Trivia

Coined the term "pumping iron" as a means of succinctly describing his bodybuilding strategies.

Father of Latham Gaines, Shelby Gaines and Greta Gaines.

Named a Distinguished Alumnus by both The Altamont School and Birmingham Southern College.

In 2018 he was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame.

Received his BA from Birmingham-Southern College.

Co-author (with George Butler, who did the photography) of Pumping Iron: The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding (1974).

Received his MFA in writing from the University of Iowa.

Served on the board of directors of the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

For his television writing he was the recipient of two Emmys, and two Cine Golden Eagle Awards.

Fished as a member of that team in World Championship Fly Fishing Competitions in New Zealand and Tasmania.

Taught creative writing at New England College.

Was the 2020 recipient of the coveted Truman Capote Prize for lifetime achievement in non-fiction.

Over more than 50 years of magazine writing, he has published articles and stories in Harper's, GEO, Sports Illustrated, Town & Country, Architectural Digest, Audubon, Outdoor Life, Esquire, Men's Journal, Playboy, Garden & Gun, Field and Stream, Sports Afield, and Southern Living, among many other periodicals, and has served as a contributing editor to a number of those magazines.

Taught periodically as an associate professor in the Graduate Creative Writing Program at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky.

Has three children, Shelby, Latham and Greta.

Published 25 books, among them the novels Stay Hungry, Dangler, and Survival Games; the non-fiction international bestseller, Pumping Iron; and the award-winning memoir, A Family Place.

Co-inventor of the sport of paintball.

Son of Margaret (née Shook) and Charles Latham Gaines.

Briefly attended Washington and Lee University but left school to travel around the country.

Lifetime board member of the US Fly Fishing Team.

Founding member of the US Fly Fishing Team.