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.
09/30/05: Lisa Rogak Press Release
Thursday, September 29, 2005
After a year of publishing 'The Bodybuilding Woman' Lisa sent a new press release in July 1988, trying to stimulate interest in the publication, and you can see her note to me that my sub was about to expire. I renewed it, and now have a complete collection of the title.
Posted by TheEditor @ 10:38 PM CST
9/23/05: Lisa Rogak (cont.)
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Here is the introductory announcement for Lisa Rogak's 'The Bodybuilding Woman.'
Posted by TheEditor @ 09:26 PM CST
9/016/05: Lisa Rogak Letters (Part 2)
Friday, September 16, 2005
Here is the second letter I received from Lisa Rogak regarding the start-up of the 'The Bodybuilding Woman' newsletter.
Posted by TheEditor @ 06:21 AM CST
9/09/05: Lisa Rogak Letters
Thursday, September 8, 2005
Before Lisa Rogak began her 'The Bodybuilding Woman' newsletter in September/October 1987 with Volume 1, Number 1, she wrote to me a couple of times. The letters are included here.
The history of 'The Bodybuilding Woman: Exploring muscular symmetry as
both sport and art' is:1987:
Sep/Oct 1:1
Nov/Dec 1:21988:
Jan/Feb 1:3
Mar/Apr 1:4
May/Jun 1:5
Jul/Aug 1:6
Sep/Oct 2:1
Nov?Dec 2:21989:
Jan/Feb 2:3
Mar/Apr 2:4
May/Jun 2:5
final issue unmarked but my postal stamp was dated October 6, 1989 and the front page announces 'Sad to say, you are holding the last issue of TBW in your hands.'It was an enjoyable publication, but the above 12 issue compose a complete collection. I later saw Lisa featured in USA Today announcing another newsletter she was planning.
Posted by TheEditor @ 08:58 PM CST
9/2/2005: Letter from Albena Gaudreau to Joe Roark
Thursday, September 1, 2005
After historian Leo Gaudreau died, I was in contact with his widow Albena. I had hoped she had copies of Leo's two volume 'Anvils, Horseshoes and Cannons' for sale. IN fact, she did not own a set herself! So she asked for my help in trying to acquire a set for herself.I tried,unsuccessfully, to help. Here is the letter she wrote after she located some copies.
Posted by TheEditor @ 09:19 PM CST
