It's a compound exercise that relates to general upper body strength. It's not like he was 5'10 and the same weight either, so that strength would carry over to basketball. I'm actually somewhat skeptical about the numbers I read (like 550) because it would be unheard of for someone with his build, but if he could bench anywhere near there it's safe to say he was stronger than the vast majority of today's players. Then there's his running and jumping ability.
Most importantly though, Tesla was simply too wiry and quick for Edison to get ahold of, and he'd either outbox him or sneak around him and choke the pudgy direct current advocate out.
military intelligence - two words combined that can't make sense
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Spock, Lieutenant General Jack O'Niel, Admiral William Adama, and Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.