Inducted into the Weightlifting Hall of Fame: November 26, 2021
In 1959, Dick and his younger brother joined Mike’s Gym, and it was there that his interest in weightlifting began. At this time some of the best lifters in the area were also at Mike’s Gym, and there he met Mike Stansbury, Walter Imahara, Red Lerille, Mike Thompson, Gene Hebert, and Jimmy Reinhardt. This great group of guys taught him how to train and gave him the encouragement and confidence to continue lifting. He entered his first meet in 1959 at a Lafayette Recreation and Parks event. From then on he was hooked and continued competing until 1967.
In 1963, Terry Perrin, a lifter for USL, asked Dick if he would lift with the USL weightlifting team in the National Collegiate Championships in Lansing, Michigan, because they needed a lifter in his weight class. Terry didn’t have to ask twice. Dick competed and won third place in his weight class, and the team won the national title. In the next four years, Dick competed in 30 more events representing USL, including four national collegiate events. During these years, the USL weightlifting team dominated collegiate weightlifting. As an individual lifter, Dick won first place in his weight division in the Southern USA championships in 1963 and 1964, Junior Nationals AAU in 1964, Southern Intercollegiate in 1964 and 1965, Southern AAU Senior Nationals in 1966 and 1967, and the National Collegiate Championships in 1967. (continued after photos)
Dick Fleming strains to complete a power clean (left). Photo courtesy l’Acadien. Dick, granddaughter Aubrey Fleming, 3, and Annette are pictured on April 30, 2021 (right).
(continued from above) After graduating from USL in December of 1967, Dick and his family moved to southern California where he worked for the 3M company. After a few years Dick had an opportunity to move back to Louisiana to become the president and CEO of TSE international, a small manufacturing company in Shreveport, Louisiana. TSE Manufactured pullers and tensioners used for construction of power lines, and other wire cables such as ski lifts. During Dick’s time as president of TSE, the company was awarded the E- Star award for excellence in international trade, the first company in Louisiana to receive such award.
Later, Dick moved to the Frymaster corporation as sales manager. Frymaster manufactured food service equipment for McDonalds, Burger King, and many other large chains. Dick retired from Frymaster in 2008 with 25 years of service.
Dick and his wife Annette now live in Shreveport and enjoy their four children, seven grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.
In addition to enjoying their children, the Flemings love to camp in the mountains in their RV. Dick was also interested in aviation and received his pilot’s license in 1985. Over the years the brothers have owned six different aircraft. The most enjoyable of these planes are two experimental planes they have enjoyed flying from coast to coast.