The end of the nineteenth century is when the ancient tradition of stonelifting evolved into the modern sport of weightlifting. Guys like Eugene Sandow used to put on exhibitions where they displayed brute strength. In North America at this time an interest in strength in relation to it's effect on health was develping. People needed a model whose physique portrayed development of the body through weightlifting. Sandow made his reputation in Europe as a professional strongman, succesfully challenging other strongman and outdoing them at they're own stunts. In the 1890's he came to america and was billed as the world's strongest man!