James Gasik
We don't talk about Pun-Pun
From the DMG:I believe in 1e, only fighters, rangers, and paladins - all of whom were likely to already have strength 16+ - could use the belts.
I've seen Girdles of Giant Strength go to secondary combatants in the past, and the boost was very welcome (a Cleric and a Thief, both in separate games). There was a 2e game where my friend Barb's Fighter died and was reincarnated as a Halfling, which she was fine with, but the hit to her Strength resulted in her struggling for awhile, until the party found a Girdle of Stone Giant Strength for her, after which time she became a pint-sized engine of destruction!
-As an aside, I always found it weird that Magic-Users were immune to the Girdle of Femininity/Masculinity though (however, in 2e, I recall they produced a set of collector cards, one of which featured a Mage who was suffering from the effects of said cursed item).