Ich hab hier HickokSports.com - History - Powerlifting folgendes stehen:
The AAU Takes Over
During the 1950s, Olympic weightlifting declined in the United States, while bodybuilding and powerlifting gained many new followers. As a result, the AAU began to reconsider its position. It took some time, though. In 1958, the AAU's National Weightlifting Committee decided to begin recognizing records for odd lifts, provided they were made at sanctioned AAU meets.
A national powerlifting championship was tentatively scheduled for 1959, but it never happened. Instead, the first genuine national meet was held in September 1964 under the auspices of the York Barbell Company, Ironically, Bob Hoffman, the owner of York Barbell, had been a long-time adversary of powerlifting. But his company was now making powerlifting equipment to make up for the sales it had lost on Olympic-style equipment.
The AAU finally staged its first national championship in September of 1965. After several fits and starts, the bench press, squat, and deadlift had been selected as the championship powerlifts. The bench press and squat were relatively new versions of older lifts, the back or supine press and deep knee bend, respectively.
