"big pat you actually knew leo stern?Huh?{pic'd below} share some memories if you feel so inclined..."
Please let me apologize Funk for my lack of response. Been a long 2 years or family obligations and this thread somehow got overlooked.
I met Mr. Stern in late '78 or early '79. I was looking for a well built Mutli Bench for my training and by chance called his Gym Equip. Co. and talked to him personally. I came down to his store in North Park and we sat down and discussed what I needed and I ended up the a Rocmo (Rocky Mtn. Gym Equipment Co.) bench that I still have. Mr. Stern and I just plain got along from the beginning. I was just a big young man with a good memory for all things weight training. Mr. Stern would gladly answer any question I had as long as I could keep up with him while he took care of the gym, equipment store and his wife's figure salon.
I purchased other equipment from him and latter from his son David who tool over the store. Even years latter when I would correspond (by letter mostly) he would remember me and the things we had talked about. It took me 5 years of waiting to get him to autograph a copy of his image that hangs over the stairway to his gym. Mr. Stern was stern in his business dealings,no doubt about that, but he treated me very well and I miss the time we talked. My biggest regret in not taking the time to sit down with him and talk about the history of weight training in San Diego. He was truly the "Father of Weight Training" here. I remember we were talking about various personalities in the industry and he looked me straight in the eye and said, You should meet Dave Draper ( Mr. Draper has always been a person that I admired and have a great deal of respect for). Maybe someday I will.
Sorry for the rambling and I hope I have given some insight into Mr. Stern. Got to meet many other pioneers of weight training that were in the San Diego area. Hindsight is that I should have taken the time to sit down and talk with each and everyone of them. I guess life sometimes gets in the way of things you would have liked to do.
As a note I have always enjoyed your posting here and on the Ironage forum,.
Be safe and strong,
Big Pat