‘Forgotten’ Olympic weightlifter Guus Scheffer receives tribute in Haarlem

Guus Scheffer’s ‘rediscovery’ will take place in 2021. That year, Westermann will be able to exhibit the most beautiful objects from his Olympic collection in Museum Haarlem, now the Verwey Museum. The museum director then asks whether Westermann can take a look in the depot, in the attic of the museum. “There were quite a few things there with an unclear origin and an uncertain future,” said the Heemstedenaar.

Westermann takes a good look around and his eye falls on a box with the name ‘Scheffer’ written on it. When he opens it, he is amazed to see that the box contains many sports awards. “Including a bronze medal from the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.”

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“I was thrown into my lap with a huge find,” continues Westermann. It is unknown who ever donated the box to the museum. The collector from Heemstede, who is also a journalist, investigates himself and digs into the life of Guus Scheffer in the archives, with an astonishing result.

Talent for strength sports

August Scheffer was born on January 4, 1898 in Haarlem, he is the son of Abraham Hendrik Scheffer and Petronella Smits. In his youth it is soon noticed that he is very strong and flexible. For example, his uncle says that at the age of thirteen Guus ‘has a lot of talent for acrobatics and does it in a beautiful style’, he says in a local newspaper.

The little powerhouse is trying to develop in several sports, including cycling, swimming and then also wrestling and weightlifting. In the meantime, he runs the Sport-Lust café in Kleine Houtstraat, where wrestling and weightlifting competitions are also organized.

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Scheffer soon became Dutch champion in weightlifting and was therefore allowed to go to the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. In the ‘lightweight’ category he finished seventh in the final standings. “He had imagined a lot more of it, but it hadn’t been fair,” Westermann explains.

Unfair game

Scheffer complained in the newspaper about the fact that the French participants cheated. Contrary to the rules, they had belts around their waists and wristbands. This made it easier for them to raise the weights and Scheffer was left behind. Still, he gets a medal to Haarlem. “This one was also in the box,” says Westermann.

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Guus Scheffer is honored by friends in his own café after the Games in Paris and then goes on to win many competitions. He becomes Dutch champion a few more times. And that is why he is also allowed to go to the Olympic Games in 1928, which will be held in Amsterdam.

Revenge

It is then July 28, 1928. The building for strength sports has been built for the Olympic stadium in Amsterdam, where Scheffer will once again aim for a medal in weightlifting in the ‘middleweight up to 75 kilos’ class. It consists of three parts: pressing, pulling and thrusting. Between 15:00 and 23:00 the weightlifters have to show their strength in front of a packed room.

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Bronze!

Scheffer pushes 97.5 kilos, pulls 105 kilos and punches 125 kilos. Together it is good for a third place and therefore a bronze medal. He shares the podium with Frenchman Roger Francois (gold) and Italian Carlo Galimberti, who wins silver. Scheffer is the first Dutchman to win a medal during the Games in Amsterdam.

Moments later, Jan Verheyen from The Hague also wins a bronze medal, but in a different weight class. Boxer Bep van Klaveren wins a gold medal at the same Games and his name is buzzing around to this day. How different things are going for Haarlemmer Guus Scheffer.

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Again Scheffer is honored in a crowded café Sport-Lust. He is even presented with a gold ring, with the Olympic rings depicted on it. A year later he is still participating in a world championship. “But then the cake was apparently over,” said Westermann. “He disappeared from the sports pages and the only weights he would lift were the kegs in his pub.”

Turned 54 years old

In 1933, Scheffer still organizes a grand tribute to his sports friend Jacques van Egmond, who had become world and Olympic cycling champion. Sometimes the name ‘Guus Scheffer’ pops up, for example when he participates in the acrobat act ‘De Dolly’s’ during the halftime of a local amateur football match. His obituary shows that he also had a wife, Hendrikje Janneke Smits. Scheffer passed away at the age of 54 after an illness.

Cycling association HSV De Kampioen, with which Scheffer had good contacts, has organized a championship for the ‘Guus Schefferbeker’ for years to come. The cup is still missing, by the way.

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And so Maarten Westermann eventually got a good picture of the Haarlem ‘local hero’ Guus Scheffer. Through his contacts, the Heemstedenaar threw a ball at the Haarlem Société Pim Mulier. Because wouldn’t it be nice if Scheffer could still receive a nice tribute? After all, all Haarlem sports heroes hang on the outside of the Kennemer Sporthal and it would be great if Scheffer could also hang among them. And that finally worked out.

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On Tuesday evening, the canvas with Scheffer’s photo was unveiled in the cafe of the Kennemer Sporthal in the presence of Maarten Westermann. In front of the members of the Société Pim Mulier and some Haarlem sports heroes, such as Yvonne van Gennip.

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View images below of the unveiling of Guus Scheffer’s photo in the Kennemer Sporthal.

The photo will later be hung on the outside of the sports hall. Maarten Westermann is of course very happy that Guus Scheffer is finally being honored in the city. “That makes a person a bit proud. It has had some feet in the earth, but it is a very nice moment. It is right that this forgotten weightlifter receives a nice tribute. Weightlifters should never be forgotten,” said the Heemstede resident.

Scheffer’s family

“It was not possible to find family members of Scheffer. It would be nice if someone, family for example, would enjoy this. That a family member was hanged. But that is a bit unfortunate,” laughs the collector. Scheffer’s medals are also housed at the museum.

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Before the unveiling, two Haarlem sports heroes were also active in the sports hall. Former judokas Claudia Zwiers and Cor van der Geest gave a judo clinic.

The Haarlem band the Ampzing Genootschap also performed a song in honor of Guus Scheffer, as you can see below: