Personal information | |
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Born | 1936 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Occupation | Strongman |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Weight | 73 kg (161 lb) |
Jack Shanks (born 1936) is a strongman from Belfast, Northern Ireland.[1] He is best known for natural stone lifting.[2][3]
Shanks is the first man to lift the Scottish Dinnie Stones of Aberdeenshire, unassisted after Donald Dinnie did so in 1860.[4][5] He achieved this feat (which is also known as putting the wind under the stones) five times in the summer of 1972.[1]
On 3 June 1973, Shanks also became the first man after 113 years to replicate Donald Dinnie's historical feat of walking the stones over the landmark distance of 17 ft 1+1⁄2 in (5.22 m) across the width of the Potarch bridge.[6] A large group of spectators and press were gathered to witness the event. The feat was performed on the top of a flatbed lorry for the crowd to have a better viewing experience.[1] Strength historian and sports promoter David P. Webster gifted Shanks a prize of £250 for the achievement.[7]
The leather lifting belt and tank top Shanks wore during the feats are now in display at the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports.[8]