Iron History

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12/05/2002 Entry: "Iron History Dec 6-19, 2002"

NEWS: Weider Publications have been sold to American Media for a reported $350 million. My prediction that Joe Weider will be involved with a bodybuilding magazine so long as he is drawing breath seems to have been off mark. Joe may have an office in Woodland Hills and operations may remain there. Indeed it may be that not much change will be noticed by the customer.

Questions: What will happen to the IFBB, the pro bodybuilding circuit (will Joe's foes actually have to do something other than bitch now? Is it money where mouth is time?) Will the Mr. Olympia be replaced by the Arnold Classic as bodybuilding's number one big show? Is any other publisher willing to actually implement a circuit of contests? (Much easier to sit back and take cheap shots at those (Joe) who do.)

Probably it will be business as usual at Weider offices for the next several weeks until all the details are unwrinkled. But by spring or summer, will the headquarters have moved from Woodland Hills to Florida or some other state? What will be the fate of the 400 plus Weider employees (including yours forever truly)?

Notice which magazines were purchased. All the Weider titles. Not Ironman or MMI or Muscular Development, the latter, in spite of its editorial puffery about outselling Flex, in fact does not. The sales of Flex are audited and are shown in the Jan 2003 issue- sells about 150,000 copies each month. MD is not audited, so they can claim whatever they choose to claim.

The next few months will be pivotal to the future of ironhistory.

NEWS: We will be posting a three part series on Paul Anderson next week in the Extras section. These will be my articles which were first presented in Iron Game History, the journal from Austin, TX. I welcome debate from thinking people about the content of these articles, though no response will be forthcoming from me if your only argument is that you 'believe' this or that. You are welcome to your founded and unfounded beliefs, but if you care to offer arguments or evidence, I am now, as I was at age 9, all ears. If you have not seen this material, and are laboring under the impressions I was before I began this research, you may find the trilogy interesting, and hopefully, enlightening.

DEATH: Armand Damon Stansbury, known as 'Babe' because he was the youngest of the nine Stansbury children. Died Nov 12, 2002; born 1925. Earle Liederman wrote the Stansbury story. Several times! For S&H Jan 1962, MD Jul 1967, and Ironman Sep 1969. The first Stansbury coverage in Ironman was Mar 1959 by Hise.

Around 1945 when he was 20, Babe contracted polio. There are different versions of how this came to him- as reported in the accounts referred to above. One says he was age 18 and on his birthday at football practice his legs suddenly became paralyzed so he was carried off the field on Oct 11, 1943 (so was Oct 11 his birthday?). The other account says his legs felt funny during football practice and he became paralyzed two days later. Another version says he was age 20, so one would assume no longer playing high school football. Further confusing the issue is that Muscle Power in its report on Babe in Nov 1950 does not mention polio.

He never gave up, and developed great, muscular arms and a good torso. His gym was at 10215 South Vermont in Los Angeles, and had a sun deck out back for sunbathing. His gym was partly responsible for the careers of Keith Stephan, Bud Counts, and Bob Shealy. Babe was usually able to perform a couple of one arm chins.

He married Betty Field in 1957, drove a specially designed arm-controlled vehicle. Babe and Betty's twin sons were named using Babes names Armand and Damon; they joined older sister Susan who was born in 1958.

Dec 6, 1850 Nicolas Albertini born in Florence, Italy, traveled with various circuses, and one of his strength feats was a teeth lift while hanging upside down on a trapeze- using a horse for weight. Yes, probably, this was his mane feat�

Dec 6, 1920 Joe Greenstein's son, Mike, born.

Dec 6, 1940 G.W. Rolandow died; born May 6, 1874. His famous 209 lb solid dumbell is still missing- no one, not even the late Vic Boff, knew where it now sits. If you think you know where it is, it must meet these specs: solid bell of 209 lbs, length 23", sphere circumference 29", handle length 5", handle circumference 4.25", so handle diameter would be 1-5/16".

Dec 6, 1947 Gene Myers won Mr. Los Angeles. Gene and Pepper Gomez, who placed 2nd in that Mr. L.A. event, worked out together at Vic Tanny's Gym in L.A. and both of them wanted to beat the other to the Mr. America title. Pepper competed in 1949 and in 1951, but, so far as I can determine, Gene never entered the Mr. A, though records are very incomplete and he could well have been among those not named in the contest coverage. For example when Grimek won his first Mr. America in 1940, only 19 of the five dozen competitors were named. By the way, Grimek told me that there was a best legs subdivision in 1940 though I have never seen mention of it, or of who won it.

On Apr 10, 1948 as Eiferman won the Mr. California Pepper and Gene competed but were not among the top placers, and on this occasion Gene's last name was offered as Meyers not Myers.

Myers photo first appeared in S&H when he was 14, and he made the Jun/Jul cover in 1948.

Dec 6, 1952 Larry Aumann born. Sitting alone in his office, coming out only at feeding time, Larry is building an incredible database, particularly in regard to Strength & Health magazine. It has been one of the very bright spots in my life to have met Larry and his wife Gerri. My wife Geni and Gerri shrug their shoulders, shake their heads, and roll their eyes, as Larry and I begin chatting about which autograph he has added to the thousands already in his collection. The majority of them are of strength/muscle personalities, and will come in handy indeed when he and I write that book we have been discussing for several years. We hope to begin work on it together in a couple of years. It will concern the history of bodybuilding contests. And will have the added benefit of neither of us posing.

Happy #50 today, Larry. May money and pleasure and joy flow to you as much as muscle and handsomeness have avoided you!

Dec 6, 1963 National AAU Convention refused to reinstate Paul Anderson to amateur status.

When Anderson had been interviewed in Apr 1957 regarding why he had turned professional he remarked: "For two very good reasons. There is the money, and there is also a chance to interest the public in weightlifting. Besides, if I continued in the amateur ranks, I would merely be competing against myself to break records, which is a dull process".

As a pro, he lifted a fortnight in Reno, and some reports say he also lifted in Las Vegas, but I have never found any certainty for that. He tried boxing, wrestling, and then by late 1963 was trying to become reinstated as an amateur at the national level, and in fact, his home state of Georgia granted his reinstatement for Georgia on May 28, 1963. About that time it was reported he had cleaned 470 lbs during a workout.

His Vidalia, George Youth Home was opened Dec 1, 1963 and six days later the AAU at its national convention in San Diego declined to reinstate him as an amateur. Lifting News reported he had recently cleaned and pressed 445, snatched 340, and, but for the very late hour, would have attempted a 460 lb clean and jerk.

Five months later Warren Tetting wrote to Lifting News asserting Paul's squat record was 1,400 lbs., and that Paul could deadlift 900, and bench 605. No mention of where or when these feats took place. Robert Kennedy six years later put the squat at 1,300 lbs, the bench at 630, and the deadlift at 800.

While those numbers don't have birthplaces, in 1965, at Harry Smith's show, Paul failed to make a 735 lb deadlift in Tampa, but the next year made 740.

By 1971, Paul wrote to S&H that his best lifts were, squat 1,200, bench press 600, and deadlift 800. So one wonders where Paul's 1,300 and 1,400 lb squats, and his 900 lb deadlift happened without Paul being aware of them.

Dec 6, 1985 Roy McLean died. Born Feb 11, 1897 This is the McLean in the Todd-McLean Collection name in Austin, Texas.

Dec 6, 1991 Bert Goodrich died; born Dec 26, 1906. By all accounts the first Mr. America? Well, technically not the first AAU Mr. America where only amateurs were allowed to compete.

Dec 7, 1897 Hans Beck continental & press 221.5 lbs for ten reps

Dec 7, 1981 The 20/20 television show filmed an interview with female bodybuilder Georgia Miller Fudge

Dec 8, 1880 Joe Pilates born. Yes, that Pilates.

Dec 8, 1927 Jim Park born. On Jun 28, 1952 he became the AAU Mr. America, after about three and a half years of bodybuilding competition which had begun Oct 3, 1948 when he placed 2nd in the Mr. Northern Illinois event, being nudged out by Collin Haynie. Park became Mr. World on Oct 25, 1952 and in that event placed third in the Most Muscular subdivision-in those days it was not unheard of for the overall winner of the Mr.title to NOT win the most muscular.

I have a dozen guest posing appearances listed for him from Sep 13, 1952 at Mr. Heart of America in Kansas City, MO, to Nov 17, 1956 at Mr. Reading.

John Fair's book on York Barbell provides additional info about Jim's 'supplements' and keep in mind the timeline.

Dec 8, 1948 David Chapman born. His book Retro Stud should be available soon-the original publishing date was to have been in September this year.

David writes for Ironman, but those who disdain 'the glossies' and have not collected his articles over the years, have missed some great cumulative info. He is currently working on perfecting his translation of the KINGS of STRENGTH by Desbonnet, a book, when and if published, will be an absolute delight to those who cherish musty muscle. I have a preliminary translation he shared, and there are nuggets in there that have not been mined and showcased anywhere else, at least that I know of.

Dec 8, 1955 Amy Banta Hise suffered a heart attack; died two days later. She was the mother of Joseph Curtis Hise.

Dec 8, 1964 Teri Hatcher born. Played Lois on Superman. What's this bit of info doing in ironhistory? Superman had muscles didn't he?

Dec 8, 1985 Joe Roark interviewed Frances Gurnea from 10 am until noon. Frances was Joe Hise's last remaining sibling.

Did I mention this is Teri Hatcher's birthday?

Dec 9, 1908 Josef Grafl won his first World Wrestling Championship. Won again in 1909. Is this accurate?

Dec 9, 1953 Nancy Strasser born. Nancy is currently one of the moderators on the Ironpage forum. She has been lifting since 1993 "�using free weights and high volume routines". Later switched to "abbreviated high-intensity lifting". By 1998 she began a focus on the Olympic lifts, but a knee injury in 2000-not related to lifting- thwarted her advancement in that discipline. (Difficult to snatch or clean with an unwholesome knee.)

She began moderating the Garage Gym (now Ironpage) in 1996, and is now "back to abbreviated training".

When ironhistory asked her to comment on the direction she forsees for the Ironpage, she offered, "We moderators want the Ironpage discussion board to continue its focus on no-nonsense strength training for ALL sorts of lifters. At the same time, we are hoping to preserve the camaraderie that is only possible with a small group who participate regularly (i.e., a group of people who feel they 'know' one another)." Happy birthday, Nancy. Next year is the big one!

Dec 9, 1974 Edward Aston died; born Apr 16, 1884. Aston's brother had all four fingers of equal length! That would be a glove buying nightmare, but a grip strength plus!

Dec 9, 2001 Arnold Schwarzenegger's motorcycle mishap in Santa Monica resulted in some broken ribs.

Dec 10, 1870 William 'Apollo' Bankier born in Banff (or Banffshire?), Scotland. Died 1949. He was also known as The Scotch Hercules, not because he gained his strength from a bottle. When he worked for Bostock's Circus, he used the name The Great Carl Clyndon.

In 1897 he went to South America to perform for a couple of years, and his travels also included the British Isles, of course, as well as some European cities

Bankier stood 5'6" and weighed about 174 lbs. He used to offer big money, $400, to anyone who could lift his sack of flour-even Saxon failed on first attempt at the sack. Details of this appeared about 100 years ago in Health & Strength magazine, and Saxon had some words about the incident 30 years later in 1933 in H&S. Apollo could teeth lift 400, and for awhile with Monte Saldo, ran the APOLLON SALDO SCHOOL at #9 Ruppert Street in London.

From Jun 1903 to Jun 1904 (I hope this is right) he published Apollon's Magazine (please notice it was NOT Apollo's but Apollon's)

At age 77 he was competing in a high diving competition.

Dec 10, 1983 Lori Bowen's pro bodybuilding debut, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas for the World Cup where she placed fourth.

Dec 11, 1890 Charles G. Jefferson lifted 1571.25 lbs- his photo appeared in Ironman Jan 1957

Dec 11, 1972 Arnold's father Gustav Schwarzenegger, died at the age of 65 from a stroke. This conflicts with the timeline offered by Arnold when he mentioned that his dad had died during Arnold's preparation for the 1972 Mr. Olympia, which had been held on Sep 24.

Dec 11, 1991 Bert Goodrich was buried.

Dec 12, 1860 Rickard Kyle Fox born; died Nov 14, 1922. Was instrumental in The Police Gazette.

Dec 12, 1891 Louis Cyr resisted the pull of four horses

Dec 12, 1892 Eugen Sandow was present at the lecture by Surgeon Major Deane

Dec 12, 1905 Arthur Saxon bent press 370, but did not stand erect at this time

Dec 12, 1908 Jessie Hise born; died Jan 22, 1967- was Joe's sister

Dec 12, 1932 Roger Eells began weight training. Later published VIM magazine from Feb 1940 thru Jun 1941, a total of seventeen wonderful issues. Great collectible for the student of history.

Dec 12, 1946 Earle Liederman sent a photo with this date on it to Leo Gaudreau

Dec 12, 1949 silver wedding anniversary for Herman and Elsie Goerner. I'm sure he gave her a squeeze before he then squeezed the Colins dynamometer to 286 lbs.

Dec 12, 1963 Thanks to the efforts of David Horne we know that this was the death date for Thomas Blackburn Inch, who had been born Dec 27, 1881. The legwork involved in tracing this fact deserves credit. For years Inch's date of death was uncertain and was reported with less definition than Anna Nicole's quads, but David traced it, found the records, and now we know.

Dec 13, 1843 Tom Owen died; born Dec 21, 1768 Muscle Training Illustrated in Jan 1966 asserted Owen had invented the dumbell; he was also a boxer.

Dec 13, 1943 Dennis Walters, aka Denie, born. Years ago when I asked Denie to provide me with his various pen names, he declined, but I believe the following list from his web information more recently offers some of the pen names, and I have cross-checked my files for the names to determine this much is accurate: Denie, wrote as these names in these places and times:

Banner, Joe NPC 18\989-1990
Barry, Deacon MTI 1978-1990
Beeman, Dave MTI Aug, Sep 1987
Crawford, James this puzzles me because Bill Reynolds claimed to be Crawford?
D'Arbanville, Michele MTI 1986-1990
Redhawk, Cody MTI 1982
Rheingold, Lars MMI 3:3
Vaslovik, Lincoln not sure where he used this name
Weston, Tina MYI 1986-1990

He also wrote under Dennis Walter and began using the one name 'Denie' in MTI starting with the Dec 1971/Jan 1972 issue. He was also in on the ground floor of Flex magazine as East Coast Editor as announced in the Aug 1983 issue.

He and E.P. Bigelow wrote a six part series about the history of the muscle movies and this is a worthy series with lots of photos. MMI presented the work in the following issues: 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 2:1, and 2:3.

He offered in Muscle World Jan 1981: "I owned my first gym when I was 15. Later in my mid-20s, I started contributing photos to the magazines- all the magazines. By this time I was operating my biggest and best gym since I'd grown in size, or split with part partners." He added, "Well, that placed got burned down-by accident I might add".

Ironman's Peary Rader noted in May 1971, "Sadly we report that the gym of Denis(sic) Walter, one of the most popular operators in the east, was completely destroyed by fire on January 29, Denis(sic) says he lost everything but his cameras. He had about 5,000 fine photos go up in smoke. We understand there was no insurance." The next month MTI, for whom Denie worked at the time, also reported the incident.

I would have sworn that the fire took place, after some remodeling on the day before the gym was to open [re-open], but someone sent me info to the contrary, so perhaps that was not accurate. Does anyone know what Denie is doing these days? Years ago there was a rumor that he was working on a book.

Dec 13, 1989 Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger born; Arnold's daughter.

Dec 15, 1924 Enrico Tomas born. In 1954 he was a student at Columbia University studyiny sociology- that was also the year he won the Pro NABBA Universe on Jun 26. Five years later he was involved with a gym in New York City at 104th and Broadway.

Dec 15, 1953 Al Beinert bent pressed 311

Dec 16, 1868 Pierre Gasnier born; died in Dec 1923

Dec 16, 1934 Edgar Mueller took Goerner's measurements.

Dec 16, 1946 Mac Batchelor twice defeated Earl Audet in arm wrestling

Dec 16, 1947 Vic Tanny show in Los Angeles

Dec 16, 1968 Greg Kovacs. I met Greg briefly at the Arnold Classic a couple of years ago, asked if I could measure his biceps for the record. He declined, but told me they were about 25" when pumped, which would mean 23-1/2 or so not pumped, which is believable for a man of his weight. Greg seemed a likeable sort, but he always seemed to have a small, battery-operated fan blowing on him as he sat in the booth, and was breathing heavily. More recently it has been printed that he has lost his contract with the supplement company, so I am not sure what he is now doing. He tried bodybuilding competition but lacked the polished proportions of top level pros.

Dec 17, 1934 Goerner easily defeated six pro wrestlers in arm wrestling at the Leipzig Crystal Palace in less than one minute

Dec 17, 1939 W.A. Pullum displayed his 60 weightlifting medals at the Camberwell Club. Were these the same medals that Pullum loaned to Jowett and that Jowett presented as medals that he, himself, had won?

Dec 17, 1947 The Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada opens. This would be the venue where Paul Anderson became a pro strongman in 1957

Dec 18, 1877 Edwin F. Townsend born; died Oct 16, 1948

Dec 18, 1892 Apollon vs the Rasso Trio. We will treat this in detail when covering Apollon next year in our format switch.

Dec 18, 1949 Jack Delinger and Loretta Soper wedding

Dec 18, 1975 Trish Stratus born. MMI ran a story on her by Johnny Fitness in May 1998, and by Apr 2000 reported she had signed with the WWF, now the WWE with whom she is still on display.

Dec 19, 1933 Bob Shealey born. The only coverage about him that I know of was from 1952, 1953, and 1955 though I lack some mags from that period. He won Mr. Southern California on Feb 23, 1952.

Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark Nov 4, 1985

Thanks for the letter post marked November 30th and received by me yesterday. Thanks too for the enclosures re 'Doctor' XXX. I will comment on these at once. I will use a word I don't often resort to in public but use all the time in private and to myself when I get particularly irked. And don't forget I am an old sailor. XXX is a FUCKING LIAR. Now you have my comment.

I am giving his claims to the Todds for them to get some chuckles out of with the suggestion that after they are through with them, they use them as a contribution to personal hygiene in their toilet. The man's claims are ridiculous. To me he seems to be the same style as the other scam men of the Game- Jowett and Tilney and of course the only one of this duo who made outrageous claims as to lifts was Jowett. Tilney merely contented himself by CALLING himself Doctor and, at one time, BISHOP. XXX betrays the same character- Christianity and M.D. or so he would have people believe he is. He got his so called Doctorate from a school that isn't even accredited ANYWHERE- in other words a diploma mill where they will give you ANY title for a fee whether or not you have the intellectual capacity to earn it and then sustain it.

I also had a hearty ha ha at his claim to do lateral side raises with a pair of 110 dumbbells. HOW? Bent forward at the waist. Standing upright or what. Did he do them with a swing and body motion or did he keep his trunk still and THEN with arm and shoulder power only lift them?

Also his claim to be tag team champion with his brother in wrestling at the time of Tony Rocco. Now I knew this latter individual personally when I was putting out Weider's mag Boxing and Wrestling AND I also wrestled myself. So I know the game and what went on in it. I never heard of any XXX brothers wrestling as a tag team. The accredited 'World's Champions' at the time were Mike and Ben Sharpe whom I made through a listing I got together, sent to Joe Malcewicz, the San Francisco promoter, suggesting he build them up as world tag team champs. He did so and Mike and Ben were accepted by the National Wrestling Alliance under the aegis of Sam Muchnik of St. Louis and they remained 'World Tag Team Champs' for some time after. As for Rocco, I could have taken him any time. He was a good showman with his flying drop kicks. But little else. He got big headed and had to be taught a lesson by the Syndicate when RS broke his fingers for him in a bout or should I say 'Bout' in some Southern State. RS was the Policeman for the Alliance. Rocco a mere drawing card and as such valuable until the Alliance decided he had outlived his purpose and was no longer a 'draw'. Rocco wasn't even his right name.

[back to lateral raise] Ten reps with 160 each hand. Bullshit.

I doubt very much if I will ever be elected to the Hall of Fame as a 'Contributor' during my Lifetime, or even after. I, for one thing, do NOT believe the selection is non political. And for the other, who knows me now? While I'm not taking away any credit from Ed Jubinville, I think I have done as much as Ed for the Game.

Came across some interesting items recently going through some letters of Ottley Coulters. There was mention of Antone Matysek who Coulter was telling someone had got extremely overweight and was in- get this- a State Hospital for Tubercular patients. Yes, Matysek had tuberculosis. Also he had been writing to Robert Snyder Jr since 1917 until 1957. Snyder appeared in the old Milo Barbell ads and was a Calvert Pupil. Synder mentions havinf cancer of the prostate and bladder and having an operation. Ottley also mentions visiting Alan Calvert after Calvert had split from weight training and started to put the knock on it. Said that Calvert, with whom he had ALWAYS been on friendly terms, treated him very coldly and left him standing saying, 'I'm too busy to talk to you. Have other things to do' and walked away from him. Coulter remarked that he thought Calvert blamed him for his getting out of the Mile Barbell and Strength mag business and having Jowett take Calvert's place.

Am pleased your Hise research is going well. As for you and I writing that article and sharing in the proceeds. I don't think so. You made the discovery. You deserve the credit. I of course shall be only too pleased to help you by editing the article, if you think that I can do you any good here, but the find is yours and I wouldn't want to take the credit from you. I believe I did suggest you explore the possibility of going to Homer [Illinois] and finding out who, what, when and where etc etc. If you care to give me credit for any help I may have offered-Fine. If not that's okay too.

Incidentally I believe that the title THE SULTAN OF SQUAT has already been used, so in its place I'd suggest the title The Dean of the DKB' or THE DUKE OF THE DEEP KNEE BEND.

Remember also that it was Hise who came up with the idea that to gain a lot of weight one must use the largest muscle groups. It was also he who came up with the REBOUND or BOUNCE principle and NOT the modern day gurus who claim it as their own. By this, I mean that Hise came up with the bouncing deadlift off his hopper and also the bouncing squat with a pause of three deep breaths between each rep- THE REST PAUSE SYSTEM.

So far as this goes, I think you made a big mistake in asking Grimek about his eye. I know for a FACT that he is very sensitive about this. Me, I don't give a pinch of monkey's poop about who asks me about my amputation. There it is and here I am and it is a fact accompli and no hiding it. But I am sensitive about other things. So there's the difference between Grimek and I.

No you didn't send me Joe's obit. But what I think is more interesting will be the info from the local paper and the Highway Patrol's report.

Well, this is about all for the nonce. Chas

See you Dec 20th for the final installment of the chronology that we began at year's start. In 2003, our format will change to more in-depth articles, even if they appear in installments. The schedule for ironhistory.com will also change in 2003, though TheEditor and I need to determine what that frequency will be. My idea is to cover a topic as thoroughly as possible given the limited resources I have, and then invite feedback, corrections, additions to the text, so that by working together we can assure that ironhistory.com is as thorough a treatment of a given topic as can be located.

A personal word of thanks to those who are reading this, and are therefore contributors, either with money or with their articles on cyberpump.com. We have enough money to take that trip to Bermuda-oops lost my train of thought- to continue for a few months, as I understand it. But it is an uphill farmer's walk to battle those who through ignorance or agenda want to re-write the history of iron, so tell a friend about us and thereby help us spread accuracy.

Weider years ago was in desperate straights and wrote an editorial urging people not to even allow a friend to borrow Muscle Builder, but to have the friend buy a copy- so the cause could continue. As mentioned, recently Weider sold his mags for the $350 million. So, rather than print out copies for all your friends, help us grow by asking them to contribute or contributing for them as a gift.