For most of the twentieth century, the press was the standard means by which the strength of an athlete, especially in weightlifting, was measured. “How much can you press?” was the usual question directed by friends and fellow athletes to any young man who started training with weights… by the end of the century that the new query became “How much can you bench press?”
From: The Tragic Death of the Military Press in Olympic and World Championship Competition, 1928-1972 by John D. Fair, now available for download at StartingStrength.com