Background
His father worked for the Pittsburgh Glass Company as a salesman.
His father worked for the Pittsburgh Glass Company as a salesman.
He was also a long-time strength coach for the Chicago Bears, who in 2008 named their weight room after him. When Emrich was a child, he enjoyed playing football and baseball. He began lifting weights at age 15 where he only weighed 110 pounds standing at 5 foot 6 inches tall.
He had no coaching or training so he would turn to Strength and Health magazine for help on strength programs and how to lift.
Emrich was self-coached throughout his career in weightlifting. He placed eighth in the 181-pound weight class on the United States Olympic weightlifting team in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
In 1954, he took 3rd place in the Senior World Championships held in Vienna, Austria. Emrich set his first world record on March 30, 1957.
He was the first middle heavyweight at 198 pounds to clean and jerk 400 pounds.
Just two weeks later, he set the record to 409 pounds on the clean and jerk. Emrich was also in the United States military. While in the military, he was stationed in Germany.
He continued to strength train and competed internationally.
He beat the best weight lifters in France twice in 1953. In 1957, Emrich severely hurt his shoulder which required 18 months of treatment.
However, in 1959, he competed in the Pan American Games in Chicago where he took home a gold medal. United States of America Weightlifting Hall of Fame Illinois State Weightlifting Hall of Fame United States of America Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.
