Point Lookout, New York, a small seaside hamlet on the southern edge of Nassau County, holds a unique and often overlooked place in the history of professional wrestling. Nestled just east of Long Beach, Point Lookout was a seasonal retreat for Charles Atlas, the iconic bodybuilder whose image and legacy helped define 20th-century physical culture. Though best known for his mail-order fitness program that promised to turn "97-pound weaklings" into muscular titans, Atlas also dabbled directly in the world of wrestling. Among his lesser-known offerings was “Twenty Famous Wrestling Holds Booklet,” which he reportedly sold alongside his Dynamic Tension program, suggesting that Atlas saw grappling as both a complement to strength training and a potential path to personal empowerment.
Just a few miles west, Long Beach made its own mark on wrestling history, producing or nurturing figures who would influence the sport on a much broader scale. The Hart family, whose legendary dynasty began in Canada but extended its reach across North America, has ties to Long Beach, as does Paul Boesch, a respected wrestler-turned-promoter who helped shape the Houston wrestling scene. Rick Rubin, the influential music producer and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, also has Long Beach roots and later became a notable backer of professional wrestling, helping to revive and finance Smoky Mountain Wrestling in the early 1990s.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 20, 2025.