history is any barometer, the social media response to Reinhoudt’s latest honor will be overwhelming.

When he was chosen as a Top 10 All-Time Strongman of the Century in the spring, the news was posted to the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame’s Facebook page. The post “reached” more than 19,000 people, was “liked” nearly 350 times and “shared” more than 200 times.

“It was kind of cool to be remembered like that, and to leave something behind in a positive way,” Reinhoudt said then. “I’ve always tried to set a good example over the years that I worked with kids.”

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