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.
Ironhistory 2003:1
Monday, December 30, 2002
Welcome to ironhistory.com's second year, and thank you for donating to cyberpump.com, the reason we are here. If you have questions or comments use the comment button to reach me- all comments, even unkind ones which help further our knowledge, are welcomed. May I remind those of you who print this effort, to please wait a few days to do so, in case corrections or additional information comes in, so you will be printing the better version.
NEW POLICY: I will answer questions only through the Q+A section of ironhistory.com, or through the comment button here; this assures me you are a donor to the cause and are supplying cyberpump with at least $10 per year (I do not receive money). It is unfair to those who donate to answer questions for those who do not. I fully realize that the non-donors cannot see this announcement, but wanted to say it here anyway. If this seems harsh, sorry. But it seems harsh to me to consider $10 per year as an extreme request.
January 1 thru 17th births:
Jan 1: 1969 Kimberly Page and Ian HarrisonJan 2: 1892 Lillian Leitzel
Jan 2: 1914 Juanita Peoples
Jan 2: 1922 Kimon Voyages
Jan 2: 1950 Lynn Pirie
Jan 2: 1971 Lena Johannesen
Jan 2: 1977 Dave JohnsonJan 3: 1834 George Barker Windship (not Winship)
Jan 3: 1918 Elaine Mae SmithJan 4: 1959 Cory Everson
Jan 4: 1963 Sally Gomez
Jan 4: 1970 Dennis Newman
Jan 4: 1971 Kristy Chandler and Jennifer GoodwinJan 5: 1893 Karl Norberg
Jan 5: 1943 Linda Wood-Hoyte
Jan 5: 1951 Bertil Fox
Jan 5: 1954 Audrey Harris-White
Jan 5: 1957 Jeep Swenson
Jan 5: 1972 Sophie DuquetteJan 7:1916/1918? Julius Johnson
Jan 7: 1920 Harold Sakata
Jan 7: 1942 Vasily AlexeevJan 8: 1863 Minerva
Jan 8: 1936 Ernie Phillips
Jan 8: 1949 Steve Michalik
Jan 8: 1969 Criag LickerJan 10: 1916 Alistair Murray
Jan 11: 1884 Dietrich Wortmann
Jan 11: 1893 Antone Matysek
Jan 11:1926 Andy Bostinto
Jan 11: 1957 Janet Tech (or 21st?)
Jan 11: 1963 Nicu VladJan 12: 1921 John Davis
Jan 12: 1933 Ray Stern
Jan 12: 1959 Rolf Moller and Tom TerwilligerJan 13: 1913 Chester Teegarden
Jan 13: 1959 Brenda KellyJan 14: 1866 Luigo Borra
Jan 14: 1959 John Brookfield
Jan 14: 1967 Craig TitusJan 15: 1970 Millet Faure
Jan 16, 1921 Leo Robert
Jan 16, 1953: Kal Szakalak
Jan 16: 1968 Lynne NicholsJan 17: 1837 Bill Curtis
Jan 17: 1905 Marcel Domoulin
Jan 17: 1923 Leo Murdock
Jan 17: 1964 Milos Sarcev and Willie StallingFORMAT for 2003:
Later this month ironhistory.com will begin our treatment of Apollon, whom I have learned from a French friend named Amaury (on the grip board) is not buried where he is supposed to be laid to rest. Amaury will continue checking on the situation and keep us abreast of developments.
THE DISCONNECT:
In October 1998, after an absence of four years, I resumed writing for the journal from the University of Texas at Austin, Iron Game History. The foreboding that had been accumulating in me prompted a new column titled Ironclad in which readers were invited to be editors-at-large and to supply Ironclad with examples of errors that were printed in either the mainstream muscle magazines, or elsewhere. We were not concerned with obvious typos so much (for being printed as fro), but were worried that if other, non-obvious mistakes were allowed to be potted and watered, they would take over the greenhouse that we treasured so much and that the true accomplishments of our forefathers' lifting would be unjustly supplanted. The first article in the Ironclad series was entitled, The Impending Disconnect.
Now, five years later, the disconnect is not pending, it is well-along, and in fact it may be too late to thwart the tidal-wave of misinformation and ignorance well-springing up seemingly everywhere that iron history is being reviewed- being reviewed in some cases by writers who don't know a French grip from a French press. So as we begin 2003 here at the International Headquarters of ironhistory.com (my tiny office), it is appropriate to revise and update that article.
John Grimek told me once that a friend of his had given John false credit for a feat of strength that John had not performed. Seems the friend asked John one day, 'John, remember that time I was in jail and you forced the jail bars apart enough so that I could escape?' Grimek knew this never happened but he also knew that the man remembering the incident, believed it had happened, even though, somehow, Apollon's opening act of forcing some bars apart and escaping had become intertwined as though is was currently happening in York, Pennsylvania, with JCG playing the part of Apollon on behalf of an escaping prisoner.
But what if Grimek had endorsed this tale- had said, yes, he remembered it well? In 1998, I offered,"Legions of his loyal fans would rush to second his motion, and anyone hinting at doubt would be branded a heretic. When John and Vic Boff, and the few others who span the-first-hand-knowledge bridge between old and new strength tales are no longer with us, the bars captivating correct literature may be bent, and many yarns may be woven into the current fabric of our sport".
John Grimek died the month after that article in IGH, and Vic Boff died in 2002. Now, we are, in fact, in a position of having no one else of their ilk available to supply us with first hand information in the fields and times they participated. Another factor which has helped misinformation to blossom is the internet. Anyone with a keyboard can assume a key position in relaying the history of the iron game to those fresh to the subject.
"Will it become folly without filters? As newer versions of older situations are written, unless researched thoroughly, the iron game's record keeping may fizzle". Here is the danger: "And as these newer versions become the only record that modern readers can acquire, errors will compound, with even newer versions being based upon them."
Those who spread the old literature through reprinting, such as Bill Hinbern has for many years at superstrengthbooks.com, or those who collect and study old magazines, are our final fortress in maintaining the accuracy of what we endearingly term iron game history.
Any study of the iron game must be armed with two factors:
1. The understanding of original terms- and an effort to maintain those terms in their virginity.
2. Knowledge of comparative strength among the various lifts is extremely important.
1. Original terms: By the time the 'press' was eliminated from weightlifting competition in 1972, it had degenerated more than an ice cube in the Sahara. What had begun as a military press with heels together, trunk upright, and the lifter elevating the bar to the pace of the referee's rising arm, had weakened to become a knee-jerk started standing bench press with feet wide apart. So any records comparing 1972 press records to the records of 1932 are, in all meaningful senses, useless. In 1972, some lifters were actually lifting about the same poundage in the press as in the clean and jerk, which simply is not possible if both lifts were being performed according to the original rules.
The Hack lift/squat has left the original meaning (Hacke-'near the ankles') where the bar was behind the lifter and lowered to near the ankles, to modern times when 'Hack' machines allow the lifter to recline and the weight is beneath the feet not behind the ankles, and the feet are placed above the head's plane.
The Two Hands Anyhow, which always involved two separate weights, is now being bandied as encompassing a clean and jerk with a single barbell.
The Snatch, which involved hand spacing on the barbell of approximately the same width as the lifters shoulders, now sees arms flared collar to collar.
The Continental, which allowed the bar to be lifted onto a belt buckle before being lifted up farther, is now confused with the Clean, which does not allow the bar to touch the body until at the shoulders. Even at the Arnold Classic, though the term Continental was allowed for the lifting of the Apollon wheels replica, the belt buckle WAS NOT allowed! Then we have those who offer Continental Clean, which is the same as saying to the lifter: Touch/Don't touch.
Powerlifting has become lifting's largest punch-line for non-raw lifters. With bench shirts adding, in some cases, more than 100 pounds to the lifter's bench press, it is obvious to everyone, hopefully even to the lifter in his pensive moments, that he alone was not lifting that much weight. My suggestion has been, and I am quite serious, that a handicap factor should be implemented. Bench what is possible raw, say 500 lbs, then have your trio of tuggers pull your shirt onto you, and bench again. Say, 600 lbs. So your handicap is 100 lbs. Hence, in competition, you need not wear the shirt, simply bench raw, and the handicap amount will be added to that amount. If you bench 520 raw that day then you will be credited with 620.
Simple, more efficient, less silly, but it would drive the commercial shirt manufacturers into a tailspin, and thus, the whole sponsor setup would falter, to say nothing of the egos of those who actually somehow manage to believe they do not really need the shirt except for safety, which of course, implies that strength limits (without the shirt) are being red-zoned. I hasten to add that power lifts made in this manner, raw with shirt handicap credit, deserve no respect, but it would speed matters along, and would merely require the self-deceived to switch to a different delusion.
So, in addition to changing the names of lifts and/or changing the methods of performing those lifts, the sport is no longer easily compared to the sport of several decades ago.
2. Knowledge of comparative strength levels among various lifts:
David Willoughby made some calculations about comparing reps with a certain poundage to a single rep with more weight. For example, if you can press 200 lbs for a set of ten reps then he would estimate how much you could press for one rep. These calculations were not favored by Leo Gaudreau, and indeed appear, in retrospect, to be more mathematical than meaningful in real life terms, because after all, if you do not prove the estimates on the lifting platform, they remain guesses.
However, if you cannot perform a one hand deadlift of 200 lbs, then it is reasonable to assume that you will also fail with trying 400 lbs, two hands deadlift. And, in general terms, at least where body positioning remains similar, many one handed lifts can be close to one half of two handed lifts, though the factor of two hands working together engages the chest and shoulder areas more and will allow more weight to be lifted.
Question everything you read in this field! We do not have hundreds of reference books to consult as do the fans of baseball and football. Further, it appears that fans of those sports care more about the histories involved than do many/most of the pumping practitioners.
So, as we begin 2003, please use the comment button here at ironhistory.com to correct any errors I may write. Become my fellow students as we trudge along the path to trying to clear-cut our way to understanding what the great lifting pioneers actually hoisted. Help uproot incorrect statements, whether here, or in the magazines, or on the internet. Let's become known as the default location, the final answer, the place that cares about the wonderful sport we practice, whether on the platform or in the basement, and the address where, working together, we can provide an answer to those seeking truth. We will not reach those who do not share our values, but we can cement a community for those who do. Thank you in advance.
I am at work on the necrology for 2002 iron game personalities, and will post it later in January. If you have a name to add please notify me. Abe Goldberg died Dec 4, 2002- after hearing many rumors; Tom Minichiello confirmed it for me. Tom bought Abe's gym many years ago and they had remained friends.
More excerpts from the letters of Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark: Dec 27, 1985
Dear Joe,
I had a great time Xmas day, watching the boys cut their capers, hugging all those lovely cans of Australian beer close to my bosom for fear that some sod would ask for one. No one did and it is mine-all mine. I shall nurse it carefully and drink it one can per day so it will last, with the memory of your thoughtfulness. Vera also thanks you for your kindness. My stomach also thanks you and I thank you from my bottom-heart that is.
On going over your letter I see I forgot to mention your mention of Bill Pullum.
Now here was the GENUINE ARTICLE. He no more resembled Jowett than a rooster resembles a kippered herring. He of course, like all of us, had his faults. One of which was that HE was the only one in his time who knew anything about weight training. But if he said he did so and so, you can rightly assume that what he claimed was the Gospel-and HOT GOSPEL at that.
No one, but no one is more entitled to be called The Father of British Lifting than Pullum. If it hadn't been for Bill, lifting in the UK would still be in the dark ages.
He had a lot of trouble with Jowett who stole his articles and had them published under his, Jowett's name. He, Jowett, begged Pullum to give him medals so he could 'make my way' in the USA. If ever Grimek sends you that stuff I sent to JCG, you will see for yourself exactly what Pullum was like and exactly what Jowett was NOT. This is a man of truth and integrity. It is no cause for wonder that Jowett and McFadden are IDOLIZED by XXX. He was of their kidney.
Pullum was straight. He may have been a sharp business man, willing to sue- as he did- at the drop of a hat or an adverse criticism, but he had his integrity. He was close with what he called his 'training secrets' but dealt straight with people. He charged what the traffic would bear, but the fact that men like Hackenschmidt and Goerner knew him and counted him as a friend, means something. Hack, except where some of his bouts were concerned was honest. Ditto Goerner, although Goerner had quite a thing for the jolly old fuzz box.
Pullum at 123 pounds, broke more lifting records before or since in ALL the 42 odd lifts recognized at one time by the BAWLA- some of these records going right up through every class to the heavyweight division.
At over forty after having been 'retired' for some time, he came back and at over forty busted every one of the records he had busted as a young man. That's how good Pullum was.
You should try and get a copy of his book WEIGHTLIFTING MADE EASY AND INTERESTING. It is an eye opener. It explains every one of the 42 lifts then accepted as competition lifts, in detail, AND illustrated, each and every one by Pullum himself. Get it. It's a collector's item. Iuspa should have a copy for sale.
Hope you had a good Xmas, best to you and yours, Chas.
Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark: Jan 7, 1986:
I had a five page letter from XXX telling me about his Xmas and that it was spent with his family, they coming in from far and wide. He also seems to be very bitter at not being in XXX's will, saying that he was made a lot of promises, including shares in the company, which were not carried out. I am wondering about this, since in my opinion XXX and the mag and the XXX company WERE XXX.
So Meg [one of Roark's daughters] wants to visit Fort Lauderdale during the early part of the year. Ah, the rites of spring. I can recall going through limbo and unshirted hell with Vera [Charles' daughter] when she wanted to take off for the Gulf Coast and I said Nay Nay. I was a monster, a blue beard, a beast etc, etc, etc. But flattery got her nowhere.
Still exercising with my dumbbells although I am getting somewhat alarmed at my right arm not progressing as easily as my left arm in pressing the monstrous weight of 27-1/2 pounds skywards. Conversely, my right arm is much stronger curling than it is pressing. But it helps me and my circulation from the effects of a completely sedentary life.
Thas all, thas all, best wishes to you and yours, Chas
My personal schedule is uncertain for the next six weeks so I cannot other than tell you to check the cyberpump news section for the next posting of our effort- probably mid January. May your new year be filled with peace and contentment!
Posted by TheEditor @ 07:49 PM CST
Iron History Dec 20-31, 2002
Thursday, December 19, 2002
This edition of ironhistory.com ends our year long chronology, and though much has not been included, much has been. The year has sped by for me, and though we have considerably fewer readers now that cyberpump.com has become a pay site for certain sections, we plan to continue as though the whole iron world is watching, and we plan to fill the archives with materials to attract more subscribers. $10 per year is an inexpensive birthday gift for an iron buddy.
FIRST MENTION that I have seen in the printed media regarding the passing of Vic Boff is in Steve Gardener's MUSCLE MOB from England. See December 2002 issue. Iron Game History, from the U of Texas is planning a feature on Vic.
NEW BOOK:
David Chapman's latest book: RETRO STUD: Muscle Movie Posters From Around the World is now available, and is an excellent resource book for those who want to see how the various countries advertised via posters the various 'sword and sandal' or 'peplum' movies which hit mainstream about 1959. Posters from nine countries are presented-and with only an exception or two are all in vivid colors.
For those who study or enjoy history, the posters provide details about casts and studios which would require many hours of tracing without these poster images.
Further, David's notes and text offer settings for the span of the genre. So there are only a few days remaining before Christmas! Get to it! It is orderable from any bookstore.
For those who do not know, David is one of our foremost historians, and the only one, so far as I know, who when asked, 'What have you been up to lately?' -which I asked the other day- will reply, 'I have been reading some in Italian strength sources'. Yeah, me too!
He also translates from French, and is continuing to hone his translation of Desbonnet's, Kings of Strength book. He also reads some German. But I think I can take him in pig latin.
He writes for Ironman magazine and for Iron Game History, and his new book Retro Stud Will become another worthy addition to his work and your resources. Available in book stores.
Dec 20, 1920 John Terry born in Pittsburgh. As an adult stood 5'1" and weighed 132. I have also seen his height as 5'3". John competed at the 1936 Olympics in weightlifting and moved to York, at Hoffman's request.
David Chapman, in Ironman Mar 1994 relates how John roomed for awhile with John Davis, and later after he had married, Terry argued with his wife, and killed her, and was sentenced to a long prison term.
Dec 20, 1946 Steve Reeves and Bob Weidlich took the Pacific South Railway to Portland for the Mr. Pacific Coast contest. This was the first of two times that Steve would win the Mr. Pacific Coast contest. The next time he won it, May 24, 1947, he would later incorrectly remember as the Mr. Western America contest- a contest he asserted he had won, though in fact he never did. Chris LeClaire, using some documentation I supplied was finally able to convince Steve of this matter. Even the website devoted to Steve [SRIS] last time I checked, has some incorrect contest info on Reeves.
Dec 21, 1977 Paul Anderson's mother passed away.
Dec 22, 1909 Ron Walker born; died Oct 25, 1948
Dec 22, 1946 Steve Reeves and Bob Weidlich boarded the train in Portland to go to Oakland, California, after Reeves won the Mr. Pacific Coast contest.
Dec 22, 1955 Kathy Sipes, Chuck's daughter, born. His other daughters are Daphne and Patricia (Trish), the former younger, and the latter, older, than Trish.
Dec 23, 1891 George Jowett born; died Jul 11, 1969 A man of uncommon strength in some feats to whom has been attributed an anvil lifting feat that does not border the ridiculous, it crosses the border and settles in the heart of ridiculous: grasping a 168 lb anvil by the horn, he cleaned it then pressed it overhead. All using only one hand, of course. In the ironhistory.com gallery we have a photo of the real 168 lb Jowett anvil, which, unfortunately is not at all the same anvil as seen in those famous two photos of the anvil lift. The 168 is much larger, has a different horn curvature, and has a different base formation, but these facts flee the notice of those who perpetuate the myth.
Jowett explained his technique for lifting thick bars by saying that he began with a handle size he could manage, and as that size became easier, he wound tape around the handle to increase the diameter slightly, and worked with that until it became easier, then added more tape. An excellent training technique!
Dec 23, 1899 Larry Barnholth born; died May 23, 1975 Larry on Dec 5, 1943 at the Ohio State Weightlifting Championships, weighing 173 lbs lifted a total of 550 lbs, and the following year managed 560 at the same event, then the next year got 565 at the Pittsburgh Jr. Nationals.
By 1950 he and his brother Lewis were planning to write a book on the squat technique for the snatch in weightlifting, and in late 1950 he visited York Barbell with proofs of his book which became available for $1 (the good old days), was titled SECRETS OF THE SQUAT SNATCH and could be ordered from him at 212 Crittenden St. Akron 5, OH.
In 1957 he was elected to the Goodyear's Summit County Sports Hall of Fame.
At age 61, Larry could deadlift 400 lbs.
Those of you who have access to Osmo Kiiha's exquisite publication The Iron Master, see the May 1996 issue for an article by Crewell. Excellent! And full of details about the five Barnholth brothers and the American College of Modern Weightlifting (ACMWL).
Dec 23, 1941 Serge Reding born; died Jun 27, 1975. Perhaps the article title used by Tommy Kono in Strength & Health Feb 1973 says it all: Serge Reding, The Hapless Champ. He probably HAD more strength than he could properly demonstrate, and some thought him to be stronger than Alexeev, but just not able to come through in tense competitions. He almost pressed (not push pressed or jerked) 502.5 lbs back in 1970, the same year Alexeev broke the 500 lb barrier.
Dec 23, 1972 Charles Atlas died; born Oct 30, 1892/1893. Unlike today;s bodybuilders, who express more cuts than a Don Rickles' monologue, Charles had a pleasant physique, though hardly accurately described as muscular by today's standards, or even by the standards of his day among his iron peer group.
He is credited with and became famous for Dynamic Tension- a method of pitting one body part against its opposite and pulling, pushing etc instead of using weights. Not many sales I suspect to one-armed people.
It is generally believed that Atlas developed his physique using standard barbells and dumbbells, but knowing the market was filled with manufacturers of those items, chose a dynamic new route. As a youngster, I never paid much attention to Atlas ads-preferring the Jowett ads in comics, and of course the implements offered by Weider and Hoffman and Rader. But millions did pay attention, and paid money.
Dec 23, 1972 Roland Essmaker, Mr. America 1939, moved to San Marcos, CA. Roland died earlier this year, which reminds me- if you know of anyone in the sport who passed away this year, please share that info thru the comment button so that our necrology next month will include the name.
Dec 24, 1924 Charles Rigoulot weighing 192.25 lbs cleaned and jerked 336.25 lbs; he was age 21. (born Nov 3, 1903-died Aug 22, 1962). He cleaned and jerked the Apollon railcar wheels five and a half years after this C&J of 336.25 lbs.
Side-track: Next month we begin looking at Apollon, and how misunderstood his strength levels continue to be. For example, Willoughby attributes one hand deadlift estimates (based on other, known, feats) when perfomed using a 2" diameter bar-which is approximately the diameter to the wheels, and offers that Apollon, on a 2" bar could one hand deadlift 350 pounds. Yet we have people asserting that Apollon did not clean and jerk the wheels, but was merely able to two hand deadlift the 366 lb wheels. Uh, the other hand added only 16 lbs of strength?
Dec 24, 1946 Steve Reeves, back in Oakland, California, worked out at Yarick's Gym. At one time it was suggested that his name should be spelled Reves.
Dec 24, 1953 John Davis' mother passed away.
Dec 24, 1964 Mark Weider, Ben's third child, born
Dec 25, 1901 Joe Bonomo born; died Mar 28, 1978. The website Natural Strength by Bob Whelan recently had a story on Joe, which is worth your attention.
Dec 25, 1959 Charles A. Smith's wife died at age 42. Charles had quit at Weider in the early part of 1957, and three years later, on Christmas, lost his wife. There is a photo of her in the ironhistory.com gallery
Dec 25, 1967 Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Reg Park for Christmas. Arnold was age 20.
Dec 25, 1967 Angel Teves born in Hawaii; fitness model. See profile on Oxygen magazine May 1998.
Dec 26, 1892 The Rasso Trio renamed itself the Three Apollons. This was eight days after Apollon lifted overhead a 341 lb barbell that defied their efforts to properly deadlift.
Dec 26, 1906 Bert Goodrich born; died Dec 6, 1991
Dec 26, 1989 Kimon Voyages died; born Jan 2, 1922 Placed 2nd in the 1941 Mr. America, and in his six other tries for that title his best placing was in 6th in 1947 when Steve Reeves won. Kimon also tied for 6th in 1949 with Val Pasqua when Jack Delinger won.
His gym was at 572 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, Long Island. Two years later he competed for the final time in the Mr. North America event and placed 4th in class B (middle height). Gene Bohaty won.
He then judged in some contests including the IFBB Mr. America in 1964, and the inaugural Mr. Olympia in 1965.
Dec 26, 1994 Sylvia Koscina died; born Aug 22, 1933 Was Steve Reeves co-star in Hercules (as you will see when you buy Retro Stud).
Dec 27, 1880 Alf Hewitt born at 143 Abbey Street, Bermondsey. He was profiled in Health & Strength as 'Another Unknown King of Strength' by Pullum in the May 1942 issue.
Dec 27, 1881 Thomas Inch born; died Dec 12, 1963 So far as I know, in the modern era, say from 1860 or so, Inch holds the record for deception longevity, convincing literally thousands of people over the span of perhaps 90 years that he was able to lift from the ground to overhead his 172 lb solid Challenge dumbell one-handed.
We now know that he had at LEAST 5, not 4, bells which he foisted upon audiences as his Challenge bell. One of them, which is shot loadable with nutted ends, is shown in a 1939 film clip. Here, after two men grimace enough so that someone should be sent to fetch laxatives, but fail to even budge the weight off the floor, Tommy strolls up and with all the difficulty a man has smiling in the presence of a beautiful woman, lifts the bell casually to the shoulder and then overhead, and then picks up a separate weight in his left hand to compose a two hands anyhow lift total of 276 lbs. If the first bell were the 172, which it most certainly is not, then the second bell had to weigh 104 lbs. This is also unlikely as he curled it as easily as though it weighed 25 lbs.
One of the other two men who tried to lift the first bell, placed his hand on his upper thigh/groin area, to begin his pull. Even a beginning lifter knows this is improper technique for the best leverage.
The kicker is that Inch has a man using a hammer, tap on the bigger bell to show that it is in fact a genuine, metal dumbell. Perhaps a calibrated scale would have been of more proof? But proof was the very thing to be avoided where Inch's claims were bellowed forth.
And may I non-humbly add this: Until my research, culminating in our series here when INCH101 was presented, writers generally acknowledged that Inch was able to actually perform the feats he claimed with the 172 Challenge bell. Now, you will find some acknowledgment that he in fact did not, could not, have been that strong, and that deception, including the switching of bells, was what in fact happened. Wonder where those ideas came from?
Dec 27, 1952 Paul Anderson squatted world record 660.5 lbs and won his inaugural weightlifting competition via 275-225-300 for an 800 lb total
Dec 28, 1903 Luigi Borra's first performance under his new name: Brinn, The Cannonball King.
Dec 28, 1903 The finals of Macfadden's bodybuilding competition in Madison Square Garden; lasted thru Jan 2, 1904. (name is properly spelled with a lower case 'f')
Dec 28, 1992 Jack Delinger died; born Jun 22, 1926. Lost the Mr. America in 1948 to George Eiferman- some say because Jack took a friend's advice to stride deliberately to the posing area, and this may have seemed affected. But Jack returned in 1949 and scored 73.5 points out of a possible 75 to become Mr. America.
Dec 29, 1851 The first YMCA in America opens in Boston, MA. I understand that the famous bells of John Y. Smith may be housed there even to this day. If anyone reading this lives in Boston, what wonderful photos shots of those bells would make! Perhaps among them is the dumbell that Arthur Saxon was unable to clean. Again, sometimes the word 'lift' is used to describe what Saxon could not do with this bell. 'Lift' is a meaningless word in weightlifting; it begs for a modifier.
Dec 29, 1955 Candy Csensits born; died Jan 13, 1989 from breast cancer. Beautiful competitor, whose mother contacted York Barbell after Candy died, looking for a place to accept her photos and memorabilia so that Candy's memory could be honored.
Dec 30, 1953 Bill Kazmaier born in Wisconsin. Probably in his day the strongest man drawing breath on this planet. Is now narrating some of the strongest man competitions, and in 2002 was at the microphone at the Arnold Strongman event in Columbus.
Dec 31, 1919 Dr. Hy Schaffer born; died Jan 4, 1999. I have seen other spellings of his last name, and frankly, do not know which is correct.
Dec 31, 1976 John Fritshe died; born Nov 18, 1910. I do know Fritshe is the correct spelling, though, again, variant spellings have been offered.
Dec 31, 1978 Steve Stanko died. Steve was the first Mr. Universe. He won the title in 1947, and this situation leads to why these matters need to be well documented WHEN and AFTER they happen.
I mentioned that Steve was the first Mr. Universe, and this upset the widow of another famous competitor who thought her husband was the first Mr. Universe. She wrote to Ironman magazine wondering why I would write such a thing, so John Balik asked me to write an explanation, which I did, respectfully outlining the history, and proving that the sequence showed Steve to be the first.
This is bothersome to me. I do NOT CARE who was first or second, except that I care for accuracy. If Steve had been second, then that's fine with me, but we must adhere to what happened and not rewrite history based on faulty memory. Another man does not recall accurately how many times he competed against Grimek- he insists that it was once, when in fact it was more-as old magazine reports and photos prove! Another man claims he won best chest at a contest, when he was not the winner- these are all provable situations if the necessary reference tools are handy.
So collect all you can collect and READ/COMPARE/ and THINK! If you have no interest in collecting, then perform the other three functions carefully using the resources of those who have seen and studied the original sources. Fairytales should be for children.
Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark Dec 13, 1985
Was most interested to read the Grimek letter-or rather your comments on it- flaying Wayne. I can understand this since one must remember that for years, Grimek has been the Folk Hero of Bodybuilding and, no one can blame him, has accepted this role. Therefore anything said about him is taken as a slap in the face and not for what it really is-honest comment. I can recall he got very annoyed at me-or so I was told- for expressing the opinion that a certain Russian lifter had legs as well developed as his. And when I expressed the opinion that the arms of Melvin Wells were as good as his arms. I was told he got exceptionally irate. In other words, instead of making a temperate evaluation of the things praising him said about him, he began to believe them. No condemnation here. It is a very human, and often an acceptable trait. It's the same sort of reinforcing process used to boost the self esteem of infants- praise them for the small things they do. Or like kissing your wife to get her to do something she should have done without being kissed at all.
Different people react to situations in different ways. I don't give a shit who knows I have only one leg, or who talks about my amputation. I'll willingly, although not happily, discuss it with anyone. But that's me, and I can understand Grimek's sensitivity where his eye is concerned. And again, that's me. My opinion about Wayne's mention of it-and I haven't read what he said-is that it was not only uncalled for, but unkind and utterly chicken shit. I can see hurting a man's feelings if some good is accomplished by doing so, but I can't see hurting a man's feelings merely out of spite or for no reason at all except to hurt him. We should all be able to accept constructive criticism-and some of us can't- but none of us have to accept a willful act of unkindness. So I sympathize with Grimek
I think you act in handing the sister of Hise a copy of the film was most tactful-diplomatic-since it makes you more acceptable to them if you need to pursue a further fact of the life of Hise. Am surprised to learn he graduated from High School-where? Was it later on via a GED certificate?
[Roark note: The film Charles refers to was a home movie shot circa 1946 in Homer, Illinois and shows Joe playing baseball in the street and lifting weights, including juggling a kettlebell. The whole film lasts about 2 minutes. I gave a copy to Frances, but when I checked with her weeks later she still had not been shown the film, and setting up the machine etc was not something she was able to do alone. To this day I do not know if she ever saw her brother in that film. But tears flowed from her eyes when she remembered Curt, as she, and all Hise's early peer group called him]
Though I never measured his arms, and I worked with him for years when he and I worked for Weider- he as shipping clerk- I never taped the arms of Leroy Colbert and his arms were MASSIVE. Although he claimed, or had claimed for him, twenty inchers, my opinion was that 18 inches would have been a more reasonable measurement.
One thing I MUST ask you. PLEASE go careful about writing re my getting into the Hall of Fame. Let me state my opinion about this. I believe I am entitled to be there as a, what they call A CONTRIBUTOR. I have been writing now, starting with IRON MAN since 1938. That's close to fifty years. And I've written for mags not only in the USA but England. If the Hall of Fame is as they claim, non political, then I think that if judged worthy of inclusion, I should be included without any political maneuvering AND IN MY LIFETIME. It is gonna do me no good when I am dead, and I have always believed in a couple of British Navy Maxims, one is that if you have anything good to say about a man SAY IT NOW. And the second is you praise in public, admonish in private. So, to sum all this up, if there IS any likelihood of me being elected- and personally I think the prospect somewhat dim, for who knows me NOW-then I wouldn't want to have my chances blighted by what some might think of as LOBBYING for me. Do hope you understand. Write if you want to, but PLEASE be diplomatic.
[re Terry Todd] I have also asked him to get a shot of me at my long table in the magazine room of the Collection where I do most of my work. I do know he has several around. I have told him you want it for that article Lurie wants you to write.
I showed, that is donated, that XXX stuff to the Collection. Terry read it and we both got a lot of cynical chuckles out of it. The man is an out and out phoney. That sit up with 320 is ridiculous. Does he really expect anuone to believe that? Trouble here is that in the future these claims will be accepted as FACTS.
Ed Jubinville is a pretty nice fellow. I have never heard a word of gossip contra against him. He has also worked hard for the sport.
By the way, I think I told you I wrote to XXX thanking him for the mention of me in his book. No reply. My daughter looked at the book in a local shopping mall book store and almost gave birth to a tin of jam with excitement thinking it real fame. I told her not so. Did XXX ever reply to your letters? I have also been told that he lived with XXX's daughter who O'deed from some drug or the other. There seems to be something very sinister about that old dearie XXX.
I can remember the start of Joseph Curtis's first letter to me- "Dear Chas, as is my pappy's name".
I can just see XXX peeing his lace trimmed running shorts when he gets news of your Hise ferreting out.
Well, this is about all for now. If I have forgotten to answer any of your questions, rap me sharply over the knuckles with a stick of celery or a carrot strip. Best regards to you and yours, Chas.
Letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe Roark, day before Christmas 1985 [keep in mind that Charles' wife had passed away years before ON Christmas day, so it was an occasion of reminded sadness for him]
Ho Ho Ho Bah Humbug.
I am not surprised at the cool reception your proposal to the various magazines re Hise received. But nil desperandum. Keep on in there since JCH deserves a better place in the history of our sport, than to receive such cavalier treatment. Don't blame anyone in general. The so called modern crowd don't want to know about the pioneers. For this bunch they don't exist and they just don't want to know anything but how to get twenty inch arms, charge doctors' fees for seminars and horrendous payments for articles. It's the old American 'ethic'-note the sarcastic quotes- of getting rich quick- a so called ethic that's rammed down our throats night as day as 'The American Way.' I see nothing wrong in making money so as to live more comfortably and be free from want. But to make it for the mere sake of having it is not for me. You can only wear one suit of clothes at a time, can only eat one meal and this greed for cash shocks me.
As an example of how the modern bunch thinks and how little they know of the people and about the people to whom they are indebted more than they know, let me quote you what happened the other day. One of a bunch of young students were up in the Collection the other day doing some research for term papers. One of them held up an eight by ten glossy to me and asked, 'Who's this Mr. Smith?' I replied, 'Marvin Eder.' 'Oh, she said, 'just another one of those bodybuilders'. Words failed me. I seriously thought of going out and becoming a hatchet murderer. The tragedy of it is that in their ignorance of the past, these kids are robbing their future.
[re Hise] He was the first man who clearly saw that in order to gain weight and great power, one had to exercise the largest muscle groups of the body. In other words he reversed the dictum that as Klein put it 'Train for shape and strength will follow'. He saw that the reverse was true. That one should get strength first and THEN train for shape and that is what ALL the moderns do.
I am not at all surprised with what you have told me about XXX. I have always believed him to be a slimy bastard with a whore's mentality, a whore's greed, and a whore's outlook on life. Grimek will also tell you that they had to pull Jake Hitchens off him when XXX, who was sitting next to Jake's wife, held up his arm and said to her, 'Smell my arm pit. Ain't it sexy?' Hitchens was going to kill him.
To me XXX had it all and how anyone could say that Grimek was better than he I don't know.
As for XXX asking to be paid for his appearance at the Honors award, that is typical of that asshole. An indication of the amount of brains with which he is encumbered. Anyone with an ounce of sense would realize that not even the Oscar, Emmy, or Tony awards ask for, not do they receive or would receive payment for stepping up and receiving an honor.
Down a few for me at Xmas and the best to you and yours, Chas
And so ends our chronology for the year. Hopefully, by using the search function here at your friendly ironhistory hangout you will be able to find some info on major figures in the sport as well as find some references to read more about them or their lifts- the latter requiring access to some rare materials, but at least the references are here whenever they can be used.
In 2003, we will be examining some of the greats in more detail, and our focus will include little or no chronology, though I may include some repetition just so an honorable nod and a tip of the hat to our great forefathers can be offered.
We will begin where all true tales of oldetime strength begin, with Louis Uni, aka Apollon. Frankly, we have not decided what schedule to be on. So it may be that this effort appears in shorter installments several times per month, or longer installments less frequently. Whatever my time allows, so no longer look for the first and third Friday frequency. Instead, check the News column of cyberpump for new ironhistory issues. If we decide upon a regular frequency it will be announced, but my schedule for January and February is unsettled right now.
Here's hoping this holiday season surrounds you with peace and good health!
Posted by TheEditor @ 08:41 PM CST
Iron History Dec 6-19, 2002
Thursday, December 5, 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 1986-1990He 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.
Posted by TheEditor @ 07:20 PM CST
