Iron History

[Previous entry: "3/6/2009: A letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe dated June 14, 1988: Power Struggle at York"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "3/20/2009: Letter to Joe Roark from Charles A. Smith June 14, 1988, Conclusion"]

03/12/2009 Entry: "3/13/2009: The June 14, 1988 letter to Joe from Charles A. Smith, part 1"

Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark, June 14, 1988 continued...

Maurice Jones-- a different story. I met him once when he visited Joe Assirati and I at No. 4 Charleston Street. Very tanned and at the time wrestling professionally. I was surprised to see how short he was- around 5'8" in my estimation. He didn't strip off but just watched Joe [Weider] and I workout with our cambered bar and squat stands that didn't exist in the 1930's- so 'tis said in the Wanking Wunder's mags. [Roark note: sarcasm]

I understand he comes from Vancouver, but at the distance of almost- it must be- more than sixty years- no it isn't, fifty years- I can remember little about him- nothing of what he lifted or how he trained. He was a Grimek style build from the few shots I have seen of him and I judged him, at that far off time, to scale around 210-220. Powerful looking. I don't know even if he is still alive, but it may be that Rader or Hepburn might possibly know who why what when and where.
Rader would be the one I'd place my money on. After that the blokes at York or possibly one of the mag vendors like Hinbern or Iuspa.

Re the offer made to XXX. What I said of course is confidential and what I have to say about the offer is that it isn't the way I would have gone about it. I'd want credit for the WORK I had put in. After all, it IS XXX who wrote the book and, from where I was brought up, the suggestion of the other bloke was something that would have got him a split lip. In the UK it would be considered taking a BLOODY LIBERTY and an attempt to gain something you weren't entitled to. Perhaps I am a bit old fashioned and haven't kept up with the times--these times of the dirty deal, the greed and the double shuffle and the 'Fuck you Jack, I've got mine'.

I hear that the Wunderful Wun and Grimek were very, very cozy at some banquet held in Vegas where Grimek received some sort of award and the Wun who is truly Wunderful was making him all sorts of offers re helping him with his litigation- what he can do is beyond my understanding, apart from the fact that he had been in enough law suits against HIM to know how to throw in the towel and when to continue fighting.

I am wondering what Grimek thinks about all this. I shall write him.

Re all these poppycock claims made by 'stars' to possess 20 inch, 21, 22 inch arms. I don't believe it. Goerner at his heaviest, when he scaled 295, stood a tad over six feet has arms UNDER 20 inches and Christ was HE strong. John Davis at over 200, pressing and snatching over 300 and cleaning and jerking 400 odd had arms UNDER 18 inches.

What I suggest you do is carry a STEEL tape around with you when you attend any show and try and tape the arms of those who are appearing- bodybuilders that it. Just see how many excuses you get as to why, right at that exact moment, it would be inconvenient for you to tape the arms or inconvenient for them to have their arms taped. I have seen it time after time. Blokes claiming to have 19 inch arms- in my day, then point blank refusing to have anyone or let anyone PROVE IT.
[to be continued...]