Ray Van Cleef

Ray Van Cleef (c. 1911 - May 26, 1964) was an American baseball player, artist's model, magazine editor and columnist.

Ray Van Cleef
Bornc. 1911
DiedMay 26, 1964
San Jose, California
EducationRutgers University
OccupationBaseball player, artist's model, magazine editor, columnist
Spouse(s)Virginia Van Cleef
Children2 daughters

Life

Van Cleef was born circa 1911.[1] He took up weightlifting in Siegmund Klein's gym.[2] He played college baseball at Rutgers University,[3] where he won the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award in 1950.[4]

Van Cleef was an artist's model.[2] He was "once in demand by sculptors as a model for Grecian gods."[1][5] He may have been the original small scale model for Prometheus, a sculpture designed by Paul Manship in Rockefeller Center, even though Leonardo Nole is often credited as the only model.[2]

Van Cleef was the owner of a gym in San Jose, California.[1][5] He trained the New York Giants, a baseball team in New York City.[1] He also trained Olympic weightlifters,[6] and he organized weightlifting competitions like the Santa Clara Valley Invitational Tournament in 1963.[7]

Van Cleef was an associate editor at Strength & Health,[8] for which he wrote a column called Strong Men Around the World.[9] In his columns, he wrote about wrist-wrestling competitions and walkathons.[5]

Van Cleef resided in San Jose, California with his wife Virginia and their two daughters, Lois and Martha.[1] He died of a heart attack on May 26, 1964, at age 53.[1][5]

References
  1. "Ray Van Cleef". The San Francisco Examiner. May 28, 1964. p. 53. Retrieved January 10, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Deal, Martha (May 2000). "Who Posed for the Statue of Prometheus?" (PDF). Iron Game History. 6 (3): 34–35. Retrieved January 11, 2019 – via H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports.
  3. "Events of National Importance Highlighted District Sport Years. Football Hall of Fame Game, National Bikes Races Were Featured". The Central New Jersey Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. December 31, 1950. p. 11. Retrieved January 10, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "College World Series Most Outstanding Player". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. "Ray Van Cleef Passes". The Petaluma Argus-Courier. Petaluma, California. June 3, 1964. p. 7. Retrieved January 10, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Weightlifters Slate Competition Today". The Montana Standard. Butte, Montana. October 27, 1956. p. 10. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  7. "Crowd Pleasers At S.C. Sports Show". The Oakland Tribune. November 26, 1963. p. 33. Retrieved January 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Weightlifters Compete For Titles April 7". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. January 19, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved January 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "For The Strongmen". The Petaluma Argus-Courier. February 19, 1963. p. 2. Retrieved January 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
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