At age 15 (1971), with encouragement from long time friend, George Carellas (who coincidentally got Beaver interested in playing music several years earlier), Forrest “Beaver” Felton, walked into Howard’s Gym in home town, Savannah, GA, weighing in at 87 lbs, fully clothed.
Of very small frame and always the shortest/smallest guy in his class, Felton signed up for 3 months membership, simply wanting to gain some body wt and muscle. With no intention of becoming a “muscle man/body builder”, he trained with basic strength exercises for several months under the supervision of Coach/Gym Owner, Howard Cohen, who, coincidentally, had taught Beaver in Jr. High School several years earlier. *More on Howard below.
Michael and Kenneth Cohen (Howard’s sons), as well as George, were all training at Olympic-Style Wt. Lifting. Watching them, Beaver became interested in doing the same, becoming a competitive lifter in this sport, and asked Howard to train him accordingly.
At the encouragement of Howard, who offered to coach him, once he’d attained a body wt. of 100 lbs., Felton drank protein milk-shakes and worked out hard, now spending time on the Olympic lifting platform, training for competition. He started training at the Olympic Lifts in 1971.
One year later, on April 1st, 1972, at body wt. of 97 lbs and age of 16, Beaver competed in his 1st official meet, in Hapesville, GA. Winning second place, then continuing his training and improving, he won First, Second, or Third Place in a string of regional contests in the Southeast for the next three years. Ultimately, Felton amassed over two dozen trophies and awards during his four year span of competition.
In 1974, with several more years of training under his belt, now at age 18, body wt. 110 lbs, Felton won his first big meet, The Junior National Championships, in Fairfax, VA. He lifted in the Fly Wt. division (52 Kilos / 114 lbs. body wt.). The Jr. Nationals represented the 2nd largest national meet. Beaver Felton had finally reached national class status.
After another year of serious training, Felton competed in and won the USA National Championships on June 21st, 1975 at the young age of 19, and body wt. of 52 Kilos (114 « lbs). This was the largest competition of the year, determining the top lifters in the USA, in each weight class. He won the meet with Triple Gold Medals:
- First Place in The Snatch
- First Place in The Clean & Jerk
- First Place in The Total
Although Felton qualified for the 1976 Olympics and 1975 Junior World Championships, he had reached his goal of National Champion, and hung up his Wt. Lifting Belt, closing that chapter in his life, choosing to focus on his music career. *Forrest “Beaver” Felton became the first lifter from Howard’s Gym/Savannah Barbell club to win both the Jr. and Sr. National Championships.
Within one year, Beaver would leave his home town, Savannah, and “Go on the road as a traveling musician”!
To this day, Beaver attributes much of his self-discipline and bass practice habits to training principles learned during his wt. lifting experience, and considers Howard Cohen to be one of the most important/influential individuals in his life.
As Beaver Felton Describes:
“Howard’s Gym, was a ‘real man’s gym’, with no air conditioning, spas, steam rooms, or ‘creature comforts’ as you’d see in the then up-and-coming ‘European Health Spa’ Chain of workout facilities. The normal workout atmosphere in Howard’s was lots of sweat (with the only cooling coming from a few huge fans) and pure hard work! The gym ultimately became a breeding ground for USA National and International Class lifters, and “Team Savannah” is now known world-wide!”
Howard’s son, Michael Cohen, is now the head Olympic lifting coach of Team Savannah, which has produced a number of the USA’s top lifters, many of which have gone on to compete in international competitions, including The Olympics, as well. It’s the official USA National Olympic Wt. Lifting Training Center for both females and males. There are 2 dozen fully equipped lifting platforms, quite a growth from the one and only platform at the original gym.
It was a “home-town gym” for many local lifters, some working towards Body-Builder/Physique Competition, other’s, like Felton, focusing on Olympic Style Lifting, and yet others, simply seeking to stay in shape, via both muscle building and cardiovascular training.
Howard’s was a wt. lifting gym, no doubt, with really a bunch of guys wanting to stay in shape to various degrees. But it was also like a social gathering spot of sorts, with ‘regulars’ trading stories and jokes, while going through their respective workout routines. It was truly, as I’d realize later, a virtual sit-com, with the ‘normal cast of characters’, each with their own spin on various matters, along with “guest appearances” by previous or part time members.
A day at the Gym wasn’t just a workout. It was an episode!
To mention Howard’s Gym, without naming at least some of these individuals that made it what it was while I trained there, would be remiss:
There was Billy Martin, “the strongest man to ever lift at Howard’s Gym”, according to Howard, himself; Jay White, who still lifts, looks the same 30 years later, and bears the title of “Lady’s Man/Stud” of the group; the late Walter Loincoff, a Postal Worker/the ‘Dirty Old Man’ of the bunch; Bobby Everette, a Body Builder who won Physique Meets well into his 40’s; Chip Grayson, the jokester/’big tough guy’ of the group; Dennis Kessler, one of the most physically gifted Olympic Lifters to ever train under Howard. There were many more regulars, all contributing to the entity known as Howard’s Gym!
My best friend, George Carellas, who got me into lifting as well as bass guitar, was a great talent, lifting over double body wt., in the Feather Wt., then the Light Wt. classes. He, myself, and future National Champion/National Coach, Michael Cohen (mentioned above), all trained together, swapping sets with each other on the one, official, solitary Olympic Lifting platform.
George Carellas performing a snatch, then fainting, hiding in a dempsey dumpster!
Then there was Grand Master/owner/founder/coach Howard Cohen, a former USA Champion Olympic Lifter, and Award-Winning school teacher (who, coincidentally, failed Felton at 9th grade Algebra, one year before becoming his coach!), without whom, none of the above would have ever taken place.
Howard’s wife, Carol, was a well known female fitness trainer with her own segment on a local TV show. And their off-spring: Michael, Kenneth, and Mitzy (who’d later become a female National Olympic Champion), made up the Cohen family, all talented and accomplished lifters. In the last 15 years, Howard (now in his early seventies) won several titles of Senior World Champion, in his age/wt. group!
Howard Cohen started Howard’s Gym, in the 1960s. The facility still exists in its original location on Victory Drive, in Savannah, GA, Howard still runs it, and I stop by every year or so to say hello, recall past events and catch up on new ones! In late 2004, he told me that he’d just signed another 30-year lease on the building, which was, is, and will ever be, “Howard’s Gym”, not just a place workout facility, but a bona fide “Institution”!
It will always represent a defining point in my lifetime and warm spot in my heart.”
Written by Forrest “Beaver” Felton
Winston-Salem Open, 1975 |
Senior National USA Weightlifting |
Beaver accepting the national championship trophy, June 1975.
Coach Howard. |
RELATED ARTICLES
- Savannah News Press, 22 June 1975 [.pdf]
NOMINATIONS / AWARDS
- 1975 Senior National USA Weightlifting Championships.
3 Gold Medals: Snatch 154.5 lbs. | Clean & Jerk 209 lbs. | Total