Tommy was a great competitor, a real tiger in competition. Most of his many world records were done in foreign countries, not in the USA. Why? Because he had the ability to lift BIG when it counted...in the World Championships or other major events. He could do far more under pressure than he could do in training. Let me just tell you one story that Tommy told me years ago.

"When I started out, I trained in the cellar of my parent's home in Sacramento. I found I could normally lift "X." But I noticed when my brother came down to watch me I could lift X + Y. And sometimes my brother would bring his friends down. Then I could lift X + 2Y. Sometimes I would train at the Sacramento YMCA where I didn't know very many people and found I could lift X + 3Y. Then I started competing and in local meets could lift X + 4Y. Then in National meets, X + 5Y, and in World Championships X + 6Y and more."

So do you see the pattern? Tommy was the ultimate clutch lifter. The greater the pressure and importance of the meet, the more he could get out of his body.