Siegmund Breitbart known in the 20's as "Zishe" was billed during his
1923 American tour as "The Superman of the Ages," which inspired Joe Siegal and Jerry Shuster to create the iconic superhero Superman in 1933.
The Polish Jew performed his death-defying feats in 1923 and 1924 in Cleveland and Toronto, Siegel and Shuster's respective hometowns, when they were impressionable nine year olds.
He could hold back TWO horse being whipped, CARRY a baby elephant up a ladder while in his teeth was a rope with a locomotive wheel attached to it and THREE men dangling from it!!!
He could bit through iron chains or tore them apart, and could even rip horseshoes in half.
Breitbart also wore a cape, and according to circus advertisements, was able to stop a speeding locomotive.
Sound familiar???
Mind you...this was before modern gyms, bodybuilding and the use of steroids to enhance strength, which dates back to about 1931.
His feats of strength have not all been duplicated to this day. In fact they made a movie about his life called "The Invincible"