Iron History with Joe Roark

Joe Roark's IronHistoryArchives.com

The HUGE library of Iron History compiled by Joe Roark.

Welcome to Iron History with Joe Roark!

Joe Roark has been studying the iron game since 1957, and by 1970 began a systematic gathering of information on index cards. By the time his first computer was acquired, there were several hundred thousand references to be typed into it.
For a few years he published his own newsletter called MuscleSearch: The Roark Report. By 1992 he was appointed as the IFBB Men's Bodybuilding Historian, and began writing about history for FLEX in his column Factoids. For ten years he contributed to Iron Game History from the U of Texas at Austin. Recently he also began writing All Our Yesterdays for FLEX.
His passion has always been the period between 1880 and 1920, with particular emphasis on the oldtime strongmen of that era. Joe will be offering bits of history for Cyberpump once per week, and the text will be relevant to the dates of the calendar for those events of yesteryear relevant to the coming week.
In this column, readers will also be able to ask Joe questions or comment on his posts. Note: The comments are solely for interaction between Joe and the readers only -- not reader to reader.

3/27/2009: Part 1 of a June 21, 1988 Letter to Joe from Charles A. Smith
Friday, March 27, 2009
Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark, June 21, 1988, part 1.
Dear Joe,
Thanks for yours dated June 18th which arrived here yesterday, the 10th.
Before I get to answering your letter I'd like to ask a favor of you.
Some time ago I sent you a copy of a statement from Doug Hepburn to the effect that, under my training, his total had risen from some 900 odd to over a 1000 odd. Also a letter from his father reminding him how much he owed to me. I have scoured the bloody house high and low and I just can't find the originals. I know they are somewhere but I am unable to lay my hands on them. Could you send me a xerox copy of them please? I'd appreciate it. Someone wants copies and I can't send them.
Re my situation here. True, it is my business and I should address MYSELF to the problem, but as Napoleon said to his troops- and somewhat ungrammatically- before the battle of Waterloo. 'None of youse guys will know what the shit's going on before they get there'.
Vera knows exactly what situation I am in. I have pleaded and begged so many times for her to call me even once a week- phone me- just to see if I am all right. Nothing. I have not seen her nor has she phoned me since the first Monday in May. It seems to me that this is the LEAST she could do. She knows how to use a phone. She knows my number. But she can't be bothered, it would appear.
True, the boys call me and chatter over the phone. She knows they are calling and speaking to me because I have heard her voice asking them who they are speaking to, and they have told her. One would think that she would come over to the phone nd say, 'Hi ya, Dad. How's things?' But no. On the other hand, she has three kids to take care of, her home, her job, and her husband, who also works. But one cannot be rid of the feeling that one is not wanted. She goes to the gym EVERY morning. Can't she just take ONE morning off to come and see me for half an hour. The hospital where she works is but five hundred yards from home. There is nothing to stop here from stopping over on her way to work for a few minutes, but again, she can't seem to take the time or expend the effort. I am sick and tired of having continually explained my situation to her without results. She KNOWS. Bob asked her to take me to the doctor's today. She said she didn't have the time. True, of course, she has to go in today at 3PM for some doctors and do her chemo therapy. SO that's that and I must do two things, make the best of the situation and make other friends who will come round on occasion and see if I am still living.
I have been over to Vera's place- Thanksgiving, Xmas, my birthday and over the weekend the start of May. I keep asking her to do this and the boys pestered her for more come overs since I interact with them and get into everything they get into. But what the hell is the use of constantly complaining. It gets you no where. I suppose my trouble is that I was born in an age and in a different culture when the family cohesiveness meant something. Now, no one seems to give a shit about Mum or Dad when they are in their 'Golden years'. Oh, how I hate that phrase. So there we are. Nothing I can do about it.
concluded next week...

Posted by TheEditor @ 10:46 AM CST
3/20/2009: Letter to Joe Roark from Charles A. Smith June 14, 1988, Conclusion
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Letter to Joe Roark from Charles A. Smith June 14, 1988, conclusion.
Mrs. Willoughby's phone number? I may have it somewhere. She still lives in Pasadena I think. First name Carol. I'll look around.
I don't know what issue the IOL [International Olympic Lifter]-- rather WHEN the next issue of the IOL will be out, but according to the Herbal One, my article on Schemansky is to appear in the next issue. I shall watch for it since I have a feeling that it will be messed around with, The Herbal Wun thinking that because he has the title of Editor, he has to act like one. I know that I had all my lifts in POUNDS and Herb has told me he will change them to KILOS, something that has me as infuriated as the Anti Fluoride Hordes are infuriated at the use of that chemical in toothpaste.
Half the stuff told about the Old Timers I regard with a more than skeptic eye. I don't believe a lot of it. Frinstance that tale of Saxon getting 446 above his head.
Yes, I have another article already written and to be sent in to Balik. It is titles 'THE THINGS THEY SAY' but this will undoubtedly be altered by Balik is he accepts the material for publication.
It is about some of the ridiculous things said about certain phases of right training by soi disant experts. Like one who said the cambered bar had no value except possibly psychological value, without attempting to explain anything about how the bar came into being etc. Another seg deals with the shit Everson printed about Steinborn upending the bar and rocking it onto his shoulders because there were no squat stands in Milo's day. There were no training partners to help him of course. Steinborn has himself stated that this was just a stunt and when he was lifting in Germany where the squat was a competition lift at one time, he drew some censure from the German judges for using the manner of getting the bell to his shoulders- the ref saying it was acting smart and showing off.
Then I deal with the statement made by another expert to the effect that people once trained Monday, Wednesday, and Friday because they thought it was the best way to train. He wouldn't even consider the fact that in those days the men worked 60 or 70 hours a week and the poor bastards had no other choice since they would have been burned out if they had trained as moderns do with their 40 and 35 hour week. In other words the expert hadn't taken into consideration the tremendous social, cultural, and economic changes that had taken place.
The last is rapping another expert with a string of letters after his name who advised his readers to do every exercise STRICTLY RIGHT or correctly without once explaining what he meant by these terms.
What did I think of the article about Reg Park in the MD Dellinger sent to me? Shitty. It didn't ONCE mention all I had done for Reg, putting out the first six- at least- editions of his mag in England, the fact that I had written ALL his articles bearing his name or even mention me at all.
But as some poet has said somewhere some place, 'From none but self expect applause. Re the Old Timers Association. I would like to know who will be RUNNING it. Will there be a COMMITTEE? Will there be a Chairman, a Secretary, A TREASURER. I certainly don't feel like shelling out 15 bucks when I don't know what will happen to it and what it will be used for. There were 150 odd guests at the last bash and that works out to about 2,200 bucks, a not inconsiderable pile of folding green. Just being my usual cautious, paranoid self. All right, wait until you have lived as long as I have and have been shafted as many times and YOU'LL understand,
best to you and the family,
CHAS

Posted by TheEditor @ 08:05 PM CST
3/13/2009: The June 14, 1988 letter to Joe from Charles A. Smith, part 1
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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...]

Posted by TheEditor @ 09:58 PM CST
3/6/2009: A letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe dated June 14, 1988: Power Struggle at York
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark June 14, 1988, part 1
Dear Joe,
Thanks for your phone call--very much appreciated--thanks for the newsletter of which more later and thanks for the letter dated June 11th which was waiting for me after I got home from the doctor's office.
I had heard of the death of [Mike] Dietz and would have informed you of same. You beat me to the punch. Yes, he died of a massive heart attack at 2:30 PM in York Hospital. He had, some time before--years--had by-pass surgery. He was 71 at the time he died and was 'President' of the Company. He left three sons- Michael W. Dietz, David A. Dietz, and William H. Dietz, all of whom live in York. There were also assorted grand children and three GREAT grand children. He had never really taken care of himself physically- so I am told- and had had heart trouble for some time.
As to how this will affect the company and the Grimek litigation, this all depends on what kind of a will he left. Insofar as litigation by Grimek is concerned, I think it will make little difference since the Grimek suit is against the Hoffie will. HOWEVER*** I see a tremendous power play coming up. [John] Terpak is getting on now and might not have the stomach, or the strength, for some dirty in fighting. There is also the very interesting contretemps existing. WHO is now in the company and where the presidency of the company-- that is WHO the presidency of the company will pass to. Dietz has TWO of his sons working for York, Terpak has one son, John Jr. working for the company. I assume Terpak will take over presidency and Alda Ketterman will be the vote breaker.
But I am given to understand that she wants to take her share and hop it and have nothing to do with it any more. Wise Alda. What they need there now is an entirely NEW management- get rid of all the old undergrowth and bring in fresh new blood to set the company and the mag back on their feet again. Like what happened at the Wonderful Wun of the Land where the Hills are wooded. He was in mucho trouble until he brought in Alan Dalfon.
Re the mag [Muscular Development]- have it on good authority that they are NOT trying to shut it down but to sell it. This from Dellinger who said in a letter that they have had three nibbles- one from some East Coast company mag deal- wonder if that could be the Flushing Flash- and two parties already into lifting and weight training and I wonder who they can be.
For my part, MD is an absolute disgrace and...would do everyone a favor if it bowed out gracefully- if it remains in its present condition that is. I would be hauling ass and circling the fleet ll over the bloody place with my layout man if I was in Jan's shoes. The workers on the mag are getting away with murder and it is obvious NO ONE gives a pinch pf pandas poop about it- certainly not Terpak as general manager. Oh, how I would scream at the staff if I was the Ed. The mag is poorly laid out and a good layout is actually what attracks the customers-- and the articles arranged without rhyme or reason--least important first 2nd most important placed any bloody place. Oh how I would haul ass if there. Even Kennedy's mag makes it look bad while IM is far above its content and layout qualities. But enough.
I wrote to Weaver almost two weeks ago- no answer- so I guess I can join the club. Indeed I have been a member for some time.
I went and had a physical yesterday. My first in 6 years. Heart and lungs ok. Blood pressure 130 over 70 and nothing else amiss- apparently- but I have to have a cancerous growth removed from the back of my neck- a skin cancer known as a basal cell carcinoma- and am to have this looked at next Tuesday the 21st. It seems that surgery will be done in the office, so I am told. I wonder. The doc said I was also depressed- I said you'd bloody well be if you sat on your arse all the day with no one calling or stopping by. He said something to the effect that Icould have a home visitor. I said stuff them. I want my FAMILY

Posted by TheEditor @ 09:50 PM CST