The Mighty Atom-World's Strongest Man

  I first met The Mighty Atom at Zern's in the early 70's.  Zern's was (now closed) a gigantic indoor and outdoor farmer's market near Boyertown.  I would take my family there on Friday night-have a cheese steak and the kids would buy penny candy.  While they were shopping I would wander to the outside where a old man in his 70's + would be standing on the back of an old 1938 Dodge Truck-bending horseshoes and other feats of strength -with his shirt off!  His wife would hawk special soaps, shampoos and food supplements  I was mesmerized by his strength. He once tied a chain to the bumpers of two automobiles and had them drive in opposite directions with him in the middle-stopping their progress.  Google him-you won't be disappointed..


Fast forward to the present. I was strolling through the many booths at Pennsburg Days and saw a poster advertising an upcoming lecture on The Might Atom by the "Lifelong Learning" group. Yes-I signed up immediately.
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It was a great lecture and one of the slides depicted the forlorn "carcass" of the Mighty Atom's 1938 Dodge.  After the lecture I talked to the presenter and said I would like to visit the truck-maybe it was worth restoring.  He put me in touch with Dr. Elliot Menkowitz-an orthopedic surgeon who treated Atom and his strong man friend -Slim-the Hammer Man. Elliot is an amazing man -lots of zest and is as hyper as I am. People with these characteristics get a lot done!

We must be crazy-we decided to try and restore the truck.  We don't expect to make it "pretty" because it never was-just get it running, replace wheels and tires and rebuild the box.-it will be what they call a "barn find"!  To re-enforce the crazy part-who would try to restore a dilapidated vehicle which they don't own and will eventually turn  it over to a museum.

If you remember the Mighty Atom, drop me a line!  If you would like to help, that would be great!  Anyway, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step"-we had it towed to a industrial park in Pottstown.  I will kep you in the loop!

Elliot Menkowitz