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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => History - Stories - and Memories => Topic started by: Protein Jones on March 15, 2005, 12:23:12 PM

Title: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: Protein Jones on March 15, 2005, 12:23:12 PM
I love when you guys start telling stories about training/hanging out with the guys that we've all come to know as legends.  Clayton on Ironage always used to talk about training at Gold's in 1969 with Arnold, Franco and others, but then he started throwing tantrums and stopped doing it.  I realize that you guys probably have an enormous amount of stories you could tell but just select a few that really stand out.

Oh, and this doesn't have to be limited to the old-schoolers -- if anyone has a great story involving pros or legends (bodybuilding, powerlifting, WSM, armwrestling, whatever), let's hear it.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bill Brasky on March 15, 2005, 12:27:28 PM
well..................I was Brooke Shields' stunt ass in the Blue Lagoon.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 15, 2005, 12:33:37 PM
Thanks Protein Jones,

Hmmm... my stories get triggered in the dusty old cob-web infested memory by something someone else says but to this day whenever I see Samir Bannout we both start making the sound of a machine-gun. Why?

Well when we were training partners, our third partner "Steve W*%&^" was REALLY into crytal meth. He'd hit the gym bathroom first thing and toot some. When were training he would talk so fast that he'd stutter and he was so intense his head would shake and it would sound like a machine gun going off. Samir and I would look at each other like "what the f*ck did he say". Then we'd just make that sound and crack up.

There are more but that one brings up all the good times and killer workouts.

Oh... tried it once... HATED it. Never again.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 15, 2005, 01:49:38 PM
Call the fire depatment!

When I trained at Ray Mentzers "Muscle Mill" is Redondo Beach, CA we would all go out to dinner after our workouts. Benny "beast-from-the-east" Podda, Ray Mentzer, Mike Mentzer, and 4 or 5 guys from the gym. As you can imagine most of the time it turned into a lecture from Mike and Ray. And of course there was no shortage of "test" running through our veins. Well were there's test, there's horns... woman beware.

After dinner one night one of the guys Ross is talking to some girl near her car. Now we've carpooled to the eatery so were the guys who rode with Ross are waiting. But he's making headway. Benny is getting pissed so all of a sudden we here "Ross call the fire department"!! Benny's got his pants around his ankles and had lit his pubic hair on fire (Benny loved attention). The girl freaks and hits the gas. We're all on the floor laughing our asses off!

So after that our favortite saying became "Call the fire depatment!".
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Protein Jones on March 15, 2005, 01:54:31 PM
;D hilarious

Some guy on here told this great story one time about how he went to a seminar in the 80's where one of the speakers was Gunnar Rosbo (I think Haney was there too), but when it was Gunnar's turn to talk he was so drunk that he kept falling down on stage.  Then someone raised his hand and asked Gunnar what his diet prep consisted of and Gunnar replied, "A case of beer and two bottles of vodka!"  I'm not sure if that's exactly how the story went but the person who told it should come back and tell it again.

Clayton used to tell a lot of stories about how much of an asshole Zane was, and how Arnold and his buddies would always drive to the beach in a station wagon loaded up with Blair's protein.  I think one day Clayton said that Zane was being really cocky and then he outbenched him (Clayton over Zane), and Arnold was so happy about it that he invited Clayton over to train.

There's been a few good stories about the jaw-dropping strength of Ray Mentzer, Casey Viator and Bertil Fox - onlyme just told another one.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 15, 2005, 02:20:07 PM
I'm like Max I read something and it joggles my mind so it brings back a memory.  I have a Benny Podda story I will tell later cause he is an asshole.  Anyway I have one with Don Ross.  We did a Gillete commercial for Puerto Rico.  It was for the new razor Gillette Probak II.  We were wrestlers and in the locker room shaving.  The razors we were using weren't working good and we would grab one then braks it while growling and gettin pissed off.  Finally we pick up the new Gillette Probak II.  It was awesome it shaved us so close and so smooth that we get so into it and excited we shave our heads.  We originally was going to so us actually shaving our heads but Don and the other guys head kept bleeding on camera.  Their heads were so fucked up from scars adn stuff.  My head was nice and smooth.  Even the makeup artist said it was perfect.  In fact the makeup artist was one of the original Mouseketeers.  I can't remeber his name but he shaved "Bulls" head on Night Court too.  Anyway, we shaved our heads just before lunch.  But me and Don were going to go outside for awhile and we had themn shave only parts of it and in weird patterns.  We looked like crazy guys.  I remember that the lunch they had for us was just some snacks.  If you knew Don Ross he was a crazy nut.  He went ballastic and said he will not finish the shoot unless we got steak.  the director was so afraid he asked me to calm Don down and I said man HE is crazy you better get us steaks.  So they did.  The pic is of me after my shaved head.  I have another great Don Ross story up later.  He was a nut.  Anyone else know who he was.  he was a pretty popular writer and he had the "Alien" on his arm.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 15, 2005, 02:30:17 PM
Don Ross used to carry a picture of a chicks p***y in his wallet and whenever he suspected someone was gay he'd flash it at them like you flash a cross at a vampire. He'd say this is my "anti-shmevick" potion get away shmevik (his word for gay)! He was such a goof. He started hangin at Ray's gym just before I left.

Benny was not an asshole... he just got tired of being around Ray.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 15, 2005, 05:11:17 PM
The Ripper in action.................. .

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Mobil on March 15, 2005, 06:10:00 PM
i can tell a story about titus. back in 95 or 96 when he still lived in houston he was working out at the same gym as i. this hot i mean hot blonde came up to him and asked if he was a pro bber and said he looked real good. he said "im working out leave me the fuck alone!!!" the girl walked off really fast.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: youandme on March 15, 2005, 06:44:30 PM
What a dipshit  >:(
what are you talking about, hes training no time for talk, plus he (back in the day) could pick and choose as he pleased.

Great stories guys
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 07:05:17 PM
Too bad Clayton was a ficticous charachter on ironage with about 5-6 different handles that he would converse with himself with........that`s why he is no longer there!

Don Ross again!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 07:07:06 PM
More Ross!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 07:09:30 PM
Don and Bob Jodkiweicz !

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 15, 2005, 07:11:21 PM
Don Ross used to carry a picture of a chicks p***y in his wallet and whenever he suspected someone was gay he'd flash it at them like you flash a cross at a vampire. He'd say this is my "anti-shmevick" potion get away shmevik (his word for gay)! He was such a goof. He started hangin at Ray's gym just before I left.

Benny was not an asshole... he just got tired of being around Ray.
I cant believe you guys know Don Ross......and that shevick shit-he was doing that when I met the guy in 1979. I cant believe Onlyme did a commercial with Ross. The first gym I joined was Clancy Ross's Mr America gym in Walnut Creek. Clancy had Don as manager (no relation). Clancy is one of the pioneers of BBing, having won the 1945 Mr. America, and Clancy beat Steve Reeves twice in competition.

Now Don, I dont know if he was an idiot or it was all just an act-but he was such a goof ball everyone got tired of him at the gym and Clancy fired him. Arnold would not let Don compete in the 1979 Mr Olympia contest (IFBB, Show /Arnold as promoter and Don was from Dan Luries WBBG), and Don was pissed off about that. Don was able to go in a few IFBB shows, but his career was winding down and he did poorly. He was always calling gay guys the  shevick line.

Don then went over to a huge hardcore gym that had just opened in Oakland in 1980 called the Olympia Gym and was manager there until it was closed by the IRS in 1981-now it is a Gold's Gym. But Don Ross was a charachter to say the least. His line used to be "I have to take 3 dbol a day b/c I compete against the best BBers in the world". Don was from Detroit and started training at the orginal Powerhouse Gym in Highland Park, Detroit-run by the Dabish brothers.....Tom Platz was also from Detroit and reallly looked up to Don Ross, Tom said his training heavy and with super intensity came from Ross.

I have to say I was very surprised when Don had the big heart attack-about 10 years ago and died-he was in his 50's and in decent shape........
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Ron on March 15, 2005, 07:13:50 PM
It is amazing how some people, when a competitor is in the zone of training for a big contest, come up to them during the toughest times of a set, and proceed to talk away, asking for a picture , for training information, etc.  Flex Wheeler said it best that the proper ediquette is to wait until one is done with a set or session and then come up afterwards, not right smack in the middle of it.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 07:18:41 PM
The pics that Bix posted have Don up against Ron Thompson Mr. America winner, who was also from Michigan..........as was Samir Bannout and Roger Callard.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 15, 2005, 07:28:52 PM
The pics that Bix posted have Don up against Ron Thompson Mr. America winner, who was also from Michigan..........as was Samir Bannout and Roger Callard.
There are many, many BBs that came out of Michigan, and extra ordinary number.

Don Ross used to wear a Powerhouse Gym shirt at Clancy's in 1979-when there was only one Powerhouse Gym.......at the time I just figured Don was from LA and Powerhouse was one of the hardcore gyms in So Cal.....had no idea it was in Michigan and would become a major gym chain. I cant remember if Don was manager at Powerhouse Detroit, but as I recall he was.......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 07:31:19 PM
Yeah,I remember years ago...........way back reading a mag where Ross won the Mr. Michigan.......a lot of famous guys came out of there...........Ron Love was another one!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 15, 2005, 07:47:19 PM
Too bad Clayton was a ficticous charachter on ironage with about 5-6 different handles that he would converse with himself with........that`s why he is no longer there!

Don Ross again!!

I thought that was a shame to have banned Clayton. Didn't Bill Grant say that he remembered him from back in the days ? So if he were real and had real stories to tell then who should give a f..k if he talked to himself on the board ?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 08:04:23 PM
Bix,I don`t recall Bill having said that but trust me........"Clayton" was someone in the industry who used the "Clayton" personna to hype up his products.........most of the stories were just that......stories.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 15, 2005, 08:09:45 PM
Oh the Blair's protein guy, right ?I never really paid to much attention to his threads but how are you sure they were just stories ?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 15, 2005, 08:18:20 PM
He would just make up stuff..........a lot of his stories in old posts were different in more recent posts........almost as if he forgot the lies he told.

He was about as real as the Easter Bunny..........some of his stuff was more than likely accurate but a lot of his tales of "1969" were ficticous.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 15, 2005, 08:33:20 PM
I can't remember what mag Don wrote for but he called me and interviewed me on the phone and said he's like to put some of the interview in the article.  I never saw the article.  Here is the funniest Don Ross story.  I can't remember the film name but I got a call to go to Dino DeLaurentis office to read for this movie.  I get there and see Don Ross in the lobby.  We say hi how are yhou doing that kind of stuff.  Anyway, the casting director comes out and puts us in groups of 3.  We are supposed to be 3 brothers just got out of jail.  We're supposed to be a little crazy and "off" in the head.  So anyway the first group goes in.  They leave.  Then it was Don's group.  I was in the last group.  About a minute later you here all this yelling and screaming and things breaking from the office.  We're all looking at each other like what's up.  The girl in the office opens the door and you can just barely see Don going crazy inn the office.  You hear all this cussing.  She shuts the doors and about a minute later Don comes out the door and yell "Fuck Yea"! he says see you later to me and leaves.  The guys from the office come out and tells the girl to call Don's agent.  He asks us to come in.  We go and the place is a mess. This guy is hysterical and asks us "what's with you Hollywood fuckers" look at what that asshole did.  Lolng story short, they didn;t even let us read for the part.  They cancelled the additions for LA and moved them to North Carolina or somewhere's like that cause that is where they were based out of.  I talked to Don once since that happend.  He told me his agent called him and told him they wanted Don to pay for the damages.  Don laughed at that one.  SO I think his agent at that time had to pay for it and he dropped Don.  I asked what he did and he said the part asked for the guy to be really crazy so he decided to be REALLY crazy.  He was reallu funny.  I wished I had one of the posters we did together.  I hadd one and lost it.  They were in every store in Puerto Rico.  We were also on a ton of billboards over there.  I did an appearance in Miami and some people recognized from the billboard.  It was neat.  I liked being bald and in fact I just shaved my head last week and am bald again.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 15, 2005, 09:10:54 PM
Don Ross used to wrestle-as in bigtime wrestling (what they called it in the Bay Area) to make money-this was before the WWF, and of course that is where he came up with "RIPPER" and he would shave his head bald except for a mohawk strip down the middle. He looked pretty weird.

Tony Atlas was another BBer that wrestled-back then very few of the wrestlers were bodybuilders. Today almost all the wrestlers lift-but Ross wrestled to make cash.

Ross was one weird guy. The IFBB never gave him a shot really, and I remember back in the early 80's Flex magazine ran an articel or a picture on Tegan Clive-cant remember what it was-that Ross thougth was in poor taste so he wrote a letter to Flex complaining, and Flex printed it and their reply-and they really ragged on Don, saying things like Don was known "in some parts of the bodybuilding world" as in he was a nobody has been. But he was strong, he was intense in his training and he did carry size......

As a matter of fact, Don Ross wrote these muscle building pamphlets that he used to sell-real cheap things about 20 pages long and stapled together- on how to build arms, legs, chest and so on, but the one me and my friends always laughed at ......and the title of this one became our "Motto" in the gym( I still use this today) was called, get this one:

The Secrets to Size, Power and Muscularity

So when ever I see a wannabe in the gym I always ask them what their secret is to size power and muscularity....I wish I had a copy of those old training guides......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 15, 2005, 10:18:14 PM
I don't mean to trash Don but that is one ugly mug and a pretty unappealing physique.

Let's get back to some stories this thread has gone way off topic. You bunch of shmeviks!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 15, 2005, 10:19:50 PM
Teagan was Don's girlfriend for some time back in the late 80's early 90's. 

Wife... she told me they were married.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 15, 2005, 10:39:34 PM
Yes they did get married later on.  In fact I think I saw a few of the wedding pics.  Okay let me tell you my Benny Podda story.

At Muscle Mill I used to provide quite a few people with those body enhancing supplements you usually get in Mexico.  Spme of them we talk about on these boards.  But nothing will come from these lips on that.  Anyway, Benny told me about a really good supplement that is given to race horses.  It was milky white.  Now for awhile everything was great.  Until one day one of my friends told me nothing is happening and it's been 2 months.  He took it to a pharmacist friend of his and it was actually milk.  So I approached Benny to ask him what's up. He said they are joking with me and left.  So I cehcked again with my friend and he showed me some kind of letter from his friend stating the facts.  So he gave me a copy and I showed Benny.  Benny then says well what the you gonna do.  Give him back his money.  I said no problem you give me back my money.  Then he erupted.  I was pretty surprised because Benny was allot smaller than me and especially shorter.  I looked at him and said what the fuck you talking about you fucking scumbag.  Now Ray comes over and asks what is happening.  I told him everything.  Then benny buts in and says. Hey asshole what are you going to do about it.  I said I'm going to kick your ass.  He says fuck you while Ray is between us.I then told the girl behind the counter to call 911.  benny says what the fuck you calling the cops for pussy.  I say not the cops...an ambulance casue I'm going to beat the shit out of you and I want them here so you don't die.  Ray loved that line and told us to knock it off.  Benny walked away cussing at me.  Ray turns to me ands says.  What the fuck is going on here I don't want to be in the middle of you two guys goinng at it.  From then on me and Benny never said another word to each other.  The guy who bought the stuff from me I made up to with some other supplements.  That is why i say that about Benny.  He was a tough little guy but at that time not to many people bothered me.  Max remember Ron Gibson from work.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 16, 2005, 08:36:36 AM
Damn bro I must have still been around. I never knew that happened. Benny and I stopped training their around the same time. I just got really tired of Ray's negativity and all his HIT crap. I was bigger and in the best shape of my life before he bought the gym, training under Rory's guidance. Then when Ray bought the gym he kept lecturing me during my whole workout from across the room. Eventually I changed my workouts to follow his bs training and got fatter and fatter and smaller and smaller. Then he caused me an injury that put me our for YEARS. I still get problems from it once in a while. Ray was one of the most negative people I've ever met.

I love that line of yours. "Call 911 cause this guy is going to need an ambulance!" Too funny.

Of course I remember Ron Gibson. I competed against him in the Collegiate USA back in the 70's before I moved to L.A. Ron kicked all our asses. I didn't even know what AS were back then.

Tequilla Willies is now and Islands. Man that was a year for p***y. It was everywhere, free, easy and fine.

Now I'm depressed.  :(
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 16, 2005, 09:58:32 AM
How about Bob Sears.  Me and Bob were good friends.  I rememebr me and a friend went over to his house.  He answered the door with no shirt on.  I swear to god he looked like Arnold at his peak.  Bob had such a great chest and his abs were the thickest I have ever seen.  His quads were huge.  His body was awesome.  He showed a bunch of articles on himself that many saying he is the next Arnold.  I really think he wasted his life away with the cocaine.  It ruined everything he had.  Lost his great wife and job and all his desire to train seriously.  man I'm telling you and I've seen some of the best, Bob defintiely could have done some damage in the Pros.  Plus he wasn't bad looking.  I remeber we would always compete to see who got the most girls.  We used to play hide n' seek at work too.  I found him one time screwing a girl in the not completed pong in the back.  He caught me getting head in the closet by the restrooms.  We had a great time back then.  SO many of the BB's from Gold's came in because of Ron, Bob and remember Jim Flarety.  He was a BB too.  But I think he was better known for putting diets together for competitors.  He was funny casue he had no sense of humor.  And then Rajan got a job bouncing there from Gold's too.  He took so much steroids he would shoot up in the restroom.  Some guys came by and wanted us (the bouncers) to work private security for Larry Flint (owner of Hustler).  We all said no but Rajan.  A few weeks later Rajan is tellng me he is selling these paintings and if I knew anyone who wanted to buy them.  They ended up being Larry FLint's.  I guess they somehow found there way into the trunk of his car.  Great stories from that place.  How about when the cops tried to pull over the Barbarian Brothers in their Jeep outside the front of the club.  That was hilarious too.  Remember the 32 oz. Margarita The Manhattan Maggie.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on March 16, 2005, 10:52:16 AM
awesome stories guys, keep em coming

any good barbarian stories, they looked like real characters.

I remember reading they were from Rhode Island, lol thats where those 2 filmaking brothers alwasy base thier zany movie characters from(dumb and dumber, stuck on you, me, myself and irene)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 16, 2005, 11:45:24 AM
Onlyme trained with the Barbarians for a while. They were real characters. Since I was a freind of Tim Kimber and Peter Grymko, I was quickly accepted in as "one of the gang" with almost everyone at Gold's, the barbarians included. David and Peter Paul were always going at it. The stories you read about were true. If Peter was about to miss a rep on the bench David would put his foot in Peters face to make him get the rep assisted or not. They had really bad hygene though dirty sweaty gym clothes. One time I thought they were tanned and then I realized their faces were dirty. Good guys though.

One time I saw them going to a movie theatre. They went right to the front of the line. They said they did it "because we can". Theyn were like little kids always looking to see what they could get away with.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on March 16, 2005, 11:53:04 AM
WERE ALL THE stories about platz training with beserker intensity true.

lot of guys seem to have gone thru a meth phase back then, which has made somewhat of a comeback to society the past few years.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 16, 2005, 03:45:45 PM
I've seen Dorian's video... his intensity does not come close to Platz. I've seen Ronnies video ans seen him train once (off-season) his intesity does not com close to Platz. I've trained with Ray and Mike Mentzer... their intensity does not come close to Platz. At least once or twice Pro's would stop watch Tom do a set and walk away shaking their head. Tom was a freak... Tom thrived on pain. Let's take hacks. Eacg rep he would touch his knees to the floor in front of him. He do a set to failure. Then partials... until he couldn't budge the shoulder pads... Then he'd press the weight up with his arms and shoulders and stand up into the machine and do negatives down. when he couldn't go any further. He's stretch at the botton and then finally he'd collapse like a dead fish.

The guy was f*cking possessed. I'd train with ANYONE. Anyone except him. F*ck that. I'd rather go to the dentist and have him drill a hole in my skull.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 16, 2005, 08:04:15 PM
I've seen Platz train in person several times at World Gym.  For some reson I really don't remember him training his upper body.  It was coinendence  (?) that I was there always on leg days.  Squats was one thing watching him do.  And he always (at least most of the time) had a couple of spotters.  They were'nt used to spot him on lifts they were used to help him back to the bench and sit down and change weight.  I'll never forget him doing calf raise with who knows how much weight but do it to a point where he would literally collapsed and the two guys would catch him and carry him back to the bench to sit down.  They woudl tie and untie his wraps get his water and everything else needed...except lift the weights.  He definitely was the most intense person I have ever witnessed, at least in regards to lower body training.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 16, 2005, 08:21:02 PM
As with David and Peter like i've mentioned before we were all like brothers.  This was back in the early 90's.  I have not talked to Peter in years and I've talked to David a few times in the past few years.  I have some great stories with these two.  They were definitely strong as hell and just about any far-fetched story you heard about them is true as Max said. They really did bascially almost anything they wanted.  A warning to all you, don;t go grocery shopping with them.  I remember on Maui we had to go to the market to get some food and Benedryl for David.  First we stop at Jack in the Box.  David tells me I have to try the Double Fudge Cake.  So he orders (at the drive up) 4 Double Fudge Cakes.  I figured 1 for each of us and 2 for him.  Then Peter says how about me and Daivd says 4 more and asks me how many I want.  i said 2, he says 4 more.  So anyway, that was our pre-dinner.  So we get to the market and David downs 2 bottles of Benedryl while he is shopping.  Unreal.  So then we get in the car and peter pulls out a bag of cotton balls and from his sock a bottle of Rubbing Alcohol.  I couldn't believe it.  They were funny.  I had the room next to theres at the hotel so I could keep an eye out.  David is banging on my door at about 7Am.  He aked me if I wanted a Protein Shake.  I said whats in it while I walk in their room.  David is mixing in the blender 2 cans Diet Orange Soda, 2 cans tuna in water, 4 or 6 eggs and a couple scoops protein.  He mixes it up and immediately I say that's okay.  He drinks it while holding his nose.  It smelled up the whole room.  Now jumping to Oahu after this fun trip to Maui.  I pick them up to take them to the airport.  Both their luggage is being kept together with duct tape.  I asked what happened.  They say get in the car lets go.  While I'm driving Peter gets all excited and tells me what's in the luggage.  They had more than 20 down pillows.  They were telling me how much these kind of pillows cost.  I couldn't believe it.  Anyway, I have more like when we went to the waterfalls with Pete G. and David hanging from the trees.  And I almost gave Pete a heart attack when I ran towards a bridge and jumped onto the railing without any kind of anything below me for almost 200 feet. He jumped out into traffic to stop all the cars.  but David and Peter were really nice guys and they we got along really well.  One compliment they gave me that I liked was I was the only one they've ever trained with that could keep up with them.  You should have seen the 30 or 50 people at the gym on Maui watching us do 405 lb. BNP.  It was something.  The one thing I didn;t get into was the reverse bench.  David was good at that.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Disgusted on March 16, 2005, 09:29:43 PM
Awesome stories. I'm kinda surprised that no one has ever filmed Platz doing a workout. Anyone know of any?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: The_Iron_Disciple on March 16, 2005, 10:04:26 PM
Great Stories !
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 16, 2005, 10:36:21 PM
Awesome stories. I'm kinda surprised that no one has ever filmed Platz doing a workout. Anyone know of any?

Platz trained his upper bady just as hard. He'd do standing smith machine shoulders presses the same way he did hacks. Matter of fact he'd do everything that way.

Magic Shwartz video-taped Platz's workouts during that tikme frame. and was going to sell them about 7 years ago but now the gang over at Ironage has had an APB out on Magic but no luck finding him so far. Leo Costa did some video's with Platz training in the mid ninties. They are good, I have them and Platz was training hard but nothing like he did when I watched hom throughout the summer of 1981 training for the Olympia. I see him around Redondo Beach occasionally. When I talk to him about that summer and his training he just says "I wanted it badly".

My favorite line of Toms on the Leo Costa Video is "Welcome to the pain zone... it's where we live."
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: apk19 on March 16, 2005, 10:49:23 PM
Guys you need to collaborate and turn these stories into a book!  ;)

Or at least make this thread a sticky!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 17, 2005, 12:04:35 AM
Okay got to tell the buffet story.  Myself, David and Peter, Pete G. and a black guy named Clyde Butch Perry (Manny Perry's cousin).  He was a competitive BB'  I think he was in the USA or something like that.  Good size guy and really nice.  Well myself and one of my other friends picked up on some girls.  They liked us and wanted to hang around.  They came to the hotel in their convertible Rabbit.  We had a great idea.  Myself (300lbs.), David (270), Peter (250), Clyde (240) all got in the little Rabbit and drove around the traffice circle in front of the hotel.  You got to imagine this little car with us in it.  The tires were smoking and it was hilarious.  I have it on tape and pics somehwere but I think in LA.  Anyway the owner of the nightclub in town had the only limo in town so he let us use it while we were there.  So, comes dinner.  This hotel has the best seafood buffet in hawaii.  I used to fly to Hilo just for the buffet on Fridays.  So, we all sit down.  There was us, the two girls and a couple of other friends.

Now for my size I really don;t eat a whole lot.  But I do down the fish.  I had maybe a couple pounds.  The regular sides.  Instead of glasses of milk or orange juice all of us grabbed the whole pitcher and drank from them.  Instead of a piece of pie we grabbed the whole pie.  Anyway, about an hour later we are stuffed.  David is finishing what I had on my plate.  I of course had a plastic bag and took quite a bit of the fish to my room for later.  So we are all sitting there stuffed to the gills.  Pete is at the other ended of the table eating everything on the table that was left.  Pete now weighs about 180 or 190.  He eats only one meal a day.  He is a night person.  he used to tell me about how a lion lives.  Sleeps all day eats at night one big meal.  Very efficient he used to tell me.  I kind of live like that but I got it mixed up and thought he said eat all day and night.  Anyway, so he eats an incredible amount of food.  Sometimes he will order 4 or 5 times at a restaurant when we go out.  Even my daughters can't believe how much he eats. Anyway, we just couldn;t believe what we were seeing.  Our table ate more than probably all the other tables put together that were eating when we were there.  So if you ever get a chance to eat with Pete.  Fast before you go cause you are going to gain weight.  And the funny thing is how trim he stays doing this.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Ausvet on March 17, 2005, 01:27:07 AM
Size, Power and Muscularity - bought it from Don at the Pro U in 1981. Even though I didn't want him to he insisted on autographing the book. Saw him in '94 in World Gym - he came over and asked if we wanted to see a pose and before we could say 'sure, don' he'd cranked out a most muscular. I watched him approach Vic Richards at the Olympia telling him he was the world's most muscular man. Vic seemed to think it was an accurate assessment. Don was in great shape - this was about 6 months before his death.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 01:33:00 AM
Now for my size I really don;t eat a whole lot.  But I do down the fish.  I had maybe a couple pounds.  The regular sides.  Instead of glasses of milk or orange juice all of us grabbed the whole pitcher and drank from them.  Instead of a piece of pie we grabbed the whole pie. 

Glad YOU don't eat much for your size.  A couple pounds of fish, two or three plate-fulls of rice, potatoes, veggies, a loaf of bread, A picture of milk, a picture of OJ and a whole pie.

Just a friggen snack. You crack me up.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 01:42:31 AM
I remeber we would always compete to see who got the most girls.  We used to play hide n' seek at work too.  I found him one time screwing a girl in the not completed pong in the back.  He caught me getting head in the closet by the restrooms.  We had a great time back then.  SO many of the BB's from Gold's came in because of Ron, Bob and remember Jim Flarety.  Remember the 32 oz. Margarita The Manhattan Maggie.

It was  the best p***y gettin place I ever worked.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 210 and growing on March 17, 2005, 02:57:07 AM
funny stories - keep em coming !!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 08:58:11 AM
When I first moved to LA I went to Santa Monica Beach one day to work on the tan and scope some poon. Ran into Bill Grant, Chris Dickerson and a couple guys from the gym so we find a spot to soak up the rays...

...All of a sudden we hear the big THUD. We look over a Casey Viator was headed our way but he fell flat on his face because he was so high on ludes (Casey LOVED qualudes). We just all cracked up. He had this look on his face like a kid that had gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 17, 2005, 09:58:15 AM
I used to watch Platz train his legs at Gold's in Santa Monica.

One day Ernie Santiago of Hawaii was either training with or along side Tom and doing his best to keep up .

Mid way through this grueling workout, Ernie asked me if I would stick around and give him a ride back to the hotel cause, "My legs are gonna be useless after this workout!"

So I said, "Sure" and more than likely waited around talking to Pete who is a great conversationalist if the subject matter is right on.

A bit of time passed and Pete looked outside the office and saw Ernie sitting on the floor leaning against the wall and looking half dead.

So I walked over and checked him out to see if he was OK.

"OK, Ernie, let's get going!"

"Wait, I gotta train!"

And Pete and I just looked at him and laughed!

"Keep your eye on him. He's in a stupor.", said Pete as Tom said "bye" and walked out the door.

"You see that guy over there doing curls with the cast on his leg? He trained with Tom a couple of months ago and was in a stupor just like Ernie, but he walked out and walked right in front of a car not ten feet away from the front door! And I've seen that happen more than once when the guys are carb depleted getting ready for a contest and training as hard as Ernie just did this morning."

So we helped Ernie back on his feet - but he was still reluctant to leave without "training first"!

Gradually he came around and realized that he was acting crazy!

Ernie went on to win two national titles that year. I wasn't with him at the contest he did in San Diego but back then he was the first competitive bodybuilder known to have a striated butt.

One magazine stated that no one has been that ripped before.

Ernie's "secret" was eating nothing but raw fish for seven weeks before his contest.

I'll contact Ernie this week and see if he can join us and tell some of these stories. He has some WILD tales to tell from those days of BB.

I spoke to him just last week. He called to tell me that he is back to training and might be competing
once again.

I don't think I was ever in SM GOld's when the brothers were not there. It was like their second home. When I first met them, I called them the "Lumberjacks" because of their workout clothes.
I still run into one of them every time I go back for a visit. Last time we got togehter with Pete and had a decent lunch, but nothing "crazy" happened on that occasion as far as I can recall.

Those were the days when everyone seemed to be a unique character. Everyone who worked out at Gold's back then is worth telling a story about. I wish I had paid more attention.

Who remembers Marty Gentle? He trained with the Brothers a few times before he moved back to ALabama.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 10:42:04 AM
Kevin... I think I know who you are! Remember your old training partner and my roomate (for a month) Greg from Boston? Are you THAT Kevin.

Were you talking about Pete Grymko or Peter Paul?

I also remember Ernie Santiago. Yes he was ripped.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 12:01:24 PM
Stallone's first wife Sasha used to train at Gold's Venice with a trainer. She started at the Gym on 2nd street and was still training after the Gym moved to Hampton Dr.

A guy a know from Rochester named Scott (I can't remember his last name) was a Stallone look-a-like if there ever was one. One day he walks in and I was standing next to Sasha and watched her do a double-take.

I looked over and said "looks like someone you know, doesn't he?

She goes... Damn I thought it was him at first!

It was funny but I guess you had to be there.

Man this thread has me living in the past.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 17, 2005, 12:10:22 PM
Max,have you got any Samir stories.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Protein Jones on March 17, 2005, 12:12:45 PM
These stories are great  ;D  It always gives me a sense of nostalgia, even though I wasn't there.  You don't usually see that sort of camaraderie among the pros of today.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 12:20:34 PM
Samir Bannout was strong as hell for a guy of 210 pounds. I told it once before. We were working threw our warm-ups on squats, 135, 225, 315 etc. When he stepped back to do his set with 315 he we were close. Not really to spot him with 315 but we were "building the Physch". I don't know what got into him but he said "step back" we did and he starts doing behinf the neck push presses. Not strict--there was plenty of leg kick but still very impressive. (Well to some of us here--not to the super-hero's like onlyme and Chris Mason).

Samir would hit that tricep pose (the one with all the freaky cross-striations several times a day. He loved that shot. So would I if my tri's looked like that.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 17, 2005, 12:45:35 PM
Max,did Samir ever tell you about what happened in the UK at the Grand Prix,i think it was 1990,when he got upset with the EFBB President,a guy called John Martin.It was as the show had finished and nearly everyone had left the building and Samir questioned him about why he had placed so low,and when he wasn`t satisfied with the answer he got,he punched his lights out onstage.The next day all the pro`s were having an autograph evening in the Weider Health club,and Samir was banned from entering and selling his photo`s.But he turned up anyway,and barged in and set up a table and started selling his photo`s.John Martin never said a word.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 17, 2005, 01:01:02 PM
I remember seeing Samir at the gym training but didn't really watch him that much.  If I remember right people always said he had a weak back and that he needed to work on it if he was going to win the big one.  I do remeber from where I was sitting he didn't look weak anywhere.  But no one had a back more impressive than Tony Pearson.  I would do sitted rows with him and be behind him with my mouth on the ground.  His back was awesome.

I liked the old World Gym with the outside area to train.  There was this actor there who played in The Deep.  Not the black guy but the big white guy.  He was in there allot.  He was outside one day looking through his hand by making a small circle with it.  I asked what he was doing and he said looking at a girl walking down the street.  he showed me how to make my hand into a type of telescope.  So here we are on the second floor ooutside workout area looking through our hands at girls a mile away.  Man, we were weird.  I think about that everytime I see him on screen.  Remember Brad Davis.  He was an actor and bodybuilder.  More famous than I thought at the time.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 01:15:21 PM
Max,did Samir ever tell you about what happened in the UK at the Grand Prix,i think it was 1990,when he got upset with the EFBB President,a guy called John Martin.It was as the show had finished and nearly everyone had left the building and Samir questioned him about why he had placed so low,and when he wasn`t satisfied with the answer he got,he punched his lights out onstage.The next day all the pro`s were having an autograph evening in the Weider Health club,and Samir was banned from entering and selling his photo`s.But he turned up anyway,and barged in and set up a table and started selling his photo`s.John Martin never said a word.

No that was long after Samir and I stopped training together. I heard about the incident from a buddy who is an IFBB judge. That is not really a funny incedent because it ended Samirs career forever.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 01:33:53 PM

If I remember right people always said he had a weak back and that he needed to work on it if he was going to win the big one.  I do remeber from where I was sitting he didn't look weak anywhere.  But no one had a back more impressive than Tony Pearson.  I would do sitted rows with him and be behind him with my mouth on the ground.  His back was awesome.


Dude... whoever told you that HAD to have been kidding, high on crack
or been reading braile. Samirs back was one of his best body-parts. He was the first to display a christmas tree and did bent rows with 405 for 8-10 clean reps. He got me from foing 225 to doing 365 for 8.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 01:34:55 PM
Samir

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 17, 2005, 02:02:23 PM

 But no one had a back more impressive than Tony Pearson.  I would do sitted rows with him and be behind him with my mouth on the ground.  His back was awesome.

Tony Pearson had an amazing back and a super small waist.

I saw Tony in May 2003 when I was training at Las Vegas Gold's on Craig, he is looking a little bit older-but he is in good condition-not big, but lean and looks like a champ.....He is a private trainer in Las Vegas, and he has his flyer up at the Craig Gold's and most likely the others as well......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 02:44:00 PM
Onlyme tell these guys about Tony Persons diet.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SHRREDDitUP on March 17, 2005, 03:25:33 PM
Tony pearson

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 17, 2005, 04:00:40 PM
Max, Do you mean Greg Gaunt? My friend with the funny clothes?  If so, then you do know me. I got some appropriate Greg stories to pass on if we are speaking of the same person.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 17, 2005, 07:49:37 PM
Kevin I don't think he knows Greg Gaunt.  Why would anyone else know greg but us.  Max, the diet Tony had me on was tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day tuna in water, lettuce dry, water all day EVERYDAY!  Waller used to support this torture.  To this day I don;t know if they were fucking with me or not.   I hated going to restautants with these guys.  For awhile though I was into raw eggs as most of us were after rocky came out.  12 at a time.  When I did order those from restaurants the waitress always hung around to watch me drink them.  They didn't bother me at all.  Then Benny Pooda gave me his song and dance about drinking raw eggs.  he did his college thesis (?) on the Egg.  He knew everything about them.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 17, 2005, 07:53:09 PM
Wow I was just watching ESPN Classics and the Kansa City Chiefs were on.  Does anyone here heard of Mike Garrett.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 17, 2005, 07:57:35 PM
Tony pearson

Those are some great pics of Tony.

He was one of my favorites during the 80's.  He had such a freaky shape, as you can see in those pics.  He often seemed to be overlooked by IFBB pro judges.

At some point he even had plastic surgery to make himself look more like Michael Jackson, as I recall?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 17, 2005, 09:01:47 PM
Early Tony Pearson............then Tony Pearson looking a lot like Michael Jackson with calf implants.

Great thread guys!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 17, 2005, 09:06:28 PM
Another shot of Tony,and then one with Carla Dunlap!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 17, 2005, 09:59:09 PM
Max, Do you mean Greg Gaunt? My friend with the funny clothes?  If so, then you do know me. I got some appropriate Greg stories to pass on if we are speaking of the same person.

I can't remember his last name. He would binge on food and eact a whole box of cookies or whatever. Then he'd completely clog up the toilet. He was my roomate for a month when I live on Venice Blvd. in Mar Vista. He was from Boston. He'd show for a month or two and then go back home.
Title: 89/416
Post by: Kevin on March 17, 2005, 11:05:31 PM
Tony Pearson! He won the Nationals in Ohio, I believe. (Or was it further south). I think that was the same year Ronnie Teufel was expected to win but he suffered a major disappointment losing to Tony.

I recall having breakfast with one of the contestants' mom and dad in a pretty fancy coffee shop ajacent to the weigh-in site.

This was the first time these older folks had been to a major contest, so they were kind of bewildered and awestruck by it all.

So we're sitting there having breakfast and Tony walks by either on his way to or from the weigh in, so I shouted, "Good luck, Tony" from across the room.

So he comes walking over and tells me that there is no way that he is gonna lose to Teufel or anyone else for that matter.

And then he drops his pants to show his legs and the whole place (mostly bodybuilders and their fans except for the "older folks" sitting at the table) let out a roar of approval, while the older foks almost choked on their Chock Full O Nuts.

They had never seen anyone drop their pants in a public place, let alone receive a roar of approval.

And they had never seen a pair of legs like Tony's!

I ran into Tony recently (at the Oly, I think) and he looked great.

It might have been that next year or one year later. We were in Atlanta, Georgia and the contest was being held at the Fox Theater which was famous for showing the World Premiere of "Gone With the Wind".

I had an old hillbilly truck and was transfering the guys from the host hotel to the contest site and I must have made about 3 to 4 trips in the process.

As I dropped off my last load, Mike Mentzer came running out of the theater asking me if I had seen his brother Ray. I answered in the negative and told him I'd go look for him and bring him back alive if I was able to find him.

So I run back to the hotel and there he is, just sitting there watching the morning go by with not a worry in the world.

"Let's go, Ray. You're late!"

"OK, thanks! I knew someone would come by and get me if I just sat here and waited!"

And as we drove he told me how well he was gonna do that day. No BS, just sheer confidence. He was gonna take it home.

And sure enough, he did.

Damn! That was a boreing story, huh?  Sorry.......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: The_Iron_Disciple on March 17, 2005, 11:27:24 PM
Great f*cking story, Kevin ! Keep them coming guys ... man, I kinda wish I shared some of your guys experiences ... you guys sound like you had a lot of fun back in the day. Bodybuiding just isn't the same anymore.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 18, 2005, 03:31:49 AM
Tueful,Manuel Perry,and Pearson,all look shocked at the announcement of Pearsons Mr. A win!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 18, 2005, 03:35:55 AM
Tueful was so pissed, as he was touted to win,because he had come so close previously,just storms off the stage in disgust and disbeleif!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on March 18, 2005, 05:00:03 AM
I am loving threads like these

its kinda like hearing the real stories about all the guys I used to read about in magazines back when I was a kid

I recall the first gym I joined in montreal was previosly owned by Roy Callender, and some of the guys there saying that he used to train like 5-6 hours a fucking day year round
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Man of Steel on March 18, 2005, 06:21:43 AM
well..................I was Brooke Shields' stunt ass in the Blue Lagoon.

TO BILL BRASKY!!!!

MOS
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 18, 2005, 08:28:59 AM
In 1977 I had just placed 2nd in the the Empire State and Danny Padilla (who I trained with for the show) convinced me I was ready for the USA (NOT). That was the year Kal had to go to the USA to compete against Mentzer in the Universe a week later. Danny was going to avenge his loss against Makaway. So off to New York City. I'm waiting for Danny at the Rochester aiport to fly together. The call last call or the plane is leaving without us. All of a sudden here comes Danny down the hall like he just swallowed a canary, sheepish grin.

So we get to NY check into the hotel and go to eat breakfast. We sit down and over near the entrance we see the chest walk in. It keeps coming, keeps coming, keeps coming and the the head appears about 5 minutes later Kal and his smoking hot wife.

The sit with us. Renew their old freindship with Danny and Kal orders Steak and 16 whole eggs easy over. The waitress was like... WHAT! Wofed them down like he hadn't eaten in months.

We just sat Those guys were doing Joe Weider imitations (Danny and Samir are known for their steller Joe Weider imitations) and laughed until it was time to head over to the pre-judging.

Oh the USA. I got shafted! I placed 3rd to last in my class and I should have been 4th to last. lol
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 18, 2005, 09:12:02 AM
Max! Who won the USA that year???

I did forget to mention in the Ray Mentzer story above that he was on the verge of or already into his "survivilist" mode.

But my occupation at that time was far and above what he was telling me, so I paid little attnetion until years later when I heard that he "was living in a forest someplace".

Any truth to that?

Regarding Pearson and Teufel. If whoever took that picture of Ronny departing the stage, followed him backstage to the TV interview and took a picture - then you got a photo of ME! I was NOT the interviewer - he was from a local station in town.

I was standing beside Ron at that time listening to that interview, but it was so damn long ago, I forgot when he said. BUT I do know that he was damn disappointed!

Thanks for positng those pictures proving that all this stuff just isn't part of my imagination. I got tons of those old time photos packed away someplace. I'll try to find them and get them up here if I can figure out how to do so. Most of the photos are 35 mm slides in the era when guys like Platz and Grant and Arnold and all were sort of on the skinny side.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 18, 2005, 09:17:19 AM
Max! Who won the USA that year???

I did forget to mention in the Ray Mentzer story above that he was on the verge of or already into his "survivilist" mode.

But my occupation at that time was far and above what he was telling me, so I paid little attnetion until years later when I heard that he "was living in a forest someplace".

Any truth to that?

Regarding Pearson and Teufel. If whoever took that picture of Ronny departing the stage, followed him backstage to the TV interview and took a picture - then you got a photo of ME! I was NOT the interviewer - he was from a local station in town.

I was standing beside Ron at that time listening to that interview, but it was so damn long ago, I forgot what he said. BUT I do know that he was damn disappointed! And that disappointment continued on for years.

Thanks for positng those pictures proving that all this stuff just isn't part of my imagination. I got tons of those old time photos packed away someplace. I'll try to find them and get them up here if I can figure out how to do so. Most of the photos are 35 mm slides in the era when guys like Platz and Grant and Arnold and all were sort of on the skinny side.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 18, 2005, 09:57:50 AM
Max! Who won the USA that year???

Kal Szkalak.

http://musclememory.com/cgi-bin/contest?Mr+USA+-+IFBB?1977?M
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Soldier of Iron on March 18, 2005, 10:34:15 AM
I've seen Dorian's video... his intensity does not come close to Platz. I've seen Ronnies video ans seen him train once (off-season) his intesity does not com close to Platz. I've trained with Ray and Mike Mentzer... their intensity does not come close to Platz. At least once or twice Pro's would stop watch Tom do a set and walk away shaking their head. Tom was a freak... Tom thrived on pain. Let's take hacks. Eacg rep he would touch his knees to the floor in front of him. He do a set to failure. Then partials... until he couldn't budge the shoulder pads... Then he'd press the weight up with his arms and shoulders and stand up into the machine and do negatives down. when he couldn't go any further. He's stretch at the botton and then finally he'd collapse like a dead fish.

The guy was f*cking possessed. I'd train with ANYONE. Anyone except him. F*ck that. I'd rather go to the dentist and have him drill a hole in my skull.

Thats incredible. I never heard of intensity like that before.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 18, 2005, 12:06:27 PM
Kevin... you've been around Venice YEARS after I left. I've been in Redondo now since 1983 and I see you when I come up once or twice a year so I know you have tons of stories.

The prejudging in that 1977 USA was weird because they had us in the orchestra pit while it was lowered. I was a middleweight. When the heavyweights came on I was looking over the ledge with everyone watching and Arnold came up right next to me looked into the pit, starred for about 30 seconds and said "everyone but Kal can go home now." Then he walked off.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on March 18, 2005, 12:30:08 PM
any good lou stories?

ps- did lou charge 20 bucks for a pic back then or was 20 bucks today the equivalent of 5 bucks
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 18, 2005, 12:41:32 PM
Oh my god!  I just had a great long story and I accidently erased it.  I am pissed.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 09:01:49 AM
I'll try to keep this going a bit while Only Me retypes the long story he lost.

Before I start, let me say this...... Only me is a big supporter of the "No Hope In Dope" organization and abides by their "code" faithfully. BUT everyone f____ks up once in while and I'm gonna challange him to tell you that story ...... Here's the clue, Only ...... A.I.'s wedding banquet. It's one heck of a funny story when he tells it in person. I just hope it comes off as well when he writes it down.

OK........

Who in this group ever stood along side Rolf Mouller?

I guarantee ya that if you have a ten minute conversation with Rolf, you'll depart with a pain in your neck.

He is so tall that you have to look straight up to make eye contact.

One day I helped Rolf and his GF get into one of the little tourist helicopters and the pilot almost shit his pants. But after a few computations with helicopter flying "formulas", he decided that it would work and gave me the thumbs up as they gradually lifted off the ground.

Rolf was squeezed in the back and it reminded me of the circus when all those clowns were squeezed into the smallest VW possible.

Rolf is one of those rare giants who is symmetrical. And when he is in contest shape he's a sight to see and a traffic stopper.

The last time I saw Rolf was at one of the national contests in the Shrine Auditorium. We had a good long talk and lots of laughs recalling that helicopter ride.

And I had a pain in my neck for the next few days.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 09:37:13 AM
I think I've met or have known about 80% of the pros since a long while back and one day someone asked me who I would  vote for if they had a "Nicest Guy in the Bodybuilding World" contest.

I thought it over for a few seconds and thought about Gary Strydom who constantly offered his free time and advice for hours on end at various contests and never once complained.

Then I thought about Larry Scott who has been a true bodybuilding gentleman since the 60's.

And Bill Pearl likewise.

And Porter Cottrell who always seemed to go out of his way to talk to his fans and answer every question truthfully.

And I thought of a few others who always impressed me as true gentlemen in the sport......

But then I thought of Curtis Leffler and "Yep, I'd have to place Curtis at the top of that Good Guy List".

And he wasn't even a Pro!

Bur those of us who had the opportunity to know Curtis and possibly even train with him  while he was with us will feel the same way I do. I have no doubts on that.

I first met Curtis when he was a kid working in a small curbside booth passing out time share brochures. He didn't look like he trained on a regualr basis, but he did have a good set of arms that were impressive.

Some time later, World Gym opened up and a deversified group of individuals joined up and over the following months formed a family of sorts. A family of lifters who shared good times and bad.

Curtis was there so often that he lived in one of the storage rooms in the back.

Those were crazy days when everything seemed legal and great gains were made on a weekly basis and night club life was in abundance

There was BOB who did seated shoulder presses for reps with 320 and was seen everywhere in the darkest hours impressing the ladies with his impressive bod and even more impressive personality.

And Mitch who would curl humongous weights but never squated.

And little Eddie who was determined to be a pro this year or next.

And Kal and Sandy and Lynn and Steve and many others who really loved this crazy lifting game. Maybe way too much for it became their life and nothing other than this "life" mattered.

It would be impossible to leave the gym immediately after a workout. Some one or some group would always be in the vicinity of the front door holding a weight lifting conversation which was impossible not to  join.

If you had to leave to be someplace important, strong arms would pull you in and make you join in conversation.

When you wanted to walk away and get home to your family, someone would be there to hold you back and get you talkiing once again.

And the conversaton was always about lifting weights and bodybuilding and who did what and who is where and why and wherefore, etc, etc.

And Curtis, when he wasn't sleeping or training, would always be there listening cause he was the silent type. The strong, silent type of guy.

Back then none of us knew how strongly Curtis wanted to become a pro. I didn't even think he wanted to compete. But being the strong, silent type of guy he was, he kept it all inside until it was just too damn evident to deny.

to be continued........ Only Me will want to contribute to this, I bet!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: LLES on March 19, 2005, 10:20:03 AM
Any interesting stories on Rachel McLish???? By the way, the stories are great!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 19, 2005, 12:19:35 PM
Any interesting stories on Rachel McLish???? By the way, the stories are great!
I can tell you only one story about the McDish-McLish......we were putting together a Gold's Gym in Oceanside CA in about 1988 or so and Matt Mendenhall was thinking about getting involved (he looks bigger in the pics), and at the time he was hooked up with the McDish. Matt saw the current gym, said he wanted no part of it and bailed. About 6 months later word came out that the McDish had dumped him, supposedly ove Matts consumption of adult beverages. That was the word in the late 80's, Matt used to drinky, drinky... and it caused him some problems.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Disgusted on March 19, 2005, 12:28:49 PM
I can tell you only one story about the McDish-McLish......we were putting together a Gold's Gym in Oceanside CA in about 1988 or so and Matt Mendenhall was thinking about getting involved (he looks bigger in the pics), and at the time he was hooked up with the McDish. Matt saw the current gym, said he wanted no part of it and bailed. About 6 months later word came out that the McDish had dumped him, supposedly ove Matts consumption of adult beverages. That was the word in the late 80's, Matt used to drinky, drinky... and it caused him some problems.

I seem to recall Matt saying once that he started having problems that he related to taking juice. I believe panic attacks. He said that everytime he felt a slight pain somewhere he felt he was going to die because of it and would go into a panic.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 12:53:48 PM
Taking showers with Rachel back in 1979 at the old World Gym was my best memory in the gang shower.  Watching her do pullups as sexy as they could be done next to the dumbell rack was another great memory.  Back then they had one locker room I think.  A few years later they added the women's locker room.  I better get this straight before I go on.  I didn't actually take a shower with her, I was in the locker room.

Anyone remember the outside workout area at World Gym.  It was kind of neat getting a tan while you train.  After Worlds moved, Joe made the gym his home.  And I think Tony Novak worked his business out of there too.  Does anyone here remember Tony Novak.  When I first started at World's in 1979 I saw him.  I was very quiet since everyone there was older than me.  I saw him and thought he was John Matusak from the Raiders.  He was huge and mean looking.  Later on I found out he was our in-house "supplement" provider (if you know what I mean).  He used to train with a guy named Bugsy who woudl arch his back so high when benching you could crawl under it.  Bugsy had a nice Rolls Royce.  I remember Tony was like Joe Gold's "enforcer" at the gym.  Anyone have a problem Tony would take care of it.  The gym was upstairs.  Joe didn't like photgraphers or tourists coming in the gym taking pictures without his permission.  Well one day two guys came up and wanted to take pictures.  Joe was there and said no.  Tony was training kind of next to me about 10' away.  I saw in the mirror that Joe was telling these guys to leave and they wouldn't.  Well Tony then noticed and got up and went over to Joe.  I was looking in the mirror at the whole thing developing.  Now, these guys were near the stairs right at the entrance.  Then all of a sudden Tony pushes one of them and he falls into the other one and they proceeded to roll down the stairs.  Then you hear Tony "stay the f**k out".  He came back and started training like nothing happened.  This all happened in a span of about a minute.  You see Tony on Pumping Iron when Arnold first gets back into the gym and Arnold says "Big Tony" and Tony is peeling an orange I think.  He was a character.  I saw him at the Arnold a few years back.  He is making all the leather jackets for World Gym.  Great guy.

As with Curtis Leffler.  Curtis was defintiely the most vascular BB I have ever met.  He lost the USA to Paul Dillet and I know that hurt him.  We used to train together a little back in the early 90's.  He is as strong as Ronnie and stronger in some lifts.  He competed in the WSM once.  He looked great doing it but didn't do so well.  He did have some viable excuses.  Number one a few days before he had just competed in a bodybuilding show show so he was a little weak and depleted.  And second they had him go first in allot of the events and didn't know the technique as they had somoe new events.  Everyone after him saw what not to do and beat him badly.  But he constantly won the Hawaii Strongman COmpetition.  The only real thing I remember him doing though was benching 405 for 27 reps.  And he was a puller not so much a pusher.  He was a great guy and friend and he is missed.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Disgusted on March 19, 2005, 01:00:37 PM
Taking showers with Rachel back in 1979 at the old World Gym was my best memory in the gang shower. 

WHAT????? You say it so casually then nothing?. DETAILS MAN  :o  ps I hate you.  >:(
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 01:08:14 PM
Someone asked me to talk about the early days, after-contest parties, so I'll give a brief mention of one such party that was relatively mild compared to some others I've only heard about.

Nowadays the contests are big enough to hold a major after-contest party such as Craig's and others, but in those earlier years the parties were usually held in a suite of rooms in the same hotel where the contest was held.

This was definitely true when the contest was held at Caesars Palace the year Casey Viator won the nationals.

Thinking back  ......

The contest was held in the main showroom when Caesars was a much smaller operation.

I recall going to the mixed pairs at that event which was won by Jeff and Cory Everson. Cory kept sliding out of Jeff's arms because of the oil which they failed to practice with before.

But they won anyway. (I sure hope that this was the same date and location - correct me if I'm wrong).

The men's contest was prejudged in the main showroom and also televised so it could also be shown in one of the huge convention rooms.

They must have rented the main showroom so as to not interfere with that evening's headline act, because I do recall the contest being held in the early afternoon and Casey making a beeline to the swimming pool to jump in and celebrate while the photographers waited patiently poolside to shoot some photos of the champ. (The sun was still out!)

Jeff had some pretty funny stories to tell about Viator's diet which I can't recall well enough to mention here but maybe one of you out there can fill us in .

Hey Jeff, are you reading this?

So, back to the after contest party!

One of the sponsoring suppliment companies had rented a suite of hotel rooms up on the PH level or damn close to it and invited the contestants and some of the old timers to join in the festivities.

When I arrive it was like going into a Old Time Bodybuilding Museum so it was a good time had by all once the talking and the mingling started.

The host provided beer and wine and food and it was only scheduled to last an hour but everyone was having such a good time that the host called room service and had them deliver more food and drink.(Way to much food and drink evern for this illustrious crowd.)

I don't think anyone left that party, but the word did get out and more and more people kept pouring in until the whole crowd was asshole to bellybutton greeting the old and the new and having a grand old hell of a time talking story.

And like most bodybuilding parties, there were also a couple guys and gals stretched out on the beds getting or giving massages and other stuff but nothing that could be rated X as far as I could recall.

And a funny odor of something some people were smoking "over thar in the cornor" as we drifted in that direction.

It was dark and late and kind of hazy when that party broke up but some of us decided to continue partying at the ongoing party at the hotel across the street.

So I, being the smartest guy in the group (and possibly the sobertest), tell everyone to "Follow me cause I know a shortcut!" and I run ahead a jump over a three foot wall ......... and immediately drop 6 feet more on the other side into a huge pool of water which back then was part of the Caesar's Fountains.

And before I could say, "Don't jump over that wall!" two more guys came flying over and took a flop and an unexpected swim.

But being the party animals we USED to be, we picked up our wet bodies and continued across the Strip to find the party.

To make a long story short, we got ten feet into the caino and were asked to leave.

I asked "Why?" as my shoes squeeked and I dripped all over the casino carpet.

"Because you're having too much fun!", was the only answer we received as they politely led us out the door.

We were  - Me and one national Olympic lifting champ and one national bodybuild title holder whose names I will provide once they give me their approval.

But since it could have been  the weed that led us astray, I don't think they're gonna do it.

I guess these after event parties haven't really changed that much.

Probably just a little larger.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 01:32:01 PM
Well if I remember right with only one locker room sometimes there would be men and women at the same time.  Mostly guys worked out back then anyway.  But I went to change and she was taking a shower.  I didn't go in the showers because I am a gentleman.  Plus I was afraid cause I wasn't sure I was allowed to.  I was a youngster just getting into being friends with everyone.  I didn't want to rock the boat.  But, I was in the same locker room.  Plus, when she did the pullups that was a site alone that will be etched in my memory.  BAck then I was really into training.  Besides going to Palm Springs, working out was about all I did.  I was a house painter and I remember I was doing a house in Santa Monica and decided to workout in the morning.  I would take my workers to the house and then I would go train.  After training I would go to the beach then have lunch spend about an hour at the house then go home.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Disgusted on March 19, 2005, 01:46:41 PM
Well if I remember right with only one locker room sometimes there would be men and women at the same time.  Mostly guys worked out back then anyway.  But I went to change and she was taking a shower.  I didn't go in the showers because I am a gentleman.  Plus I was afraid cause I wasn't sure I was allowed to.  I was a youngster just getting into being friends with everyone.  I didn't want to rock the boat.  But, I was in the same locker room.  Plus, when she did the pullups that was a site alone that will be etched in my memory.  BAck then I was really into training.  Besides going to Palm Springs, working out was about all I did.  I was a house painter and I remember I was doing a house in Santa Monica and decided to workout in the morning.  I would take my workers to the house and then I would go train.  After training I would go to the beach then have lunch spend about an hour at the house then go home.

You should have at least peeked.  ;D I bet you did.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 19, 2005, 02:20:42 PM
Taking showers with Rachel back in 1979 at the old World Gym was my best memory in the gang shower.  Watching her do pullups as sexy as they could be done next to the dumbell rack was another great memory.  Back then they had one locker room I think.  A few years later they added the women's locker room.  I better get this straight before I go on.  I didn't actually take a shower with her, I was in the locker room.

Anyone remember the outside workout area at World Gym.  It was kind of neat getting a tan while you train.  After Worlds moved, Joe made the gym his home.

And I think Tony Novak worked his business out of there too.  Does anyone here remember Tony Novak.

He is making all the leather jackets for World Gym.  Great guy.

Onlyme....your right about Tony, he did have his business operating out of the old World Gym location. I have about 5 of his jackets-all World Gym varsity type jackets. He also makes the jacket for the ASC. He has a web site, I thin it is

www.tonynowak.com

I am going to have him make me another World Gym jacket-but with custom colors........I loved World Gym on Main Street-it was so cool b/c it was small and you could train right next to the champs, hit the outdoor deck later in the (late) afternoon for some training and get that sea breeze (Could not train outside during the day though-the sun sapped my energy).

I wish I could have seen the McDish train-she was super hot. There was another BBing made for TV movie-about a woman BBer this time-and she diets down for a show and competes and the McDish was in it and Carla Dunlap and some others-pretty cool.....They had 2 locker rooms when I would pop in to train-this was early 80's....the funny thing about the Original World Gym is that is was a single story building over parking. You would drive right under the building from Main street, and they had 3 or 4 parking spots and also the SHOWERS were down stairs, right next to the cars.

Last time I was in Santa Monica about 1 year ago-Joe Gold still owned that building, but it was all an office-and the downstairs parking had been turned ito office space too. It had a lease sign on it. That was one cool gym. The one thing I did not like were the dumbell handles-they were huge-made for guys like Big Lou-could never get my hands around those things......lol.....oh, and I hated the benches with the suport racks 18 inches apart-so if you unloaded more than 1 plate the thing would flip on ya.....but all in all a cool place.....nothing broken like Gold's, and a lot more serious.....
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 05:27:42 PM
Okay here is a parking lot story kind of.  As 619 said the parking lot was small and at street level.  THe gym was built above it.  There was a small store you could buy food at on the diagonal corner.  It was so funny looking down out the window towards that little store when guys would walk across to get something to eat or drink.  All the traffic would stop people getting out of their cars to take pictures it was something.  Anyway, me, Ron Depolito (who actually got me into the sport and paid my fees ($150 for the year), and I think Manny Perry.  We were downstairs in front of the gym looking at one of Manny's custom Cadillacs.  We're talking and all of a sudden a car come out of the parking lot and almost hits us.  They didn;t stop or anything.  Waller starts yelling at them and cussing then starts running after the car.  We are looking at Kenny running after this car and couldn't believe he was running so far.  We look at each other and jump in the car and take off after Kenny.  We catch up to him maybe a few blocks up.  They turned right and Kenny kept chasing them.  Well finally when we get to Kenny, Ronny yells "get in the f**kin car dumbass"  Kenny slows down and sits on the curb.  He is so out of breath.  Ronny gets out and asks Kenny "what the f**k are you doing".  Kenny say (out of breath) I thought they'd hit a red light or stop.  It was so funny.  Kenny liked to fight and had a short fuse.  Does anyone remember the name of Waller's gym under the hotel along the 405 freeway.  I read somebody wrote that they think Kal has a gym I think this may be it.  Kenny also made the bestr tank tops.  The spagetti string, low cut ones.  KW Enterprises.  They were great.

I'd see Kenny every now and then at the club I was a bouncer at and at the movies.  I was always with a different girl and he would come up to whomever I was with and tell them I was a slut and be careful.  He was bad for my love life.  And I talk to him on the phone every now and then when I order some shirts.  He runs Extreme Activewear who makes Gold's Gym shirts.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 19, 2005, 05:40:57 PM
Okay here is a parking lot story kind of.  As 619 said the parking lot was small and at street level.  THe gym was built above it.  There was a small store you could buy food at on the diagonal corner.  It was so funny looking down out the window towards that little store when guys would walk across to get something to eat or drink.  All the traffic would stop people getting out of their cars to take pictures it was something.  Anyway, me, Ron Depolito (who actually got me into the sport and paid my fees ($150 for the year), and I think Manny Perry.  We were downstairs in front of the gym looking at one of Manny's custom Cadillacs.  We're talking and all of a sudden a car come out of the parking lot and almost hits us.  They didn;t stop or anything.  Waller starts yelling at them and cussing then starts running after the car.  We are looking at Kenny running after this car and couldn't believe he was running so far.  We look at each other and jump in the car and take off after Kenny.  We catch up to him maybe a few blocks up.  They turned right and Kenny kept chasing them.  Well finally when we get to Kenny, Ronny yells "get in the f**kin car dumbass"  Kenny slows down and sits on the curb.  He is so out of breath.  Ronny gets out and asks Kenny "what the f**k are you doing".  Kenny say (out of breath) I thought they'd hit a red light or stop.  It was so funny.  Kenny liked to fight and had a short fuse.  Does anyone remember the name of Waller's gym under the hotel along the 405 freeway.  I read somebody wrote that they think Kal has a gym I think this may be it.  Kenny also made the bestr tank tops.  The spagetti string, low cut ones.  KW Enterprises.  They were great.

I'd see Kenny every now and then at the club I was a bouncer at and at the movies.  I was always with a different girl and he would come up to whomever I was with and tell them I was a slut and be careful.  He was bad for my love life.  And I talk to him on the phone every now and then when I order some shirts.  He runs Extreme Activewear who makes Gold's Gym shirts.
Onlyme...comes thru on the stories. Thats the way World Gym was, parking downstairs, with the showers.

Ken Waller ran the health club in what used to be the Atlas Hotel right off of the 405 in West LA-5 miuntes from Venice. The hotel was a Red Lion the last time I drove by it-which was at least a year or so ado. I was wondering if Waller still ran that gym.

Hey Onlyme-did you know Dave Zachery? He worked at Venice Golds-and opened Golds in San Fran in 1980, but trained at Wallers hotel gym. He is about 42 or 43 today.

Manueal Perry was one big dude-huge guy. But he was not the biggest guy I saw at World Gym. I think the biggest guy there, in my opinion, the guy with the most thick and dense chest to back ratio, monster guns on the guy, was the montser Dave Johns. Black brother that had trouble cutting up totally, but the bigggest guy around I think. Did you ever train with Dave? If I would stand next to him, he made me look like the skinny kid in the Charles Atlas ads that gets sand kicked in his face-he madean average BBer look like they did not workout. DId you ever train with him, or talk with him?  I never said a word to the guy-too intimidated by the guys size. I was a kid back then and he was a monster.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 06:11:44 PM
Gotta butt in here cause I knew Dave Johns pretty well. I have to add him to my "Good Guy" list.

Thanks for the reminder.

I might have mentioned earlier that Dave received his national trophy from Mae West who was escorted onto the Santa Monica stage by Bert Goodrich,

Ken Sprague set that one up as far as I know.

Dave's best friend was another big black guy whose name I presently forget, but he would definitely go on that Good Guy list as well. He worked as a Youth Councelor in the LA Police Department, I think. Any help here?

Dave passed away at an early age. The cause of death was determined to be "Legionaire's Desease" which I am completely unfamiliar with.

I am sure that Only Me knew Dave so he might remember Dave's good friend's name too.

Any help, Only?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 06:29:19 PM
Dave Johns buddys name was Dave Shaw....he was a powerlifter who wrote for Peary Raders Iron Man mag.

I just tried to post a few pics of Dave Johns but the photo uploader if full............will post them later if anyone wants to see them......I have quite a few.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 06:39:44 PM
By the way,Dave Johns died from Valley Fever, a fungal infection of the lungs.

Very rare disease.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 06:57:10 PM
Thanks, Wes. I'll see if I can locate Dave Shaw this next week.

Yes, I just looked up "Legionaire's desease" and it is a lung disease. There was some mention of inhaling mold in old buildings. I think that it was called Legionaires  because a number of Legionaires  died under strange circumstances while at a convention or soon thereafter.

 Thanks for your help, Wes

Might be a good time to offer some Old Timer's Trivia questions. Tuff ones!

See if  you can answer these without using a search engine.

1. Ed Fury's real name was _______________.
2. In what year did John Corvello win the Mr California contest?
3. The Cal that year was very close between John Corvello and ___X____
4. Who trained  ___X____ in an attempt to beat John in the Cal that year?
5. Name the old time bodybuilder who owned a gym in Las Vegas.
6. Who's strength act consisted of hanging himself by the neck.
7. Reg Lewis' wife's first name was _______?_______
8. Steve Reeve's first feature length film was _____________________?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 07:37:27 PM
Thanks, Wes. I'll see if I can locate Dave Shaw this next week.

Yes, I just looked up "Legionaire's desease" and it is a lung disease. There was some mention of inhaling mold in old buildings. I think that it was called Legionaires  because a number of Legionaires  died under strange circumstances while at a convention or soon thereafter.

 Thanks for your help, Wes

Might be a good time to offer some Old Timer's Trivia questions. Tuff ones!

See if  you can answer these without using a search engine.

1. Ed Fury's real name was _______________.
2. In what year did John Corvello win the Mr California contest?
3. The Cal that year was very close between John Corvello and ___X____
4. Who trained  ___X____ in an attempt to beat John in the Cal that year?
5. Name the old time bodybuilder who owned a gym in Las Vegas.
6. Who's strength act consisted of hanging himself by the neck.
7. Reg Lewis' wife's first name was _______?_______
8. Steve Reeve's first feature length film was _____________________?

Kevin,I remember when those legionaires died at that convention......first and last time I ever heard of the disese.....weirdly enough.

I`ll take a shot at the questions:

1.-Mark Forrest?

2.-1965

3.-Van Lamon

4.-Bill Pearl??

5.-Chet Yorton

6.-Mike Dayton

7.-Sherry or Shari

8.-"The Theif Of Bagdahd"
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 19, 2005, 07:41:44 PM
Wes, you got three right. Good going! I won't tell you which ones yet cause I might mess it up for the others who may want to give it a try.

WAS ANYONE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENT?

Back in the early 70's, there was an IFBB contest promoted in Tiajuana. Since it was right across the boarder in one of TJ.'s finer hotels, a lot of California fans drove down to watch.

It must have been an amateur event because Bob Birdsong won the overall that year, and deservedly so. He was in the best shape of his short career in that contest.

But Bob is not the subject of this story, so let's skip over to the back of the room where Sergio Oliva is sitting on a table yelling at Joe Weider who was right up front sitting with the officials and Arnold and Franco flanking both his sides.

Whenever there was a lull in the contest, Sergio would break the silence with an odd sounding voice ........ "I'm here in the back challenging Arnold to get up there on that stage with me today!"

He was all business and dead serious and the front table did their best to ignore the voice coming from the back.

So this went on for an hour or so ........ strange voice from a bodybuilder already well known in the back and complete avoidance from the table up front.

Finally something had to be done to shut him up so Joe Weider stood up and addressed the crowd but not directly to the strange voice in the back.

"Arnold is not going to accept a challenge today!" followed by some flimsey excuse of some sort or another.

So, as any crowd usually does whenever Joe Weider takes the floor to speak, the fans started booing and hissing and making Joe take his seat more quickly than he usually does.

So, what happens next??!

Franco hops up to quiet the crowd and announces that he will accept Sergio;s challange, but that didn't seem to satisfy too many people and definitely not Sergio.

But when everyone saw that Arnold was not going to give in, the crown offered one more major "booooooo" and gradually quieted down to see if this would be agreeable with Sergio.

Sergio was pissed but with a few unkind words directed at Joe and Arnold he eventually agreed to meet Franco up there on that stage whenever Franco  felt he was ready, Sergio would just stay where he was and would go on stage whenever Franco was willing to be annihilated by The Myth.

So the crowd settled back and waited.  while the rest of the show went on.

About an hour later, Franco and Arnold went backstage to pump up while Sergio waited patiently.

And then Franco was ready and came on stage looking far less than his best but ready to give his best for his faithful sidekick.

From the back Sergio yelled something like, "Are you ready"" and slowly walked up the aisle while removing his shirt revealing a contest ready form prepared  to do battle against  anyone willing to accept the challenge. Today it would be Franco, Second best would have to do!

All eyes stayed on Sergio those next few minutes. He was definitely unbelieveable and unbeatable even if  Franco had been  his best.

And many felt that Arnold and Joe had made a wise decision. Sergio would have made him look damn bad as well!

I don't recall seeing Arnold in the room after that humbling experience.

In fact I think Weider took a short-cut too.

After that contest we headed into town to visit the local pharmacies to load up on gear but everyone was out of everything they had because "There must be some major bodybuilding contest in town! Come back next week, Come back next week!

So we crossed the boarder empty handed but with a pretty good story to tell the guys in the gym who didn't come to TJ town that weekend.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 07:48:04 PM
I'm getting really pissed off.  that is the second time I have erased a good story.  I almost threw my fucking laptop across the room.  FUCK!.  Okay, let me start again.  A couple of those question's Kevin asked

5.  George Effirmen had a gym in Vegas
6. Mike Dayton used to hang himself
7. Sheri Lewis was Reg's wife's name
8. Was it Sinbad or Hercules

I don't exactly remember Dave.  If he was there from 79 to 82 I had to have seen him and met him at some time or another.

Does anyone remember Bill Petit.  He was a really strong black guy who had one eye.  He did pull-ups with (2) 150 lb dumbells hanging from his waist (like Roy Callendar doing the dips).  He was so strong and had some of the biggest arms at the gym.  These guys were so into training and most of them competed so I didn't bother them to much unless I need some help or advice.  I was small compared to them.  I only weighed a little under 250 and I do know my arms were just hit 20".  So I wasn't that big compared to these guys.  Joe actually helped me allot.  It was almost like he was taking me under his wing.  The only thing is he gave up because I refused to compete unless I could wear OP shorts on stage.  I told him I would never wear a pair of Speedos.  I could barely keep "Moby" in the shorts I wore let alone try to keep him in a pair of Speedos (hehe).

I wasn't that much into bodybuilding or powerlifting as much as I was into the girls liking my body.  I did it because of all the attention I got.  It just so happened I got really strong doing it.  Not until my first competiton in 1983 did I take it really serious.  Then I wanted to be as strong and big as I could get.

I think I got along with everyone at the gym back then.  I was in such awe of them all.  It was neat being able to say to my friends as we looked through the magazines that I either knew him or even trained with him.

Unlike most or the old-timers on here I wasn't a competitve bodybuilder or ever really hung out with them except to train and sometime have lunch with.  My stories defintiely aren't as good as Kevin's, 619, Dan-O, Max Rep and others because they were competitors or actually directly asscociated with bodybuilding...the sport and competiton.  My experiences are from gym time or talking on a social level at an event or something like that.  I have been pretty lucky to meet so many athletic superstars and many of my childhood idols (Ali being my all time favorite).  I'm sure my memory is going slowly but reading some of the other posts jogs my memory each time.  I do need to tell my Gene Mozee story which I did yesterday then accidentlly erased it.

But, as for peeking into the shower with Rachel.  I might have but I can't remember so I probably didn't.  Because if I did I highly doubt I would forget it.  She was the epitomy of FINE!  If only the female BB's of today would look like her.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 07:50:00 PM
Mr. International contest run by Eddie Sylvestre........great contest with awesome trophies.

I beleive the hype between Oliva and Arnold was somehow prompted by Dan Lurie........or the fact that Oliva competed in the NABBA Universe with Pearl and Arnold chose to go into the Olympia thus leaving Pearl,Oliva,and Park to compete alone.

Kevin,Was Reeves first flick "Hercules"........I `m thinking it might have been a bit part in "Athena" but I`m not sure.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 07:52:28 PM
I have a few pics of Bill Pettis I will add to this thread when they empty the pic uploader.

Bill still competes at the Muscle Beach event that is put on by Bill Grant on the beach..........formerly promoted for years by Bill Howard.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 08:02:23 PM
Wes that would be great.  This guy was big and strong.  More I see all your guys pictures I wish I had a camera back then to take some with.  Hindsight you know.  PLus a picture is worth a thousand words and my posts would be shorter
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 19, 2005, 08:18:19 PM

5.  George Effirmen had a gym in Vegas
6. I told him I would never wear a pair of Speedos.  I could barely keep "Moby" in the shorts I wore let alone try to keep him in a pair of Speedos (hehe).

Moby...and OP posing trunks.....oh sh*t is that funny.....pulleeezzeee.. .I am laughing my ass off, that is too damn funny.........let me know next time you unleash the funny stories so I dont toss my dinner from laughter...
 ;D ;D ;D

Mike Dayton was the hangman-used to do that as well as break handcuffs-in the front, not behind his back-....Dayton also sold a book called something like "Chi Mind Control" back in the day for $40 (that was serious cash back in the 70's), Dayton had a martila arts background.....Don Ross also used to do the strongman type stuff...Dayton also trained at Clancy Ross's Mr America club in 79-when Don Ross was manager....Dayton and his sister were editors of a number of small time BBing magazines, have not heard anything about him in some time..

Eiferman had a Las Vegas gym for years-he moved it over to Orange County CA and had one there for the last 3-5 years he was alive-Eiferman was a great guy and one of the best ambassadors for the sport there ever was....

Reeves first feature was Hercules, and it was dubbed for America-but Reeves had small parts before the Hercules role...including a role in for the worst Hollywood director of all time Ed Wood-cant recall the name off the top of my head....

Onlyme..you should be a comedian...really......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 08:24:28 PM
619 the funny thing is, is that is actually the major reason why I didn't compete.  I felt embarrased to wear those things.  I jsut couldn't imagine walking around with this bulge in the front.  Plus I was worried about getting excited too.  That material was so soft and slippery I firgured with it rubbing me I would get exctied.  Jsut think if I didn;t care who knows I could have been Mr. Olympia.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 08:26:24 PM
onlyme,I`ll post Pettis and Dave Johns pics along with some of Mendenhall once they fix the friggin` uploader...........great thread,I love the stories guys.

Dayton could also bend or tear coins in half and he was also going to try jumping off the Golden Gate bridge but was stopped by authorities.

I don`t think anyone ever survived the jump Chi mind control or not.......I think he got lucky that they stopped him.

I also have a pic of Dayton hanging himself.

It would be a plerasure to post them all and I will tomorrow......if they fix the damn uploader!  :)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 19, 2005, 08:34:23 PM
onlyme,I`ll post Pettis and Dave Johns pics along with some of Mendenhall once they fix the friggin` uploader...........great thread,I love the stories guys.

Dayton could also bend or tear coins in half and he was also going to try jumping off the Golden Gate bridge but was stopped by authorities.

I don`t think anyone ever survived the jump Chi mind control or not.......I think he got lucky that they stopped him.

I also have a pic of Dayton hanging himself.

It would be a plerasure to post them all and I will tomorrow......if they fix the damn uploader!  :)
Please post the Dave Johns pics-he is not that well known, but he was bigger than anyone in the gym...and I really admired the guy, he died so young...

I had forgotten about Dayton and the bridge stunt, Dayton trained at Clancy's gym then, so did I, and he was going to hang himself as he jumped off the Golden Gate, was supposed to snap the rope and then survive the fall.....I had not thought about that for 20 years, I am surprised anyone can remember that stuff.....thanks wes.......how did you know that if your on the east coast...

Don Ross used to bend steel bars and tear the phone books and such-and as I recall gossip was he used to smoke PCP right before he did the stunt, so he had the power-that is secand hand hearsay talk-I have no idea if he actually did that....but I have seen Dayton break the handcuffs and hang himself.....
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 19, 2005, 08:53:52 PM
619,I started training back in 1969, and would voraciously read all the musclebooks they put out.

I read a lot of that stuff in the mags.

I get most of my pics from the web.

I was actaully in a scene in the movie Pumping Iron where Katz poses at Mt. Park ion Holyoke Mass............my hometown is right next door.....met Arnold,Franco,Lou,Leon Brown,and a ton of other guys there when I was a kid.

Saw Franco blow up a hot water bottle until it popped,and becd some re-bar in his teeth.

I`ll even post the pic of me from Pumping Iron if everyone promises not to laugh!!  ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 10:30:09 PM
Wait Wes if I remember right in Pumping Iron Arnold met a guy in the gym named Wes.  He showed him how to do the Archer pose.  Is that you
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 19, 2005, 11:40:32 PM
Does anyone know the story with Ray Mentzer and the bank
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 20, 2005, 01:09:13 AM
Does anyone know the story with Ray Mentzer and the bank

Damn I've been busy for two days and this thread has gone crazy.

The incident at the bank was Mike not Ray. I've told it before on here. I asked Mike if it was true and he told me it was him and said "it sound like something Ray would have done but it was me".

I went to dinner and country/western dancing with Pete Siegel and Rachel McLish one time. Rachel was very cool and a lot of fun. I used to see her at Gold's all the time when she was "with" Ray.

Gary Strydom ALWAYS stopped in the middle of his workout and came over to shake my hand. That always impressed me because "who the f*ck am I" for him to do that.

Onlyme remember Sousolito South the fancy Resturant right in from of Tequilla Willies. Waller and Tony used to go there all the time.

Anyone remember the Swedish Inn Smorgesbord in Lincoln accross form Loyola? Ken Waller and Tony got banned from there because they ate to much. That place had great food.

Also right near the hotel were Wallers gym was Dinah's chicken had (and still does) all you can eat chicken on Monday or Tuesday. All the guys from Golds used to go there.

619rules Dave Zackery is a good guy and big mofo. He trained in Redondo for a while. He was working for Icarian the last I saw him but moved out of the area.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 01:22:57 AM
Yes Saulsilito South was where the Raiders had an open tab.  That ended after just a few months because they would go in and bring everyone they knew to dinner and the bills got to be so much the team decided to close the account.  That place was good.  I remember Dinahs.  On Tuesday we'd go there about 10 of us and eat about 60 punds of chicken.

Yes it was probably Mike but I think Ray told me the story.  It's about the robbery note right?

Ray when he was heavy on the shit had a bad time with Rachel once at a 6th story hotel room.  I guess he had her over his head going to throw her off the balcony.  He was a little nuts.  DO you remember a guy named Dave Prokop (?).  He wrote for one of the magazines.  I have a little story about that.  And were you there when Gene Mozee came to take pics of me working out.

And as a little kid I ate at that Smorgebord.  I ate at one in Hawthorne called Sir Georges Smorgebord quite a bit with my friends.  There were 4 Samoan brothers who used to come with us.  hey would eat so much food the managers always warned us.  They would go into the restroom and throw up everything they ate so they could eat more.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 20, 2005, 04:41:37 AM
Some pics to go with the great stories.
Dave Johns.
And Dave checking out Sandra Kongs "trophies".

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 20, 2005, 04:47:05 AM
Dave Johns winning the Mr America
Rachel DeLish.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 20, 2005, 04:49:44 AM
Mike Dayton.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 20, 2005, 04:52:48 AM
Not many people can say that they were in Pumping Iron,but Tim Wescott (Wes),is the guy in red in the middle with the tache.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 05:01:13 AM
Thanks Shep......that saves me some pic posting time!!  ;D

onlyme........no I`m not that Wes from PI,but he did log on to ironage one time about a year ago......can`t quite remember what he said he was doing these days, but I know it is something to do with the fitness industry...........perso nal training, and selling an equipment line of exercise machines.........I think,my memory is shot.

Here`s a  pic of Bill Pettis.......then a close up of his bicep!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 05:08:54 AM
Shep,now my name is out............I`m gonna` get flamed!!  ;D

Actually,I`m the geek with the weird part in my hair,in the maroon shirt.........the black kid in the blue sweater, was my training partner, Ray Harris........one of the hardest trainers I have ever seen bar none,and stronger than hell.

Another shot of Dave Johns,and one of Mendenhal!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 05:25:18 AM
The Mentzer brothers!

Gary Strydom!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: oldtimer1 on March 20, 2005, 05:28:24 AM
I remember Mike Dayton broke his leg in many places doing one of his bridge jumps.  His picture was in Iron Man in a cast from ankle to hip.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 20, 2005, 08:08:24 AM
WOW!  So many memories come back since my last post yesterday. I gotta touch on a few here.

You're all wrong on Steve Reeves' first feature film and I don't know if Ed Woods produced it or not, but his first film was "Jailbait" in which he played kind of an assistant detective to the main character.

Don't doubt me on this one cause Reeves told me all about it personally.

They even wrote a scene into that movie where Steve is shirtless, but I forget the reason why. I think he was changing his shirt to go solve a murder or something.

It probably was an Ed Woods film because I do recall it being among the worst films I have ever seen.

Yea, Only, it was George who had that gym in Las Vegas. When George was alive he gave me a George Eifferman Gold Medallion. His wife told me it was quite an honor cause it didn't give them out randomly or without a lot of pride.

When Steve Reeves passed away, George was in a hospital or care home and a couple of us planned to find the facility (in Las Vegas I believe) and pay him a visit. One of the family members notified one of us on the visiting details and asked us not to mention Steve Reeves' death as it would have an adverse effect on George who was a very close friend of Steves.

For reason beyond my recollection, we never got the opportunity to make that visit and I sincerely regret is to this day.

I last heard that George's wife is living someplace in So Cal now or is it Hawaii, Only Me?

Matt Mendenhall ..... Matt is an old friend I have not seen in a real long time. I was in contact with him until he departed Texas for points unknown. I have some spectacular shots which he sent us before he appeared on the national scene.

Jeff E can tell some great Matt Mendenhall stories. I'll try to drum up a few and pass them on. I guess you all know that Matt worked in the Weider offices for a spell.

I have been told that it was not uncommon for visitors to the Weider office to see Matt in the cornor standing on his head. It was the new Weider Principal or something.

Bill Pettis ...  I haven't seen Bill in many a moon. But back about ten years or so he was always hanging out at the Pit. Gonna head down that way today and see if anyone is still around.

BTW - The last time I was at the Pit there was a huge black bodybuilder there who must have had a 26-28 inch waist. I never got his name but it looked like he was from Jamaca someplace. Anyone know who I am speaking of.

Dave Johns - A great guy who I have mentioned on this thread or another recently.
His good friend was Dave Shaw (thanks somebody) who was an other spectacular person in his own right.

Billy Grant - WOW! I knew his sister too! (Phyllis?), but that goes back so many years ago. he was still a kid. He wanted me to start a new organization and promised me that all would join up, I was too busy doing other things to take him seriously though.

Hey, OnlyMe, tell your Alan I. wedding banquet story!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 08:17:28 AM
Great stuff Kevin..........keep it coming please!!

I do remember hearing about "Jailbait" but don`t recall ever seeing it!!

Bill Grant and Steve Reeves!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 08:23:33 AM
I`m sure you guys know most of these people.............Dave Mastorakis is a good friend of mine.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 08:36:20 AM
World Gym group................... early pic of Ric Drasin,Waller,and Arnold at the original Golds!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 20, 2005, 09:04:04 AM
World Gym group................... early pic of Ric Drasin,Waller,and Arnold at the original Golds!!
Eddia Gulliani is in the back row-used to be the manager of World Gym-great guy. First time I made it to World Gym, I was a little puny 21 year old kid, I asked Eddie if I could llok around, and he said yes, and then Eddie asked where I was from, and I told him I was from Nor Cal, and he said "go ahead and train for free", I will never forget that.

In the gold's Gym Pic, in the back on the right you have the Grymko, and looking at the pic on the left of Grymko is Ed Connors and on the right is Tim Kimber. Behind Chris Dickerson is a big guy in a red tshirt-thats Jon Loyd, managed the first Licensed Gold's-San Francisco Gold's on Valencia Street.

Here is the Steeve Reeves film directed by Ed Wood, (of which there was a movie made about Ed Wood starring Johnny Depp a few years back-worst dirctor of all time)-

Jail Bait (1954)

    Directed by
Edward D. Wood Jr.

Vic Brady draws young Don Gregor into a life of crime. He then blackmails Gregor's plastic surgeon father into fixing up his face so he can evade the cops. This is Steve Reeves' first speaking part.

Lyle Talbot   ....    Insp. Johns   
Dolores Fuller   ....    Marilyn Gregor   
Herbert Rawlinson   ....    Dr. Boris Gregor

Steve Reeves   ....    Lt. Bob Lawrence   
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 20, 2005, 09:17:05 AM
Here's another TRUE STORY that some of you will find it hard to believe.

I have a good bud who was a national contender for many years and he has a good number of "overalls" to prove it. You all know him.

OK, it's Ernie Santiago,

We were sitting on the beach one day soaking up the rays, when we see this unreal looking musclehead kid of about 18 - 20 strolling up the beach looking around as if he lost his favorite dog.

Eventually he sees us sitting there and makes a beeline as fast as he can.

Wothout a word of introduction, he flops down on the sand like a big overgrown puppy and says, "WOW! I finally found you guys. I been looken ever since I left New Jersey!" (We happened to be 5,000 + miles west of NJ at that time in a place called Hawaii, so we were damn impressed.)

Then he starts talking faster than a speeding bullet about how much he appreciates and respects Ernie  and he wants to find out all he can so he can go back to N J and be just like him.

Well this kid was pretty damn close to Ernie's contest condition already so we told him it would only take a matter of weeks if he would start cutting up on a raw  fish diet.

And he did just that. And joined us on the beach each day to talk about his diet and his gains and his plans for the future. But he refused to talk about his past!

All we knew was that he was a musclehead kid from NJ who decided to search for his hero and found him in Hawaii.

It didn't take Ernie and I too long to realize that we wern't talking to a rocket scientist here. Just one big loveable kid whose heart was in the right place and enoyed our company talking about stuff he loved more than anything else in the whole wide world. And that included Bodybuilding and anything and everything and everyone  that had anything to do with bodybuilding.

This mutual friendship went on for about 6 weeks and "Stan" became our closest new friend and confidant.

One day Stan asked me if I would drive him to the other side of the island to see the big waves he had heard about.

So we hopped in the car and headed north to see the 20+ footers that were hitting hard.

Stan was super impressed and got very emotional. "I never thought I'd live to see the  the day these monsters hit the beach! This is so unreal!" .

 And he took my hand and shook it hard and thanked me profusely and told me he wanted to take me someplace good for lunch to show his appreciation.

So on the way back, we stopped at someplace good for lunch and Stan asked me if he could tell me a story about how he lived in New Jersey (Mamouth, I beleive).

And so his story strted, but only after he made me promise not to laugh ......

"Kevin, I've always believed in Superman and ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be just like him. When I was still in grammer school, my mom knew just how I felt, so she made me a Superman costume for Holloween. It was great and fit perfectls and was warm enough to go trick or treating without a jacket.

I loved that Superman suit so much that I decided to wear it every day and even to school, but my mom convinced me otherwise saying that if I wore it to school, all the other kids would learn of Superman's real identity.

So I gave that some thought and quickly came up with the idea to wear my Superman costume under a suit of clothes just like  the "real" Superman did.

So the next day, I got out of bed and put on my Superman suit and then hid my identity by wearing my one and only suit and tie.

And then I found an old pair of glasses.

And off I went to school, checking for telephone booths along the way.

Kev, I did this for three years straight! I was fine in winter but I almost died during the hot summer months. As far as I know, no one discovered my true identity except some neighbors in the area who had to call on Superman for help on a few occasions!

The neighbors who learned my true identity promised never to tell and I  soon became the neighborhood hero.

Then I got a job at the local newspaper ,,,,,,, NAH, only kidden, But I did get a job with the railroad loading and unloading heavy gear  and it soon became evident that I could never unload heavy geat like the real Superguy could, so I started lifing weights and eventually grew out of my Superman costume and Clark kent suit and got a chance to cool off a bit during the summer months.

Then I saw some magazines with Ernie's pictures in it and dicided to take off work and find him and shake his hand.

And now look! You guys are my best friends of all time! That's a real super accomplishment in itself!

And then, for some unknown reason, Stan started talking about steroids. Their chemical makeup and how they worked in the human body and stuff that I figures only an educated physician should know.

All at once he became a PHD. The transformation was amazing. But then he almost cried a bit and said, " I think lots of friends I'm gonna have some day will get sick from taking too much steroids! And I don't want to see that happen."

And then he became good old Stan once again, like a big puppy wanting to take a run on the beach.

One day Stan was gone. He took off and went just like he appeared.  We think he went back to packing trains on the East Coast but none of us are sure.

But we sure did miss him and we sure were glad he was a part of our lives for a few brief weeks.

Now whenever I trip over to the North Shore to see the big waves of winter, I look around to see if Stan is also  there enjoying it. So far I have not found him.

I'm grateful that this sport gives us this kind of opportunity to meet the good guy characters that it attracts and generates. They bring back memories that are worth repeating

Thanks, Superman! You saved the day even if you  couldn't leap over tall buildings with a single bound! And I'm still waiting for that picture of you in the telephone booth.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 20, 2005, 09:35:30 AM
Thanks for your responses, all.

JAILBAIT is now available on DVD. I got a copy but I can't recall where I found it. A Yahoo search may help. Also got a DVD about Reeves exclusively. I think I got that at the MuscleMag store in Venice.

HEY! Reeves has a major part in ATHENA. I got an autographed VHS copy of that movie and I do recall seeing in it a major theater on Market Street in San Francisco the year it came out.

I personally think he was in his best shape of all time in that movie. It is still available on VHS if you search hard enough.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on March 20, 2005, 11:14:35 AM
Maybe this might help when pointing someone out in this photo.

If you're good....name them all.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on March 20, 2005, 11:18:44 AM
This one is much easier...

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 11:45:18 AM
Maybe this might help when pointing someone out in this photo.

If you're good....name them all.

Thanks knny........here`s who I got:

1-?
2-?
3-?
4-Ken Waller
5-?
6-Andreas Cahling
7-?
8-Lisa Lyon
9-Louie Ferrigno
10-?
11-Mike Mentzer
12-Ray Mentzer
13-Bob Jodkiewicz
14-Bill Grant
15-?
16-?
17-?
18-Tom Platz
19-?
20-Chris Dickerson
21-Dave Mastorakis
22-Ron Tueful
23-Mike Torchia
24-?
25-?
26-?
27-?
28-?
29-?
30-Manuel Perry
31-Bill Reynolds
32-?
33-Kent Kuehn
34-?
35-?
36-?
37-?
38-?
39-?
40-?
41-?
42-?
43-?
44-Pete Grymkowski

The others......I have no clue!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 11:49:53 AM
Yes 619 Eddie G and Zabo (Chief) worked the front for Joe at World's.  I think Eddie still does work at World's.   And Zabo is still alive I am sure he is there too.  They were Joe's best and most trusted friends.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 11:49:57 AM
The second photo is much easier as they are all well known.

1-Samir
2-Greg Deferro
3-Platz
4-Rachel McLish
5-Ricky Wayne
6-Ed Giulianni
7-Bob Paris
8-Joe Gold
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 11:52:24 AM
My eyes are failing.  27 is David Paul I think and 28 is Peter Paul
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SHRREDDitUP on March 20, 2005, 11:55:05 AM
Okay here is a parking lot story kind of.  As 619 said the parking lot was small and at street level.  THe gym was built above it.  There was a small store you could buy food at on the diagonal corner.  It was so funny looking down out the window towards that little store when guys would walk across to get something to eat or drink.  All the traffic would stop people getting out of their cars to take pictures it was something.  Anyway, me, Ron Depolito (who actually got me into the sport and paid my fees ($150 for the year), and I think Manny Perry.  We were downstairs in front of the gym looking at one of Manny's custom Cadillacs.  We're talking and all of a sudden a car come out of the parking lot and almost hits us.  They didn;t stop or anything.  Waller starts yelling at them and cussing then starts running after the car.  We are looking at Kenny running after this car and couldn't believe he was running so far.  We look at each other and jump in the car and take off after Kenny.  We catch up to him maybe a few blocks up.  They turned right and Kenny kept chasing them.  Well finally when we get to Kenny, Ronny yells "get in the f**kin car dumbass"  Kenny slows down and sits on the curb.  He is so out of breath.  Ronny gets out and asks Kenny "what the f**k are you doing".  Kenny say (out of breath) I thought they'd hit a red light or stop.  It was so funny.  Kenny liked to fight and had a short fuse.  Does anyone remember the name of Waller's gym under the hotel along the 405 freeway.  I read somebody wrote that they think Kal has a gym I think this may be it.  Kenny also made the bestr tank tops.  The spagetti string, low cut ones.  KW Enterprises.  They were great.

I'd see Kenny every now and then at the club I was a bouncer at and at the movies.  I was always with a different girl and he would come up to whomever I was with and tell them I was a slut and be careful.  He was bad for my love life.  And I talk to him on the phone every now and then when I order some shirts.  He runs Extreme Activewear who makes Gold's Gym shirts.

That Ken Waller story was great !! Any more about Waller? Onlyme any pics of you back in your prime Days ?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SHRREDDitUP on March 20, 2005, 12:08:18 PM
Onlyme' in this pic you look like one CRAZY SOB... ;D

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 20, 2005, 12:21:44 PM
I actually have an 8x10 of this pic and I had to pull it out to see it

4-Ken Waller
5-?
6-Andreas Cahling
7-?
8-Lisa Lyon
9-Louie Ferrigno
10-?
11-Mike Mentzer
12-Ray Mentzer
13-Bob Jodkiewicz
14-Bill Grant
15-?
16-Claudia Wilbourn-1980 Ms. California
17-?
18-Tom Platz
19-?
20-Chris Dickerson
21-Dave Mastorakis
22-Ron Tueful
23-Mike Torchia
24-?
27-David Paul- Barbarian Brother
28-Peter Paul- Barbarian Brother
29-?
30-Manuel Perry
31-Bill Reynolds
32-?
33-Kent Kuehn
34-Jon Loyd
35-?
42-Ed Connnors-Gold's Gym co-owner
43-?
44-Pete Grymkowski-Gold's Gym co-owner
45-Tim Kimber-Gold's Gym co-owner
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 20, 2005, 12:59:07 PM
A couple of you guys might be interested to know that last month on ironage.us,we had a web chat with Eddie,Zabo,Manny Perry,Bill Smith (Rich man,Poor man) and Rick Wayne.If you look in the forums section under Special Guests,its the first post there.Here`s a couple of pics from that day.
Bill Smith,Jim Morris,Manny Perry,Chuck Fautz,Zabo.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 02:14:19 PM
Wow I love this thread.  All these pics are awesome.  I don't have any pics of me back then.  I never took any and I don't really like my pic taken.  Most of the pics I have of me are taken by others and then mailed to me or sent to me.  I did have some of me back when I was playing ball and a couple others in a portfolio when I girst started acting.  I gave it to Jean Claude and I never got it back.  I lost another portfolio when I was storing some off my things in a storage unit with Tony Halme.  He got in a fight with his girlfriend then (she ran Crazywear and was from Finland) and she or he threw everything away that was in the unit.  I remember that because I had so many pics and other stuff in there.  Now pics I get I scan and have them on my computer and a CD so I won't lose them.

You know like when you have something you don't think about it much.  Like living in LA I still didn't see everything there was to see.  When I was in Florida all those times I never went to DisneyWorld.  I always thought I'll do it tommorrow and then I ended up never going.  It is like that with me and pics.  So many things I have done and seen or whatever but I never think about taking a picture.  All I can do is rely on my memory.  Which at times is failing but comes back to me in the middle of the night.

You guys with all the pics you are the BEST.  I love seeing those.  I can't belive Zabo is still alive, he must be 100.  I thought he was old in 79'.  Manny looks allot different.  I would never recognize if it wasn't for when I se him in a movie occasionally.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 02:55:12 PM
You know I was sitting here thinking.  The others on here (Wes, Kevin, 619, Max, Crown, Kenny and Ric Drasin, others) are real pieces of Bodybuilding (history even).  I never competed or lived the lifestyle (except for a little over a year when Tony Pearson had me on that frickikng diet) I just went to the gym and wanted to be big, strong and look good.   I was fortunate to be able to talk, meet and become friends with allot of sport superstars including all of bodybuilders.  I know I was given the chance because of my athletic achievements but I don't a 1/1000 of the stories these guys have.  So I'm glad you like the little ones I do have cause it's great recalling them in my mind.

Okay, Gene Mozee.  Most people won't knwo who he is but the old timers will.  When I knew Gene he was helping at a club I was going to.  He used to tell some of the most outrageous stories of his past that were incredible.  Now you have to imagine what he looked like (back then).  He was probably in his late 40's, around 165, 5'7" or so, tan, not many teeth, bleach blond hair, and always wore long sleeve shirt or coat.  One of his stories involved a barbell with 405 lbs. on it laying on the ground.  Gene he was the only person he knew who could crawl under the bar then press the weight up off his chest.  This was a feat I never tried cause I could'nt see my head even fittng under the bar.  He had a million bodybuilding stories.  He was great friends with Arnold and others.  He told us he had the first set of 19" (could have been 20") arms and weighed under 200 lbs.

One day Gene asked me if I wanted to go the Mr. California contest with him.  I said yea of course.  Gene didn't drive cause I think he lost his license from to many DUI's.  SO we leave the gym and go to the show.  If I remember right it was downtown LA somewhere.  The whole way down Gene is telling me to just hang with him and we can get in.  He didn't have any tickets.  We get there and was walking up the street and everyone who is anyone in bodybuilding was there.  I saw everyone I seen in magazines.  I swear to god everyone there knew Gene and allot of them went out of their way to come say hi to him.  I couldn't believe it. He really was someone important.  Now to tell you the truth I can't even remember if we went to the show.  I don't think so cause I think I would remember something about it.  But I think Gene just wanted a ride there so he can see everyone.  Anyway, I did take him home.  He lived above a garage in a little place.  When I went inside, this place was covered with pictures on the floor, walls, on tables and chairs.  He probably had every bodybuilding magazine ever printed in this place.  It wa slike a bodybuildinng library.  He always told us about things he had done that sounded so outrageous but here was all the evidence he was telling us the truth.  He really has been around.  And I saw the pictures of him under the barbell pressing it up.  He had a great body back when he was younger.  Does anyone have any pics of Gene back in the day.  He also told me he was the first person to interview Arnold.  He wrote for Weider but he told me Weider didn't pay him several articles so he quit writing for him.  But I see he is back writing for M&F and others.  I'm glad he is doing good.  Pete G told me he saw him at Artie Zeller's funeral.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 03:19:07 PM
onlyme,thanks for the props bud!!

Gene Mozee is a moderator on Iron Man magazines forum.........I`ll get a link for you later.

He has posted some great photos from Calif. in the 60`s.

He posts there a lot and so does Jerry Brainum.

Here`s the link:

http://www.graphicmuscle.com/forum/default.aspx
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 20, 2005, 04:20:22 PM
Maybe this might help when pointing someone out in this photo.

If you're good....name them all.

I filled in 3, 7, 15, 17, 19, 24, 25, 26, 36, 41  You’ll all enjoy some of my comments.

1-?
2-?
3-Chick who was doing Waller
4-Ken Waller
5-?
6-Andreas Cahling
7-Rita Brown (who was married to Don Ross when he passed
8-Lisa Lyon
9-Louie Ferrigno
10-?
11-Mike Mentzer
12-Ray Mentzer
13-Bob Jodkiewicz
14-Bill Grant
15-Eric Sternlict (sp) former author for Ironman, Nutrition PHD from UCLA, Tom Platz’s training partner at the time of this photo, (was also shtooping Tom’s finace’) who can tell us (I do know the answer) what contest nutrition concept Eric was famous for coming up with.
16- Claudia Wilbourn-1980 Ms. California
17-Tom Plat’s Fiance’
18-Tom Platz
19-Stacey Bently
20-Chris Dickerson
21-Dave Mastorakis
22-Ron Tueful
23-Mike Torchia
24-This guy had crooked teeth, Bad breath and was from New Jersey
25-Dave (worked the desk for about five years, smoking hot polanesian gf, became a chiropractor
26-Mike Clancy
27-?
28-?
29-?
30-Manuel Perry
31-Bill Reynolds
32- Denny Malloy (Trained with the Mentzers)
33-Kent Kuehn
34- Jon Loyd
35-?
36-Bob Reis
37-?
38-?
39-?
40-?
41-Remember the story I told about Pete G, a chick and a German Shepard in the park? Well that is her.
42- Ed Connnors-Gold's Gym co-owner
43-?
44-Pete Grymkowski-Gold's Gym co-owner
45-Tim Kimber-Gold's Gym co-owner
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 20, 2005, 04:52:33 PM
Max-I am glad you pegged Bob Ries in the #36 spot.

When we get all the names down I am printing this out and putting it with this 8x10 pic I own.

You know Bob Reis was living in San Diego in the mid 80's, and he was HUGE, and in contest shape year round-and back then only Gaspari and Haney were in contest shape year round. He had taken 2nd to Lance Dreher in Nationals I think-or the USA-cant recall-but he never really recovered from that. When I saw him in San Diego around 1987 he said he had won Mr World and was private training an executive and his family in Rancho Sante Fe (big bucks). He was married and always brought his wife to Mission Beach (where I lived at the time). Cool guy, and probably the biggest guy in San Diego at that time.

Dave Zachery was living in San Diego then too-was a small owner of Gold's Gym Pacific Beach(Dave originally worked at Venice Gold's and was buddies with Ed C.)-and your right he is still working for Icarian-which was just bought out by pre-core fitness.

And for those of you who know Eddie Guilliani from World Gym where he was the manager back in the early 80's-your not going to believe this one- I just called World Gym in Marina Del Rey at noon today to see if they had any warm up jackets,  and the guy said he might get some but to call back tomorrow and talk to Eddie-I said "you dont mean Eddie Guilliani do you" he said"yep, thats Eddie"....I cannot believe Eddie still runs that place-he was running the place back in 1982!!!! I am driving out there next week and going to tell Eddie about when I met him and buy a warm up jacket, and get a pic with him before he quits....

I see the pic posted of Bill Smith the actor/BBer. He fought Clint Eastwood in the movie "AnyWhich Way You Can", was in a Joe Nameth biker movie called "CC Rider", and has been in tons more (Conan), he used to live in Marina Del Rey and Dave Zachery new him. Guy has pics somewhere from when he was younger-dont know if he ever went into shows-but he was a BBer......cool to see him today........
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 20, 2005, 07:47:47 PM
Ask Only Me to show you his high school picture. You wouldn't believe it if you saw him today but he was one hell of a cute kid. It's a great shot so I think he'll show that one. He kind of reminded me of Beaver Cleaver.

Bill Smith was working at Universal in the 60's and was probably the best built actor at that time. He made an unreal movie before doing that TV movie playing the part of a killer but I forget the name of it and I can't find it on IMDB.

Wes, 619, help me out here and get Only Me to post his HS picture and tell us all the story of his adventures at Alan Ichiniose's wedding reception and even better - the night he fought Cassius Clay, AND don't forget the elevator story when you all got stuck.

CLASS - BE PREPARED TO LAFF IF HE TELLS IT RIGHT!

That one always has me rolling on the floor.

Thanks for those great photos.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 20, 2005, 07:53:46 PM
I`d love to hear those stories and see the pic too.

This thread is great by the way........I hope it continues.

Thanks for sharing the memories guys!!  :)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 20, 2005, 09:58:26 PM
Okay, first off I very rarely drink.  Since 1984 I have been drunk maybe 3 times to this day.  And the only other times I'd get drunk was in Palm Springs where I was the unoffical Margarita maker and the town gave me the nickname of Tarzan.  i never wore a shirt or shoes.  Infact many of the restaurants on Palm Canyon had shirts that fit me in their closets or wherever so I had something to wear when I came in to eat.  Well the worst time being drunk was at the wedding of Alan Inchinose (Mr. USA and Judy ?) now officially called the most boring wedding and reception in history.  Everything was in japanese.

ANyway.  I am sitting with Kevin, my friend Sal and Pete G.  Pete says this is boring lets drink.  Well it had an open bar.  A quick sidenote:  I had a very successful company called Purely Hawaiian.  I had a party to celebrate it's creation.  Close to 600 people attended and it was at the Tahitian Lanai on the beach.  It was catered and everything.  Well the manager comes up to ma and asks me if I wanted an "open bar".  I said of course everyone will want to drink.  In fact the picture below is of me and Gary Proper (the creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) at the party.  Well a long story short, at the end of the night the manager comes up to me and want $8,300 and something.  I said what I already paid for the food and stuff.  He said it was for the drinks.  I said what why am I paying.  He said because you said you wanted an open bar.  Well f**k me I didn't know what "open bar" meant.  I thought he wanted the bar to stay open to sell drinks.  Well f**k I had no money on me so I talked my asshole attorney to put it on his American Express card.  Man that was a huge and expensive lesson.

Now back to Wedding Nightmare.  Well the few times I have been drunk I always had the same philosophy, why take so long.  If I'm going to get drunk I want to do it now not in an hour or so.  So Pete calls over the waitress and everyone orders then I order 2 shots Bacardi 151 and a Lite beer.  The girl delivers mine first and by the time she had finsihed seving the others I had already finished all mine.  If you know Pete you know how he gets excited.  He couldn't believe it.  So he told the girl to bring me the same.  A long story short again.  In between the 13 shots of Bacardi 151 and a 6 pack of lite beer I was feeling good enough to dunk the free cream puffs in the bacardi and light them on fire then eat them.  I must have had a dozen or so of those little things.  Anyway, I am now drunker than I have ever been.  Pete now wants to take me out.  SO we all get up and leave and of course I give my regards to the bride and groom.  Anyway I get into Petes Rolls and we go to Black Orchid which is a fancy club Tom Selleck owned.  My other friends took my Bronco.  Well the line was really long but since they all knew us we went to the front of the line.  There was agirl in line that knew me and wanted to get in so she started to hang all over me so I would bring her in.  She was dressed (I remember this for some reason) in a skin-tight red leather jump suit.  It was unzipped all the way doen to her belly button and half her boobs were hanging out.  Anyway, She was hanging on to me (or keeping me up) when all of a sudden I throw up with so much velocity and volume it was unreal.  It went all over the place but at least a gallon of it went directly into her face and down her top.  She was soaked in it.  The next thing I know I am sitting in the club in a booth with Pete, Kevin, Sal and I think my buddy Wayne G.  The girl comes out of the restroom to say she was sorry (for some reason) and left.  I saw her many times after that and she says nothing about it.  Anyway we closed the placed just hanging out.  Everyone makes sure I'm okay and they give me my keys.  I said I was alright.  It took me 3 hours to get home when I lived only 20 minutes away.  I fell asleep in my shower and woke up very sick.  It was the worst I ever felt.  Anyway that was my experience at Mr. USA wedding.

The other pic is Alan Inchinose and me.  Recognize that jacket.  Me and Tyson and Don King all got one at the same time.  The only thing is mine was custom made by Tony Alamo and it was a size 4X.   It had 3500+ Austrian Crystals and weighed close to 12 pounds.  Cost $4,000+  I didn;t have to pay a dime.  I loved it.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 21, 2005, 02:32:20 AM
A couple of pics of Bill Smith from his younger days.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 21, 2005, 02:38:32 AM
With Vince Gironda,any one have any stories about Vince to tell.
Over here in the UK on saturday night was a programme called Arnies Millions,where they traced his career and add up what money he made from bodybuilding,films real estate etc,and Gene Mozee was interviewd on this programme.I`ll copy the video onto DVD,then i can post some screencaps of what Gene looks like now.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 21, 2005, 04:35:15 AM
Great stories onlyme.....you lived a hell of a life bro!!

Would you like some puke with your boobs miss!!  ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 09:15:25 AM
Wes, he has many better stories than that one.  Only Me used to hang around with Mohammed Ali and the Karate Guy with the Cowboy Hat whose name I always forget. And if you ever go to Vegas with him, you are in for a load of fun. Especially at the Craps tables where everyone seems to know  him well. If I am there as his "bodyguard", I don't play but I am treated like royalty .. food and drinik and whatever cause they take care of Only Me and his friends real well. Another thing about going to the casinos with Only Me ........ the car is always parked right outside the front door precisely when you want it, cooled down ready for us to leave.

I dont know how they do that!

Yes, Shep,  I knew Vince! He was quite a guy. He totally beleived that no bodybuilders should ever squat.

It enlarged the hips, he said. Or domething like that.

Vince had a gym on Ventura Blvd pretty close to Universal Studios. I looked for its location yesterday (on the Ventura  curve), but had a hard time identifying the exact location.

I also stopped by Jerry's for old times sake. If you ever were a bodybuilder in Southern California, you know Jerry's and if you go back long enough, you know Zucky's too! They are/were good places to eat but Jerry's was redecorated and it just ain't the same no more.

I can't recall a time when I ate a pastrami sandwich at Zucky's when Arnold wasn't there holding court. They made great sandwiches and the best Jewish Chicken Soup. If you had a cold, it was gone an hour later after a bowl of that soup.   How did they do that?

I sat with Vnce at a contest many years ago and one of his members was in it. It was definitely one of his guys cause he didn't have a decent pair of legs. The rest was good but the legs were lacking.

And Vince kept poking me in the ribs saying, "He's got it! He's got it!"

Well, he did "got" second place and that really upset Vince a lot.

Larry Scott used to train at VInce's Gym. I only watched Larry do arms there once but I understand he trained elsewhere on leg days.

Other than that, Vince was at least 20 years ahead of his time and he had a lot of advanced thinking on protein assimulation - when to take it and what to take it with, etc.

Sorry, but I presently can't remember too much else to say about Vince but I'm sure that others on this board will have much more to offer.

New subject ...... Who remembers Rheo H. Blair ? Dale Adrian? Bill West? George Frenn? Judy Miller? Solo El Fenzy? Harry Pearl? Wayne Bouvier? Gus? John Corvello? Bill McArdle? Odd Lifts? Carl Norbert? Gypsy Boots? Doug Strohl? Lisa Lyons? Ed Holvochik? Ked Schoming?

Still waiting for Only Me to tell us all the story about his "fight" with Cassius Clay and the elevator episode and Clay's huge bodyguard.

I plan to drive around and shoot some pictures of these old spots and post them here to show you how they look today. Does anyone have the original address of The Dungeon in Santa Monica?

Been a kick in the ass recalling this stuff and hearing all your stories and comments.  If you have a old time question, go ahead and toss it out. One of us should be able to provide an answer.

I'll be as honest as I can without causeing anyone too much trouble. And believe me, there was a lot of TROUBLE going on back then!

THANKS!!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SilentMethod on March 21, 2005, 09:35:54 AM
Great stuff gentelman.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: _Homer_ on March 21, 2005, 09:57:44 AM
Kevin please tell us about the ODD LIFTS!!!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 21, 2005, 10:12:33 AM
A pic of Alan Ichinose.(The Groom)

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dreadlifter on March 21, 2005, 10:52:00 AM
With Vince Gironda,any one have any stories about Vince to tell.
Over here in the UK on saturday night was a programme called Arnies Millions,where they traced his career and add up what money he made from bodybuilding,films real estate etc,and Gene Mozee was interviewd on this programme.I`ll copy the video onto DVD,then i can post some screencaps of what Gene looks like now.

I finally managed to see that after a few months of trying. Luckily i'd decided to stay in rather than spend the night out on the town drinking or i'd have missed it. I didn't know Mozee was in it and was pleasantly surprised when he popped up.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 21, 2005, 10:55:47 AM
I competed in some "odd lift" contests back in the 70`s at Mt. Park......the contests were run by muscle control artist and expert Ed Jubinville.......a great guy who has done so much for the sport.

I did benches for reps with 50 pounds over bodyweight.............

chins for max reps...........

...........and deadlifts for reps with I beleive it was 100 pounds over bodyweight.....not sure now.

A pic of George Frenn squatting with a cast on his broken leg.........Frenn squatted much more normally as squats were his lift,but you had to give him credit for competing in a friggin` cast!!

Dale Adrian too!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 10:56:23 AM
Only Me! You said that you and Gene Mozee went to that contest in a "downtown location". That was the Embassy Auditorim and it was a part of the fleabag Embassy Hotel. Every contest I ever went to in the 50's/60's was held there.

Before Gene's time, there was an elderly guy with silver hair that used to MC the bodybuilding events there. And I seem to recall a girl by the name of Judy Miller who competed in some swimming suit events and usually won if anyone showed up against her. ( Bikinis weren't even invented yet!)

Gene would always show up wth a great looking Hollywood type lady on his arm.

He would remember those old times.

I seem to remember Gene MC'ing a few contests there too but that was later. Bodybuilding was really small back then and relatively unknown and the fans were a whole lot tougher than they are today. There would always be some sort of "rukus" going on.

And Don Howorth was always a sight to see in some sort of cardigan sweater with his bulging deltoids. He always got a lot of attention at these events.

I recall one year, a bunch of "bulky blunders" showing up with shaved heads and moustaches and sort of taking control of the place.  If someone up there on that stage was "unworthy" to be up there, the crowd would let them know by every means possible. And that included a couple of tomatoes more  than once.

Must have been a holdover from the old vaudeville days.

I still attend contests on occasion and am always surprised how courtious the audiance is even when the guest posers show up with guts hanging over their posing trunks. In the old days, if you did not look your best, you were boo'ed off the stage and sometimes threatened with extinction.

I mentioned this before in a previous post, but back then the AAU allowed the Olympic lifters to "use" the bodybuilding events to hold people in their seats. I saw more than a couple of BB contests start way after midnight and not until the Olympic lifters got their trophies and the stage was cleaned up.

A few years of that was what broke the camel's back and brought about the fall of AAU bodybuilding.

Back then there was a guy who was darn popular doing a muscle control act. I forget his name but he was darn a big hit with the BB crowd and appeared quite often. Anyone recall that act?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 21, 2005, 10:59:48 AM
That`s a 605 squat for Frenn,who normally squatted 800 or more.......not to freakin` shabby for a guy with a broken wheel!  ;D

More pics of Dale Adrian.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 21, 2005, 11:03:57 AM
Don Howarth!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 21, 2005, 11:09:14 AM
Vince and Larry Scott!!

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 11:18:10 AM
Sorry, but it seems that we are all posting stuff at the same time, so I kind of miss sending appropriate responses.

Thanks for the Frenn and Adrian pics, Wes. I do recall Frenn squatting with a cast on his leg. He did so many crazy things I've often doubted. But no matter what crazy thing you hear about Frenn and Bill "Peanuts" West, you better believe it! They were totally insane when it came to lifting and life in general.

I heard that Peanuts entered a BB contest a few years before he passed away and got into a fight with himself in a mirror. Or maybe it was just an argument.

Pat Casey was big time during that time period too but I don't know if he ever trained with Frenn and  West. In fact I don't even know where Frenn and West trained but the story goes that they trained in someone's garage someplace. I don't recall ever seeing them at Gold's.

But I was there to see Pat Casey do the world's first 600 pound bench press. Happened in the early 60's in a ploace ajacent to the San Diego Zoo. A lion roared when he got that lift. I'll never forget  that.

Does anyone recall the events that were held at the LA Police Academy back them. I attneded a few but I can't recall what they were all about. Could have been powerlifting contest and there was a big police office who was a great lifter way back then. Held numerous records but I forgot his name. HELP???

THE ODD LIfts - I don't have too much info on lifiting when Powerlifting was called the Odd Lifts. I'd have to contact Bill Starr to get those details but it might have been Bill who told me about the Odd Lift days when the guys would tape tennis balls behind their knees to get that added bounce to lift a heavy squat.

Levis were popular too back then. Must have been the original power pants.

I'll drop Odd Lifting here casue anything I might add would be totally off the wall. But I 'll do my best to contact Starr and have him refresh my memory. Last time I heard, he was a strength coach at Johns Hopkins University.

OK, thanks again
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 11:21:18 AM
Great photos, Wes! You can get a good idea of the size of Howarth's  delts in that darker photo!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 21, 2005, 12:10:27 PM

New subject ...... Who remembers Rheo H. Blair ? Dale Adrian? Bill West? George Frenn? Judy Miller? Solo El Fenzy? Harry Pearl? Wayne Bouvier? Gus? John Corvello? Bill McArdle? Odd Lifts? Carl Norbert? Gypsy Boots? Doug Strohl? Lisa Lyons? Ed Holvochik? Ked Schoming?


Well of course Rheo H. Blair was the nutritionist who for the most part invented Milk and Egg protein and was, Larry Scott, Arnold, Zane, Draper and the nutritionist for many others back in the day.

I heard stories that Harry Pearl was even stronger than his brother Bill and used to unicycle down Manchester Blvd. when Bills gym was there.

Bill "Peanuts" West was a powerlifter who gained over 100 pounds by putting peanut oil on everything he ate.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 21, 2005, 12:38:18 PM
I'm not as old as you old farts but I remember as a young teenager, buying a can of "Bob Hoffman" chocolate protein powder.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 21, 2005, 01:21:27 PM
No man Hoffmans "protein from the sea" would make a real man out of you. And desicatted liver tablets.

Peter G used to chew desicatted liver tablets lime they were M&M's yeeeek.

And Jim Morris used to make "Tuna shakes" Tuna water and desicatted liver powder. I tried it once and projectile vomited it up as fast as it went down.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 21, 2005, 02:15:19 PM
No man Hoffmans "protein from the sea" would make a real man out of you.
When I was a teenager I bought some of Hoffmans "Protien"only it was NOT protein...it was......that scamming dirtbag......."ProTEEN"........a buch of cheap a$$ sugar products............
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 02:25:38 PM
Right you are, Max! On all counts!

I don't know if Bill himself did this, but a very good friend of Bill and Judy's would get up during the night every two hours and make one of those tuna shakes and drink the whole thing down and hop back into bed for another two hour rest.

And it looked like it worked for him! But you could smell him a mile away!

This next  one goes way back when they held summer contests in the outdoor theater just north of the present Venice Pit about fifty yards or so. Must have been around 1962 and there was a pretty famous bodybuilder whose name I forgot who ate nothing but tuna squeezed with a nylon stocking and water. I think he did this for months at a time.

He used the nylon sock to squeeze every bit of liquid out of that tuna. a.nd it looked just like sawdust by the time he was through. It took a lot of water to get it down.

BUT he was the only one ripped to a great extent back then and he won every minor contest that I saw him enter..

Someone in this group might recall his name.

Only bodybuilder that I really wanted to meet but never did was Eric Pedersen. I flew off to Las Vegas once to make an attempt to shake his hand, but I never did make contact. I had heard he was in LV collecting bad depts but that was just a rumor at that time.

The crankiest BB I ever met was definitely John Grimick. He always moaned a lot when someone was on stage talking. He even moaned when Bob Hoffman had the mic. And he moaned and groaned when he was asked to stand up and take a bow.

SOmeone asked for some funny Casey Viator stories and believe me when I tell you that there are a few but I'll have to get Jeff E to refresh my mind cause I sure as hell can't remember. But I do have a hazy recollection that it was something about diet and hot dogs!

Someone mention Rachael as being their favorite woman bodybuilder. She was GREAT, but I preferred Cory and we became food friends who seldom see one another. I was kind of embarrased at the Arnold a couple of years ago when she was standing on the stage addressing the audiance and saw me out there and screamed my name, and told the crowd that they would have to wait a few minutes while she took care of old business.

She came down and gave me a major hug and told me all about her new life and pulled out new family pictures while everyone waited patiently. Cory is a fine lady. Jeff tells me that I gave them their first paid job in this crazy sport. I don't remember them even getting paid.

Anyone ever meet Lisa Lyons? I'd like to know more about Lisa. I was gone most of the time she was making history at Gold's.

And how about the two sisters that trained there about that same time. They were fine! Sorry that these names escape me but one of you out might recall whom I am talking about.

Another fine lady was Judy Miller. Not the original Judy Miller but the latest one who suddenly disappeared from the BB scene so unexpectantly.

Last I heard she moved to Las Vegas and got married and was planning to enter the USA, but no one in the game in Las Vegas town had seen or heard from her since she moved to that desert city.
Anyone see judy lately?

I'll let OnlyMe tell you some Paula Suzuki and John Kaiser stories. They are another great couple who made their marks in this sport.

Ya know, looking back over the years, I've met guys in and out of the gym environment who would easily impress a band of critical judges.

One particular character was a recently licensed doctor who was one of my students learning how to mame and kill before heading off to Viet Nam. He never was too good at mameing and killing (HE SAID IT WAS DUE TO HIS HYPOCRATIC OATH) but  he was one hell of a bodybuilder.

AND HE NEVER LIFTED WEIGHTS!

I didn't know that until we pulled him into the gym one day and he honestly didn't have the slightest idea on how to bench press or do almost any of the basis exercises.

He was just a genetic muscle freak! And I finally realized that when I met his sister. She was also beyond reality.

One afternoon I took this doc to meet Arnold and he immediately started telling Arnold that all those suppliments he was taking were a bunch of crap.

Here he is ... a musclebound doctor who never lifted weights telling Arnold that the stuff he was taking was all bullshit.

Arnold just respectfully listened because this doc looked like he knew what the hell . he was talking about.

That was shortly after Arnold had arrived in the US.

Just recently the doc called me to let me know that he had undergone a complete reversal and was doing mega-vitamin research and prescribing mega-vitamins to numerous patients and getting excellent results  (sspecially among his elderly patients).

He said he was in the process of writing a book and had already written an apology for his attitude during the early years of his practice. I recall him saying that the AMA(?) taught interns how to treat deseases, but not how to prevent them, so he placed no importance in vitamins and suppliments back then.

If you see a 65 year old, tow-haired surfing doc with a body like a national champion looking like he is in his 30's, that will be him. Shake his hand and say, "What's up, Doc!?"

OK, rambling here.......  signing off
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 21, 2005, 09:00:32 PM
MAJOR ERROR ON MY PART ......

In a previous post I mention something about Casey Viator,

Scratch that! I meant to say, "Tim Belnap".

Tim won the nationals in 1981 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and celebrated his victory with a swim in the pool.

Sorry bout that.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 21, 2005, 11:05:37 PM
Okay it was around Nov. 1988 or so.  The event: The World Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony/Dinner at the LAX Marriot.  Event was originally scheduled for a few months earlier but Ali was scheduled to appear in Saudi Arabia to launch a new automobile called the "Ali."  Inductees included Ali, Jake LaMotta, Eder Joffre (?) and Carlos Oritz (probably more but can't remember).  Just about every boxer who has boxed one round at least was there.  It was definitely the place to be if you liked boxing. 

I remember when I was invited to go my manager called me.  It just happened that his uncle is Art Braverman (Don Kings right hand man).  So I got to be the Guest of Honor.  I got to take my girlfriend at the time and mother of my daughters.  She was so nervous because she didn’t want to under dressed.  SO she went to her mom store which sold very expensive designer clothes.  She picked out a beautiful black Oscar de la Renta (?) $6,000 dress.  Needless to say she wouldn’t be underdressed.  So we get there in the limo and I find out I am sitting next to Ali on one side and La Mottas across from me next to my girlfriend.  La Motta and me became really good friends.  He was a really nice guy.  He had his daughter there and she could of easily been in Playboy. 

Anyway, I sat down (we were first at the table) then a huge crown starts to come in.  The place had about 500+ people.  It was packed.  Finally Ali shows up.  We greet each other and everyone else at our table.  They served us food first.  I remember Ali having a little trouble with cutting his food.  I cut it for him.  The whole time he was very fascinated with my fists and arms.  I was wearing a tux.  Anyway, I remember we were eating and a guy came up to Ali for his autograph during dinner.  I told the guy a man give us a break (cause this was going on the tikme prior to food, so I was hoping it would end at least during the time we ate).  Well looks at me and says it's okay.  Ali takes the pen and holds it to the paper but wasn't writing.  He looked at me and asked me the date.  I told him and he put that down along with his autograph.  Now all along Jake is picking up on my girlfriend.  And to tell you the truth I would have traded for his daughter if he'd do it.  Oh I just remembered the date.  It was Nov. 17, 1987.  It was actually the same time that Time Magazine did an article on something I did and featured me.

Okay, so we are all getting along especially me and Ali.  SO now it is time for the ceremony.  They do everyone and leave Ali for last of course.  Now this was at a time when Ali wasn't as bad as he is now but it was very noticeable.  He didn’t shake much and talked slow and low.  Anyway, Ali gets up to the podium and starts to talk to, and I swear to god (I just got goosebumps) he does a 2 minute speech where if you closed your eyes you were back in 1970's or so when he was awesome.  He must have said 2000 words and was saying "Black" and "whitey" and everything else.  He was awesome.  When he finished every single person stood up and it was one of the loudest and definitely one of the longest ovations I have ever witnessed.  Unbelievable!

So after that and a little more crap, we had an autograph session where all the inductees got up on stage at these tables setup so people in the audience can come up and get there autographs.  They had it set so you just go in a single file line and get the souvenir program signed or whatever.  Just before dinner they introduced me (I forgot to add that).  Well when the inductees went up there Jimmy Lennon who was the announcer said Keith get up here.  I look at him and say me.  He says you right up here.  Oh my god.  My girlfriend wanted to go home but then she saw that I had to go up and sign she sat back down with Ali's wife and Jakes daughter.  I kissed her and hear Ali's wife say you better get used to it. ?    Anyway they stuck me between tow of the greatest fighters in history Jake la Motta and Muhammed Ali.  I was in heaven.  These guys kept punching me like little kids and treated me so nice.  It was so neat cause Ali says to me "Keith give me your autograph"  I said WHAT!.  He said I want your autograph in case it is worth money someday.  I start laughing.  I said to him "I want yours because I KNOW it will be worth money."  It was so neat cause he signed a few things for me including his picture in the program where he put "To Keith a Great Friend and a Great Champion    Muhammed Ali "The Greatest Champion of All-Time".  I swear to god I will never forget those words till the day I die.   Well an hour later and more than 500 autographs.  My hand was killing me and I was tired and my girlfriend was very pissed off. 

So, we all get going. This is where Kevin wanted me to start the story but I figured I'd lead up to it so you know what's happening.  When we get outside the ballroom the escalator is broken.  So everyone has to turn around and go on the elevator.  Ali was right in front of me with his wife and bodyguard (who is a major part of this story now).  I was right behind them with my girlfriend Jake and his daughter.   While we were walking I asked Jake if he felt sorry for Ali. He stopped me and said "you know there is nothing to feel sorry about him for.  He has led a life we can only dream of.  He doesn’t feel sorry for himself and we shouldn't either."  That was something I will never forget either about that night.  Jake gave me his number before we parted as he got into one of the elevators. He told me to call him anytime for anything and let’s get together.  I never called him.  I wish I did.  Anyway, Ali went in one elevator and called me in so I could get in the same one.  Now I don’t know how people their were in the elevator but it was packed to the gills.  No more room.  But Ali's bodyguard had to come on. He was holding the door.  So he squeezes in and I MEAN SQUEZES IN.  I swear to god he was at least 6'5" 500 lbs.  He was enormous.  I got very personal in the elevator with several people.  So we are sitting there when all of a sudden as we wait for the doors to close, the fucking elevator begins to drop.  I swear to god it dropped to the bottom of the shaft with the door wide open.  I swear to god this was so funny.  These people who were standing now above us were looking down thinking what happened.  We had so much friggin weight after King Kong got aboard we sank.  So now the people above are pulling the people out.  The funny thing is Ali's bodyguard was blocking close to half the door.  So the girls all were pulled out first.  We thought the elevator would go up if we lightened it, but no good.  So now the others were being pulled out including Ali and then me.  I am about 300 at the time.  From the couple of guys on top and Kong shoving his hand up my ass I finally got out (thankfully still a heterosexual).  While this whole time in the elevator the first thing that came to mind was the bodyguard.  How in the f**k are we getting him out.  Well when I got out I didn't look back I headed straight for Ali and hid because I knew they were going to ask me for help.  I didn't want any part of that circus act. 

So, now no one wants to go on the elevator cause their afraid.  SO now we have a bunch of people heading to the escalator.  As I turn around I see the bodyguard coming.  I thought he was going to punch me.  As I get on the escalator Ali, my girlfriend and Ali's wife are right behind me.  We are walking up the escalator.  Then I notice something.  First off the escalator was full with people (maybe 20).  Secondly Ali's bodyguard is about 5 people behind him.  Both sides of the elevator are mirror.  I look to my left and there is a seam where the mirrors meet.  We aren't moving.  Everytime we took a step the escalator was going down a step.  It is like we were doing the stairclimber.  I turned around and said, "hey we ain't moving"  Everyone stops walking as we slowly start going backwards.  I swear to god I thought I was on Candid Camera.  I was not only the youngest person on this "stupid journey" but I was with multi-millionaires, business executives, sports heroes and I'm the one who noticed all this or I think we would have been there for an hour.  Anyway, people got off and we finally made it to the area in front to wait for our limos.  We are all cracking up including Ali who no matter how medically off he was he was laughing his balls off.  So, while we are waiting and trying to get over our "Punkd'" episode Ali sneaks up behind me and grabs me.  I turn around and we start to wrestle (the picture below). In short (a little late now) we ended up on the ground.  It was so funny.  People were taking pictures and laughing.  I finally pinned him.  I help him up.  Our tuxes got all dirty and everything but it was so much fun.  Well we said bye to each other.  I kissed his wife he kissed my girlfriend (which he later sent a picture of that to her) and we hugged and he just said how happy it was to meet me.  That incident is something that no matter what will live with me forever.  Cause Ali from when I was a kid was my biggest idol of all time.

The neat part about this is about 3 months later I was in Miami doing an appearance and was staying at the Fontainebleau Hotel (?).  A very nice place.  As me and my manager were going down the escalator I see a sign at the bottom saying something about a chocolate convention. I said I gotta see that.  So we went in and there was this really long line against the wall.  We followed it to the front and to my surprise was Ali sitting in a small area that was setup to look like a boxing ring.  I stood there for about 30 seconds when he looks up and sees me.  He stands up looks at me shakes his fist and says I'm going to beat you.  Then he signals to his wife and a few others on the sided.  She sees and comes over with a huge smile on her face along with Muhammed.  She hugs me and kisses me then he hugs me.  We talk for about a minute and he had to get back to signing (kind of what happened to Kevin with Cory at the Arnold a couple years back, only Cory had people waiting for about 30 minutes while she talked to Kevin).  Anyway that was great but one thing Ali's wife said to me made me feel really great inside.  She said "Keith you know Muhammed really grew fond of you.  He talked about you for weeks after that night and still brings you up.  You really made him laugh and I really love you for that".  Well I gotta tell you (goosebumps again) that is another thing that will never leave my memory bank.  If you ever get a chance to meet your hero, DO IT.   It will really makes you feel good inside.  I lost all the autographs and the program and the pictures sent to me from that night except for a few.  SO if my writing is too long sorry but a picture is worth a 1000 words and since I didn’t have many pictures.


One more thing.  I haven't talked about some of this stuff for along time.  I'm sorry for all the writings and stuff but to tell you the truth like I've said before, memories is about all I got left.  Hopefully you like them.  If not sorry in advance.  Once I forget these things, all of you have permission to pull my feeding tube.


P.S.  That is not my girlfriend in the background.  I've had people ask me that.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 21, 2005, 11:14:54 PM
You know who else was at this event and were bodyguards was Demarko Bleweutt (?) and Paul Sullivan.  Does anyone out there remember them.  Dmarko was a top bodybuilder at the time.  I think he moved to Salt Lake City or sometthing.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 21, 2005, 11:22:48 PM
You know who else was at this event and were bodyguards was Demarko Bleweutt (?) and Paul Sullivan.  Does anyone out there remember them.  Dmarko was a top bodybuilder at the time.  I think he moved to Salt Lake City or sometthing.

Yes, I know D'Marko Blewett.  He manages a Gold's here in Salt Lake City.  Still works in the pro shop up front.  Still a big guy in his 40's, but nothing like he used to be.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 22, 2005, 01:21:25 AM
DMarko had a pretty girlfriend named Shawna,  She came over to my house and was trying to wake up my girlfriend.  Tonya was sleeping but woke up because she said to me Shawna was touching her funny.  Tonya was very anive about some things and I think it caught her off guard.  DMarko was an up and coming BB.  He had really good size and was built hard.  I just looked him up on the interent and didn't realize he was doing so good.  I think I saw him at the Arnold a few years back.

Does anyone remeber an actor and common gym goer at Gold's Venice named CHarlie Sexius.  He was Hulk Hogan stunt double and who I went up against in the Apple Computer commercial.  He was really nice and a big guy.

Max Rep remember Francis Seguerra.  He was a competing bodybuilder at around 80 years old.  I got him that article in Life Magazine.

Paul Sullivan is a landmark at Gold's Venice.  Wondering if anyone seen him lately and how is he doing.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 22, 2005, 04:40:08 AM
Keith,thanks for sharing these awesome stories...I love reading and hearing about all this stuff!!

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Da Freak on March 22, 2005, 06:18:49 AM
FRIGGIN' AWESOME THREAD THIS!

surely the best we have had here in months.

keep 'em coming Keith, Kevin and the rest.

great to have someone here who has lived during the 'golden years' of bodybuilding.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SHRREDDitUP on March 22, 2005, 08:24:50 AM
Great story' Onlyme ' I remember Dmarko ' have not seen him for years. cool guy

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 22, 2005, 08:33:11 AM
Wow Keith! What an awesome story. I would have freaked out being caught in a full elevator though.

What was the award you were given? What was it for?

What was the article in Time magazine about?

What was that succesful business that you had that you talked about in another post?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 22, 2005, 09:36:07 AM
Hey, ONLY! That was a great story! I heard it many times but it still makes me jump around a lot and even cry sometimes. I loved Mohammed too but I never did get a chance to meet him.

But I did meet just about everyone else who you didn't meet, so don't get a big head on meeting heros.

I met Mac Bachelor - who you did not meet. ANd Paul Anderson who was too old for your to meet. And Bob Hoffman and Terpak and Grimak and that crew who were meeting before you were even a twinkel in  your daddy's eye. I met Joe and Ben and the entire force in the Weider office and even helped Joe pick a picture for the ccover once. But I never did meet Betty.

I met Lisa Lyons and Rachel and Lou while he was the Big Green Guy, and Cory and Jeff of course. I met Arnold way too many times and Franco and Arti Zeller and Reeves and Mozee  and Howorth in his impressive sweaters. And most of the guys who won the NPC National since Gary Leonard and even years before.

And I, as you can too, can call Peter a friend and a great guy to go to fancy dinners with. And laff with and sometimes even cry.

And I know most of the big guy stars when they were just the little people .... Platz and Grant and almost everyone mention in these posts above\ for years going way back when.

ANd most of the new guys just coming up or getting started.

I even knew Perry and Mabel!

And many others whom have passed away. to train in higher places or possibly warmer as the case may be. God bless 'em all!

I've watched this sport from the very beginning when Weider was fighting with Dan and Bob and publishing close to x-rated material on the eastern seaboard. And then his move to Cali and his rise to super publishing stardom.

I was part of the AAU and the NPC and the IFBB and made my mark in my own way and met tons and tons (figureatively speaking) of great folks along the route. And many questionable ones too!

I've seen contests held on basketball courts, tennis courts, and baseball diamonds and posing demos in top notched museums.

I've seen families of five and crowds of thousands watching sons and daughters and friends working their ass like no other athlete in an attempt to win a $5 trophy.

I've seen losers blame the "other guy" or those out of shape dudes in the cheap suits calling the shots from the front row seats, trophies thrown upon the ground, and contestants depart in disgust, but I have yet to see a winner complain.

I've seen snake oil salesmen of wild west days making fortunes once again and the use of roids from the very start.

I've seen movies stars call them The Fountain of Youth and rely on them for their next movie . I've seen burn patients recover miraculously and skinny kids have spurts of growth and athletes improve almost over night and bodybuilders ......... (Well, you all know that part.)

I watched them go from legal prescriptions and then direct to the underground and then to criminal activity with jailhouse consequences. And all of this within my simple lifetime.

And I've seen "the Salem Witch Hunt" return with immunity because no one in authority seems to give a damn! And those who do care, just don't know what to do to change an unjust law or may be too damn scared to let anyone know that there is another side to take.

I've seen young guys who never inhaled a puff of smoke nor even had their first taste of beer, go to jail for attempting to be their best while some pot bellied authorities make unjust decisions on their behalf and head then off to jail while  they head off to the nearest bar to celebrate with a dozen martinis.

And I've lived to see some muscleheads reach powerful places where injustices can be cured, but I still don't see anyone attempting  to fix the injustice that many suffer through incarceration.

It is so true that justice wears a blindfold.

I've seen unreal athletes as well as "bulky blunders"

And I've met characters beyond description who have one thing in common with us all .... the love of a sport which is simply unloveable.

BUT...... You know what?!

I never did meet Cassius Clay!

And I'd give it all up if that were possible.

You are a lucky man! You even got to fight him!





 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 22, 2005, 10:06:26 AM
Kevin... another awesome post.

Everyone. This thread has caught the attention of the guys over at http://www.ironage.us  They want Onlyme, Kevin, 619Rules and everyone else contributing to this thread to know that they also appreciate the stories. We also need to ackowledge "Protein Jones" for starting this thread.

Keep them coming. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 22, 2005, 10:14:46 AM


chins for max reps...........




I did the chin-up contest there once also.I got third place with a total of 31 reps. It was quite the fun experience , every one in the audience was quiet still till they saw me start to struggle then the place burst into a chorus of encouragement.Ed told me after that I had the most perfect form he'd ever seen for that event.The two guys ahead of me used partial reps and a ton of body swing although I don't believe I could have come close to their totals even if I had used their technique.The winner did like 55 repps and the 2nd place guy did somewhere in the 40s.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 22, 2005, 10:16:52 AM
I also met Frank Wainwright there. He was munching on nuts, said he did that all the time for his extra protein.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 22, 2005, 10:27:55 AM
Here's some pics I took of Ron Magnum after one of his wins at Mt. park.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on March 22, 2005, 10:31:12 AM
Here's spacey Skip Robinson ( aka "never skip a workout Robinson" )

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 22, 2005, 11:20:53 AM
You know I kind of feel weird telling all the experiences.  I am not a bodybuilder.  It just so happened I looked pretty good considering I lifted allot and ate allot (except for a year or so of dieting).  I've been lucky to do the things I've done but the other swho have posted have real bodybuilding experience.  I just so happen to train with allot of them or met them.  I'm am defintiely sure many of not all the others have stories allot better than mine.  I just so happen to have nothing else better to do than talk about my past.  I am the farthest you can get to conceited.  Believe me.  Especially now.  But I really enjoy writing this stuff cause it does bring back great memories.  I haven't talked about this stuff for over 20 years in some instances.  So it is kind of neat.  thanks.

Max.  Purely Hawaiian was a company I started from scratch back in 1993.  It is a registered trademark (now expired) that was the fastest selling Sun Tan products in Hawaii.  We were in numerous outlets on the mainland and Asia.  We were just getting into Europe.  We had a clothing line and expanding into foods.  The name was just great and the products even better.  In fact at the party I mentioned before Gary Proper's girlfriend was Ron Rice's (owner Hawaiian Tropic) personal secretary for over 10 years and she took me to the side and said I was years ahead of Ron when he started Hawaiian Tropic.  But I didn't know how to run a company and trusted someone else to do it and paid for it by losing everything through bankruptcy.  the funny thing about 4 years ago I was going to Vegas from LA and stopped in Baker.  Went to a small store there and saw Purely Hawaiian on the shelf.  That stuff was at least 5 or 6 years old.  I wonder what it smelled like.

I wasn't given an award at the ceremony I was just a Guest of Honor (mainly because of my managers connection to boxing)  But I didn't care because I met Ali.  I would have went to clean the dishes as long as I got to meet him. And you know when we were playinbg around I noticed that he was built very solid.    I think he told me he weighed 235 and alot taller than I thought he'd be.

The article was on a Armwrestling Event I put on in Fort Lauderdale.  The writer was Pat Jordan (who him and his wife compete in masters bb events).  We became friends and I introduced him to Rorian Gracie who I was taking lessons from and was my friend when he first came to the states.  I called Pat and told him I found this guy who can kick anyone's ass in the world.  Pat flew to LA interviewed Rorian and got a 14 page spread in Playboy Magazine.  From then on the Gracie name got big (pat on back).  I also told him about Francis Segeurra who trained at Ray's gym Muscle Mill.  He flew out intervoewed him and got a nice spread in Life Magazine.  Pat called me one day from Jamica.  He say's Keith you won't believe wha I am watching.  i said what.  He sas I'm in Jamaica watching these guys train for the bobsled for Winter Olympics.  I siad no way where is the snow.  He said there is none.  They are using skateboards on boxes.  He was doing a stgory on them.  Later they did a moving about it called Cool Runnings.  Great movie.

And Yes that elevator story is funny I have told it about 1000 times but I hav never really wrote it down.  I didn;t realize it was so long.  The escalator part is even funnier.  I am the least educated, poorest guy on there and I'm the only one who notices anything is wrong. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 22, 2005, 12:01:03 PM
About time they pinned this bad boy.......best thread I ever read here.....bar none!!

Keith,if you don`t mind me asking you........how many movies and TV shows have you been in/on?

Thanks!  ;)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SHRREDDitUP on March 22, 2005, 12:01:19 PM
Onlyme' when you tell a story about the past' they just seem so down to earth ' It's like i was there!  Its great to have u  post here !

Thank's


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 22, 2005, 12:25:07 PM
Keith... fagedaboudit... your a bodybuilder. Maybe not a competitive one. But anyone that benches 600, curls 315 and holds as much muscle as you did/do is a friggin bodybuilder.

I didn't know about the Purely Hawaian thing/ Man it suck to loose a company. But you learned and make the next venture even better.

Keep posting dude, we love it. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SilentMethod on March 22, 2005, 02:34:40 PM
Its nice to know BB'ing did have its grass roots beginnings. Missed it by about 20-30 years???
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 22, 2005, 02:54:47 PM
OnlyMe.....I swear to god that story was so damn funny I was pissing my pants and busting my a$$ with laughter.

I am telling you right here, right now,that story should be sent off to one of the mags and they should print it up.....the elevator and "KING KONG" weighing in at 500 lbs is a riot. and the thing gets stuck!!!!!!

Next it is the escalator "stairmaster" ...Oh man your killing me with that story......

I only wish I could have met the most popular sports figure of all time.....

You know I went to law school in Michigan and Ali's main home/ranch is out there (Berrien Springs )- me and my friends always wanted to try to meet the Champ....but we were never so lucky.......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 22, 2005, 05:35:04 PM
A little background on Only Me!

A few years back, Only was in California doing something and got bit by a Brown Recluse Spider in the shin.

The spider died but "Only" survived but with one hell of a major injury which is still bothering him today

SOmetimes that injury gets so painful that he stops his car and asks me to find a knife and cut off his leg right there  on the spot.

But I seldom carry a knife sharp enough so he just grins and bears it and continues on down the highway.

And it sure hasn't messed up his sense of humor.

Other than that he doesn't complain too much, but it sure has been a pain in the ass to bear ..... but just a little further down.

Sorry, Only, but I had to mention that.

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 22, 2005, 07:11:54 PM
I feel guilty talking about non-bodybuilding things.  Like the Ali story.  That is why I put in DMarko and Paul they were both bodybuilders and there, see so that gives it a bodybuilding tone to it. 

619 here is a polaroid from our photo shoot we did for Gillette.  Sorry about the grain look but that is how is came out from the scan.  You can see Don "The ripper" Ross here pretty.  The other I don't remember his name but he was a trree surgeon.  He had this huge scar on his head from when a chainsaw dropped on it he said.  His head kept bleeding so that is why we didn't actually shave on screen (our heads).

Wes in regards to my brief but pretty carreer in acting.  I did about 40 commercials (with about 30 of them being non-union).  While I was in Florida I did 5 Orange Juce commercials.  The link below is to the Gillette.  Don't blink though.  It aired for the first time during the 87' World Series.  I am after the Boxer who is after the basball pitcher.  The boxer is Henry Tillman the guy who beat Tyson twice for the Olympic team.  He was about 5 cans short of a six pack.  I remember filling out our time card and it said name on it.  He asked me whose name mine or my agents. He didn't know what DOB meant either.  His was funny.  I am on the screen for about 1/2 second.  I am wrestling Charlie Sexius (Hulks stunt double).  This commercial was my very first thing I did besides an Adam Ant video I did a few months before.  I was on Dynasty with a black guy named Mike Horton who played on the original 'Gladiators" show (can't remember his name on there).  Did several other nationals.  Dangerous Curves with Leslie Nielson was a striaght to DVD movie and had allot of cameos.  When i moved to Hawaii I didn;t even tell my agent and was booked on a Taco Bell commercial and a Matlock. 

http://www.uriah.com/apple-qt/the-power-to-be-your-best.html

I'm surprised no one has mentioned my ex-friend Jean Claude's ex then remarried wife Gladys Portugese (?)  She was very attractive too.

Max say something you are on the title.  My stories are gettng boring.  You guys have way more than I do. 

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 22, 2005, 08:11:07 PM
Thanks Keith,the reason I asked is that you look very familiar................ I must have seen you on one of those shows or in some commercials I`m sure because my memory sucks but I never forget a face.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 22, 2005, 08:56:06 PM
619 here is a polaroid from our photo shoot we did for Gillette.   You can see Don "The ripper" Ross here pretty. 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned my ex-friend Jean Claude's ex then remarried wife Gladys Portugese (?)  She was very attractive too. 
You make Don Ross look pretty puny.......

Do you know Gladys Portugese? She is a hottie.......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 22, 2005, 10:24:29 PM
Kevin... you should know that Onlyme has topd the story about the brown recluse on this board before. It's one of the reasons I get freaked out about spiders. I frequent "Alpine Village" in Torrance in the summer and there are huge spiders hanging from webs all over the place. I don't know what they are but they are huge and I think about him every time I see them.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 22, 2005, 10:28:36 PM
No I talked to Gladys a couple times on the phone and that's it.  I never met her in person.  Once I found out who she was though I kept seeing her in magazines.  She is really hot.  I can't find a full body shot.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 23, 2005, 07:33:31 AM
Thanks, Max! I must have passed that sprider story by.

Strange thing happened the same year that Only got bit.

THIS IS A CURRENT AND TRUE STORY! Honest!

A good friend of mine who was part of the Weider crew and on a number of covers when Weider chose to use a fitness guy, got bit by another spider in So Cal just about the time that Only got bit..

He felt no paid so the next day he and his family traveled north to Oregon to visit the wife's family and he kept on getting dizzy which was strange because he is the epitome of excellent health and the spider bite was not really painful at that time. So he didn't really know what the problem was.

To make a long story short, he passed out ended up in the hospital for a few days and they gave him some spider "serum" that apparently did its job because within a week he was back to normal.

Now he is also leery about spiders and still can't understand how such a small creature can pack such a big wallop and knock him on his ass.

He used to do that Hawaii TV fitness show with Jeff and Cory and that is how he eventually met Weider. He's a great guy so everyone kind of adopts him once they know him.

 His son is only five but he can name all the US Presidents and the current Presidential Cabinet and their job descriptions. And I always make sure he knows who the Commandant is, but sometimes he even corrects me.

And I swear  that he is currently reading material on that new science that they use to test if someone's blood matchs (or other bodily fluid) the scene of the crime. (Sorry but I gorget the name right now!)

But he wants a book about that subject for his birthday and I don't even know the name to look for it.

We all laugh and think it could possibly be from his dad's spider bite because he was conceived shortly after that poison got into his dad's system.

OK, we are heading off to Las Vegas now for the next couple of days. I will definitely miss this group and posting to it. I know that Keith is jealous about not coming along, but he knows he is always welcome and I will say hello to all the Pit Crews on his behalf and probably lose a couple of nickles doing so.

When I'm with Keith the comps are fantastic, but when I gamble alone - I'll be fortunate if I get a comped shrimp cocktail - the 99 cent kind.

OK, thanks all...... kev                Yes, Keith, I will Place the 5 & 9 !


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 23, 2005, 08:08:59 AM
Kevin... you will be missed while you're gone.

Were you talking about DNA testing?

Try this link http://www.koshlandscience.org/exhibitdna/index.jsp?referrer=Google
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SilentMethod on March 23, 2005, 10:57:03 AM
Keep it going, more stories!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 23, 2005, 11:34:14 AM
As someone with an affinity for BB and the history and people who encompass it, this thread has to be the best on any board that I have read in a long time.

I only wish my buddy Chuck Kirsch was around (RIP) to read it and give some of his stories.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 23, 2005, 12:49:43 PM
As someone with an affinity for BB and the history and people who encompass it, this thread has to be the best on any board that I have read in a long time.

I only wish my buddy Chuck Kirsch was around (RIP) to read it and give some of his stories.

I would have to agree. So tell us about your buddy Chuck.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 23, 2005, 05:42:41 PM
I got one that if I write it right will put you in the moment and you will experience it in it's full impact, cause these stories are by far the funniest things I've have ever done.  There are numerous ones but I will weed out ones that don't include at least someone in bodybuilding (even though most include the same person).  I will classify these stories simply as "The Air Around You" series.  So if you see this at the beginning of my post, you know it is another addition to "The Air Around You" series. 

First, imagine being in a semi-fancy (meaning they have cloth napkins) restaurant with low lights, tables and booths and it is around 6pm (peak dinner time).  We are near Disneyland.  Second you are with Pete G (my gratuitous BB) and his childhood friend J. Manchioni who is one crazy dude and loud.  We are pulling up to the valet (another fancy sign) at the restaurant in Pete’s nice white Rolls Royce.  Valet opens the door and Pete as always hand him a $50 bill to make sure the car is in the front.  No one I have ever met tips like Pete G.

Pete and J. both know the owner and Manager of this fancy restaurant (once again evident by having some guy sitting in the restroom to sell you stuff he picked up at the local dollar store).  We are seated in a booth (with red table cloth).  The place is easily more than half full about 30 people.  The owner comes over says hi to Pete and J. and they introduce me.  As you know Pete is very friendly and can be pretty loud at times and J. is twice as loud.

Okay I am going to lead up to the story now.  In 1986 I did a movie called Dangerous Curves with Leslie Nielson.  I was his bodyguard in the movie (Mandrake).  As we (the other actors) were working with Leslie we noticed he had a gas problem.  If you have ever seen him on TV in an interview you will know what I mean.  Anyway we didn't say anything cause he is a big star and can do anything he wants.  But I notice he has something in his hand.  I ask him and he shows me this little rubber thing called Han-D-Gas.  This product (that should win the Nobel Peace Prize or Pulitzer) is so inventive and bitchin I had to have one.  So Leslie gave me one.  And for almost ten years and many new Han-D-Gas's later I was the "Fart King"  There wasn't a place I didn't use this ultimate crowd pleaser.  The neatest thing about this is that it is small enough to hide in your hand and the more you practiced the better you got and the more variable farts you can emit.  If you want to be the life of any party in any situation, I swear to god this thing will do that for you.  I promise!!!  Well this was staple in mine and Pete's social status.  It broke the ice in any situation for us.

Now back to our dinner.  The owner brings Pete a bottle of wine.  We start talking and I have to pull out my Han-D-Gas cause it is in my pocket and I don’t want to damage it.  The owner asks me what it is.  Well Pete starts going off on some stories about the little machine.  During this time J. is calling a girl he knew that lives in the area to invite her to dinner.  According to J. she is a little hottie that likes to party.  Well after the short stories and J. is now off the phone, I see the owner is very loose and has a great sense of humor.  So the owner wanted me to demonstrate just how much fun it can be and tells me to go fart on some of his friends at another table.  Now, remember this is a pretty fancy restaurant (you could tell because you could actually hear some people whispering).  So I get up and stick my hand in my pocket and proceed to walk towards the back passing by the table with his friends.  With my hand in my pocket it not only hides it, it also muffles it and it sounds even more real.  To make it even more realistic, I stop right in front of the victim’s table and I ask one of the waiters where the restroom was as he pointed in the direction I was heading.  Believe me most everyone heard me ask.  So, as I turn by the table I let out a really nice gurgling loud fart.  I turn to the table and say I'm am sorry and proceed to the restroom, like it was nothing big.  I about collapsed as soon as I got in there because you should have seen these people's faces.  These were definitely a group of high-brow people and to have someone fart out loud is unheard of and the fact it was a stranger was even worse.  I swear to god I was dying in the restroom and that is when I met the nice old man in the restroom.  I showed him what I did and he almost had a heart attack.  Doing this in a crowed restroom in another hilarious story I will tell later.  Any…

So I am in the restroom for about 2 minutes.  I come out and the whole restaurant was laughing.  The owner had gone over to tell his friends what I had so I had to show everyone in the restaurant I wasn't some low life guy who farted on strangers.  (little did they know).  So now I have the restaurant in my hands.  I swear to god I was going table to table because everyone wanted to see what it was.  Everyone wanted to see the thing and allot of them actually wrote down the address (which is on it) so they could get their own.  Sorry if this is boring but I had to lead up to the real story.

So, now comes the funniest thing ever.  J. tells me about the girl who is coming to meet us and that he wants me to fart on her cause she is really pretty but even dumber.  So I say okay.  So I am thinking and I come up with a great idea.  The booth next to us was empty now.  I get up and sit there.  I tell the waiter to bring me a bunch of empty shot glasses and a glass of coke and a couple glasses of beer and basket of bread.  So he brings all this stuff and everyone in the restaurant was watching me be a set designer.  Well in about 2 minutes my table was looking like a tornado hit it.  I had all these empty shot glasses spilled beer, broken pieces of bread the table was a mess. 

J. gets up to stand at the door to tell me when she is coming in.  Now, we didn't go over anything.  I was going to "wing" this skit on the fly.  So Pete and J. would have to play off me.  So I get another idea.  J. tells me she just pulled up.  I get up and run to the restroom (yes at one time I could run).  I go in there and splash water all over me and open my shirt a little and just really mess myself up (so I looked like I have been drinking (allot).  SO about 2 minutes later I exit the restroom.  Now you have to imagine, the whole restaurant and all the employees are onto this little prank.  Almost like Punk'd.  I come out holding one of the glasses of beer walking like a drunk and talking under my breath cussing.  As I get closer to the booth I look up and I see the girl looking at me and saying something to J. and Pete.  As I get closer I hear her say "oh my god what happened to him.  J. says look at all he's had to drink if he wasn't such a big mother-fucker he'd be passed out by now.  I see her look at the table all messed up with what looked like a whole lotta of alcohol.

Well before all this started I asked the waiter to get me a bowl of chili.  No one knew what it was there for including Pete or the others.  I place it on the seat next to me. They may have seen it but didn’t know what it was for.   So as I am sitting there, I hear the girl asking J. and Pete what happened.  In a loud voice J. says “his wife left him”.  She says “oh my god” (which for some reason was her favorite saying that night). Then Pete is awesome and says “yea she left him for his dad”.  I swear to god I was looking with a blank stare at them and Pete started to bust up.  He barely got that line out.  I look at them and just say ”what a fucking bitch and slut” like a drunk guy.  I then yell at the waiter to bring me a shot of Tequilla.  So about 30 seconds later the waiter comes with a small water glass filled to top so high he had to walk really slow or spill it.  This waiter was awesome cause he thought of doing that all himself.  He placed it on the table.  I took it and swallowed the whole thing in one gulp and of course had to have some dribble down my shirt.  Now, right when I did that I was thinking I hope the guy doesn’t really give me tequila.  But he was smart it was apple juice and water.  Well the girl went crazy all over Pete and J.  She says “Oh my god!  Pete says yea he’s such a pussy he lets his dad take his wife.  J. says ‘yea I would have killed my dad and fucked his wife to get back at him….in front of him.”  These two guys were going full blast.  So then I look around the room and just about every patron had their head in their hands or the napkin covering their face.  In fact I had my hand in my facxe numerous times so I could hide my smile.  And the really funny part is the owner had the front door open half way (he told us later so nobody came in during this) but he was halfway in and halfway out laughing so hard he had his head completely outside and his legs inside.  You had to be there.  So I am started to lose it.

So I have my fart machine.  I start to fart uncontrollably.  The girl says to the guys “how sick”.  J. all of a sudden says “dude you better check your pants”  So I reach behind me (it looks that way) so my arm is way up so everyone see it and it looks like I am sticking my hands down the back of my pants.  Then I bring it up and sniff my fingers.  Now by then Pete is almost crying and in fact the owner was no where to be found.  I say “there’s nothing back there”.  She brabs Pete and now has her head in his lap.  So now she can’t really see me so I have to get louder.  So I start to fart more  And one time I licked my hand that I am using to use the machine.  It makes the fart sound wetter.  So I did that and everyone could hear it.  And again, J. says “dude you just shit you pants”  So, now she looks up at me almost ready to puke.  I take my hand and do the same motion as before but I actually put just the tips of my fingers in the chili.  When I bring it up it appears I have a little shit on them.  I again sniff them  Now Pete is actually holding his entire face in his hands peeking through his fingers.  The girl looks at them and very casually I take one of the napkins and clean them off and just throw the napkin over on Pete’s table.  J. goes ballistic and pushes it off the table really quick telling me how sick I am.  He says’ dude you need to go wipe your ass”. The girl is also just peeking out of her hands and her head was shaking allot.  I say in a very drunk manner, “Shut the f**k up I don’t need to wipe my ass.”  Now I swear to god my eyes were watering so bad it looked like I was crying because I was holding in my laughing so hard.  All the other people were literally slapping each other.  So, one more time after I said I didn’t need to go wipe my ass “I reached back but this time grabbed a little more chili.  When I brought it up it looked so much like shit.  I could see her holding both Pete and J. so hard.  I sniff it again and then I licked my fingers.  She started to throw-up on J., but he pushed her over on Pete and jumped out of the table.  I could no longer hold it and everyone was laughing so hard.  I got up and we told her it was all a joke.  Her whole face running covered in black from her mascara.  The funniest thing was the owner came in balling with three other people who were all watching this happening through the window.  I swear to god this was the funniest night I ever had.  And as dumb or unbelievable this sounds ask Pete G. J. or even Kevin knows about it I think.  But I have allot of these but now so elaborate.  If you like this one I will tell more.  But only the ones that involve a bodybuilder.

The pic is of me and Leslie on the set on Dangerous Curves filmed in Mission Bay, CA

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 23, 2005, 06:23:51 PM
onlyme... dude...  I have tears in my eyes...  I can't breathe... I think that might be the funniest story I've ever heard in my life! ;D

I don't think you could possibly top that one but I hope you'll try anyway! ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 23, 2005, 07:32:41 PM
Onlyme....another classic story....and "Dangerous Curves".....as you know I was living at Mission Beach during the summer of 1987 when they filmed that straight to video classic.......that used to have the Ms. Mission beach contest back then-I dont know if they still do or not-but the local sports shop (Hamels) put it on and the winner got to "Appear" in that show.....

one story about the movie I will tell you, they built a huge  sandcastle for that show-for one of the scenes-it took this guy and his buddy an entire day to build it-this was built on the sand on my court (I lived 2 houses in from the beach), so the guy built the thing and they were going to film it in a scene the next day....my roommate Lars comes home drunk out of his mind-walks out to the boardwalk and spots the sandcastle...this is about midnight, maybe later-and Lars decides he wants to jump on it and wreck it...Lars starts runnnung for the sandcastle and gets about 20 feet away when all of the sudden this guy jumps up from the sand and yells "what the f**k are you doing"........he tries to grab Lars and ring Lars's neck, but Lars runs back to the house........he was sleeping out there to make sure no one wrecked that Sandcastle.......classic drunk stupor....
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 23, 2005, 07:40:07 PM
619 did you know the Clever Cleaver Brothers.  They lived near the roller coaster I think.  We had a party at there house.  They hung around like many others because of all the bikini girls.  Debbie Dunning made her activing debut in that movie.  I think her boyfriend hosted Good Morning San Diego that I appeared on with Leslie Nielson.  And of course he was farting the whole time.  Another debut was by Eva LaRue who now is very popular.  And do they still have that paddle boat out in the bay.  I had to jump from the top of that thing.  I hit the bottom.  They checked the depth and said it was okay but by the time we had to jump we moved and the water was maybe 12'.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 23, 2005, 07:43:55 PM
You knw another thing I remember about shooting there was as on most shoots when there are RV's, sports cars, off road vehicles and big-boy toys you want the Transportation Supervisor on your side.  His name was Duncan.  Well of course he loved us (the stuntmen) so we got just anything we wanted.  Well we wanted the Jetski's.   Generally all transportation is under his supervision as were these.  So we talked into giving us the keys to them and took off on several nights and during down time and the gas bill went way over budget.  But hey we had fun.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 23, 2005, 08:14:25 PM
619 did you know the Clever Cleaver Brothers.  They lived near the roller coaster I think.  We had a party at there house.  They hung around like many others because of all the bikini girls.  Debbie Dunning made her activing debut in that movie.  I think her boyfriend hosted Good Morning San Diego that I appeared on with Leslie Nielson.  And of course he was farting the whole time.  Another debut was by Eva LaRue who now is very popular.  And do they still have that paddle boat out in the bay. 

Hey Debbie Dunning....what a hottie, she actually married a guy from my gym, a big pro beach volleyball player-super cool guy-I cant recall his name right now but he is one of the most popular pro beach players in history.....great guy and she is a cutie....

Never met the Cleaver Brothers.....but Mission beach was a crazy place with alot of crazy people........

Those were certainly some of the best times of my life....as I said earlier, I used to see Bob Ries all the time at Mission Beach, always with his wife and always shredded wheat with no bodyfat at all....he was very impressive......most people wont remember Ries, and that is too bad b/c he was awesome.......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on March 23, 2005, 08:17:05 PM
onlyme.....

good stories.

This thread is becoming one of Getbig's alltime best.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on March 24, 2005, 05:16:44 AM
Thanks Keith,the reason I asked is that you look very familiar................ I must have seen you on one of those shows or in some commercials I`m sure because my memory sucks but I never forget a face.

DITTO
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 24, 2005, 05:41:38 AM
Keith,please kep `em coming......that restaurant story had me in stitches!!  ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 24, 2005, 07:17:14 AM
Chuck Kirsch was a competative BB who won the NY Mets a number of times and other Atlantic Coast touneys over the years. He past away at ~44 years of age, but had a life full of times with Andy Bostinto, Mike Ashley, Jim Quinn, Bev Francis training on the west coast (Golds, etc.) after winning or placing years ago in the teenage Mr Universe/My America contests. He was a friend that lived and breathed this sport from the teenage years until the day he passed.

He was like the mini-Mayor to any contest that we would go to on the East Coast, people knew him. He was a strong f**k too, never knew what failure was, he defined training through pain and would prabably be a match for Platz in his day. He was a true pleasure to lift with, go to eat or to just hang around.

Post contest he loved to go to Jackson Hole (the burger chain in NYC) and order a few of their jumbo burgers and would have them finished before the server finished serving all of us! After that it was off for frozen yogurt a muffin and a slice of pizza - while the next day he was just as ripped and not bloated. Unbelievable. He did land some photoshoots in Flex, Ironman, Men's Exercise and a few stints on TV.

Man..y'all would have pegged this guy right up there - one helluva practical joker.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: @Brandon on March 24, 2005, 09:00:39 AM
onlyme.....

good stories.

This thread is becoming one of Getbig's alltime best.
agree
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 24, 2005, 11:15:37 AM
I was looking through an old mag today and came across some pics of Jesse Ventura,and my first thought was that it looked like Onlyme,so i was wondering if you ever got mistaken for him.And the story about Leslie Nielson with the fart cushion,well the first time he appeared on live tv over here in the UK,was on a chat show and he did the exact thing that you described

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 24, 2005, 11:59:40 AM
Okay,

This is the fart machine I have and have had many times when with family or freinds we've almost died laughing.

http://www.thefartmachine.com/



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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 24, 2005, 12:07:03 PM
How did Chuck Kirsch die.........I was in the 2002 Atlantic states with him..........he looked great and seemed like a nice guy.

Sorry to hear about this.................... may he rest in peace!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 12:15:25 PM
No that's not it Max.  That one sucks compared to this one.  I have one in my car, if I remember I will take a pic of it and put it up.  This is cylinder in shape about 1.5" in diameter and about 2.5 tall.  It is rubber with hard plastic top and bottom.  Someone tried to copy it and that one sucks too.  The guy who inventer was 63 years old was an ex-pro golfer.  He had arthritis and wanted to keep playing golf.  So he made this little rubber bag thing he could easily hold in his hand and squeeze.  Well it was too hard because it was filled air and it wouldn;t give way when he squeezed it.  So he put a hole in the top.  he found out that when he sqeezed it he had to position his hand just right to let the air out and it made a farting noise.  Well after several variation he came up with the Han-D-Gas.  He has sold thousands of them.  Me and Leslie would go all over Mission Bay everytime we went out to eat and fart on people.  I remember waiting in line at the bank with friend.  So boring waiting in line so I started farting.  After awhile everyone knew I had it and was egging me on to fart on all the new people that walked into the bank.  The  funniest time ever in bank I am sure any of these people had.  I will tell you the story when I was walking down the venice boardwalk farting.  I literally had 30+ people following me with cameras talking pictures and video of me.  Now this had allot of bodybuilders involved cause I farted on everyone and their were plenty down there.  I even had 3 cops following me cracking up so hard that they thought they better hang around in case something bad happens.  I got a million of them each of them gut-busters.  If you had one you'd understand.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Disgusted on March 24, 2005, 12:32:29 PM
OMG!!!! I was laughing so hard I hard to wipe away the tears to finish reading the end of the story.   ;D ;D  More please.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 12:54:06 PM
I was never mistaken for "The Body" Ventura, but when Hulk was in town wrestling we trained together at the old World Gym here.  if you ever wanted to see a "get-down" gym then this is it.  Anyway I was doing cables with him.  First off the gym was open 24 hours a day.  It had allot of the gym open to the elements (outside) and some more encased in a chained linked fence.  Well the cables are located in an area facing the main street (Ala Wai Canal) and only had the fence in front.  SO you could see in as well as out.  So we are doing the cables and these people walk by and see Hulk right away.  Well that weekend he was supposed to wrestle with or against Brutus the Barber Beefcake.  Well just before that trip he got in a horrible accident.  I am sure someone knows more than me but I think basically he was techinng someone to water ski.  he was holding them up in the water keeping them stead on the skis.  Well he yell "Go" and the boat took off and the skier went right over his face and the fin on the bottom of the ski went right across the front of his head splitting it wide open.  This is kind of what I heard happened.  Maybe someone else knows more.  He also had a beautiful girlfriend (or wife I later found out) that i would rather not go into.  That's her in the pic.  She worked at Hooters and was in Playboy.  What memories.  Anyway, so me and Hulk were training and these peole come up and go crazy over seeing.  They looked at me and though I was The Beefcake.  I gave them my autograph and signed is Brutal 'The Barber" Cheesecake.  It's funny cause I was thinking of doing that but didn't mean too when I signed it but could'nt say I made a mistake.  So that was the only time as a wrestler.  I have to tell you the Big John Studd Story and the Kazmaier.  In fact Kazmair story is next cause I know you guys will love that one.  Just imagine me and him together.  Sorry about the pic being so small but it was in one of those funny frames where there are allot of pictures.  And yes I am smooth but you have to realize I was eating Hooters (literally) everyday.  They sponosred me so i got free food.  Plus I am about 305 there with a little vascualrity in the forearm.  usually i have allot more but only there

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 24, 2005, 01:01:05 PM
Can`t wait for the Kaz story,a guy i worked at the nightclub with told me about when Kaz came to their gym to do a seminar,and this was just after they had seen Bertil Fox,and Ian Harrison train there,and he said he has never seen anyone the size of Kaz.He says that he walked in and grabbed a pair of 150s,cleaned them to his shoulders,pressed them for 10 reps,and clamly placed them back in the dumbbell rack.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 24, 2005, 01:33:14 PM
Keith... I love your writing style man. I can tell your mind is going faster than you can type. We need to save these posts and put them into a book for you.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: SilentMethod on March 24, 2005, 01:49:07 PM
Keith - Goddam, the broad your in the pic !Those are some fine knokkers? How did she look? Any stories? C'mon now?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 01:59:28 PM
Okay here is another long story.  Kazmaier is a good friend and a great guy.  He has come to Hawaii on a few occasions to help me with things I have promoted.  Plus we share the same birthday so we send birthday e-cards to each other.   Anyway, the first time he came here for me was back in 1990 or 91'.  We were promoting the 1st Gold's Gym Bodybuilding Contest here along with a few other promotions including a great tug-a-war contest I was doing.

Well, me and a friend of mine decided to take Bill on a tour of Oahu,  At the time I had a nice 4x4 Bronco.  So, myself and Bill are in the front.  We are driving around and ended up in Waikiki.  We’re driving down Kalakaua Ave, (the street along Waikiki Beach) and was turning left at the zoo.  It was a yellow light. So I went, cause I learned to make rights on yellows.  Well in Waikiki the police drive around in those 3-wheel Cushman buggies.  So I hear a siren behind me.  I go about 100’ and pull into a short driveway next to the zoo.  Now when I get pulled over I like getting out of the car immediately cause it seems to get more respect from the cop.  So I did.  Well I hear this “sir get back into the vehicle” from the little buggy.  I said no it is too small and I want to stand out here.  So now he is a little pissed and he gets out of his buggy.  Then Big Bill gets out.  I swear to god no way in hell this guy weighed more than 135 and was about 5’4” oriental.  I told him don’t worry I am not going to do anything.  He starts to asks us again to get in the car.  Bill now says “I’m not staying in that fucking car you’ll have to handcuff me.”  Well he grabs his radio thing near his shoulder and calls for assistance.  In about 5 seconds I think there was about 4 more of those buggys and 3 or 4 regular cars. There was maybe 12 cops there. First they see me and they all know me.  I have done so many thing here and been on TV and everything so they were all cool to me.  Then they notice Bill.  They went crazy.  They told the little cop guy do you who these guys are and they introduce me and then Bill as the Worlds Strongest Man. The little cop felt so bad.  So now we are on the side of the zoo with a crowd coming together signing autographs for everyone.  They let us go.  It was really funny to see the little guys face when Bill told him he wasn’t going back into the car, cause Bill kind of yelled it at him and sounded mean.

In relation to Bill at the gym.  Everyone couldn’t wait for him to get there to train.  He shows up and we decide to do arms.  So I do my little warm-ups with the girly weights, while Bill goes over nears the end of the rack and picks up the 100’s.  He takes them and does about 20 full biceps curls like they were nothing to warmup.  Eevryone in the gym was standing there with their mouths wide open.  They couldn’t believe it.  The next day he did a little bench.  I asked him how much he can do now and he just said he doesn’t go really heavy right now.  Well he did go up to 405.  the only thing is that he did 30 of them and had more in him.  He told me he has done 50 reps with 400 before.  Unreal.  I felt like a little kid working out with him

I remember the hotel we put him up in was the Tahitian Lanai.  It was one of the oldest hotels in Honolulu and in fact is gone now.  It was all Gold’s Gym was going to pay for.  Well you have to imagine what it looked like.  Very old only two story’s on the beach and very local looking.  Plus it had no A/C and no front doors to close only a screen door.  I never looked inside before.  Bill calls me and tells me he will pay for his own flight home if I don’t get him out of there.  So I ended up having to pay for the Illikai which was about $200 a night rather than the bargin of $75 a night at the Tahitian Lanai.  Oh well Bill is worth the upgrade.

The pics are from the Arnold a couple years ago and the other is from the tug-a-war.  The other guy is Norm Compton who was Stallone bodyguard and Dolly Parton’s.  He also acts a lot.

You know Max you are right.  I am ttying to think while I type.  I can type pretty fast as long as you don't count the mistakes like in typing class.  And no I woudl rather not talk about Kristen and yes she has one of the most incredible bodies.  Hell she was in Playboy.  Plus she took 1st place at the bikini contest I judged. 

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 24, 2005, 02:03:44 PM
Can`t wait for the Kaz story,a guy i worked at the nightclub with told me about when Kaz came to their gym to do a seminar,and this was just after they had seen Bertil Fox,and Ian Harrison train there,and he said he has never seen anyone the size of Kaz.He says that he walked in and grabbed a pair of 150s,cleaned them to his shoulders,pressed them for 10 reps,and clamly placed them back in the dumbbell rack.
For those of you who have not seen Kaz in person-your in for a big shock. You cannot imagine the differnce in size there is bewteen television and real life.

Kaz must be 6'6 or so and when I saw the guy he must have weighed in at 300+ pounds EASILY-he was so damn big it scared me. He was almost a foot taller and you could fit 2-3 of my frames within his body-he is very, very big.....its funny b/c this was at a San Diego fitness trade show, and he was repping a line of  equipment similar to Hammer Strength-he gave me his business card-had his name and address on it, I have his card still. He lived down in the south-like Alabama or some place.......nice guy too!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 02:29:31 PM
619 he actually about 6'4" with shoes depending maybe he had on boots.  At the Arnold he told he was weighing 335.  The line of equipment is called Strive and is really good equipment.  i used it at the Gold's in Vegas on Sahara and Decatur.  I am ordering some for the gym.  Kaz told me I have to have it.  Who's to argue.  But it is really good stuff.

Okay, guys please don;t call me a pussy.  Here I go.  I gargle everyday and brush my teeth.  I have had one cavity in my whole life.  I have always tried this but just until a few days ago I am really trying harder.  Have you seen the Literine commercial where they tell you can hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds (or is this just a local commercial).  Cause no matter how hard I try I can;t get 30 seconds.  i started off only being able to hold for about 15 seconds.  At least now I am up to as high as 25 seconds.  Can anyone out there do this. Unreal
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 24, 2005, 03:08:02 PM
619 he actually about 6'4" with shoes depending maybe he had on boots.  At the Arnold he told he was weighing 335.  The line of equipment is called Strive and is really good equipment.  i used it at the Gold's in Vegas on Sahara and Decatur.  I am ordering some for the gym.  Kaz told me I have to have it.  Who's to argue.  But it is really good stuff.

Okay, guys please don;t call me a p***y.  Here I go.  I gargle everyday and brush my teeth.  I have had one cavity in my whole life.  I have always tried this but just until a few days ago I am really trying harder.  Have you seen the Literine commercial where they tell you can hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds (or is this just a local commercial).  Cause no matter how hard I try I can;t get 30 seconds.  i started off only being able to hold for about 15 seconds.  At least now I am up to as high as 25 seconds.  Can anyone out there do this. Unreal

When your 5'7, 6'4 and 6'6 all seem the same-it is monster big......the guy is a tank...I just pulled out his business card. He was repping "Panatta Sport" , dont know what type of equipment they carry-it might have been strive-this was around 93-94. His address is listed as Auburn Alabama (AL is Alabama isn't it). Maybe I'll try the number and see if its still good...lol........

I know the mouthwash commercial-b/c they have 2 different ones-one with a guy and the other with a hot babe-but those bozo's stopped playing the commercial with the babe and are only doing the dude commercial-bozo's........
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 24, 2005, 03:34:57 PM
Here`s a story I was reminded about because of the talk about wrestlers............... ...I had just started one of my zillionth comebacks to the gym after having some personal problems,must have been late 1980`s.......not too sure.

All the WWF wrestlers were in town at the Civic Center, and a lot of them stopped in to train at the gym I worked out at................Mr. America and Mr. Universe winners Jeff King,and Matt Dufresne trained there, along with Mr. World Richard Roy, and a host of other animals that competed on a regional,local,or national level in bodybuilding,powerlifting,and arm-wrestling.

Well I went in one night to train, and I saw "Black Jack" Mulligan who was huge,as well as Virgil who was billed as the bodyguard, for I beleive his name was Ted Dibiasi the "Million Dollar Man" or some shit like that !!  LOL

These guys were huge like Mulligan, but Virgil and a few of the others looked like kids standing next to King or Dufresne.........now for the highlite of the story........Ted Arcidi was also present, and the gym owner who was a pretty good powerlifter, knew him from some contests or something........anyway,I saw Arcidi doing skullcrushers with a curling bar and three 45 pound plates perside, plus a few smaller plates to boot..........incredibly strong, and did reps with this weight with ease.

After he got done training, he asked some young kid who was there, if he would go get him a milkshake and a hero sandwich...........he gave the kid a $100.00 bill and the kid went up the block to get Ted his food...........he came back with the food and Arcidi tells him to keep the change..........I couldn`t beleive it..........I woulda` went if I knew I could have made about 90 bucks doing it!!  LOL  :)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 24, 2005, 05:26:23 PM
I have to tell ya-some of those WWF wrestlers were real strong. I told the story here way back wherethe "Warlock", or some similar name popped in at Gold's Pacific Beach in the late 80's and he was as big as Jerry Rodgers, and Jerry was as big as Haney was at that time. Warlock went the bench and slammed 315 for 20 reps......OK, Warlock was 6'5 and weighed 280-but still-not bad.

Jeff King showed up in about 88 or 89 too, when he was vacationing, and he was so small I did not recognize him. Someone had to tell me it was him......would have liked to have seen the America he won-was that 83? He was awesome-especially the legs....way ahead of their time...
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 24, 2005, 05:59:18 PM
619,Here`s a thread that`s on my board which features King and some of the other guys I mentioned.........I think you`ll like it......I have a lot to add to it but it`s not bad so far!!   ;D

http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&num=1101403778#bottom
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 07:01:25 PM
Wes that was good about Arcidi.  he was the original monster bencher (besides Kaz).  He came to Hawaii numerous time to compete in the World Record Breakers Gus Retwisch promoted.   

Also, Wes you have a really nice website.  I took this pic cause it is so awesome from their.  If you are mad or I did somethign wrong tell me and I will take ot off.  It's just I saw it and I couldn't believe his neck. 

Wrestlers by the most part are all bigger iin person it seems like.  I did an appearance in Miami back inn 89 I think and met Big John Studd.  In fact we all went to dinner and he taught me how to eat lobster cause I neevr had it before.  Never wanted it but he made me eat it.  It was okay.  We became friends and our paths crossed again around 1990 or so when we were both up for a lead in some movie with Kim Basinger.  In fact the castng calls me and tells me it looks good for me so make some room to come in the next day.  Well she calls me the next morning to tell me that a guy named Big John Studd came in and the executives thought he was awesome so theu gave him the part.    Again in 1992 or so I brought him to Hawaii to help promote a show.  Even with his really bad knees he particiapted in the4 Walk-a-thon we did for MD.  He walked 5 miles.  I felt so bad for him.  he was in so much paid. I offered to pick him up so he didn't have to walk but he said no.  he later died not to much longer after that.  he wife called me to tell me.  He was just getting a line of supplements into the military.  All the wrestlers I have met have all been really nice even though they are the size of a house.

The other is the pic is Mike Kozlowski fromt he Miami Dolphins.  We were all on some local TV magazine show.  I can't remember, but Jhon grabbed the mike and wanted to play interviewer.  Look at the size of him.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 24, 2005, 07:42:09 PM
Keith,thanks for the compliment on my site.............and no problem,any pics you see on their that you like,feel free to take them.  ;)

Stop by anytime,it would be an honor!!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 08:17:20 PM
Oh yea here is Jeff king you guys.  What a neck.  Also check out Wes's site it is really good.

http://timwescott.proboards18.com/

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 24, 2005, 09:29:26 PM
I remember the year Jeff won the America Mike came back to Muscle Mill raving about Jeff and what a monster he was. Of couse the pictures didn't hit the magazines until weeks later and there was n internet giving us blow by blow action back then.

Mike felt Jeff was like the next Casey.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 24, 2005, 10:06:19 PM
I remember the year Jeff won the America Mike came back to Muscle Mill raving about Jeff and what a monster he was. Of couse the pictures didn't hit the magazines until weeks later and there was n internet giving us blow by blow action back then.

Mike felt Jeff was like the next Casey.
I wish Jeff King had the opportunity to compete against IFBB guys-he was a big fish in a little pond-and never got the Weider publicity, which really hurt him and his marketability.

In 1983 King was matched only by Platz and Tim Belknap in the leg department-and he might have edged Belknap by a hair or two.......

Onlyme-were you at the party Joe Gold threw for the opening of World Gym at the second location on Main Street-Venice? This was summer 1987 or so. The reason I ask is that pretty much everyone who was anyone was there, and the biggest guy that was at the party was a wrestler........guess who? Definitly the biggest guy there.......went on to become Governor....Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He was not real lean but he is very tall and carried serious size. That was a cool gym, now it is a gymnastics studio for little kids....lol......
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 24, 2005, 10:57:31 PM
No after I left around 1983 or 84' maybe, I never went back.  I had a daughter in 1984 so I spent more time around the house.  I remember when they moved.  I lived in Manhattan Beach and I made that drive for years.  I was learning every shortcut (that ultimately turned out to be a long cut) to get to the gym and back.  I trained sometimes at Rennaisse at the same time in Hawthorne (where I met Gene Mozee).  Then I heard of Muscle Mill and for the longest time couldn't find it.  I mean maybe a few months.  I always heard of a great gym owned by Ray Mentzer but it was in a housing track.  So it took me awhile to find it.  He sold it to a fireman friend of mine who was a general contractor too that I did some work for.  I never even stepped foot into the new location. I kind of wanted to go to that party they had a few years ago just to see Joe and say hi and show him I grew bigger.  I'm sorry I didn't.  I think he would have been proud of me.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 25, 2005, 06:44:13 AM
Wes wrote:
How did Chuck Kirsch die.........I was in the 2002 Atlantic states with him..........he looked great and seemed like a nice guy.

Sorry to hear about this.................... may he rest in peace!

Wes - Natural causes is the best that I can say. Chuck was one of my best friends and a true BB with a long history in the sport. One of the best natural BB's without doubt and a great joker too.

I met him back in 88 I think.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 25, 2005, 07:01:33 AM
In 1990 or so, I was training in Gold's Gym in Tallahassee, FL (was a FSU student) and the WCW wrestling was in town. Well, I look out the gym window (back then this Gold's would not let women train in the same part of the gym as men, they had their own section) and notice a big Loncoln pull up. Out of the car pops Lex Luger, The Stein Brothers and Sting (the wrestler, not the singer).

They stroll into the gym, the Steiner brothers go off in one direction and Lex and Sting start training, mostly together. Bog guys, well Stig was tall, but weak for his size, Lex was in near BB competition share and the Steiner Bros were a force to be wreckened with. Funny thing is that Lex would yell and scream "Mr Sting - get over here and give me a spot" or "Mr Sting, push that weight and move it boy" loudly across the gym at will - like they stayed in character all day long.

Talking to them, Sting was stung, Lex had his act together and you just did not approach the Steiners for fear of a piledriver or something.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: LLES on March 25, 2005, 09:32:29 AM
I knew Scott & Rick Steiner pretty well. Use to train at the same gym in Ga , & I can tell you they were some stong boys! They use to warm up w/ 315 on the incline. I watched Scott cross his legs up In the air & do 455 for 8 reps on the flat bench like it was 135. I have a funny story about Lugar. WCW came to Myrtle Beach S.C. when I lived there & the wrestlers were in the local Gold's training & they were all pretty much low-keyed except Lugar who was prancing around & snorting & grunting like he was this big deal. He has 315 on the incline & he's carrying on like he's settting a world record. Well , a friend of mine who we called Rob-Bass was there & said , "watch this". He strolls over to Lugar & says kind of like Chris Rock ,"Damn that looks heavy". Lugar kinda blows him off & says ,Yeah, it's heavy". Rob says he'd like to try it & would Lugar spot him . Now Rob is about 5'9 & 168, but Rob at one time had the S.C. squat record for his -class & later went on to be a naturalworld class power-lifter. He was size for size the strongest guy I've ever seen. So Rob gets under it & says ,"Hand it to me" & proceeds to crank out 10 easy reps, sets it down & says ,"That wasn't as heavy as I thought" & walks off. Lugar looked like he was going to sh*t but the rest of the time he was there he did not make 1 sound. It was without a doubt 1of the funniest things I ever saw.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 25, 2005, 12:36:58 PM
dknole,thanks........I had heard of Chuck long before I had the chance to meet him........damn good physique !!

Sorry for your loss bro.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 25, 2005, 01:14:42 PM

I kind of wanted to go to that party they had a few years ago just to see Joe and say hi and show him I grew bigger.  I'm sorry I didn't.  I think he would have been proud of me.


Joe would have been proud of your accomplishments and your attitude towards people and towards life just as much as he would have been proud of you for growing bigger. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 25, 2005, 01:24:35 PM
Thanks Max.  I will be telling another Barbarian Brothers story when I get back from the movies.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on March 25, 2005, 05:06:21 PM
Thanks Max.  I will be telling another Barbarian Brothers story when I get back from the movies.
Another Barbarian Brother story....cant wait...bring it on........

Onlyme, I never kew the Barbarian Brothers-but have seen them before-even recently at Venice...but I have one story you might???? know about ;D. I had a friend I went to school with and she moved to LA in the early 80's. She was really hot but very small-about 5 feet tall and small frame.  Nancy had a little puny car-cant remember what kind.

Anyway here goes, she parks her puny car somewhere in Venice and somehow it had interefered with one of the Brother's parking spot, or their car or something or another (can't recall) and they decided to "Move" my friends car out of the way. They ended up lifting it out of the way, and in the process damaged it. My friend sues the Brothers in small claims court. It was such a weird case the "Peoples Court" put it on their show. My friend Nancy and the Barbarian Brother both go on the show and have a trial with Judge Wopnar. The Barbarian was cracking jokes and was dressed in the usual get up they dressed in back in those days-like "DC Cab"......the Brother lost the case and I never had a chance to speak with my friend Nancy about it.....did you ever get that story from them???????
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 25, 2005, 07:11:30 PM
Wes,

thanks. The gang here would have loved Chuckie.

If you are ever in the Ft Lauderdale area - let me know.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 25, 2005, 07:30:54 PM
dknole,funny you should say that because if my money holds up I may be down in Lauderdale to do the Southern States contest in August...............I`ve done the show 5 times in the past.

I`ll keep you posted !
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 25, 2005, 08:38:33 PM
dknole you are in Lauderdale?  I love that place.  I had some of the best times in their.  The Days Inn gave me a suite their for 3 months.  At the same time I had a place at the Bahia Mar? The owner was a freind of mine I met a Golf/Tennis Tournament I played in Boca Raton.  So he said as long as I was inn Lauderdale he'd give me a room.  I actually used the room to meet up with.......well girls.  There was this lady (about 28) who visited Lauderdale about once a week.  Her husband was a fire chief down in Miami and was a tall Kenny Rodgers lookalike.  Well that was some good times.

A short "fart machine" story.  At the Bahia my room was ground floor and the jacquzzi was located about 15' from my front door.  I am inside my room with the door open when all of a sudden it starts pouring rain so hard.  Thunderwas so loud.  Anyway, I am laying on the bed watching Tv when all of a sudden this thin black girl is standing in my doorway with a little skimpy bikini on hugging her towel.  After a couple seconds I start using my fart machine.  So turns around almost crying and I said whats wrong and showed her it was fake and only a fart machine.  She comes inside while saying and sits on the edge of the bed.  I showed her the machine.  She starts telling me about her little sister was killed in a jacquzzi during a rainstorm and that she was afraid to be outside.  So I talk to her for awhile and we are getting to know each other.  Back then I hardly ever wore anything in my hotel room except a towel.  This was no exception. Anyway about 30 minutes or so later my manager comes by to see what I was doing later.  I introduce them and I told him lets go to City Limits (my favorite club there, is it still there).  Anyway I am kind of signling to him to leave cause I think me and this girl are getting along really good.  SO finally, he leaves.  So we start talking a little more and then all of a sudden we kiss. 

Well right away my friend "Moby" is awaken wondering what's up.  So I get up really quick to go close the door and the towel comes off and I catch it, but kind of late.  I was embarrased to say the least but she says to me "nice".  So I run over to the door slam it shut and without any further ado we did.  We'll we ended up being together for about a couple weeks.  She was a regular at City Limits I found out.  And was pretty well known there  if you knwo what I mean.  So the conquest was really lowered after I found out.  but it was fun anyway.  I love Lauderdale.  I heard The Candy Store has been gone for awhile.  Mona Frank was a hottie from that place.  Man I miss that place.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 25, 2005, 08:53:15 PM
619 yes I remember that.  I asked them what happened in that case and from what they told me was that parking spot was were they parked all the time.  If I recall i think it was outside their condo or something like that.  There wasn't enough room to park so they moved her car.  I think they damaged her bumper by lifting it and putting it on the curb.  I saw that episode.  That is how they dressed all the time.  Another car incident was when they were driving on the 405 around Sunset and they were in thier Jeep.  Somehow they were arguing and can't remeber who was driving but they ended up driving off the side of the freeway down a little embankment into a bunch of ivy.  Well I guess it started a nice traffic jam.  After argueing for a little longer they both got out of the jeep and pushed it back up the enbankment onto the freeway.

MAx remeber when they used to come to Tequilla Willies.  We used to serve 32 oz. margarita's there called Manhattan Maggies.  They would always have one in each hand.  One day David is carrying around a gallon of ice cream and eating it in the club. He ate the whole gallon by himself.  One night we were really busy and out front was packed with cars.  Well the twins drive up on the sidewalk honking at everyone to get out of the way.  They drove right next to a security guard for the mall and honked their horn and scared the living shit out of them and then took off.  They were nuts.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on March 26, 2005, 12:45:16 AM
Here`s a screencap of one of the Barbarians,taken from Shawn Rays video Lifestyles of the fit and famous.
Check out the neck.!!

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 26, 2005, 09:40:48 AM
MAx remeber when they used to come to Tequilla Willies.  We used to serve 32 oz. margarita's there called Manhattan Maggies.  They would always have one in each hand.  One day David is carrying around a gallon of ice cream and eating it in the club. He ate the whole gallon by himself.  One night we were really busy and out front was packed with cars.  Well the twins drive up on the sidewalk honking at everyone to get out of the way.  They drove right next to a security guard for the mall and honked their horn and scared the living shit out of them and then took off.  They were nuts.

Dude every time you mention TW's I get a little tear in my eye. I must have hit 60 chicks out of there that one summer alone. There was no HIV to worry about. Now it's an Islands.

I'm still in mourning.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 26, 2005, 10:54:01 AM
Wes - let me know if you will be doing the Southern States and i will be there to meet up and support ya.

I do nto compete but did years ago. Now, i just try to stay up with my young kids and stay in shape. Actually do more running and cardio and less strength stuff these days due to shoulder pain.

Keith (onlyme) sorry to say - your hot spots have fizzeled and have been renamed or made into other real estate. The Bahia Mar area is fun, I love Ft Lauderdale and actually disliked living on South Beach (too much trash and street drugs) for the year or so we lived there).

I remember being in Scottsdale for work, an associate and i went to the pool to relax after the day's business and met a nice girl from West Virginia. We all moved over to the hot tub after a bit of talking and starting rapping. She was in town for some hotel course and we were in for consulting work (medical research). She asks what we did (so i told my friend to play along) - i told her we were in the hotel and restuarant business and ran a new restuarant in a NYC hotel (I just finished reading a story on the hotel and restuarant, so i had details that were unbelievable) - I had her wrapped, it was fun. So i leave to g get ready for the business dinner we had planned and my associate starts hitting on the sweetie, he later joins me as we head to dinner and was all happy...We are at dinner and after a few rounds end up going to one of the college bars with the owners of the company we were consulting for - somehow I end up giving the owners sister a back massage, my buddy tells Karen that she is now officially mine and within minutes she will be puddy in my hands...let me just say she was a knockout. After 10 or so drinks, somehow her and I end up back at her private estate and are having some fun, but I decide since I have a 7am meeting with her brothers,  should high tail it out of there...i do and I remember what room the hot tub chick said she was in, so abotu 3;30 or so i knock on her door...thing is, she was awake and dressed in a sweet teddie - answers the door and says, I knew you would come...your buddy tried to get with me, but I sent him on his way (i smiled) - well, let's just say that them there West Virginia girls have fun in them and i never made it to sleep that night.

Thankfully, ephedra and an espressor got me through my meeting and we signed the contract (I guess my motor mouth and the doctor I was with were convinving enough) and whatever happened with the owners sister - she never told, but smiled the whole meeting.

So, keith - if you ever make it to this side of the country let me know - dinner is on me!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 26, 2005, 02:12:36 PM
Thanks dknole, I may take you up on that someday.  And back at you if you're ever around these parts.  Oh, is the Chrome Parrot still there and Shooters.  I remember when I played in that tennis/golf tournament in Boca we had a party on the yacht "Monkey Business".  We ended up going to Shooters too.  I thought it was neat how they had valet guys too park your your yacht.  I had a guy take me out on his Cigarette boat just about anytime I wanted.  In fact I saw it on tv not to long ago,  I remember the boats name was Crazy Greg's or something like that.  It was green.  Man those are fun boats.  We'd jump other boats wakes and get air.  I drove it some and that thing flew.

Well here is a Barbarian Story and Pete G.  We are in Hilo (a different time that the buffet story) and we are there promoting the Twins movie TwinSitters.  We decide to take the twins and Pete around and show them the sites of that side of the island.  Allot of jungle on that side and allot of waterfalls.  But Akaka Falls is about the highest.  We have to park the car and walk maybe 1/2 mile or so.  The place is packed with tourist and allot of Japanese.  They are all taking our pics especially the Twins cause they are pretty popular in Japan.  And itr was so funny when they would pic some of the female japanese up cause the girls were so afraid,

Ao anyway we get to the falls and taking some pics.  Well all of a sudden David jumps over the railing on the trail.  First off Pete went absoulutly crazy telling David to get back that is was too dangerous.  It was a straight down fall of about 200' easy.  The only thing was some shrubs and vines to hang onto.  This whole time Pete and the others are yelling at David to get back.  He starts doing a King Kong imitation and jumping around like a big gorilla.  Now we have at least 20 or more people there watching David. Either they were amused by the King Kong imitation since he kicked Godzilla's ass in all those Japanese movies or they were waiting for him to fall.  Well about at least 5 minutes later (oh and he started to sing) he finally comes back.  Pete is telling him how stupid he was and he almost had a heart attack,  And David just thought it was another day.  It was funny to see in person this huge guy being a gorilla hanging off a cliff that easily could have given way and he had no thought of it being dangerous.

Now I don't if any of you know it but the Twins are very musically talented.  They even had a CD made adn some of the music is really good.  They kind of gangster rap.  they have songs like "War with the Weights", "What you Looking At" and others.  They have beat to them and great to train too,  They even made one with Weider as the main topic.

So with that in mind.  We did a couple of high school appearance while on the Big Island.  The schools set up assemblies for us to come speak to the kids and sign autographs.  SO at one school in particular we had some kind of day.  First they scheduled the assembly right after lunch.  SO they invited us to come eat in the cafeteria with the teachers.  When we got there is was a riot.  We were walking through the school to the cafeteria and every class would get out and yell at us and scream it was like a rock concert.  So we get to the cafeteria and the kids start coming in.  You know at schools you get a certain amount of food on your plate.  Not us we used our trays for the food.  And I swear we packed a whole tray just with milk.  So of course all the kids saw us and want to be by us.  So within a minute or two we have about 50 kids surrounding us watching us eat.  These kids were so amazaed how much food we had.  Most of it the twins ate by the way.  Anyway, now lunch is over and the teachers tell the kids to get to class.  So everyone leaves and I’m sure everyone was late because no one was leaving at any pace whatsoever.   

So now the teachers escort us out onto this elevated stage they set up against a wall of one of the buildings.  Well now here come the kids.  It was a school wide event so everyone was there including every teacher and even allot of parents.  I would say close to 2000 people total.  SO we each have a microphone and are talking to the kids and answering questions.  Then David says they have some songs the want to sing.  The first song is the Harley Davidson song.  It is really good if you haven’t heard it.  Especially when you consider the twins wrote it are singing it.  Who’d thought?  Anyway everyone is going crazy in the crowd.  You have to remember that we are in a location that does not ever get anybody to come and speak and for 99% of these kids they have never met any kind of celebrity except for maybe there uncle during visiting hours in the local prison for murder.  It was really great.  SO there is a part of the song where David is pretending to ride a Harley.  So he girates his hips and the place went balastic.  Then Peter does it and even more ballistic.  It was truly a small rock concert.

Then after that they sing a song called “What’s you looking at”.  So they asked someone out of the crowd to come up on stage.  So some guy gets volunteered by his friends.  So right away this guy turns into an instant celebrity.  So they start singing and it is a tough guy kind of song.  And they are going up and down the stage singing to the crowd and this kid.  When all of a sudden the words “what’s you looking at” come up and both the twins turn to this guy about an inch away and yell at him “WHAT”S YOU LOOKING AT”.  I swear to god this kid just about pissed his pants and started crying.  He was so scared and the crowd started to bust up.  He was so scared.  So anyway by the end of the song this guy shivered about 20 lbs. off of himself.

So about an hour later or so the show is over.  The principal comes up to thank us for coming to their school and the kids yelled and it was great.  So now we leave the stage and the kids are following us.  The principal is yelling over the mike to go to class but no one is listening.  We are even telling them to go to class but no one was leaving.  Well what happened was the principal decided since the kids were so good during the event and everything else he gave them all the rest of the day off.  The kids again went balastic.  Well we finally got out of there about another hour later.  It was allot of fun.  I have some of there music on my computer I will see what I can do to put it up so you can hear it.  It really isn’t that bad.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: wes on March 26, 2005, 04:23:34 PM
dknole,I`m doing a few shows before August that`s why I am not sure if I`ll make the Southern States,but if I do,it would be great to meet you bud!!

As I said,I`ll keep you posted as to how things are going moneywise and whether I`ll make it back down or not.

Take care!

Keith,that school story sounds like it was almost a full scale riot !!   ;D

The kids must have loved you guys.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 26, 2005, 05:44:50 PM
Back from Vegas. Had a good time but won no money! Did not play Craps this time due to other committments.

OK, I just took a fast lookover of all the above inputs and am surprised on the number of subject discussed since I departed.

Here's a fast one about David ....

I was walking along the "broadwalk" along Venice Beach one crowded Sunday afternoon and ran into David and somehow resulting conversation turned into talk about the CD he had just made which I gave to you much later.

I thanked him for the CD and told him I'd listen to it as soon as I got home.

But David said something like this, "Nah, don't wait that long!"

And then  he started singing some of the songs on his CD.

I was an audiance of "ONE" but many others gathered around to watch the show.

He sang damn good too!

Did you meniton that CD to this group yet, Only?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Lodz on March 26, 2005, 06:54:27 PM
Onlyme, you're one of the coolest cats I've ever run across.  This:

Well f**k I had no money on me so I talked my asshole attorney to put it on his American Express card.

...is too funny :)

But this:

Quote
In between the 13 shots of Bacardi 151 and a 6 pack of lite beer I was feeling good enough to dunk the free cream puffs in the bacardi and light them on fire then eat them.  I must have had a dozen or so of those little things.

And:

Quote
Anyway, She was hanging on to me (or keeping me up) when all of a sudden I throw up with so much velocity and volume it was unreal.  It went all over the place but at least a gallon of it went directly into her face and down her top.  She was soaked in it.

...are even better.  Those have to be the funniest things I've read in a real long time.  I'm only sorry it left you with such a hangover! :D

Great, great stories.  Please keep them coming! 

-Prof. Lodz
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 26, 2005, 08:44:41 PM
Thanks Lodz, all these stories as amuzing as they are, are all true.  When I write them I even start laughing sometimes cause I go over them and see how really funny they were.  I think Kevin was with us at Alan's wedding.  Were you Kevin.  And if you ever see Pete ask about me and Alan Inchinose wedding party and then the club afterwards.  He'll start rolling on the floor.  And especially the restaurant, that my my all time favorite.  I have used that machine is just about any situation you can think of except a courtroom.  I have had it on me but never had enough balls to do it there.

Okay here are a few "Fart Machine" stories.  Me, Pete G. and his friend just had dinner at a fancy restaurant on top of a hotel in Honolulu.  Everyone was Japanese but us, it seemed like.  I knew the owner of this restaurant (and I never used the machine in there).  Anyway after about a $500 dinner we decided to go downstairs to the nightclub.  So we take the elevator down. So 6 or 7 other people get in.  Right way I have an idea.  We are all going to the bottom floor.  So I decide to have fun.  Now you know my size.  I push a few buttons to make the ride a little longer.  I start to talk but I almost certain they didn’t know what I was saying.  Saw I give that international look of being a little sick.  So they are looking at me in concern.(cause their eyes were squinting a little) and I let out this pretty big loud fart.  They jump back and start talking really fast.  The doors open to a floor I am in the way so no one can leave then they close and we go down more.  I fart again and again.  One of the older Japanese guys is holding his nose and you can tell a couple others were holding there breath.  Pete say to them what are you going to do hold your breath the whole way.  So Pete and his friend are laughing the others are holding their breath and I keep farting.  It was our own little party in the elevator.  It was so funny when we got out at the bottom.  I stood in the doorway for a couple of seconds and one of the older ladies is pushing me.  It was so funny.  When they got at the bottom there were several other Japanese waiting to get on the elevator.  All those that took that horrible ride with us stopped to talk to them. Every Japanese person in the lobby was looking at me.  It was so funny if you saw it. 

Another one in So. Cal.  I was having lunch with a couple of my friends.  One of them is still the holder for being the youngest person to ever compete in the WSM at just 19 years old.  Our other friend was a very wealthy businessman who had several cars including a beautiful Ferrari Boxer.  We are eating at California Pizza Kitchen a great place to eat,  The place is about ¾ full.  Well we’re sitting there and there is a table of four girls next us and a couple other table with people.  The waitress comes over to take our order.  (Now I got this move from Leslie Nielson when we went to dinner one time in San Diego.)  She is standing next to me and I knock a fork off the table which goes below her.  She backs up to pick it up and I hold my fart machine behind her butt and fart.  Now for some reason she didn’t hear it (or maybe she did) but the table on the other side of her heard it fine.  I look at them like wow can you believe she farted.  Anyway, my two friends are laughing and we order.  Then I start to fart a little.  Sometimes I mix in a story why I am farting so much.  Most of the time I can’t stop because I just had a hemroidectomy.  So I tell these girls next to us it’s a medical problem and I can’t stop. So they are calling me a pig and sick and all those cool pet names, ignoring the fact it could be a serious medical problem.  Then the other table next to them are getting on me.  So now my other friend who gets a little embarrassed tells me to show them the machine.  So finally I do.  Well they still are on me even when I show them it’s fake.  So my one friend says you don’t like it then leave.  We all figure if they don’t have a sense of humor to bad.  SO when the waitress comes back they ask her to move them.  So now we are the only ones back in this girls area.  A little longer story shorter.  My rich friend took care her by giving her a $100 tip.  I’ve also been kicked out of two buffets.  The good thing is that we ate allot already and both places gave us back our money.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 27, 2005, 01:56:53 AM
Okay I have a  Peter G story (Onlyme didn't you aver hear anyone call him Dr. Peter?). This was back in Rochester in the Mid 70's before he came to California.

He was divorcing his first wife Mary and I guess she was giving him a hard time about custody (Imagine that! A custody battle with a divorcing bodybuilder. Who would of thunk it).

So a few of us were hanging out at the beach. Now Remember this was Rochester, located on Lake Ontario which was so polluted you couldn't go in the water. You could tan and scope chicks, that's about it.

So Pete tells us he's going to go buy a big yellow duck suit and then go knock on his wife’s door and punch the crap out of her. He say's when she calls the cops she's going to say a big yellow duck punched me and they'll put her in insane asylum!

Then, the Peter laugh he, he, he, he.

We were dying so he kept saying it.   
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dknole on March 27, 2005, 07:27:23 AM
Keith (onlyme) Shooters is still here and is still fun. man, I been going there for 10+ years!

What you can do on boats here is so cool, som many restuarants allow you to tie on to their dock, come eat (or will serve you in your boat/yacht..just fun.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 27, 2005, 03:17:51 PM
Max, did you ever hear the Eliott Nest story in Rochester way back then? That's how I'm starting the 1st chapter in my "The Wacked Out History of Bodybuilding" once Peter says, "Do it!".

No, Kieith, I did not go to Alan and Judy's wedding cause I was in Las Vegas at the time but I was with you and that damn fart machine in some Waikiki elevators a couple of times. Shit, I get embarrassed when I burp in private but your "ventriloquism" farts are definitely worth an endless laugh. You did that to an elderly Asian couple in the elevator once. I bust a gut once they got off.

Just finished taking some photos of the present spots where the old BB places were located ........ Original Golds on Ocean Ave, Pete's Gold's on 2nd, present day Golds, Guido street crossing sign, the original World Gym, the second Worlds Gym (now a gymnastics school), The Pit, Zucky's, The German's, Joe Weider's original California office on 5th Ave, etc.

If I can't figure this out, I'll send them to Only and ask him to post them with some of the comments I add.

Could not find the original DUNGEON, nor the Smorgasboard Restaurant, I think that they were in the location where the huge shopping center is presently located.

Santa Monica has changed a hell of a lot ........ Many more cars than those olden days. More crowded and trendy. A relatively new outdoor mall on 3rd.

In them old days you never had a problem parking within a block of Gold's in Santa Monica and I don't even think that they had parking meters back then.

And on weekends when it got a bit crowded, there were always two city parking structures which offered unlimited free parking.

The old dump of a hotel across from Gold's on 2nd in Santa Monica is now a very fancy and trendy place to stay  with a lot of fine dining places built all around it.

The old neighborhood bars are now fancy martini places or Starbucks and I didn't see too many drunks or panhandlers this time either.

That town has definitley sobered up a bit.

ANd all the muscleherz have moved further south into Venice and even further south to San Diego. Or east to Las Vegas where brand hew homes have finally hit the $300,000 mark. A couple of years ago they were in the $120,000 - $150,000 range.

I had friends looking at $1,000,000 one bedroom, condo apartments in the MGM Grand but they finally ended up buying a couple of homes right off the Strip in South Las Vegas - the fastest growing spot in the entire valley.

Keith, the South Coast is going up pretty fast so I guess you'll be there the next time you visit LV. That whole area on south of Silverton is booming with homes and businesses and it looks to me that the Strip will be stretching down that far within the next ten years.

I bet a new Gold's or 24 opens there within the next few months.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 27, 2005, 03:55:50 PM

Max, did you ever hear the Eliott Nest story in Rochester way back then? That's how I'm starting the 1st chapter in my "The Wacked Out History of Bodybuilding" once Peter says, "Do it!".


Kevin it depends on what story. I used to go out to Elliot’s Nest occasionally to hang out with Pete and I could tell several stories. I think I told about one of them at the start of this entire thread.

I also know there was a famous "gunfight" there but I can't remember the entire story.

Then there was the time Pete's high school friend "Tommy the moron" a cab driver started bobbing his head up and down on himself (like he was giving himself a BJ) we were all dying laughing.

Or the time Pete started chasing the waitress around the bar while he was pulling his "unit" out of his pants.

Did anyone every hear about Jack Patterson the black bb  in Rochester. Dr. Peter used to keep him supplied but in reality he was the Dr's guinea pig. He'd call him every few days to see if he was alive. If he was, Pete would follow suite.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 27, 2005, 05:04:58 PM
MAx, Tommy the Moron.  Is that guy something.  he lives in Vegas in a small $300+ a month apratment.  I know Pete was paying his rent for awhile and may still be.  Tommy went out with us to a real fancy Italian restaurant over by the Hard Rock Hotel.  He was so nice during dinner.  He made a few noises and faces but when he got outside he went beserk. He kept telling us he couldn't wait to gwet out of there.  He is closterphobic (?) or something.  Lind (Pete's girlfriend for 18 years ) was with us.  She kept kicking me to look at The Moron when he did something.  It took about a minute of staring and playing with his food before he began to eat it. it

On another night me, Pete, Linda (were you there Kevin), Paul (Petes bro), and a few others went to dinner at a french restaurant in the Venetian (Brasirre? or something).  Anyway right away I am not that fond of french food.  So, I am looking for anything chicken.  The majority of the menu was n french.  I saw the word shortbread but decided maybe for dessert.  Well I find out shortbread was sheep brains.  Pete orders like 5 of them for apetizers for everyone.  He tried so hard to get me to eat that crap but I never did.

Kevin remember Pete playing Roulette.  I got him a suite at The Orleans for free one time when he came to see me.  He liked staying at the Bellagio but he wantred to be where I was.  So he felt guilty and left about $80,000 in tips to the dealers. 

Max, you might know these people.  Kevin I think you were there.  It was the seoncd to the last Gold's COnvention pete was involved with.  He was staying the host hotel, The Rio.  They gave him one of those 3 story suites had it's own gym in it and it was easily a few thousand dollars a night.  Well there was some intereting people at this convention Pete wanted me to meet.  A hint Max, they were all Italian (real Italians if you know what I mean).  One of his best friends is ? "G......" (his son was born at the same hospital and time as Pete's daughter).  And there was about 6 or 7 others in the suite but I can' remember any of there names and didn't want too.  I do remember when I was introduced to them no one had a regular name.  It was like Johnny "two fingers", or Joey "left nut".  They all had those names.  So someone says (and I think it was you Kevin) to all get in a picture.  So we are posing in front of a couch and one of the guy Lefty Two Ear or whatever says man what would a guy get for this picture.  Then as these guys were talking I kept hearing them asking about others.  Like have you heard from Johnny "No eyes" or whatever and each time you'd hear a guy say "got whacked".  It was funny but a little scary too.  So as we were leaving the suite to go to dinner someone knocks over an expensive looking vase.  The guy gets kind of scared becasue he thinks he has to pay for it now.  Pete says "no don't woory about it, now I don't feel so guilty about getting the room for free."  Pete always felt guilty if he got someothing for free.  I think that's why he tips so good.

Also, I heard Pete left over $200,000 in tips at the Roulette wheel that weekend.  But, the guy who owns the Gold's in Japan left close to $400,000.  Remember Pete's Funny Car at the entrance to the expo.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 27, 2005, 06:31:52 PM
Hell yea!, I remember all that, Keith! In fact I was the one who asked Pete if we could see his room because the Rio had just finished building that part of the hotel for the "Whales" and since I am about only a minnow when it comes to LV style, this would be my only chance to see it.

So Pete says, "Sure! Let's go up!" and a crowd of about 20 followed us pass the Private Guard and into the private elevator.

The elevator was packed with people who weren't saying too much, so I kind of assumed that the hotel had provided Pete with some major bodyguards during his stay.

When we got out of the elevator the BUTLER was there to greet us and Pete asked him if he could have a few cases of beer delivered to the room.

When we got inside the Penthouse, every one kind of scattered around while Pete showed us around the place. It was a three story job with its own gym and one hell of a view of the Strip.

The beer was there all iced and ready to pop when we got back downstairs but everyone was real quiet so I went around introducing myself and had a good time talking to an East Coast guy and his wife who were great people.

We all got to be pretty good friends that nite if I recall correctly. And Peter was happy that we all got along so well.

And I do remember Pete feeling like he had to gamble and lose because the casino/hotel was treating him so well.

After that little party we went back down to the Casino and you hit the Craps table.

That was fun times, Keith.

I think I was with you when we ran into Jeff E in the lobby and had a pretty long conversation while all the big names joined us for a few rounds of discussion. My nephew was with us and still cannot believe that he stood there listening to Ferrigno and Jeff and the NPC judges and all those others.

Looking back , those were fun times, keith. Let's go again! And let's take Pete with us!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 27, 2005, 07:23:34 PM
Here's another true story that happened a while back which may be of some interest in the history of bodybuilding.

A friend of mine was an unreal bodybuilder. a long while back.  Not a pro but one of the top amateurs in his day. His first name was Johnny and for the life of me I cannot recall his last.

But he was a great competitor from Canada and one hell of a rock and roll singer.

He was so good that he had his own rock group that toured Canada and the USA.

Since he was an exceptional bodybuilder, his stage name was Thor.

And his group was Thunder.

And most of the time he was shirtless, so they went by the name - Thor - God of Thunder.

Now Johnny wasn't the smartest guy in the world but he was one hell of a good looking singer and an all around entertainer.

In fact, he was so good that he had numerous gigs in Las Vegas over the years.

Well one year Thor - God of Thunder was playing in my home town so Johnny called me and invited me to go with the group to that evening's performance.

I gladly accepted so they picked me up and off we went.

We arrived at the auditorium a couple of hours early and Johnny realized that he had forgotten his "Hot Water Bottle".

And that hot water bottle was an important prop in his act, so I told him that I would take the car and go find a hot water bottle and be back way before he went on stage.

So I head off in search of a hot water bottle.

I found one at one of the local pharmacies and got back to the performance site with plenty of time to spare and gave it to the guy who was responsible for placing the props on the stage.

John looked out on stage from the wings and saw it sitting there where it was supposed to be and give he a hearty high sign that all was well and that this was gonna be one hell of a performance.

"You are gonna enjoy this show, Kev!"

So the show starts and Johnny has them in the palm of his hands mid way through his first number  and the fans are loving it.

He is a great performer and looks just like Thor and the band sounds just like Thunder which is the way it is supposed to be, I guess.

(Younger folks like crazy things!)

Now comes the part of the act where Johnny gets to show how masculine a muscular rock and roll singer really is, and he reaches over for the hot water bottle and gets prepared to blow it up while the group plays appropriate rock and roll music in the background.

He holds it to his mouth and starts puffing!

And wihin three or four puffs, he looks over at me at stage right and gives me that worried look that we all give maybe once in a lifetime. (Like that captain when he hit that iceberg!)

Then he starts huffen and puffen again and the water bag slowly starts to inflate.

A very slow inflation with major huffs and puffs!

But it eventually starts to get bigger and bigger while Johnny gets lower and lower and then down on his knees and starts turning bright read in the face and eventually eveywhere else.

And the guys in the band who see jonhhy do this at every performance (and sometimes even twice a night) start to get worried looks on their faces and and then start  looking at their watches.

But Johnny never did give up. He would rather die right there on that stage than fail to bust that hot water bottle.

And that hot water bottle kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And soon you couldn't see Johnny no more. He was behind that water bottle someplace.

At least his head and chest and arms were! The rest of him was shaking at the knees.

And then two members of the band put down their instruments and stood behind Johnny, but at a safe distance, cause they knew Johnny would never give up until that damn hot water bottle popped, but when it did, it was gonna blow this joint apart.

An maybe even Johnny too!

So they stood there ready to break his fall and pick up the scraps if it really blew!

And then Johnny turned bright purple! But he was still huffen and puffen.

And the audiance was going crazy while the saner ones had worried looks upon their faces.

But just as soon as Johnny was almost to the point of passing out, it blew  with a tremendous roar!

And Johnny did fly back a few feet into the arms of two of the Thunder guys!

Will, Johnny did no more singing that night! But he did get a humongous applause from the rock and rollers out in front.

And that was all that Johnny really needed. (Plus a couple of days to recuperate!)

Johnny called me a couple of days later to tell me that hot water bottles come in various gauges and he always did his act with the thinnest gauge.

But that night I returned to the auditorium with the thickest gauged water bottle that they manufacture.

And he only realized that when he took his third big puff and knew that this was gonna be a nite to test his lung strength and detemination.

You did a great job, Johnny boy! I mean  - You did a great job, Thor, God of Thunder!

I did tell him that in person, and he was mighty proud.

But he never asked me to find him a hot water bottle again.... and Thor - God of Thunder was singing for many years after. And I was there to watch it many times, while Johnny blew up small gauge water bottles at every performance.

Aboout two years after Johnny disappeared from the rock and roll empire, we saw him in a movie with a major role. The star was Donald Sutherland and it was a drama made in Canada.

 Johnny did a great job with that part which just goes to show you that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to be a rock and roll performer or even a movie star!

And others have gone on to substantiate that point too!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 27, 2005, 07:28:59 PM
Yes, Max! The gunfight story is the one I mean but it didn't happen at the Nest. It started there though.

I'd like to tell that complete story but it'll have to hold till another time.

But that is the story I'd like to use for the first chapter.

Chapter 2 would be about Joe Weider moving his operation out to California.

etc etc etc.

Anyone recall the Duncan YMCA? You're going back if you know that!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 27, 2005, 09:01:18 PM
Ah yes the water bottle.  Well I was the spokeperson for the American Lung Association and was luckily enough to be flown all over the islands for appearances and speking engagements.  It seemed that everyone likes it.  Well first off I use the heaviest gauge rubber they make bottles out of with the strenthing ribs.  Unlike Franco, who is one of my idols used the smaller gauge and that is why it pops so fast and it doesn't get very big.  I have video of me doing it and it gets huge.  It takes usualyy between 30 and 40 breaths to pop.

I remember when Lee Haney came to Gold's in Honolulu for one of our parties.  He grabbed a water bottle I had and tried to blow it up.  I almost had to stop him cause evbery vein that can be seen in his head was bulging.  kaz and me did a show over hear called The Hawaiian Moving Co. which is the #1 watched show in Hawaii.  He wouldn't try it for some reason.  Whenever I did an exhibition I always told a story about the water bottle and how dangerous it is and stuff.

Well one of the most popular singers in Hawaii Henry Kapono asked me to open his concert at the Waikiki Shell for him.  Plus it was a benefit concert for MDA for whom I was a spokesperson too.  SO I go out on stage with about 8,000 people in the audience.  I just telling how dangerous it was to do this and I also had several people come up on stage and try it.  Of course no one did it.  So I am up on an elevated stage with the first row about 10' in front of me.  I tell everyone how hard it is and that sometimes because of how many breaths it takes and the difficulty that I sometimes spit in the bottle and when it breaks the spit goes flying all over.  SO I warn the first couple rows to watch out.  SO now I go behind me and I have a water bottle with water in it.  I say a couple of cups.  No one knows it in their even the people in the back stage area.  I start blowing and blowing and after about 15 breath the bottle starts to get big.  Now I have nearly everyone cheering me on.  It is really loud from the crown and actually hard for me to concentrate.  Finally it bursts.  The see the front few rows scaterring from all the spit (water) and the crowd soes that ohhhhhhhhhh sound claps and yells start up and they are going crazy.  the people in the front are covered with what they think is spit.  I bend down to tell them it's just water and they all laugh.  Henry comes out now with a crowd that is going ballastic thanks me and opens the concert with one of his favorite songs.  he later told me that is was the best opening act he had ever had.

I was also used to start a marathon here in Honolulu.  They used the pop from the balloon instead of a starters gun.  The pic below is from a challenge I di to help raise some money to help an FBI agent daughter I knew with Leukemia.  I offered to donate $5,000 to anyone who could beat me in popping the bottle.  No one beat me.  And we had some of the strongest guys in Hawaii trying.  Then I offered to donate $2,000 to the cause if anyone popped the bottle.  I think one person did.  Not sure who though.  I do forget some things.  but I do remeber donating money so someone had to have done it.  It took along time though.  This had to have been in 1993 cause I have a cast on from playing in a racquetball tourn. in LA.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 27, 2005, 09:33:41 PM

Anyone recall the Duncan YMCA? You're going back if you know that!


Any self respecting Ironager knows that the Duncan YMCA is where Sergio Oliva, Bob Gajda 1966 Mr A who popularized the PHA system, trained. It was one of the most well equiped gyms in the country back in the 70's.

Bob



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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 27, 2005, 09:47:59 PM

Max, you might know these people.   A hint Max, they were all Italian (real Italians if you know what I mean).  One of his best friends is ? "G......" (his son was born at the same hospital and time as Pete's daughter).  And there was about 6 or 7 others in the suite but I can' remember any of there names and didn't want too.  I do remember when I was introduced to them no one had a regular name.  It was like Johnny "two fingers", or Joey "left nut".  They all had those names. 

Keith yes they are all written about in the book "The company she kept" it's a true story about the Rochester mob. My mom was on a bowling league and one night they blew a guy's car up (with him in it) in the parking lot while she was bowling. I remember her being pretty shaken up because she could hear the guy screaming they f*cked up my leg, they f*cked up my leg. He lost both legs but lived. 

I stayed clear... didn't want any part of it. I do remember guys with those kind of names. If a guy ran the number out of his barber shop he was Tony "sissors" or whatever.

We all (about 30 of us including Peter G and one of these guy's) owned a gym Turner Barbell club. It was in the basement of an old German Gymnastics and recreation center. It was well equiped and it was a private gym. It was good because it was just serious lifting no distractions. That's were I trained for six weeks with Danny Padilla and Frank Marciano.

Danny was training for the 1977 IFBB Mr. America were he beat Rodger Collard and Peter G. He finished the last six weeks of his training in L.A.

 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 27, 2005, 11:13:11 PM
Roger Callard there is a name I haven't said in awhile.  Max, do you remember his wife coming into the club.  She sure wasn't what I thought Roger would be with, since I thought he was good looking (not to sound faggy or anything).  But I know a good looking from an ugly guy like myself.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 28, 2005, 08:34:46 AM
Roger Callard there is a name I haven't said in awhile.  Max, do you remember his wife coming into the club.  She sure wasn't what I thought Roger would be with, since I thought he was good looking (not to sound faggy or anything).  But I know a good looking from an ugly guy like myself.

Thought you being faggy is just scary! Eeeck I'm running for my life!

Rogers wife in around 1980 was pretty hot so I don't know if he was married to the same woman who came into the club. No I never saw her at TW's. I was in the second last ever episode of Charlies Angels with Roger. The girls from the show like him. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 28, 2005, 08:48:40 AM
Good going, Max! I didn't think anyone would answer that one! (Duncan YMCA).

There was one other national competitor who trained at Duncan but I forget his name at present.

I was at the Embassy when Gadja competed against Oliva and a kid by the name of Jerry Daniels. I believe Jerry won the overall that year but I'll have to check that out.

The big story at those contests back then was how Sergio Oliva jumped ship in Florida(?). Sergio was from Cuba. It's an in teresting story but once again I forget the details. Max, maybe you can carry on.

Keith and I went to the Arnold (never again) a few years back and I was asked to escort Sergio around because he had the habit of being unable to get from point A to point B in a definite amount of time.

So I met him at the hotel and walked him over that overpass thing that connected the hotel to the auditorium.

We were in the process of talking about the "good old days" while taking that short walk but never did manage to get too deep into that conversation because everyone, young and old, started following us and gathering around to shake his hand or ask him a few questions. So we stopped for about five minutes until I shouted, "We're late and gotta get out of here!".

I looked to me like no one ever forgot him.

SO I got us to where we were sposed to go and ........ I'll let keith go on from here cause that is where I took him.............
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 28, 2005, 09:30:53 AM
I gotta say this before I head off to do my chores...........

Been reading on another post about the upocoming Olympia and some think it will be a failure without Wayne's guidance.

Those same folks say that even the venue is a letdown. A change from the prestigious Mandalay Bay (the best in town as far as I am concerned) to the Hilton over by the Convention Center.

I've stayed at the Hilton a number of times and it is just an avereage hotel. Nothing special unless you are a Trekkie!

Someone stated that the venue change will be good casue the rooms will be much cheaper ......... but nothing is cheap  when there is a "convention" in that town, so don't go expectng that you will get a great room rate. (Unless you book that room now before the cobntest dates is officially announced.)

Then someone says that someone should start a new professional bodybuilding organization so that the athletes would be treated properly financially.

Well that thought has been going on for years. Even I was approached in the 70's to spearhead that movement.

And nothing constructive has ever been accomplished and probably never will be.

BUT here is why I bring this up.........

I have been involved with Keith in many shows and endeavors and can honestly state that no one works harder to get a show going or herder to treat the athletes right.

So here is my recommendation to test the waters and see where this could take us and the sport in particular.

Find a rich guy to come up with about $5,000,000!

Develop an ultra detailed  financial plan to promote a world class bodybuilding contest with $1,000,000 going to the winner and another $2,000,000 awarded to the others.

A million to promote the show and run it should be enough to hold it in Las Vegas.

And use the remaining million to set up a publishing company to print a monthly magazine about the sport and this new endeavor.

All funds would be sent to escrow and only released as specified in the Financial Plan and overseen by a committee of seven.  (Board of Directors).

I would gladly be Keith's right hand man in this attempt to ultimately set up a new organization. We work together and we do it well

Now who has that FIVE MILLION?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 28, 2005, 11:03:02 AM
That woudl be great kevin.  Lets do it.  I'll put up the $'s......NOT!  But it would be great to do someothing like that.  The important thng about that is the publishing company or magazine.  You have to have something like that on your side so you can get the word out.  Weider had it all worked out good on that end.  He had his supplement company, BB shows, and his magazine that other companies were payng for so he could promote and advertise his shows and products.  It's perfect. Let the advertisers pay for all your marketing of your own products and shows.  It's perfect.

Kevin I remeber J.E. askng yoiu to go get Sergio cause he gets lost all the time.  Then I spent the next several hours with him.  I had so much fun and heard so many stories from Sergio.  We bonded really good.  I wanted to bring him to my show but I guess we didn't bond that welll cause the appearance fee was still $5,000 plus expenses.  He was impressed with my arms I remember.  He had a suitcase with allot of pictures and posters in it.  He woudl spread them out on the table and sell them.

I noticed at first when some people saw him they didn't immediately recognize him till they looked down and saw the pics and posters.  Then I would see their faces and they would light up immediately.  He had no problem selling his pics and posters.  He wore an old looking suit like from the 70's kind of cuban style. 

I had him rolling on the floor when I was yelling to the crowd that Arnold was the White Sergio.  I did get out of the conversation that he really hated Weider.  He told me the story about what Weider did to him in South Africa ( if I recall right).  The athetes were doing some promotion out by the pool at the hotel.  All the press and dignataries and guests were there to meet the athletes.  They were all basically in the same area.  Well Weider sets up Sergio's table on the other side of the pool.  Back then they sold their pictures too.  Weider wanted the attention to go to Arnold I guess.  But Sergio told me it backfired because he ended up with more people around his table and buying pictures than all the others put together.  I think I would have asked him more questions but I was just there helping him out and really didn't want to bother him.  I don't really think about how much I idolized him as I was with him.  You know what I mean.  I didn't think thiings to ask him till the show was over.  I had too much on my mind to begin with.  So I wish I had that moment back and I woudl have asked him more questions.

Sergio had a huge laugh when Arnold came by where we were.  For the people who have been to that show, a huge crowd follows Arnold all over the place.  After he was done with Sergio and was leaving I yelled out "There goes Arnold Schwarzenneggar (?) the White Sergio!"  Not sure if Arnold heard it (but I find it hard to believe he didn't cause I am really loud) but Sergio was rolling.  He was hitting me and grabbing me and laughing so hard saying "I can't believe you man, you're crazy."  SO as people were passing by following Arnold I was yelling "why follow the white sergio when you can see the original".  I was jsut yelling stuff right and left.  It was fun.  And I know Sergio had allot of fun
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 28, 2005, 02:09:19 PM
OK, Keith .... Let's get that money in an Escrow Account, form up the Board of Directors, and get it going.

It definitely has to be in Las Vegas though. Second possibility would be on the French Riviera. And third in Los Angeles, unless the Board suggests more appropriate locations.

I got foolproof ideas on how to handle all the funds straight up and honestly.

We gotta have nine judges for this one and I sincerely hope that those judges can come from a pool of retired pros. ANd all scores will be posted immediately on the official scoreboard above the stage.

Invite all those old timers we discussed on this board and threat them like royalty as only you seem to know how to do.

Offer lifetime gym memberships as door prises and a couple of HummVees too!

All this stuff we discussed before.

And we gotta pay tribute  to those in this game who really made it happen and have never received a salute.

Invite Titus to fight as a sideline act. And an official posedown with Arnold and Sergio and Nubret and Pearl and all those old timers who are so well known.

Bring in Mozee and Howorth and Dupree and Grant and Platz and all.

And pay tribute in some special way to those guys who have passed away after living a full life of bodybuilding.

And take suggestion from all the Get Biggers to make sure we don't overlook anyone or anything.

If something like this gets big enough, that five million may not be so hard to find in the years thereafter, and I am sure that you can think of many ways to make it profitable to insure that it continues throughout the future.

And don't forget our friend in the wheelchair. he's gotta help us out on this.

OK, let's start looking now for that bankroll and get off your butt and make it happen.

We can do it!

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 28, 2005, 02:34:17 PM
SOmeone brought up Tony "The Viking" Halme.  If you train at teh Venice Gold's you probably know him or at least seen him.  I met Tony around 1988 or so through my uncle Joe.  Joe had his own jet (a British Hawker) and I usually went to Vegas with him when I had time.  So one time I went he introduced me to Tony and his wife (who ran CrazyWear).  We were eating breakfast at the Barbary Coast.  Well the keno girl comes by.  I tell Tony to play he says no then I told why not go ahead and finally he does.  He gives the girl a $20 but wants to only play $5.  Is aid you cheap bastard he says I don't want to throw away money.  Now Tony talks in a heavy finnish accent kind of like Arnold but not like that.  He is 6'4" and around 340 lbs. and very mean looking.  So he plays and I play for $5 too.  Well I swear to god he hits wins.  The SOB won $5,000 playing keno at breakfast and it was the first time he ever bet.  I swear to god.  I remeber he had this huge 4x4 that had a grenade hanging from the mirror and it had no top.  It had a sign on it to beware of the car alarm.  I see it and I say what is this (pointing at the sign).  He hits the side of his truck with his fist.  And out from the seats comes this f**king 120 lb Pitfull with a spiked collar and all barking and growling.  It was on a leash just long enough to reach the each of the truck.  man that scared the hell out me.  He was a big guy.  He ended up living above the Legends Sports Bar who sponsored both of us.  Then I think he bought a house in Manhattan Beach now.  Not sure what he is doinng.  I seen some video of him boxing in Europe.  He was so huge he knocked guys literally out of the ring.

He introduced me to his countrymen Marjo and Hannu Selin.  We met at the restaurant near Knotts Berry Farm where you eat with a bunch of people in grandstands and watch people joust with horses (just remembered Medivel times).  Well afterwards we went to the stables to see the horse.  Now Marjo and Hannu I think just moved there and knew english but not all that well.  So I am trying my best to be a great representative of the U.S. to my new friends from a foreign land.  So as Marjo is taking pictures of us one of the horses has got this huge hard-on.  It was behinnd me and when people were looking at me I thought I had someting hanging out of my pants.  So anyway, I see this huge thing hanging.  So with my huge amount of creativeness I had an idea for a great pic.  So I tell Marjo to take a pic of me.  I jump over the stall door into the pen with my cousin Long Dong Horsey.  I get down on my knees to pretend I am make him feel better (now it wass for a visual, no actual touching occured).  Well I had about 100 people now taking pics of me and my new friend.  I am really surprised a photo of thishasn't surfaced.  Anyway, I reccommend this place to eat cause it's fun.  And say hi to my cousin for me.

Here are a couple of pics of Tony.  That's me and him doing a speaking thing at Castle High on Oahu.  The guy between us is tghe guy who puts it all on.  Me and Tony got alot of attention from the girls at this school.  In fact a few of them definitely liked to talk with their hands if you know what I mean.  So, the guy told us to knock it off.  We had better listen cause he was a cop.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bossa on March 28, 2005, 05:43:37 PM
I thought I read he entered politics so I googled his name.  Looks like its true!

http://www2.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/archive/news.asp?id=20030325IE6

(http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/kuvat/iso_webkuva/1073386802567.jpeg)

(http://austinwm.club.fr/HTLM/Photos/L/Ludvig_Borga/Ludvig_Borga_-_Anthony_Halme_04.jpg)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 29, 2005, 09:13:40 PM
Back to out original story-telling I spoken many times about Platz's training intensity but another thread triggered my memory further about Tom's training. Flexibility training. He'd stretch for about 45 minutes before EVERY wokout and was capable near-full splits. In fact his flexibility was almost shocking considering his leg size. I think he also used this strech time to fully get into the mental "zone" he needed to approach his unreal intensity.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 29, 2005, 09:39:04 PM
Good job I have been waiting for you.  Anyway, you sparked a short story.  Well maybe not that short.  When I was at World Gym so many of the big names guys trained there.  The yearly membership was $150 a year if I remember right.  you had to pay all at once too,  No monthly plan.  Too musch paperwork.  Back then you had an index card and that was about it.  Really simple,  Why can't it be that way now.  I remember coming in the gym and Joe would have your name on the chalkboard if your dues were due that month.  I never noticed it before but I remember one time seeing Arnold's name up there in big letters telling him and everybody else he was late with his dues.

Anyway, I have a couple hris Dickerson stories.  He was a short and good size guy but nothing that impressed me that much.  One day I am doing arms.  I was doing BB curls with dumbells next.  I see he is using a pair that I needed to use to warm-up.  So I continued to do BB curls.  So then I see he has left and I continued to curl for another couple sets.  So at least 5 to 10 minutes later I looked around and he was gone outside.  So I figured he was done.  So I picked them up and started to curl.  I finish my first set sit down for a moment then start on my 2nd set.  All of a sudden this little guy comes up to me while I am training and says "hey I'm using those".  I down at him and just stared till after I was done.  when I finish I said (because I respected him) "sorry but I thought you were done."  Then he says like a semi-tough short guy "well I wasn't" and he picked up the DB's.  I look at him (down) about an inch away and just stood there and didn't move.  He said something to me and I said somethingn back.  Can't exactly remember but I do remember it was loud enough or bad enough where a couple of the guys had to come over to separate us.  It's not like we were going to fight or anything but I think he was getting a little pissed at me for not respecting him more.  He was so tiny to me it would have been close to illegal if I hit him.

Anyway, on a better note about him.  I remeber he training for the Olympia.  I forgot what yeat but it had to be in the early 80's or maybe 79'.  Anyway he comes into the gym, and I overhear someone saw him weigh-in and was about 45 lbs. overweight.  SO I was doing some roman chairs and he gets next to me and is doing the same thing.  Well I finish and started to workout.  I didn't even noticed him after that.  But on my way out of the gym I pass by and he is still doing sit-ups.  I ask my partner (Ron Depolito) has he been there the whole time.  And he says yes.  He'll do a couple hours of ab work and he'll be back in shape in no time.  All I remember after that is pretty close to the Olympia I saw him and he was ripped to shreads.  he lost everything.  I asked him what he did and he said just allot of situps and a whole lot of bar twists.  Well it worked for him.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 29, 2005, 10:08:02 PM
Sorry to be off topic here, but I get this message across the top of my Get Big screen.

"Hey, Kevin, you have 5 messages, 5 are new. March 29, 2005, 09:59:45 PM"

How do I read these messages>? Better yet, where do I even find them?

Thanks ...... Kev
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bossa on March 29, 2005, 10:17:47 PM
Kevin, Just move your curser over the "5 messages" and the arrow will change to a finger pointing...just click!

These are great stories guys....I must admit I have repeated the Chili story to a few of my buddies I've never laughed so hard at text on a computer b4!!!! Thanks!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 30, 2005, 08:45:44 AM
Thanks, Bossa! I would hav e never figured that one out without your help.

To all you folks that sent me messages, give me some time and I will respond.

Thanks for sending them.        Kev
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 30, 2005, 09:49:43 AM
I gotta say this and hope it stays here instead of getting moved to some other section....

But I am very disappointed with what is happening on the national scene regarding the present interest n steroids.

Here is what would make me happy .......

First of all, the USE of steroids should NOT be a criminal offense.

No one but a doctor  should be allowed to sell them but a roid user should never go to jail under any circumstance.

Secondly .....Get HONEST! If the "sport" of bodybuilding wishes to continue as it is today, there should be no dishonest roid policy established by any organization.
In pro bodybuilding, it should be noone's business and if the athletes don't like it, they can always refuse to compete in that organization and find another.

Thirdly ......... Sports federations should set the policy (an HONESY policy) regarding the use of roids within their own individual sporting activity. They should set that policy for their own athletes as they see fit, but definitely not for any other person  outside of their organization.

That's it! Pretty easy! But nothing will be done until some politician's son gets sent to jail.


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on March 30, 2005, 10:39:03 AM
I talked to an old-timer named Linus at my gym last Friday.  Wish I could remember his last name.

I was doing heavy deads and he came over and struck up a conversation about his old competitive PL days.  He was still doing a decent amount of weight for Smith machine shrugs, especially for a guy who's 73 years old.

Linus said he used to live on the west coast and met all the guys back in the day like Marvin Eder and George Eiferman.  Those were just two names I remember him mentioning.  He said they probably wouldn't remember him though.  He said that Marvin was strong and George was very massive for his time.  If you look at old pics of Eiferman, you can see what he's talking about.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember seeing George Eiferman in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show.  I think he was doing that Russian dance where you squat down and kick your legs out.  Which takes quite a bit of leg strength just by itself.  But George was doing that dance while Mary Tyler Moore was sitting astride his shoulders!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on March 30, 2005, 10:41:17 AM
Here is the answer to steroids.  First off making them illegal is just stupid because people will find them one way or another,  In regard to use in bodybuilding.  Testing is a WASTE of time and money.  There are as many masking agents out there thean steroids.  Testing doesn't "catch" all steroids.  So eliminate tessting.  The ONLY thing to correct the problem with steroids (in bodybuilding I am talking) is don't award the BB just because he is freakish in size and has unreal muscle size.  Start awarding the BB who has the nicest body in symetry, size, proportion, aestetics (?) all in one package.  Nowadays the judges are giving the award to the guy who comes in the biggest most muscular.  It has always been bodybuilding contests not muscle bodybuilding contests.  The judges have to start getting their shit together.  Along with Weider they have ruined this sport and the image.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 30, 2005, 06:13:14 PM
I don;t have too many friends that are not involved in the weight lifting related game in some capacity, but this "friend" was definitely on the border line.

And if you doubt any of this, all you have to do is ask Jeff Everson which may take a few moments of thinking back a bit.

We have/had a mutual friend who was always in the gym doing some crazy thing with the weights.

Over a period of a few years, we all noticed that he wasn't making any gains so we politely asked him where he noticed his improvements.

And he was happy as shit that we asked and lifted his shirt to show us the biggest and roundest gut that any of us had ever seen. It wasn't really that big but it did protrude and made him look that he he just swallowed a bowling ball.

A Big bowling ball!

And he was really proud of that bowling ball gut.

So we politely told him that he should work on other body parts and forget about his gut for a while.

And he thanked us and said that he was going to do just that.

A month of so later we saw him in the gym again and asked him how he was doing with his new routine and he proudly showed up his two to three inch finger nails with an elongated and serious story of his finger nail plans for the future.

It takes all kinds, I guess..



Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on March 31, 2005, 10:35:03 AM
March 31, 10"32 AM.... Just received a phone call from Only Me (Keith). He is PISSED!!!

He was in the process of drinking a Muscle Milk Protein Shake and dropped it onto his computer and it got soaked.

He immediately turned it off and tipped it upside down and it is still draining ten minutes later.

He has a friend who dixes that kind of stuff so he hopes to be back on line within 48.

Good luck., Keith....    I bet ya end up buying a new one.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on March 31, 2005, 03:02:33 PM
That blows!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 01, 2005, 09:45:04 AM
Nothing exciting to report right now but the following was given to me by an older family member who was part of this bodybuilding game since the days of the AAU and here is what he had to say .........

"Kevin, I think you know most of this shit already but you might want to pass it on to the GetBig group as a part of your Bodybuilding History posts.

If you want to  send me specific questions of that time period, it may help jar my memory and I'll do my best to answer honestly and without reservation.

But I want to tell ya once again that any input I submit to you is written from my viewpoint and strictly limited by my memory capacity. There are many viewpoints
and better memories out there so don't back me up against the wall if I make any errors or submit my view from the wrong angle.

Plus I want you to recall that I am very very bad with specific dates or years of even generations. I never have been able to recall your mom's birthday and anyone else in the family too.

So let me rely on some of your readers to provide the dates of these specific events.....

OK, this short story is about Pete and Manion and Doc Neely  and Jerome Weise and others whose names I don't recall at persent. I hope your readers can help me fill this out a bit because it is a part of the History that I have never seen put to paper.

So ....... Once upon a time ........... I got a call from Peter asking me to show up in Atlanta(?) to support a group of guys he was supporting to run the new NPC organization. I was short on cash so Pete sent me a round trip ticket and I arrived at the hotel a day or so early and attended a pre meeting meeting, which meant that I met with Pete and others who explained the situation to me.

Here was the situation as it stood at that pre meeting meeting .........

Doc Neely who owned a gym near the vicinity of College Park, Georgia was one of the guys who was up for election as the NPC Chairman. I knew Doc cause I had met him previously at some of the contests and had trained at his gym once or twice. One of his gym members was Dave Rogers and I recall celebrating Dave's birthday in the gym after one of those workouts. Dave was a hell of a great bodybuilder but never did win the nationals back then.

Anyway, Doc was running for the Chairmanship job and Pete and the west coast guys wanted Jim Manion to fill that post, so they asked me to cast my vote for Manion, which I did.

Like any election, there were a lot of whispers going around about this guy and that but it was all bullshit in an attempt to get me to vote for this guy or that.

To make a long story short, Jim won and was vry thankful for Pete's support. I am not sure about this but it is possible that Doc could have won that position if Pete was not there to offer his support to Jim.

I do recall a heavyset guy who appeared to have the brains among the group. His name was Jerome Weise (Spelling?) and if I recall right, he was the guy who took care of all the details and paperwork  in creating a legal NPC organization.  Some of us felt that it could not have happened if he didn't make it happen, but he never did receive any credit for the work he did. Anyone know his story?

If anyone can provide more details on this situation or correct me, it would be appreciated.

I left with the understanding that that Chairmanship would be a four year office, but apparently I was wrong as Jim has been there forever with never a threat of a change as far as I am able to tell.

A few years back at one of the nationals there was some talk about getting new blood but apparently nothing ever came of it.

OK, sorry to bore ya to death but I hope you submit this to the group to see if anything can be added or corrected.

Thanks Kev, XXXXXXX"

submitted with permission of the author
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 01, 2005, 08:24:10 PM
Kevin-

Was the name of Doc Neeley's gym "Doc's Gym". Because if it was, it was a major BBing gym in the late 70's to mid 80's.

Used to sell all of their clothing in the magazines and they had really cool scoop tank tops-and back then only Gold's and World gym had the cool scoop type tanks, loved to train in those.

Hey, don't feel bad about not being able to check your messeges, it took me 3 months to figure it out-I even had to ask Ron how to do it (never told me either so I had to figure it out on my own)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 02, 2005, 01:37:52 AM
So keith said you could tell us how Jim Manion came to be president. While the story about the NPC's "birth" may not be a funny as some of the others on this thread I think knowing more would be VERY interesting to many of us.

Please tell us more.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 02, 2005, 05:59:50 PM
,


(http://www.adworxsf.com/ironmen/DROGERS79.JPG)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 02, 2005, 06:44:12 PM
Yep! Thanks, Bix! For those who have not been around for a while, that's Dave Rogers. (Above photo)

Yes, DOc had a decent gym in or near College Park, Georgia. In fact I would not be too surprised if he still had it.

ANd it is the same "DOc" who sold the best pair of posing trunks back then and to the best of my knowlede he still offers them for sale, but now they are on the intenet.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 04, 2005, 05:34:21 AM
Here he is alittle smaller , I think that's Doc behind him .


(http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/bodybuilder/daverogers/daverogers11.jpg)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 04, 2005, 05:37:22 AM
More Dave pics here...


http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/classicbodybuilderdaverogers.html
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 04, 2005, 09:42:00 AM
Yea, I remember Dave. Did not know him real well but had a few occasions to say hello in passing. Doc was a great supporter of his and always backed him in his bid for the national championships.

As I recall Dave ......... he was a real quiet guy who always looked like he wanted to be someplace else - both on stage and off.

Dave was from Georgia and there was another Southern BB back then who was somewhat similar but not related. His name was Marty Gentle and he come to California after his tour in the Marines.

Marty was another quiet guy but he came to life whenever he was in the gym and many of those old time members figured he was running for mayor or something. I think that's the way Pete G described him best.

Marty trained with or beside David and Peter Paul on a number of occasions and really enjoyed those guys.

He was a darn impressive kid and did some work in the Incredible Hulk playing the part of a bodybuilder and appeared in Playboy magazine holding the Playmate of the Month on his shoulders. And he was always in big demand for picture sessions.

He was one of those guys who couldn't cook a hard boiled egg but he was so likeable that someone gave him a job as a cook in one of the restaurants in an old hotel overlooking the old Muscle Beach Area. (Now the biggest luxury hotel in Santa Monica - Lowes).

I stopped by for breakfast one day and to my surprise Marty was the only one working that morning ,,,,,,, cooking, waiting, and throwing out the customers who complained about his meals (and there was always more than one).

I think most people went there to eat to watch this bodybuilder messing up the place.

But he still worked the morning shift and got enough tips to survive and train in Santa Monica for a good number of months.

He was one of those guys who, when he left Gold's, was really missed and every time I go in that place someone eventually says, "What the hell is Marty doing now?!"

ANd I always say, "He's a chef  at the Four Seasons in New York City"!

And cause they remember Marty well, no one ever doubts me. He conned his way into everything

He's actually probably somwhere fat, dumb, and happy with a wife and five kids, but back then he was determined to be the ultra musclehead in the Universe.

He told me more than once,"I want to be so damn unreal that I make people puke!"

If you see David or Paul, ask them if they remember the good looking kid from Alabama by the name of Marty. That'll bring a smile to their faces and possibly a forgotten, funny story or two.

Or if you see someone who makes you puke, go on over and shake his hand!

And ask him where he's working now.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 04, 2005, 01:01:23 PM
Kevin-

When you say the "old Muscle Beach area" in Santa Monica-you mean the original muscle beach, right- from mid 30's up to late 50's?

Were you around during that time period?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 04, 2005, 02:03:51 PM
Rules, I think my first visit to the "Real Muscle Beach" just a few yards south of the Santa Monica Pier was in the mid-fifties. That first visit I met Doug Strohl who was apparently prepping for a contest. He looked sliced but I never have been able to find a decent photo of how great he looked back then.

Later on I returned but the wt area was gone for a number of reasons. I never did get the 100% factual story why they closed it down and I'd sure like to know why if anyone has the real facts behind it. I've only heard the rumors.

My return must have been around 1962 or so.The old wooden wt lifitng space was taken over by gymnast rings and pull up bars.

 Santa Monica beach was still pretty popular for the small number of bodybuilders who were around back then.  Met a way smaller version of Larry Scott and many others I don't recall right now, but you could count the real bodybuilders in LA back then on the fingers of both hands and have a couple to spare.

I kind of remember one of those small beach homes facing the old Muscle Beach area being offered for sale and I think that the asking price was $24,000 but it never sold while I was there. And I think I'm right when I tell you that that red lemon aid building was there way back then just like it is today.

And I do recall a Muscle Beach Burger that I enjoyed a couple of times in that little business directly facing the Merry Go Round and a place on the Pier called Sinbad's (or that could have been down on the Venice Pier).

There was definitely no lifeguard house or volly ball nets as there is today, but plenty of circus-type folks doing every sort of gymnastics you could concieve of.

And then the rusted weights and benches enclosed in a little wooden fence.

And that was Muscle Beach as far as I can recall.

And you drove your car right there and parked it anywhere there was an open space. And an open space was always available. There was never anyone there telling you to pay a buck to park your car. I think we even drove out onto the Santa Monica Pier back then.

And between Santa Monica Beach and Venice Beach there was Pacific Ocean Park which did their best to copy Disneyland. Their main attraction was the rickitty old wooden roller coaster that everyone seemed to enjoy. It was built on the Pier over the ocean and the timbers ratteled and rolled casue they were so old. But it did add to the excitement.

And then further south was Venice Beach which back then was more of a Jewish Community with Synagogs and beach front apartments along the ocean front.

No one seemed to go to Venice Beach unless you lived there or you were just passing through on the electric  tram that ran along the beach from SM to Venice. One round trip was a quartera  and great ride to see the beach on a sunny day.

But even on sunny days back then, there was seldom a crowd enjoying the beach in that no man's land between Santa Monica and Venice.

But that sort of changed in the Hippy Days when nude sunbathing became popular and lots of people wanted to see lots of lots of people, so that is where they ended up.

I recall running along the high tide mark from SM to Venice and hardly ever seeing anyone until I would run into a WALL of nude bodies around the half way mark .... and then absolute desertedness a bit further south.

Sunny weekends would draw more people but never anything like it is today.

Those were the good old days when ice cream cost a dime and there was no Starbucks coffee cause all you could get for a cup was another misely 10 cents.

Hot dogs were a quarter and a Muscle Burger with all the trimmings was 45.

And if you had to drive home from the beach on a late Sunday afternoon, you'd better have 29 cents in your pocket for a gallon of gas. I can recall many times removing the car seats in search of change and then fill 'er up with our under-the-seat collection of coins. (And while you're at it, check under the hood. And the tires, please! ANd you missed a spot on the window. They actually did that back then!)

And on many occasions when the weather was nice, we'd sleep in the car and wake up to the seagull calls  and have a morning run to Venice and back before they opened the Lenom Aid stand for the day.

And a guy named Joe Gold was welding stuff together just one block off this beach.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 04, 2005, 04:40:36 PM
.
(http://www.musclememory.com/magCovers/mp/mp1911.jpg)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 04, 2005, 04:42:29 PM
More,,,,


http://www.musclememory.com/cgi-bin/search?name=Doug+Strohl&gender=M
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 04, 2005, 05:20:03 PM
That's a cool history of the real muscle beach. The stories I have read were that Santa Monica city council wanted to get rid of Muscle Beach because they felt it was attracting an undesirable crowd. Then a few of the weight lifterss/BB's got caught up in a stautory rape charges with some underage girls-and that was what brougt everything to an end. The stories I have read said they tore out all of the weight equipement in "59". I thought they tore out everything, based on the books I have read, but if you saw the gymnastics equipment in "62" then there was still part of Muscle Beach left. Howard Zinkin's book is pretty good. What I would give to see those 3 and 4 person pyramids they used to build.

Would also have liked to seen George Eifferman, he was a big guy for his day. Playing that trumphet while doing that one handed clean with 145 Lbs.

You have to admit, the Venice weight pen will never compare to the real Muscle Beach. I was born 30 years too late!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 04, 2005, 05:56:58 PM
Thanks for the photo, Bix. I recall him being much larger back then but I could be mistaken.

Yea, Rules, that's the story I also heard about the City Council. I wonder what the "undersireable" element was. I understand that some of the problems were caused by the bodybuilders themselves but once again nothing definite.

Something did happen under the Santa Monica Pier that caused a lot of the problems but it was hushed up. For many years they fenced in the area under the Santa Monica Pier and it may be the same today. I didn't notice the last time I was there.

As far as I know, the gymnastic rings, etc were placed on the beach in the 60's or shortly after the weight pit was removed.

And much later you could still see gymnasts doing pyramids and handstands and circus type acts on that little patch of lawn in front of the lifeguard headquarters.

In the past few years, they've changed that location a lot (at least just south of the gymnast gear). All those hotels have gotten high class and expensive and Lowes used to be the location  of a decent place where you could stay on the beach for a cheap price.

I seem to recall that some Hippy religious group(?) owned it until Lowes came in and ultra fancfied it and moved the rates sky-high accordingly.

I do recall staying across the street from Lowes' present location in one of the many motels that used to be there for about $12 a night. That was in the early 60's.

Back in those days, you were upper class if you belonged to one of the many beach clubs in the Santa Monica area. Those members would play some kind of raquet ball on the beach courts and lounge around all day having cocktails or orange juice with soda water. Somehow those clubs were able to extend their facilities right out on the beach half way to the high tide line.

Today there is no evidence of any of those fancy places.

I knew George Eifferman well. He was a great guy. He gave me a silver George Eifferman medallion that he didn't pass out too freely. That was nice but his wife grabbed my arm and said, "That's George's way of thanking you for everything you've done. He really appreciates it!"

We were planning to visit George while he was laid up in some convelescent hospital or home in Las Vegas but for some reason that never happened. But we were told that if we did visit George, we were not to mention Steve Reeves' death as it would upset him too much.

He and Reeves were the good old days of this "sport".

It seemed to have a bit more "class" back then.




Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 04, 2005, 08:27:42 PM
I hear ya, George Eifferman was cool. He moved out to Orange County, and opened a new gym too, a few years before he died. They ran a story on him in one of the local papers. As I recall he was getting married to a long time friend-can you verify any of this?

Steve Reeves had lived in Valley Center in North San Diego County for many years before he died, had a ranch and horses and was into his power walking routine. I never saw Steve myself. I had his address and wanted to send him a pic to sign but never did. Wih I would have.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 05, 2005, 09:44:45 AM
Rules, I don't know anything aboujt George's gym in So Cal but I did meet and know his wife. But I forgot her first name. Maybe someone on here can refresh my memory.

Kind of a related stoty here.....

We trained at George's gym in Las Vegas a number of times. It was located in a shopping center on East Sahara a bit east of the Hilton Hotel and one day I got done early and decided to take a walk while the others were doing legs.

So I asked George where the closest casino was and he took me out to the parking lot and pointed over the buildings to the Hilton (the Hilton by the convention center).

It looked pretty close but George kept on insisting that it was further away than it looked and "this desert heat is gonna get ya if you walk that far".

I decided to give it a try anyway and set off asking George to tell my freinds in the gym that I'd be back within the hour.

Well it was hot as hell that day in Las Vegas and I just about turned around at the mid way point, but I needed water and I knew that I could find some at the Hilton so I kept on going.

I finally got to the hotel and had that drink of water and decided to look around and found myself in some long hallway with various stores on both sides.

I was still in my gym gear and feeling kind of grungy when all of a sudden I noticed that I was in the center of a big crowd and lots of people were taking pictures.

I looked behind me and saw about 6 or 8 other guys walking about ten feet to my rear and waving at the spectators who were gathering around when a big burley guy steps in front  of me and holds me up till the other similarly dressed guys catch up.

All of a sudden I'm walking in the center of a big crowd with Mike Tyson and some other fighters who were in town that weekend.

Apparently the big burley security guard thought I was part of the Mike Tyson contingent and wanted to keep me in line so that he and others could do the job that they were getting paid to do. And I noticed we were being hearded towards the elevator. ANd I was now a part of the casual stampede

ALl this time, Tyson kept a running conversation going wth the press and all his boys just nodded in agreement. So I just started to do the same and went along with the program to see where it would take me.

So it took us to the elevator and we all hopped in and headed towards the rootftop. I did a little boxing dance to hide my true identity and it must have gone over  pretty well cause no one ever questioned me with , "Who the hell  are you?"

So i followed Mike (by now I figured I could call him "Mike") and his contingent and the press to the rooftop and to my surprise there was Herb Ritts all set up to shoot some photos.

If you are from So Ca you've heard that name before. I think he has a $10,000 fee up front if you want your drivers' license photo taken.

But the interesting part is that one of Herb's assistants was a very good friend of mine and he was there helping set up the photo gear and saw me immediately.

"Hey! When did you start boxing, Kevin??!"

So I pulled him aside and explined the situation and asked him not to disclose my "true identity".

And he laughed and said that no one would give a damn up here anyway once you get past security and the security guy made me join this group in the first place, so I had no problem being on this rooftop with this illustrious group of pugilists and Hollywood's primo photographer.

And then Tyson walked by and thanked Mark for the work he was doing which surprised us both and gave him one boxing glove which he signed with a big black magic marker.

That impressed the s**t out of me, but I knew I had to get out of here to get back to George's to get my ride back to the hotel so  Mark escorted me to the elevator and down to the lobby getting past the security guards in the lobby with no problem at all.

"I'll call ya about the party tonite, so make sure you come!"

He did call but I never went cause I was heading back to So Cal later on that afternoon.

When I got back to the gym I told George I met Mike Tyson, but that didn't impress him too much. He was just surprised that I made that trek to the Hilton in this desert heat....... and offered me a bottle of water.

Did anyone ever see those Tyson pictures that were shot by Herb Ritts in LV that afternoon? I never did, but I sure would like to.

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Milly on April 05, 2005, 12:03:16 PM
LOVING THese stories guys

hey did anyone here ever Train at Vince Girondas

If so what was that like?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 05, 2005, 12:42:03 PM
Joe Roark........

Joe, I tried to answer ya directly but it would not send off for some unknown reason, so let me answer you here.......

Joe, Don't have too much more to pass on Doug because after seeing him that first time at Muscle Beach, I never did see him again.

But I do remember this which I failed to mention in that Doug Strohl post........

That was my first visit ever to Muscle Beach and Doug was the only Bodybuilder there as it was an early but sunny morning. At first he was sitting on the sand right beside the "pit" and then he picked up a towel and started stretching.

I aksed him if that was all he did to train and he politely told me that he was stretching to get ready for his workout. He did a lot of towel pulling and eventually invited me to stand by and watch (I was a small kid back then) while he worked his arms.

I stayed around for about 20 minutes and said, "Thanks" and headed off to meet my family somewhere further down the beach.

But before I left, I did ask him his name and still remember it to this day.

I might add that he was a hell of a lot better than that cover photo shows.

I have a standing joke with Jeff Everson ..... "Whatever happened to Doug Strohl?" .  and I did not relaize that he passed away so many years ago.

Is Leeroy still alive? Could it be possible that he runs a health food store on Ventura Blvd in the Valley? I drove by there the other day and saw someone looking like Leeroy, but didn't  have the time to stop. Will have to check that out.

Do you recall a bodybuilder around 1961/62 who lived south of Los Angeles (possibly San Diego) who cut his leg badly while operating an electric buzzsaw? We were in contact for a long time but after that accident, he was never heard from again as far as I know.

How about the red headed guy (Ralph Kroeger) who owned the gym along the coast highway south of Oceanside by the racetrack? And Bob Jannis who owned the little gym in Oceanside east of the freeway before Gold's opened up? Bill Pettis? Dave Dupree? Rock Stonewall? Lou Digni? Curt Freeman? Mel  Knoll? And Steve Reeves had a good friend who looked more like a powerlifter, but I dont recall his name.

Did you ever meet Pudgy Stockton and her husband? Or do you have any idea of the address of the old Muscle House that she ran in the days of Reeves, Eifferman, etc?

Asking just in case you may have some idea of whom I am talking about.

OK, Joe, signing off.... Kev
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 05, 2005, 01:21:46 PM
Milly, I knew Vince well but only trained at his place on Ventura Blvd once. In fact I drove by there a couple of weeks ago to take a photo of the old place but the area has changed so much that I had a difficult time identifying it and the traffic was so bad that I kept on going.

I also stopped off at jerry's Dellicatessan to see if any of the old timers were still sitting in that place eating or drinking coffee but that place has really changed a lot and most of those old timers have passed away and gone to greener pastures.

Vince's place was small and dark and not much to write about. It was the place where the folks associated with the movie business used to train. Stuntmen and actorrs mainly. Bill Smith trained there I believe.

The day I trained there, it was very dark and very quiet and Vince was busy in the back or upstairs someplace. (Did they have an upstairs someplace?)

Vince was definitely set against squatting. He said it gave a bodybuilder wide hips.

The main competitive bodybuilder who trained there back then was Larry Scott whom I wanted to meet and shake his hand but it must have been his day off cause he never did show up.

Must have had a leg workout that day.

I don't recall the equipment being too spectacular but I did manage to use the Scott Curl Bench that was not yet too popular.

As mentioned earlier, I sat with Vince when he was at a contest to support one of his members and he was very enthusiastic that he was gonna win it during the initial lineup but it was evident to most of us that "the guy with legs" at the other end was gonna take it. And sure enough, and dispite Vince's major objections, he did!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Joe Roark on April 05, 2005, 01:38:17 PM
Kevin,
I replied at length to your post and then the whole thing dumped without appearing. Gotta run for now.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 05, 2005, 10:18:49 PM
Can someone help me out with the following ...............?

A while back, ladies were never seen in the gym unless they were there to pick up their husbands or boyfriends.

And it may seem odd to everyone today, but when Lisa Lyons started training at Gold's with the guys it was a first as far as I can recall.

Ahhhh, there were some ladies who joined up but they spent their work out hours mostly in the back of the gym lifing chrome plated 10 pound dumbells.

If you were a gym rat at all, Lisa Lyon's training with the guys was a major topic of conversation throughout the weightlifting/bodybuilding world.

 If you were a member of Gold's Gym in Santa Monica it was completely acceptable because Lisa trained as hard as any guy in that place. Not as heavy, but just as hard.

I'm  a bit surprised that Lisa hasn't received more credit for what she started in this game.

OK, so here are my questions .........

Were any of you guys around when Lisa started training at Gold's?
Was she accepted by the serious bodybuilders in the gym immediately?
What year was that?
Who did she train with?
What was her motivation?
Was she accepted by eveyone in the gym?
What were some of her best lifts?
Was she consistant?
Did she have a job?
How often did she compete?

Anything you can tell us about Lisa would be appreciated. I was out of the country when she was making "headlines" so I missed that part of BB history and would like to fill in the "blanks".

Thanks, Kevin
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on April 06, 2005, 11:20:10 AM
Some memories of Muscle Beack for Kevin.Do you recognize any of the guys in the bottom pic.

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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on April 06, 2005, 11:21:34 AM
A couple of pics of the acrobats.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 06, 2005, 07:18:48 PM
Great pics, Crown

I think I see Zabo and Roy Hilligen in the back row and also the photographer whose name I forget and the first guy on the left, standing up is definitely familiar but the name escapes me.

That picture must have been taken in the 50's, Do you have a date that it was taken?

Do I also see Gene Mozee?

The name :John Forbotnick" pops up for some reason but I would never recongnize him in a photo.  Is that Dick Dubois with the shades?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bossa on April 06, 2005, 09:20:53 PM
Not that I have met any of those guys....but from other pics I have seen the guy on the left looks like Armand Tanny ???
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 06, 2005, 11:32:08 PM
Bossa-you are right-that is Tanny-

The bottom of the 4 person pryamid is Harold Zinkin-the first Mr. California (trained at Tanny's gym), and died last year-his son is an attorney in Fresno-and Harold also invented the Universal Weight station machine, there was one in every high school and college in the 70's.

The woman being held on the three person pryamid looks like Pudgy Stockton-might be her husband suppporting er.

Cool pics-real cool.

BTW-has anyone heard from/about Clancy Ross? Last time I saw him was around 1985 or so, and he was working for Russ Warner at his studio in downtown Hayward.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 07, 2005, 08:34:09 AM
Kevin you mentioned Ralph Kroeger. I remember when I was a kid just starting out there was an article about him in one of the Hoffman publications (either Muscular Development or Strength and Health) that said he trained every bodypart every day 7 days a week. Arthur Jones must have had a cororary reading that.

I saw Bill Pettis around in Venice just a few years ago. I don't about the others you mentioned.

I trained at Vince's a few times when I first moved to California. I had always liked his writing and wanted to train at his Gym but it was too far from where I lived to do it regularly.

Did you ever talk to Dr. Michael Walkzak. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 07, 2005, 09:42:10 AM
Thanks, Bossa! You are right about Armand Tanny and I feel kind of stupid not recognizing him because when I was in Hawaii for a spell many years ago, Armand was on Waikiki beach every day right behind the Outrigger Hotel with the beach crew. He must of had friends running one of the outrigger saliing ships because he was there most all of the time and I think he even hung out with some of the pro wrestlers of that time (Lord Blears?)

I think my mom was dateing the Masked Convict or Masked Destroyer at that time. (Could have been much later though, but I knew most of those wrestlers because of her.)

We did talk a few times but I don't recall what we had to talk about unless it was about the local wrestling shows that used to be so great back then.

Either he or Vic had a son who was into bodybuilding back then but I haven't seen anything about him since way back when.

Rules, you seem to recall these old days pretty well. Help me out here  if I am wrong but wasn't Harold Zinkin an old friend of Gary Leonard's who lived in Makaha on the island of Oahu after he retired?

This is what I recall about that episode ........ Gary was in Hawaii and we drove over to Makaha to meet a friend of his who had invented (or had something important to do with) the Universal gear. I think it was Mr. Zinken but I could be wrong. At that time he was trying to develop a training center for the kids who lived over on that side of the island with help from the City and County of Honolulu because it was a pretty depressed piece of Hawaii and the kids were always getting into trouble of some sort. As far as I know , it never did work out. Could that possibly have been Mr Zinkin?

BTW .... has anyone seen Gary Leonard lately? And how bout John Corvello?

Is Clancy Ross still alive?  BTW - I think that is Russ Warner in the back between Zabo and the Dick Dubois lookalike. Anyone know for certain? How about the names of the rest of those guys in that picture?

Max, I never did see Kroeger train but back in the 60's when his gym was on the Pacific COast Highway south of Oceanside, California; it looked like a small shack and if you walked through the front door, you'd step on the beach. That's how I recall it.

I don't think that there is a anything on that stretch of the highway now. They probably demolished everything to widen the road, but if that old shack is still there, it has got to be worth millions due to its beachfront location.

Ralph eventually closed shop and moved over to Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii and opened another gym which he managed for several years before heading back to the mainland. He competed in a local show in Hawaii once.

Never heard about Ralph since then but I do know that he was very religious.

Ralph's days were way before Arthur Jones appeared on the scene. I don't think Arthur even ever heard of Ralph.

Bill Pettis - Last time I saw Pettis must have been 8 to 10 years ago (or possibly longer). He still had good arms but was on the bulky side and looked a bit low.

Gironda - I do recall reading with a lot of interest some articles that Vince had written about protein assimulation ...... when to take it and what to take it with, etc. I wish I saved that one. It was interesting and VInce was always slightly ahead of his time. ('cept for leg training of course!)

Max, I knew all the doctors who were involved in the sport back then. Even Dr. Kenny Kerr and Dr. You. Yes, and Dr Walczak too.

Those were the days when most everything was legal and everyone would talk openly about what "DOC" was gonna win. And each was in competition to help the athletes.

Those were better days, Max! MUCH BETTER DAYS!

Once again, thanks for those photos!!!!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 07, 2005, 10:59:37 AM

Max, I knew all the doctors who were involved in the sport back then. Even Dr. Kenny Kerr and Dr. You. Yes, and Dr Walczak too.


Correction Kevin it was Dr. ROBERT Kerr. Out in San Gabriel near Astro Gym (a great place) I heard he passed away afew years ago. He was cool.

Ever go to Uptown Gym in Whittier (another great gym)? Or Barlow's in Torrance. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 07, 2005, 04:12:13 PM
Max, We may be speaking about two different doctors becasue I really believe his first name was Ken (Kenny). But he did pass away a few years back, so you could be right. He was around shortly after Morris won the nationals (Mr America?)  and when Bob Birdsong was making a name for himself and won that international contest I wrote about in an earlier post when Sergio challanged Arnold and Franco eventually accepted.

I've never been to Astro or Uptown or Barlow's unless one of those gyms was the place were Rory L. trained and gave a few haircuts when he arrived here. That was out by Pasadena someplace a long while back.

I can remember when LA stopped and the desert began. A major north / south road ran along that corridor and there was the start of new housing projects on the west side and nothing but wasted desert on  the east. That was only a bit east of Pasadena way back then.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 07, 2005, 07:10:15 PM
Dr. Robert Kerr had a practice in San Gabriel Valley and was one of the three "steroid doctors" in the L.A. area. He wrote a book about steroids (which I had but have it in storage--I was one of his patients) in the early eighties and was one of the first to introduce Hgh to the bodybuilding world.

When Dan Duchaine and Mike Zumpano (owner of Champion Nutrition--most people don't know that Mike was the co-author) wrote the underground steroid guide, they got a lot of their info from Dr. Kerr. Back then Mike also introduced a really elaborate nutrition and training program and was living in the storage space above Gold's Venice (the current location).

Remember the Corbin Gentry machines? Crazy.

How about the "hydro-water machines".  Also crazy. guess manufacturers were trying to produce something to compete with the Nautilus craze.

Yes Uptown is the gym in Whittier were Rory L. trained. Still does I think.   
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 08, 2005, 09:03:04 AM
Max, you know a lot more about Dr Kerr than I do but if it is the same doctor I knew, I would usually meet him at one of the contest or another and the first time I met him was at the Cal or the LA at the Embassy Auditorium in Downtown LA.

The three docs you mentioned are Kerr and Walzack and ____?_____. Who was the third?

Who had the office on Hollywod Blvd across from the vicinity of the Chinese Theater? There were two reception areas. On the left side was the area where the athletes waited and on the right was for the regular patients. He was a great guy and very helpful. ........The way all doctors should be today but are not allowed to be.

I met Dan at the USA a couple of years before he passed away and we had a brief conversation. I was surprised when he passed away. He looked so young and healthy. I never did meet Mike or even recall the name.

I must have been fighting a war someplace because the name "Corbin Gentry" sounds familiar but I can't picture the eguipment in my mind.

But I think I do remember those water hydro units......... The whole apparatus looked like a skinny octopus and these pump type units were supposed to offer some sort of resistance. I used it once but didn't like it. It this the thing you talked about. I only saw one in my lifetime and it was soon outta there.

If Rory is still at Uptown Gym, he has been there since he was a bout 18 years of age. Are you sure that place is still there. I recall it being long and narrow with the changing area and showers in the back. Rory used to give haircuts there.

DO you recall a foundry in the Watts area? We used to go there and order special olympic plates but they never were too accurate. Do you recall the name of that place?

More questions for one and all:

Where was Rheo H. Blaire's office? I do recall it being in LA past a lake and some damn tall trees.

What ever happened to him and his product?

Who recalls MLO and who invented it and where?

What was the name of those little protein wafers that Gypsie Boots offered on the market in the 50's?

Where are these bboyduilders now? .. Dale Adrian, John Corvello, Ernie Santiago, Bill Grant, .............

How did Bill McArdle pass away?

Got tons of unanswered questions but gotta head off now. Thanks


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 08, 2005, 10:01:55 AM
Kevin, It might be a different Dr. Kerr because I don't think the one I knew ever attended shows. His son was a football player and he claimed (even in 1981) that he had 20,000 patients in EVERY sport imaginable on steroids.

Third doctor was Walter Jecott (sp) who got into trouble via David Hasselhoff being a client or something.

I’m not sure who had the Hollywood office because I never went to Jecott… maybe him?

Dr. Michael Walkzak was in Sherman Oaks and Dr Kerr was in San Gabriel.

Rheo H Blair office was in LA near Studio City/Hollywood somewhere near Lankershim Blvd. After Rheo passed his "friend" Freddy Lindblatt took over and now the Protein is still available (but not the other products) through a guy who inherited or bought the formula. I'll try to get a link. That was the best tasting stuff ever. Check out this article.
http://www.ironage.us/articles/blair.html

I was introduced to the water machines at on of Wally Boyko’s contests in Anaheim. The concept was good. You could use your thumb and adjust the resistance during a set. Kind of like taking plates off or going “down the rack” with dumbbells. The problem was the whole contraption was huge and took up way to much space. Gold’s had a unit at one point but got rid of it after a month or so.

I’m not familiar with that foundry.

Bill Grant is in New York and attends the Arnold every year. He is still in awesome shape and looks like he’s still in his 30’s. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 08, 2005, 01:24:26 PM
Kevin,

Here is Bill Grants Website:

http://www.billgrant.net

You may want to read the article “Legends of bodybuilding” on his site.

There was also an interview with the members over at www.Ironage.us  Many of the members there have been enjoying this thread here on Getbig.

http://ironage.us/yabbse/index.php?topic=5840.0

Here’s another with Danny Padilla

http://ironage.us/yabbse/index.php?topic=5315.0

Dave Draper and Bill Grant July 4, 2004




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Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 08, 2005, 01:26:18 PM
Bill Pettis
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 08, 2005, 01:37:28 PM
Corbin-Gentry-

Now that was some excellent equipment. The have been out of business for some time now-their equipment is very similar to the Hammer Strength equipment put out today. All of the equipment/machines were plate loaded-which is not uncommon today, but was unique in the early 80's.

I particularly loved that back machine they had-crazy contraption. The first time I saw the back machine was Venice in 1983 or so, and I could not for th life of me figure out how it worked. I lifted a lever and-WHAM-the machine had a 45 plate loaded on it and it came crashing down and everyone at Gold's was looking over at me thinking who is that moron.

They also made an excellent curl machine-you stand up and it is like a little preacher bench-best arm curl machine I have ever used.

I remember those water machines, they were a gimmick. Kaiser Equipment had pneumatic equipment that had hand controls that allowed you to change the pressure in the hydrylics as you were acutally doing reps. Frog's in Solana Beach had it, and I used it at the end of my workouts for an incredible pump. Good for a change, but still gimmecky.

I have Dr. Bob Kerr's steroid book. He died a year or so ago-and I believe that is who Bob Paris received his GH from for the 83 nationals. Most of the pro's and the top NPC guys were using Kerr.

Wally Boyko-now there is a name you have not heard in a while. Mishay Santos (was a HOTTIE!) won one of his shows, so did Jon Jordan as I recall. He would pick the winners by applause I think-can't really remember it has been so long. Didn't he call the shows the "Superbowl of Bodybuilding"? I am pretty sure the winners also got paid cash prizes (not pro events in anyway).
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 08, 2005, 02:19:14 PM
Mishay Santos wqas a hottie at the beginning of her careear before she got to masculine.

Rmember Esi Rainwater out of Orange County?

Here's some info on Wally... he's still around, started and still owns Ms. Fitness.

http://www.msfitness.com/history.html

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 08, 2005, 07:21:07 PM
Mishay Santos was a BABE!. She sat right behind me at the 88 CAL, and I could not stop checking her out-I introduced myself when her date split for a few seconds-but no luck (my life story).

I can't remember what she died of-does anyone recall-please post if you do.

It is so weird that she has been gone for alomost 10 years now-just like Don Ross, yet I remember my interactions with them like they were just a few days ago.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 09, 2005, 12:54:18 AM
I agree in the beginning she was hot. But you can see the difference in her face from the two pictures though.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on April 09, 2005, 01:20:44 AM
The Queststar Water machines
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on April 09, 2005, 01:23:43 AM
Kaiser equipment
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 09, 2005, 09:23:33 AM
Must have been two Dr Kerr's (and I thought I knew them all) because the Dr I knew was a friend of Dr Jacott's and was on the slender side and no kids that I ever met.

Dr. Jakott treated the bodybuilders well and you would meet more of the top guys in his office than you ever saw gathered at Muscle Beach.

I do know that he had to spend some time in jail but I did not know that actor was involved. Another witch hunt as far as I am concerned.

Yes, his was his office that was located across from the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd.
 
Thanks for the Rheo H Blair link. That was interesting. I'm gonna look for that product this week.

Thanks for those machine photos. I can only recall seeing one of those units but it didn't last too long.

Wally Boyko - Yes, Wally did run contests where the audiance clapped to determine the winner. I spoke to a couple of the contestants and they said that the "gimmick" was to get as many of your friends there as possible. DOes anyone know any of the guys who ever won one of Wally's contests? I think that he promoted them in the Disneyland area but I never saw one in person. Is Wally still promoting events? I remember that he had a real nice lady (wife?) working with him.

Thanks for the Bill Grant link. Haven't had the chance to look at it yet but will this aftenoon. (and Ironage  and Wally link too).

Good photo of Dave and Bill.. Thanks  Neither looks too much older. Especially Bill.

Can you pass me the name of Dr. Bob Kerr's steroid book? (I gotta get these two Dr. Kerr's straightened out in my mind.)

I think I met Mishay at a contest promoted by Marjo and Hannu Selin a long time back. She was at her peak then if I am correct. I was not aware that she passed away.

 I worked out in Orange County a few times but never did meet  Esi Rainwater. Did anyone ever meet Ked Schoming? He was a Marine in that area who had unreal potential and the drive to make it happen but he got shipped off somewhere and never seen again. Also Kip Narbo??

My biggest memories of that area was training at Zuver's in Costa Mesa. How old is Rhino now? Remind me to tell you about Zuver's if I haven't done so already.

Can anyonw tell me precisely where Bill "Peanuts" West and George Frenn used to train?

WOW! Onlyme is going to have a lot of reading here and I am sure he will recall lots of this to add his comments too. You got to have him show you his high school picture. He was a cute "LITTLE" kid who looked like Beaver Cleaver and I always  have a laff when I see that picture. So does Keith!

Thanks for all this info, folks. I too have to agree that all this stuff seems like it just happened yesterday with the only difference being that it's a bit hard to remember. Kind of like looking at life through a fog.

And I gotta say this too ....... Of all the people I've met in this lifetime, the most memorable group  of earthlings are those who you are in armed combat with..... and those who lift heavy objects to add a bit of muscle here and there.

There must be some relation there.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 09, 2005, 10:10:16 AM
Yes I heard that Dr. Kerr's book was available somewhere but I can't find the link or remember the title of the book. Like I said I had it but it's been in storage for years. 619Rules help us out.

Crownshep... I had to have known you'd come through with pictures of that crazy equipment. Ray Mentzer had a couple of the Kaiser machines at Muscle Mill but one of the members who was a machinist for the studio's replaced the hydraulic with a "souped-up" version so the tension go about 8 times higher than before. It was very cool because you could do negatives and things that you'd need 4 spotters to do with weights but only one guy to "press the button" one the hydraulic while you did your set. However nothing in my opinion will ever replace cold hard steel. It was a nice axillary exercise though.

Kevin when I was a kid I had a neighbor give me a stack of old Muscular Developments and Strength and Health magazines. One of them had an article about Bill Peanuts west. I can’t remember where it said he trained.

There were so many small dungeon-like independent gyms around in the 70’s and still in the 80’s. Most are just all gone now.

I know in the eighties I was in a corporate sales position and Century City/Beverly Hills  was my territory.  There was a real cool gym in kind of a  red brick building called L.A Gym great place.

I found out recently that two very old gyms still exist but of course with new owners. Bill Pearls Gym on Manchester Blvd in Inglewood is still there. The other one is The Easton Brothers Gym (Vince Gironda once said that it was actually the Easton Brothers who “invented” the preacher curl bench) is still there but with updated equipment.   

I’m not familiar with the guy’s in Orange County that you mentioned. Maybe someone else.

Who remembers the name of the blonde guy from Orange County (80’s) with really thick incredible abs. He was a top contender for the Cal and maybe the nationals but then I never heard about him again.

Kevin… have you read Dick Tylers book “West Coast Bodybuilding Scene”? I think you would really enjoy it. You can get it from www.davedraper.com
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 09, 2005, 11:26:48 AM
Robert Kerr's book is still out there to purchase.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/offer-listing/9996739139//104-7004853-3995912?condition=all

Crownshep-Thanks for the Questar water machine pics, those are a blast from the 80's. I have to agree with Max_Rep on the Kaiser machines giving incredible negative resistance. The ones I trained on at Frog's Solana Beach had foot controls, and once you did a concentric contraction you could just fire up the pumps with the foot controls and just try to hold onto the handles as hard as you could (loved the row machine)- as the pumps pushed the machine handles back to the starting position on the eccentric contraction. Wild way to finish off a workout.

The blond Orange County guy Max_Rep is speaking about?..?... maybe Kevin Hall. Not a mass monster, but had great muscle shape-along the lines of a Flex Wheeler. He was in the Cal a few times, and placed top 3 or 4 at the USA more than once. Was from Costa Mesa.

Kevin-thanks for confirming the Wally Boyko shows using the audience clapping to determine a winner. He did put a number of the shows on at the Anaheim Convention Center-which is directly across the street from the Disneyland parking lot-which is now gone and replaced with The California Adventure. Arnold was always there as a special guest for one day during the 2-3 day event. Jon Jordan, Mr California, won one of those shows, as did Mishay.

The 88 Cal was one of the best, if not the best, BBing show ever put on. Ran smooth-was over at 10:30 PM (instead of 1 AM like most). But of the many shows I have been at-this one stands out because of the many things that happened. Kay Baxter was killed in a car crash that day-and Barry Clothier (show promoter-BBer) had to inform the audience-and it was a shocker. Mishay Santos sat directly behind me (what luck). Gold's Gym Pacific Beach (my gym) won the womens overall (Cathy Wright) and the mens overall (Rick Stephenson). The overall winners coming from the same gym was very unusual and I don't think had ever happened up until that point, and not likely to happen again (until 1995 when the overall winners were again from my gym-Frog's Solana Beach- Garrett Downing and Valerie Scott). That was the first time I ever saw Raye Hollitt and Tonya Knight. That was the first night I ever heard of Joe Valdez, who approached me at a Denny's restaurant after the show and out of the blue was asking who I was and what shows I had been in (and in general freaked me out a bit)-I had no idea he was Rory Leidelmyer's photographer until Rick Stephenson told me later on. It was held at the Paramount Theater in Oakland-a great venue. Troy Zuchalotto was there showing off his major league guns (He won the show 2 years earlier in 86).

What a time the 80's were!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 09, 2005, 01:55:12 PM
Thanks for the link 619Rules...

It wasn't Kevin Hall. Great bodybuilder though. Man
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 09, 2005, 08:02:32 PM
Rules, thanks for the Kerr book info

Speaking of "dungeon" type gyms, I bet there are less than 10 people still living who have actually trained at the Dungeon in Santa Monica. Dave Draper happens to be one of those ten. And me too, but it was so long ago, that I can hardly remember it

I do recall steps right off the street leading down to a dark hole underneath a building on 2nd or 3rd street in Santa Monica and most of the weights all over the floor. And it was very dark. Could that have possibly been the first hard core gym in the Santa Monica/Venice area?

I worked out at Pearl's many times but his place was in Pasadena. I knew nothing about the gym he had in Inglewood. I don't even know where Inglewood is. A guy name Solo was in charge during Bill's absense and an up and comer by the name of Rob Johnson was close friends with Bill and Judy. He was heading to be one of the best in California until he got under a too heavy bench and got injured and shortly thereafter returned to the midwest someplace. Can you refresh my mind on the Easton Brothers? They must have entered the scene after 1970.

Didn't Kevin Hall used to date Dianna Dennis?

I never read Tyler's book but I will check it out.

I do think Wally Boykos show was the Superbowl of Bodybuilding as someone mentioned earlier. But I am surprised that Arnold showed up for his events cause he was not an NPC or IFBB promoter and Weider obliged to stand by the NPC only as agreed upon at a meeting we had years earlier.

I knew Barry Clothier when he trained at Gold's on 2nd street in Santa Monica. Soon thereafter I think he ran a gym owned by Ed in the SF Bay area someplace. I have not see Barry since then.

I also knew  Rick Stephenson pretty well back then and had a short visit with him and his partners when they opened the Pacific Beach Golds. I forgot his partner's name but he was a good looken kid who had some great potential and planned to compete. But I never heard of him aften that. I reall some neon lights in that Gold's. Does Rick still own it or what?

I gotta say that  Joe Valdez is one of the nicest guys I've met in this sport ..... Bar none! We manage to carry on pretty long conversations when we run into each other. Joe is a collector of birthdays and remembers them all. Joe is presently in a home and not feeling too well on occasion.

The 80's might have been great but the "earliers" were better, I've seen em all so you'll have to take my word on that. This may hurt a few but the biggest disappointment in this sport has been the Personal Training Business which I won't go into right now, but I do think I casually mentioned it earlier.

Thanks, all..........  Kev
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 09, 2005, 08:43:38 PM
Kevin-

Your right about Barry Clothier. He moved out to Venice from New Jersey-hooked up with Ed Connors (along with Jon Loyd) and they opened the very second Gold's Gym-810 Valencia Street in San Francisco. He was a pretty good BBer-.

The third Gold's Gym licensee was actually San Diego/Pacific Beach-but it was the first Gold's that was not owned by Ed, Tim or Grymko.

One of the weirdest things that ever happened to me in San Diego was at a local gas station on El Cajon Blvd in North Park (around 88,89). I am pumping gas and this lady-about 45-50 looks over at me and said "you have great calves-do you workout (my Calvies are 20+)?" I said "yes I do-do you"?  She said no but my ex husband does. I said "Oh yeah, who is your ex husband?"....OK.......get ready for this one....she says..."Bill Pearl"....holy batsh*t-you have to be kidding me. But she used to be married to Bill Pearl, and of course Bill trained at Stern's Gym in North Park when he won most of his shows. Stern's is still in the same location, and has much of the same equipment from when Pearl trained there. That was pretty wild though. Stern's would most certainly qualify as a dungeon.

I think your right about BBing in the 60's and 70's being great years-before my time unfortunately. BBing began for me in 1979 when I joined Clancy Ross's Mr. America Club. The late 70's/80's are as close as I ever got to the golden years.

Kevin Hall was not the guy that dated Diana Dennis-I can't recall that guys name right off the top of my head. Diana Dennis lived in San Diego for a number of years-and she was the Cher of BBing. Always had some kid about 20 years old as a boyfriend-she was in her 40's then. Hey-more power to her-but I never found her attractive.
She stayed in contest shape year round though-and used lots of anabolics.

Those Wally Boyko shows were more of a fitness weekend-similar to what the Arnold S. Classic is today-they had  bunch of things that went on, with exhibits and booths and all sorts of things.

As for Rick Stephenson-he won the Cal-but he tried to compete as a heavyweight in the Nationals and USA-and he does not have the size to be a decent heavyweight. Ed Connors did buy Gold's Gym Pacific Beach, and that is a long and sorry story about what happened. Too long for this thread-but I will tell you right now Rick did not have $1 to invest in that gym-so one of the other investors lent  Rick 10 grand to buy in-and Rick really pulled some dirty underhanded BS (burned the guy who lent him the 10 grand bigtime)-but that is another story that I can't go into here. Today Rick has a net worth of about 5 million dollars from that gym he bought into with 10 grand of borrowed money. If you ever see big Jim Quinn ask him what he thinks of Rick and that gym( Ed gave Jim some of the shares in that gym)-then get the hell out of ear shot range...lol.......

Gold's Gym Santa Monica was at 1452 2nd street-is that building still there? Lisa Lyon lived in the other half of that building according to former Gold's Gym owner Ken S.......BTW did Ken ever sue Arnold for defamation about Gold's? I had read that somewhere and wondered if that was true.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 09, 2005, 09:21:24 PM
Rule, I know nothing about that Arnold / Sprague situation but last week I took a tour around Santa Monica and Venice and took some digital photos of all the bodybuilding places that I could recall and all that have not been torn down yet,

That series of digital photos include the original Golds, the Santa Monica 2nd Avenue Gold's, the present Gold's on Hampton, the Guido sign, the German's, World Gym original location and last location which is now a gymnast center, Zucky's, Weider's first Cal office where Draper worked shipping out Weider supps to various parts of the world, etc.

I am not on my own computer and have no idea how to get photos into this Mac so they will have to wait till I hook back up n my own. I'll do my best explain each photo so you will all get a good idea of it's significance with this bodybuilding game.

Today I drove by the building were I think Gironda's gym was located but the area has changed significantly, so I am not sure. Was the address on the 11300 block of Ventura Avenue? Does anyone have the pricise address of Vince's old gym. I'd like to shoot a photo of how that spot looks today and add it to this collection.

I saw Dianna Dennis lately (year and a half ago?) and she is looking fine and still active with guest posing stints.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Dan-O on April 09, 2005, 10:33:23 PM
Kevin Lawrence was the name of Diana Dennis's boyfriend.  They also competed in mixed-pairs competition together, back when that was in vogue.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 09, 2005, 11:59:50 PM
Dan-O comes trough-yes...Kevin Lawrence-

Diana Dennis and Kevin were an item and competed in mixed pairs. Made a good couple too. Diana did a lot of guest posing in the San Diego area-her and Troy Zuchalotto seemed to be the guest posers at just about every other show for a long time.

Where is Diana Dennis at today? She is long gone from San Diego.


That series of digital photos include the original Golds, the Santa Monica 2nd Avenue Gold's, the present Gold's on Hampton, the Guido sign, the German's, World Gym original location and last location which is now a gymnast center, Zucky's, Weider's first Cal office where Draper worked shipping out Weider supps to various parts of the world, etc.

I saw Dianna Dennis lately (year and a half ago?) and she is looking fine and still active with guest posing stints.

I have been by the Orginal World Gym location (2210 Main Street S.M.), and the one in Venice (location #2)-how could Arnold lease that building to a  kiddie gymnastic studio????? The guy that runs that kiddie gymnastic's school had the World Gym neon sign (I guess Joe Gold left it when they moved) and sold it on EBAY for 99 dollars.

The original Gold's Gym location at 1006 Pacific is super cool because you can still see the outline of the old Gold's sign from the 60's and mid 70's, before Ken turned it into his house (Thanks Ironage).

Please post the pics ASAP.

What is at the Zucky's location?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 10, 2005, 08:17:48 AM
Thanks,  Dan-O, for setting the facts straight on Kevin and the photo too.

I last saw Diana living in Las Vegas about two years ago. I'll attempt to find the casual photos we took at some contest we went to as spectators. She looked great. To the best of my knowledge, she is still in Casino-Town.

Zucky's is still Zucky's in the same location (5th and Santa Monica?) but it is a shadow of its former self. All the windows are boarded up and the paint is peeling and the ZUCKY'S sign is falling apart .... and I'll send ya those photos as soon as I can but I don't know how to do it on this machine so it will take a bit of time. I am surprised that place closed down as it belonged to an old, established Jewish family and was always the best place to eat in Santa Monica and beyond. Their pastrami sandwich was four inches high and the chicken soup contained half a chicken.

I am presently looking at the photos and I do have 2210 Main St on one of them, so I guessed correctly and got the right photo of World's Gym, but it appears that they did an extensive modification of the building.

And I got a great shot of the original Gold's with the faded sign. I think that Ken turned it into his living room when he redid it and also removed the windows from the front. The front door is still there but the rest is plastered over.

Also have photos of the Firehouse and Rose Cafe and plan to shoot more within that area today or tomarrow. Hopefully, I'll get to Santa Monica and shoot the original Muscle Beach locations too.

There used to be an Ice Cream Store across from Rose Cafe that served a hundred flavors. You remember that place, Rules?


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on April 10, 2005, 10:32:07 AM

As for Rick Stephenson-he won the Cal-but he tried to compete as a heavyweight in the Nationals and USA-and he does not have the size to be a decent heavyweight. Ed Connors did buy Gold's Gym Pacific Beach, and that is a long and sorry story about what happened. Too long for this thread-but I will tell you right now Rick did not have $1 to invest in that gym-so one of the other investors lent  Rick 10 grand to buy in-and Rick really pulled some dirty underhanded BS (burned the guy who lent him the 10 grand bigtime)-but that is another story that I can't go into here. Today Rick has a net worth of about 5 million dollars from that gym he bought into with 10 grand of borrowed money. If you ever see big Jim Quinn ask him what he thinks of Rick and that gym( Ed gave Jim some of the shares in that gym)-then get the hell out of ear shot range...lol.......



I understand from sources that Rick owns the entire building of the gym.

Where the location of that gym is & the size of the property.....thats a chunk of change right there.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 10, 2005, 11:52:10 AM
I understand from sources that Rick owns the entire building of the gym.

Where the location of that gym is & the size of the property.....thats a chunk of change right there.
The current location was a former Toyota dealership. The building is really a piece of sh*t-no windows-limited parking, hard to get in and out of from the main beach area-but it is an improvement over the old location.

The old Gold's Gym Pacific Beach is now** a car dealership***, but the car dealership demolished 2 freestanding buildings at the old location and now it is a huge car lot. If they could move back to the original building they would be set.

As for the current building-like I said it really sucks in my opinion. Rick bought the building using a small business administration loan (only 10% down) in 1992 for 850K. It was a bank repossessed property (REO), and the bank folded and the federal government ended up owning it. It was vacant for over 2 years when the gym bought it. On paper the building today might be worth 3-4million-on paper.  That is what the building was bought for in 1988 (4 million) by the Toyota dealership (in a real estate bubble).

The real estate bubble in California is going to bust sometime within the next 12-24 months and when it does you will see a 50% decline in commercial property and a 25-33% decline in residential property.

I would say that Gold's Gym Pacific Beach/San Diego (now World Gym) is the most profitable gym in California (maybe the entire US) outside of Venice Gold's. It was the only hard core gym in San Diego for a long time (besides Stern's-which is small) and it had a great location. All the pro's would stop in to train when they were on vacation. In the beginning it had a great set of guys working and running the place. I was glad to call it home for a number of years. The funniest part is the original owner was a gay guy named Paul Edney-and it was a dump-he was sitting on a gold mine and just did not know how to run a gym-to the point the gym was going to close/fold until Ed bought it.

Now, like I said, it has created a multi millionaire.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on April 10, 2005, 12:04:01 PM
The current location was a former Toyota dealership. The building is really a piece of sh*t-no windows-limited parking, hard to get in and out of from the main beach area-but it is an improvement over the old location.

The old Gold's Gym Pacific Beach is now** a car dealership***, but the car dealership demolished 2 freestanding buildings at the old location and now it is a huge car lot. If they could move back to the original building they would be set.

As for the current building-like I said it really sucks in my opinion. Rick bought the building using a small business administration loan (only 10% down) in 1992 for 850K. It was a bank repossessed property (REO), and the bank folded and the federal government ended up owning it. It was vacant for over 2 years when the gym bought it. On paper the building today might be worth 3-4million-on paper.  That is what the building was bought for in 1988 (4 million) by the Toyota dealership (in a real estate bubble).

The real estate bubble in California is going to bust sometime within the next 12-24 months and when it does you will see a 50% decline in commercial property and a 25-33% decline in residential property.

I would say that Gold's Gym Pacific Beach/San Diego (now World Gym) is the most profitable gym in California (maybe the entire US) outside of Venice Gold's. It was the only hard core gym in San Diego for a long time (besides Stern's-which is small) and it had a great location. All the pro's would stop in to train when they were on vacation. In the beginning it had a great set of guys working and running the place. I was glad to call it home for a number of years. The funniest part is the original owner was a gay guy named Paul Edney-and it was a dump-he was sitting on a gold mine and just did not know how to run a gym-to the point the gym was going to close/fold until Ed bought it.

Now, like I said, it has created a multi millionaire.

I trained there for a number of years in the later 90's.

I used to go either very early in the morning or later in the evening & I never would go there during the main working hours because of the poor parking.

I like alot of the older equipment that was in there but lets just say.....Rick was not one to spend a lot of money to upgrade something unless it can be fixed a million times.

The atmosphere was good....but as I left....I started to see many "soccer moms" attending & sitting on the equipment.

Maybe things have changed....it's been about 4 years.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 10, 2005, 06:01:55 PM
Just got back from a full day on a walking tour between Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach and back with a side excursion through Santa Monica's Third Street Mall. Also took a couple more shots of the the old Gold's on 2nd.

More people now walk past that old location within 15 minutes than a full week of pedestrians in the 60's/70's. The streets were jammed back and even though it was a warm and sunny day, the beach was relatively quiet except for the usual madhouse down Venice Beach way.

Took another serious of photo which I plan to post as soon as I work them in Photoshop and add some commentary.

l have to kick myself in the ass because I met three real oldtimers sitting on a bench on the precise spot of the original Muscle Beach and one of them pulled out his scrapbook full of photographs taken in the 40's and 50's.

Turned out that these three guys were part of the original bunch of guys who were doing handstands and gymnastics on the beach when thousands of spectators showed up to watch them.

Must have been aboout 300 original photos of Muscle Beach in that scrapbook, none of which I have ever seen including a bunch of pictures of Steve Reeves when he was real young hanging on the beach with his friends.

We started talking about Pudgy Stockton but that is when the video cameras arrived apparently to do some story on these three old timers. They were waiting for the arrival of Armand Tanny but they were so wrapped up in shotting the video that I had to excuse myself and leave because I did not want to interrupt the video production.

I ahve a couple of photos of these three original Muscle Beach oldtimers sitting on that bench looking at the scrapbook. Each picture had the names of the people who were in the photographs neatly printed at the bottom and I was surprised that I had not heard of most of them ...... Reeves and Tanny were the exceptions.

I have now come to the conclusion that the gymnasts were just as important (or possibly even more important) than the bodybuilders in making that place so popular.

I did ask the reasons why the City of Santa Monica closed Muscle Beach down and was told that the reason is was closed once and for all was because a couple of the bodybuilders raped a young girl (he didn't say "under the pier" but I had heard that story and the "under the pier" part many years ago) and so they closed it down. (Good reason, I guess!)

Ran across Roland Kickinger and had a brief talk. He looks good and is working at becoming a Star. Great guy, so I hope it happens.

Met a kid from Mexico who won his class (light wt I believe) at an NPC contest held in Culver City last March. Good potential for a smaller bodybuilder.

The Pit in Venice was just about empty of bodybuilders except for this tall, lanky kid who had unreal potential. Looks like he was puymping up to take off and meet the ladies on the beach. (Reminds me of the good old days!)

Good walk, good time and glad to have meet those old timers but I wish we could have talked longer, but they were ready for their closeups, so I departed and let them do their thing.

Does the name Caldwell remind anyone of a gymnast/bodybuilder now in his 70's who was a Muscle Beacher in its hayday!?




Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 10, 2005, 07:28:42 PM
Kevin-

That is so cool that you met the old timers and they were doing a video shoot of the original Muscle Beach. You may not know this but Public Broadcasting System (PBS) did a major segment on the old Muscle Beach (probably just like the video shoot you say today), and they interviewed everyone who was still alive. It is real interesting. I have a printed version somewhere-I think it is called Old Gold-or something like that. I will post a link when I find it.

Back in the 30's and 40's it was all gymnastics-well probably 90%-and a few people brought old weight plates, but it was really about tumbling and balancing feats-like building those pyramids-Effierman doing the one handed clean and jerk with 145# while playing a trumpet. The weight benches and the lifting equipment was added little by little as Muscle Beach became more popular. It is really too bad that the City closed it down and tore everything out in 59.

The statutory rape charge is pretty much what did it I think. That is the story everyone gives as to why the place got the boot. The City Council tried to make the Muscle Beach folks out as a bunch of deviants. Total BS. The two bodybuilders that had the statutory rape charges leveled against them had the charges thrown out as I recall. I will look into that and post. I will also get the info in the PBS Muscle Beach segment. Fantastic stuff. You know most of those folks are up there in age and when they die there will be NO first hand knowledge the REAL Muscle Beach. Harold Zinkin died just within the last 6 months and he was one of the originals.

All I can say is I wish I was there with you today to talk with the old timers. I am going to PM you-if you can  will you email me all the pics you took? I am really interested to see what you have. I have been by many of the places recently (within the last year) like the original World Gym-and your right-it is hard to recognize because of the remodel they did. But what you have, and the info on this thread is a serious part of Bodybuilding history that would be lost if people didn't pass it along.

I have to figure out how to save this thread!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 10, 2005, 07:56:52 PM
Found a link for the California Gold PBS segment on the original Muscle Beach. This is a cool video-with interviews of all the old timers. If your into the original Muscle Beach-buy this video.

http://www.calgold.com/calgold/Default.asp?Series=1000&Show=103

Here is another link that is pretty cool also.

http://ronjones.org/Health&Fitness/FitnessHistory/MuscleBeach/
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: l.spencer on April 11, 2005, 12:05:29 AM
hi everyone just want to say that this post is the best ever, i wish i only paid the same attention of history when i was at school  :)peace
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Steve93 on April 11, 2005, 01:55:06 AM
Found a link for the California Gold PBS segment on the original Muscle Beach. This is a cool video-with interviews of all the old timers. If your into the original Muscle Beach-buy this video.

http://www.calgold.com/calgold/Default.asp?Series=1000&Show=103

Here is another link that is pretty cool also.

http://ronjones.org/Health&Fitness/FitnessHistory/MuscleBeach/

This video is on the P2P networks...
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 11, 2005, 09:56:20 AM
Thanks for all this information, folks! It is appreciated!

Someone asked me who I thought was the best BB of all time so let me give my extended and personal opinion and raise a few feathers here.

I can't think of any bodybuilder I've ever wanted to meet  that I haven't. And that includes the likes of Reeves and Terpak and Eifferman and so many others throughout the years. Yea, and Arnold too. Many times.

Someone who knows me well swears that I have met over 90% of the greats since the early 50's. Now that's saying a lot, but it's probably true.

And in all that time I've only met a handful that really impressed me enough to walk away with a cranium full of praise and memories.

So if I gotta pick the BEST ...... In my opinion that BEST without a doubt has to be Lee Priest.

I met Lee at a contest (he was guest poser) one day after the Olympia or the Universe or some other major IFBB contest and was totally shocked!

This must have been about ten years ago when he had bright yellow hair and the thickest muscle on any body I had ever seen. Body height made no difference and from where I sat (right in front) there was no place on his frame where he could have added a bit of muscle. It was all there - thick and solid.

Without a doubt, Lee was the best I've ever seen.

On on that same stage was Buchanan from GB who was also damn impressive but no where as impressive as Lee that day.

So who was the most over-rated in my opinion? I'll go out on a limb here and say that Arnold was the most over-rated BB I've ever seen. He was good, no doubt, but no where near as good as people think he was in his prime.

I think Arnold's charisma carried him a long way and it still does.

Biggest disappointment ??? ....... I've traveled the world and met lots of people and I always encourage anyone I see who has the unlimited potential to be great in this game. And believe me, there are a few guys out there who could set new standards.

But they usually end up by stating, ........ "I would love to be a top bodybuilder and I know I have the potential, but I don't want to take all those steroids!"

And that's a major disappointment.


Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 11, 2005, 12:32:55 PM
hi everyone just want to say that this post is the best ever, i wish i only paid the same attention of history when i was at school  :)peace

Welcome l.spencer. And it just keeps getting better thanks to everyone who has been contributing to this thread.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 11, 2005, 02:17:33 PM
Max, the more interesting parts are the "bad" parts which we are considering to post without disclosing real names.

And when I say "BAD", I mean real bad.

ANd it does not necessarily involve any pros or anyone that any of you folks might even know.

But, then again, it could; so we are checking it out to see if we can work it some way so it will be honest and factual without hurting any single individual - dead or alive.

But it does include murder and jails and skulldugery, and thievery and mayhem just to name the brighter aspects on this side of the bodybuilding street.

Checken it out so, stand by to stand by. Or just stand by to relax in the event that we are advised not to proceed.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 11, 2005, 03:48:06 PM
Max, the more interesting parts are the "bad" parts which we are considering to post without disclosing real names.

And when I say "BAD", I mean real bad.

ANd it does not necessarily involve any pros or anyone that any of you folks might even know.

But, then again, it could; so we are checking it out to see if we can work it some way so it will be honest and factual without hurting any single individual - dead or alive.

But it does include murder and jails and skulldugery, and thievery and mayhem just to name the brighter aspects on this side of the bodybuilding street.

Checken it out so, stand by to stand by. Or just stand by to relax in the event that we are advised not to proceed.

I think that's called a cliffhanger Kevin. Not fair!  ;)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 11, 2005, 07:31:49 PM
Ya, Max, timeing out to find a rope!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 11, 2005, 08:10:26 PM
I got a friend. His name is Steve. He's been around for a while and knows all about powerlifting, olympic lifting, and bodybuilding. He competes in all three events and he does each well.

Some national champions in either event have been helped by Steve. He is one of those kind of guys who can spot a weakness and give suggestions on how to change it immediately with phenominal results.

"Turn your toes inward. Lift your chin. Add this to your diet."

Simple advice with dramatic results and many national champs will confirm what I am telling you about Steve.

Steve's a genius but he's also a crazy man too! Maybe a better term is that he is "fanatical" when it comes to training for any sport.

Here's a story about Steve and Tetsuo Willi.

Tets was a bantam weight powerlifter who was exceptionally strong for his size, but he had a serious problem.

Tets would get extremely nervous before any powerlifting contest he entered. And that "nervousness" would never go away until the day after the trophies were awarded.

SO this was a problem that Steve was doing his best to figure out how to remedy.

And it was his biggest failure!

"You're all right, Tets! You're just a little nervous and that's OK. Use that nervousness to help you get that weight off the ground!"

So Tets went on stage in front of an audiance of 1,200 to "get that weight off the ground", his first deadlift of the evening.

Don't ask me how much weight it was cause I don't remember but Tets was very strong for a man his size and it was a significant amount by any standards.

So Tets took his position on the platform and was evidently very nervous.

He grabbed the bar and began to stand erect but it was exceptionally heavy even for Tets and he was very nervous.

As the bar slowly reached above his knees, Tets could no longer disguise his nervousness and he regurgitated like a firehose hitting most of the spectators in the front row and the official directly to his front.

And it wasn't a small, burping kind of regurgitation either. It was a full blown, put out the four alarm fire type of regu rgitation.

But he swallowed his pride and stayed with the weight and completed the lift while the people in the back rows went crazy and those in front ........ well they left to go get cleaned off.

Tets left the stage with a good lift and much embarrassment and Steve was there to wipe his face and encourage him to break his personal record on his next attempt.

"Forget about throwing up, Tets! That's part of what this is all about!"

And Tets, still nervous, felt a little better and was determined to lift even heavier on his next call out.

And when Tets came out for his second attempt the first row was completely empty and the house was going crazy in his support.

And Tets took his position and started lifting. But he was still very nervous and the same thing happened, but this time if was a much bigger "force" and those in the second row who thought they were beyond the range of Tets, really weren't and hence they suffered the consequence.

And so did that very same judge immediately to his direct front.

But Tets made the lift and set a new personal record.

And on third attempt, most of the front was in the back and the head judge stood smartly on the side.

And the house went even more crazy offering their complete and total support for Tets, the nervous bantam who was putting on one hell of a show.

And he made it and won the state championships and eventually went on to bigger and better awards.

But the first three rows were always vacant from that day on.

This is a true story that Steve told me last nite. I was there but I don't recall it as vividly as he described it. I must have been way in the back.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 12, 2005, 01:30:59 PM
Ya, Max, timeing out to find a rope!


Even Joe is hanging around waiting for you to tell that big one!

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 12, 2005, 08:41:54 PM
OK-I have researched what happened to Muscle Beach-the real Muscle Beach and why it disappeared.

I have a couple of books on Muscle Beach-but the only one I can currently find is “Remembering Muscle Beach” by Harold Zinkin, the first Mr. California and inventor of the Universal Weight Machine. This summary is from pages 115-116.

In the late 50’s hordes of people were flocking to Muscle beach every single weekend and it was creating a mess from all the cars and creating major parking problems. The Santa Monica City Council wanted to make a parking lot out of the area. The local merchants (Ocean Park Pier business owners) did not like the free entertainment the acrobats provided and the Surf Rider Hotel (now Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel) did not think their guests liked the large and unruly crowds that gathered.

In December 1958, five of the local Muscle Beach weightlifters were accused of statutory rape with two underage girls at their apartment a couple of blocks from Muscle Beach. The five were arrested, but all charges were dropped. The Santa Monica City Council closed Muscle Beach though, until a full investigation was conducted. For the next three months, January 1959 through March 1959, the future of Muscle Beach was reviewed by the City Council, with the City Council wanting to keep it closed because of “perverts and narcissistic parasites”, while the supporters pointed to all the athletes that came from Muscle Beach and the national reputation it had given Santa Monica. The Santa Monica City Council then said that the $10,000 per year it cost to maintain Muscle Beach was too much. In December 1958, right after the statutory rape arrests, the police went in and tore out all the weight lifting platforms and the acrobat and tumbling equipment.

In March 1959 the City Council voted to stop using the name Muscle Beach, weight lifting events were dropped, no public acrobats or public performing would be allowed without a permit. The old Muscle Beach area was replaced with children’s playground equipment with some limited gymnastic equipment and renamed “Beach Park 4”. But no more handstands, push-ups or any other acrobat activity.

That was the end of Muscle Beach; it never regained the momentum it had after that.

After that, in 1959, Joe Gold started a Muscle Beach Weightlifting Gym, that gym eventually became Gold’s Gym………and…………well…….……you all know the rest.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 12, 2005, 10:10:10 PM
Polititions!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: crownshep on April 14, 2005, 02:09:13 AM
Just got my copy of West Coast Bodybuilding Scene today,and just from flicking through it,this picture caught my eye.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 14, 2005, 07:33:00 AM
Interesting stuff, Rules! Did they ever mention the names of the culprets? And do you know if somerthing additional happened under the pier that also gave the city council some concerns?

Here's a trivia question: Does anyone recall the "Purser Hotel"?

I knew George Eifferman well, Crown, but not well enough to ask him to play the trumpet when we got together for some occasion. I think he might have givien that up a while back or Mae West would have had him doing that act on her tour in the 50's.

Was anyone at the Santa Monica Auditorium when Bert Goodrich escorted Mae West on stage to present the overall trophy to Dave Johns? Ken Sprague promoted  that contest and did one hell of a job making it the best show possible.

I think that was the same year he had the parade with the boybuilders and the elephants. No one has or ever will promote another bodybuilding contest like that one.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 14, 2005, 11:30:55 AM
All I can say is that George Eiferman carried more muscle on his frame, in his day, than anyone else. He is thick, had a great chest and actually was one of the few guys from that era that had legs (Steve Reeves and Clancy Ross were two others that had legs and calvies!)

Believe it or not I sort of resemble the guy in looks and build.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 15, 2005, 08:54:52 AM
Okay is no-one going to comment on how difficult it has to be to get a bar with a 45 on each side overhead and balanced with no collars? Getting two 135 dumbells overhead requires strength. One would be more difficult because of the balancing factor, but a bar with no collars?   
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: LLES on April 15, 2005, 11:08:33 AM
you can tell by that pix he had an awesome phyique.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bossa on April 18, 2005, 06:46:09 PM
Where did onlyme go ???
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 18, 2005, 10:24:00 PM
Where did onlyme go ???
Onlyme spilled a protien shake/smoothie all over his computer and it got KO'd......I will send him an email and tell him we need another laugher story to keep the thread going!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Tombo on April 19, 2005, 05:25:30 AM
Really?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 19, 2005, 08:51:26 AM
This thread sort of became famous bith with Getbig and a few other boards around the net. I'd like to keep it going but it seems to be fading. We need some more humorous stories. Tell Onlyme to get that PC up and running again.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: man from oz on April 20, 2005, 02:20:52 AM
Okay is no-one going to comment on how difficult it has to be to get a bar with a 45 on each side overhead and balanced with no collars? Getting two 135 dumbells overhead requires strength. One would be more difficult because of the balancing factor, but a bar with no collars?   
you can tell by the look on his face
this guy had it all
strength
confidance
physique



man
if only
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 20, 2005, 12:25:57 PM

Who remembers the name of the blonde guy from Orange County (80’s) with really thick incredible abs. He was a top contender for the Cal and maybe the nationals but then I never heard about him again.


Okay guys I asked about this guy earlier and couldn’t remember who he was. I came across this today. Anyone remember him?

Steve Bohnstedt





Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 20, 2005, 05:26:12 PM
Okay guys I asked about this guy earlier and couldn’t remember who he was. I came across this today. Anyone remember him?

Steve Bohnstedt

Steve Bohnstedt-of course I remember him.

He was pretty big for his day and he was traiing at Venice in the early 80's. He was a monster, and won some big shows. I don't think he ever came close to winning a national show and dropped from sight. But I remember him very clearly because of something he said when he was in a show my friend was in.

This is what he said that I will always remember for some reason "Stay on the juice year round, and stay on all the way up to till the day of the show"....

That is what I remember from him, back in the 80's. I don't think anyone stayed on gear year round back then-not even the pro's. The same goes for staying on gear when preparing for a show-most guys would drop all gear 1-2 weeks before the show to clear out all water retention.

A guy that was very similar to Bohnstedt was Will Willis, had a great physique-and started getting low placing at NPC shows. Could have been plaing at national level shows. Used to do back flips in his posing routine.

After a local NPC show twhere he came in third,a show he should have won or at least placed second, he just stopped competing. Then he went on an anti gear crusade and got super small. I will post a pic if I can find one.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 20, 2005, 09:13:45 PM
Steve Bohnstedt

1981
Collegiate Mr America - AAU, HeavyWeight, 2nd
Junior Mr USA - AAU, Light-HeavyWeight, 4th

1983
Mr America - AAU, Medium-Tall, 8th

1984
Mr California - AAU, Overall Winner
Mr California - AAU, Medium-Tall, 1st

1986
Mr USA - AAU, Medium-Tall, 1st

1987
Mr America - AAU, Medium-Tall, 4th
Universe - AAU, HeavyWeight, 2nd

Will Willis



Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 21, 2005, 08:09:13 AM
Rules, I'm no roid expert by any means, but back in Bohnstedt's day it was a relatively mild dosage. Decca and anavar if I recall right and a lot of the guys stayed on the program year round.

But there were some pretty wild exceptions and one exception that I am personally familiar with was the good friend who called around the world doing a research project in an attempt to determine what roid program would produce the fastest and greatest results.

He decided to do a personal roid experiment to see just how far he could go without getting real sick.

When he found out what he wanted to know he charted out the "life cycles" of everything he planned on taking which amounted to a series of "peaks" and "valleys" and set it all up so that he never came off a "peak".

His program eventually came  to 2,100 mg of orals and injectbles daily for a couple of weeks and then a gradual tapering down.

Sometime during his third month (if I recall correctly) he entered a contest and won his wt class, the overall, the best poser, and the most muscular (could have won the bodypart awards too but I don't recall if they offered them at that event).

He had to take the trophies apart to fit them all in his car.

At that same event, they had an IFBB contest that allowed the amateur winner to enter and he managed to win that one too, but I don't recall who he competed against. Definitely not anyone of the Olympia or Universe caliber but definitely good enough to be pros.

He was definitely unbeatable that night and totally "juiced", and he was the first one to admit it.

That evening he got home and consumed a meal that was apparently too big for his stomach and suffered the consequences. He called to tell me that he felt like his stomach was tearing apart from the inside. His wife got him to the base clinic where they pumped out his stomach one way or another.

The next night his wife was working on base and he called to say that he thought he was going ot die and asked if I would come over in case he passed out. So I packed up my tooth brush and headed out, but before I got to the door he called back and said that it had passed and all was well.

So I unpacked and hit the rack.

I got a call the next morning and he told me that during the night he had another "attack" and felt like he was dieing and his wife was on 24 hour duty on base, so he got up and drove down to the all night grocery store and walked the aisles. He figured that if he passed out or got real sick, someone in the store would find him.

When his wife returned the next morning, they rushed off to the hospital and all that they could determine was that his blood pressure was too damn high.

 And it was still high one week later, so he visited a doctor off base who worked with a number of the pros and local athletes and got one shot of "something".

The next day he had another appointment with the on base doc and was surprised that his blood pressure was back to normal.

He attributes that to the "shot" by the off base doc, but never did find out what it was.

After that experiment he cut off his roid program and got back to normal and eventually became a BB coach and one of the brightest lawyers on the east coast.

He is one of those guys that loves to take chances so he never did regret that experiment wild roid experiment.

I no longer have any interest about what the pros take  but it would be interesting to see if anyone takes anything over 2,100 mg/day for an extended period of time.






Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 21, 2005, 03:42:32 PM
Steve Bohnstedt

1981
Collegiate Mr America - AAU, HeavyWeight, 2nd
Junior Mr USA - AAU, Light-HeavyWeight, 4th

1983
Mr America - AAU, Medium-Tall, 8th
1984
Mr California - AAU, Overall Winner
Mr California - AAU, Medium-Tall, 1st
1986
Mr USA - AAU, Medium-Tall, 1st
1987
Mr America - AAU, Medium-Tall, 4th
Universe - AAU, HeavyWeight, 2nd

Will Willis

Yep-Steve B. won a few shows. I dont recall him winning the AAU Mr. California though, I guess because it has been so long. I remember seeing him at Golds Venice in the early 80's. I remember his  wild hair. He was a big guy.

I do remember Gerald Riley winng the AAU Mr. Caliornia.

Will Willis-good cover shot. The guy had a winning physique. He had everything-size, shape, artistic posing. The guy used to be a gymnast-that is where the back flips came from. It is too bad he let the biased judging get to him, to the point he quit. He was a great guy to watchat shows, always came in shape-just got jerked around by the posing one time too many. I remember when he placed 3rd in the Contra Costa in 1984, he should have won (or at least second)-said right there he would never do another NPC show again.

As for gear-I have never heard of anyone doing 2100 mgs a DAY-maybe a week, but not a day. I know the guys I trained with back in the late 70's and the 80's would take mild dosages of maybe 200mg/week of deca with 10-20 Mg/day of anavar or dbol. Thats it, basic and simple. 8 weeks- on 8 weeks off.

Don Ross did say at one time that he took 3 dbol a day-everyday- "because I compete against the best bodybuilders in the world". Might be a reason he tore his pec and bicep.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 21, 2005, 11:22:05 PM
Kevin-

Where are the pics of the old World Gym on Main, and the Gold's on 2nd in SM?

Can you post a couple for us? ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 22, 2005, 08:57:54 AM
Rules, I have those Gold Gym photos and many more taken throughout Santa Monica and Venice on a recent trip down to the beach still in my camera and can't send them out until I get back to my own computer.

This Mac laptop I am working on does not have a device on the side of it where I can insert the Sony Memory Stick to transfer them on. So I have to wait until I get my own Sony Laptop back from the repair guys.

Can you figure out another solution? I do not have access to another computer while I am away from home.

New subject ........  I see Dan Lurie's name on the magazine which reminds me of a story that happened years back. I think I mentioned this topic a while back but here it is from a different angle.

This story involves the meeting that initiated the NPC/IFBB connection. Don't ask me the year because I am bad at recalling dates, but it must have been the year that Dave Johns won the big NPC title in Santa Monica. If I recall right Ron Teufel, Dave Rogers, Andreas Cahling were some of the guys who competed that year.

Excuse me if I am not too precise regarding the participants and the details , but this is based on my memory of a long time ago.

The contest was held on a Saturday afternoon and evening at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and the following morning (Sunday) there was a big meeting at the same location.

I didn't realize how important this meeting was going to be at that time so I failed to take a camera or recording device and missed a great opportunity.

We gathered in the area at the entrance to the auditorium and it was all formally set up with chairs and a long table on an elevated platform up front. A podium with a microphone stood to the side.

Someone had spent some bucks setting this meeting up so I figured something important was going to be discussed.

I took a seat up front and eventually turned around to see who was in attendance and noticed small groups of individuals conversing in hushed whispers as if something important was underway.

Dan Lurie was there in the back. He was big and bulky and appeared to have been up all night.

There was Terpak and a number of the guys from York, Pa representing Bob Hoffman and the York Barbell Company.

It is difficult to recall who took the seats at that table on the elevated stage but I believe Jerome Weise was up there. I do recall that it was Jerome who had the brains and the skill to draft all the paperwork in the attempt to legally  set up the NPC and to my understanding, he was successful in doing so.

Others were up there and if anyone can refresh my memory on whom they were, it would be appreciated. Or better yet, if anyone knows if this event is posted anywhere on the net ...........

Eventually the meeting was called to order by someone up there and everyone settled down to discuss "something important".

A few things were initially mentioned that got the crowd in various uproars and shouting matches but nothing as verbose as what was yet to come.

Then it happened .......

Mr Ben Weider, dressed in a very impressive blue blazer and light gray slacks (how the hell do i remember that?) stood on that platform and addressed the assembled group.

He proposed that this new NPC organization be a part of the IFBB (or something like that).

He was a very impressive speaker with a slight English accent and the only one that I can recall who was neat as a pin and neatly dressed for the occasion.

Basically he was recommending that if the NPC recognized the IFBB as the world governing body for bodybuilding, the IFBB would recognize the NPC as the governing bodybuilding organization for the USA.

And the IFBB would not compete against the NPC in any manner if the NPC would sanction amateur contests only, while the IFBB would only sanction professional contests within the US.

He went to elaborate other details while a lot of the people in the audiance were on their feet objecting loudly.

The "Chair" regained order and allowed each individual at the meeting to stand and address his objections to the assembled group.

Lurie stood up and was in strong opposition.

And the York group followed suit.

But the most interesting objection game from the unknown guy sitting ot my right.

This guy looked like a regular Joe off the street and stood up and offered the following information:

He had worked for both Joe and Ben Weider as an employee in the past and had a lot of respect for each of them as they worked hard at what they were trying to do.

But he wanted the group to know that the IFBB was not really a world wide organization as many of those "so called" world wide groups were merely Post Office Boxes situated throughout the world.

He offered this comment politely and then regained his seat.

Ben Weider remained calm throughout all these adverse comments from the floor and answered each objection calmly and intelligently (unlike many of the others) while the others such as Lurie and the Hoffman group objected loudly.

A lot more followed but eventually a vote was taken and the association with Weider and the IFBB passed with flying colors.

It could have been a different story if the opposing sides had come prepared and made a more appealing offer but Ben was the only one at that meeting who showed up with a viable plan.

If anyone else was at that meeting, I'd sure like to hear your viewpoint of this meeting.

Looking back, I personally think it was the most important meeting ever held within the bodybuilding rhelm.

I don't recall if the AAU was still involved in any capacity, but I don't recall that subject being discussed at that meeting.



Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on April 22, 2005, 06:56:59 PM
Guys sorry for being away so long. I am at the Internet Cafe now.  But, I wanted to check in.  I have been reading and I have some good stpries I remember but I have to wait till I get my computer back or it will cost me  a million dollars on this computer.  Does anyone have a story about Flex's driving. I hve a great one.  Aloha for now.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: knny187 on April 22, 2005, 07:45:29 PM
Guys sorry for being away so long. I am at the Internet Cafe now.  But, I wanted to check in.  I have been reading and I have some good stpries I remember but I have to wait till I get my computer back or it will cost me  a million dollars on this computer.  Does anyone have a story about Flex's driving. I hve a great one.  Aloha for now.

Damn....get that thing fixed.

 >:(
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 23, 2005, 08:45:32 AM
Flex's driving!?? Oh, shit!

I was there that day but was too damn busy to pay too much attention until Only made me pay notice. Hurry up and tell that one, K! I would only mess it up.

Just came on line to tell everyone about Keith's present computer situation but he beat me to it.

Heading down to Santa Monica to see if I missed any photo ops. I'm trying to concentrate on what used to be the "old spots" in the SM/Venice area but they are now few and far between.

I will get these photos posted mid May when my computer is returned. They might not be of too much interest unless you can recall the "olden days" so I'll only post a few at a time unless there is interest to see more.

And if I can learn how to set up an internet photo scrapbook, I'll do my best to post them to that site. Any scrapbook info?

Thanks, Kev
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 23, 2005, 04:37:51 PM
This story involves the meeting that initiated the NPC/IFBB connection. Don't ask me the year because I am bad at recalling dates, but it must have been the year that Dave Johns won the big NPC title in Santa Monica. If I recall right Ron Teufel, Dave Rogers, Andreas Cahling were some of the guys who competed that year.







Dave Johns never competed in any NPC show.

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: LLES on April 23, 2005, 07:37:51 PM
Guys sorry for being away so long. I am at the Internet Cafe now.  But, I wanted to check in.  I have been reading and I have some good stpries I remember but I have to wait till I get my computer back or it will cost me  a million dollars on this computer.  Does anyone have a story about Flex's driving. I hve a great one.  Aloha for now.

Geez, I can't wait to hear this one!!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 23, 2005, 08:20:23 PM
From Bix .... Dave Johns never competed in any NPC show.

BIX, You could be correct. But I think the last Mr America winner during this transition between the AAU and the NPC was Gary Leonard. If Dave competed before the year that Gary won (and I now believe he did) then he competed when it was sanctioned by the AAU or possibly during the transition phase.

I do recall that Dave accepted his trophy from Mae West who was escorted on stage by Bert Goodrich.

I was back stage and she elbowed me out of her way and said, "Move over, Big Guy." and Bert said something like, "Thank you."

Bert was there to escort her on stage because I understand that her eyesight was not too good at that time.

Back stage she was a quiet old lady in heavy makeup, but once she passed those curtains, she was Mae West.

I might add that the change over from the AAU to the NPC was a year or two of arguments and accusations. An interesting period in bodybuilding if you were involved.

It wasn't peaceful by any means. I am trying to contact a friend who played a major role during that transitional period.

I hope his memory is better than mine. Will let you know if it is.

Thanks, Bix.
Title: !
Post by: Kevin on April 23, 2005, 10:08:25 PM
Recalled some old stories today with some old time military bodybuilder friends and thought I'd pass this one on to the group.

True stuff, but difficult to believe nonetheless.

Back in the 60's I spent a lot of time in Vietnam dodging bullets and lifing sandbags whenever we found one in the vicinity.

A bodybuilder in combat is pretty much the same as a bodybuilder in the gym. Always looking for an unused set of weights or an unoccupied bench and complaining when none were available.

But in out case it was sandbags and ammunition crates.

One time out in the boonies we got a little tired of lifting heavy sand so I asked one of my better "requisitioners" to hop on a helicopter and head south in an attempt to locate something that resembled a decent metal barbell with enough weight to place on each end to get a decent workout.

"And a bench too if you can find one!"

Within an hour he was heading south to Danang.

Now I have a bit of confidence in USMC reqisitioners so the rest of us started ripping those wooden ammo crates apart and stared to erect a "gym" in the boonies to house our soon to be, newly requisitioned equipment.

It took two days but sure enough, there was a helicopter heading north towards our position. A US Army helicpoter if you looked through the binoculars.

Minutes later it landed on our hilltop in the boonies. And there was our "Requisitioner"
with a big smile on his face and a load of weights beneath his feet,

"I got more! I gotta go back!"

And within three minutes he was airborne once again.

It took three to four more trips to requisition our gym in the boonies but it was the best damn gym in the boonies that Vietnam ever did see.

Probably the best damn gym in all of Vietnam outside of the established military bases in those  relatively peaceful zones we seldom got to visit.

Things that were obtained this way were never questioned and the word "HOW?" was never mentioned.

We just looked at them as gifts from industrious and reliable requisitioners.

We got cold beer in a similar manner. Stold from the US Army and delivered by US Army helicpoters who often returned to base and wondered who took their beer.

And at the end this gym in the boonies really did pay off for one great bodybuilder in particular!

Back then, when you served in Vietnam, you got a one week vacation in some peaceful place like Hawaii or Bangladesh or Australia or Japan. (Yea! Some actually went to Bangladesh!)

When your turn came you merely hopped on a helicopter to the nearest US military airport and got the next plane out of the country to the Paradise of your choice.

But you had to return in 7 days! In many cases, you got to fight a war with a decent tan and sometimes even a heavy hangover.

This one particular time, one of out better  bodybuilders was totally ripped and hard as nails and heading off for seven days in Hawaii.

He and three other Marines were in the boonies waiting for the helicopter "taxi" to arrive when the sound of incoming was overheard over the whang whang whang of the whirley bird.

It only took a couple of weeks in Vietnam to know the sound of 122mm rockets and this was definitely the sound of 122mm's.

Most every one hit the deck except the four guys standing by for the taxi which was heading towards them overhead.

That rocket struck that landing zone close enough to blow them off their feet and about 20 feet back. Two of the guy were hit by shrapnel and suffered serious damage. The third was "crushed" by the percussion but survived and the ripped to shreads bodybuilder who was standing by his side just managed to get up and straggle off once the damage was done.

Every one in that LZ was taken to the doc and three were rushed off to the base hospital in Danang in the same helicopter that was gonna take them on their first leg to Paradise.

Our ripped up bodybuilder was the only one to come out unscratched except for the constant ringing in his ears and a slight case of nervousness.

But the doc gave him a clean bill of health and he got on that same helicopter and continued beyond Danang and onward to Hawaii.

The doc simply shook his head as that bird took off and said, " He was too damn muscular to suffer any percussion damage, I guess!"

That's a true story and this one is too ......

A friend of mine works for a tire company. He was also a Marine and one hell of a great bodybuilder. Thick and solid and ripped to shreads all year long.

His job at that tire company was working the tire retreading machine.

I've never seen one of those but here is what happened according to his wife who gave me this report the following day.

He was working the retreading machine when somehow it "bit him" and sucked him inside. (Honest folks!)

Someone hit the emergency switch and once it came to a halt, you could hear moaning from inside that damn thing!

It took hours to take that machine apart but they eventually got to him and pulled him out and got him to the hospital.

They gave him a complete exam and once it was over the doc simply shook his head and said, " He's black and blue and will be off his feet for a couple of days but he's too damn muscular to suffer any serious damage, I guess!"

True stories! Honest!

Solid muscles do pay off in combat situations and tire retreading companies.


 

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 24, 2005, 08:20:10 AM
From Bix .... Dave Johns never competed in any NPC show.

BIX, You could be correct. But I think the last Mr America winner during this transition between the AAU and the NPC was Gary Leonard. If Dave competed before the year that Gary won (and I now believe he did) then he competed when it was sanctioned by the AAU or possibly during the transition phase.

I do recall that Dave accepted his trophy from Mae West who was escorted on stage by Bert Goodrich.

I was back stage and she elbowed me out of her way and said, "Move over, Big Guy." and Bert said something like, "Thank you."

Bert was there to escort her on stage because I understand that her eyesight was not too good at that time.

Back stage she was a quiet old lady in heavy makeup, but once she passed those curtains, she was Mae West.

I might add that the change over from the AAU to the NPC was a year or two of arguments and accusations. An interesting period in bodybuilding if you were involved.

It wasn't peaceful by any means. I am trying to contact a friend who played a major role during that transitional period.

I hope his memory is better than mine. Will let you know if it is.

Thanks, Bix.



http://www.musclememory.com/cgi-bin/search?name=dave+johns&gender=M
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 24, 2005, 09:38:57 AM
Wow-Dave Johns on Muscle Memory.

Blast from the past.

I can tell you right now that picture of Dave does not even begin to tell how big Dave was. When I saw him training at World Gym in 1982-83, he had the thichest chest to back density I had/have ever seen-not to mention anyone at World Gym.

Monster guy.

As for the AAU/NPC-I have no clue if it was in transition or not-but I always thought it was AAU through Tim Belknap winning the 1981 Mr America? After that it became NPC/Nationals?

That was when everyone was sueing everyone (AAU VS. NPC...NPC VS. AAU).

It is really too bad thatt he Mr America title is not being used anymore.
Title: Re: !
Post by: knny187 on April 24, 2005, 12:09:45 PM
Recalled some old stories today with some old time military bodybuilder friends and thought I'd pass this one on to the group.

True stuff, but difficult to believe nonetheless.

Back in the 60's I spent a lot of time in Vietnam dodging bullets and lifing sandbags whenever we found one in the vicinity.

A bodybuilder in combat is pretty much the same as a bodybuilder in the gym. Always looking for an unused set of weights or an unoccupied bench and complaining when none were available.

But in out case it was sandbags and ammunition crates.

One time out in the boonies we got a little tired of lifting heavy sand so I asked one of my better "requisitioners" to hop on a helicopter and head south in an attempt to locate something that resembled a decent metal barbell with enough weight to place on each end to get a decent workout.

"And a bench too if you can find one!"

Within an hour he was heading south to Danang.

Now I have a bit of confidence in USMC reqisitioners so the rest of us started ripping those wooden ammo crates apart and stared to erect a "gym" in the boonies to house our soon to be, newly requisitioned equipment.

It took two days but sure enough, there was a helicopter heading north towards our position. A US Army helicpoter if you looked through the binoculars.

Minutes later it landed on our hilltop in the boonies. And there was our "Requisitioner"
with a big smile on his face and a load of weights beneath his feet,

"I got more! I gotta go back!"

And within three minutes he was airborne once again.

It took three to four more trips to requisition our gym in the boonies but it was the best damn gym in the boonies that Vietnam ever did see.

Probably the best damn gym in all of Vietnam outside of the established military bases in those  relatively peaceful zones we seldom got to visit.

Things that were obtained this way were never questioned and the word "HOW?" was never mentioned.

We just looked at them as gifts from industrious and reliable requisitioners.

We got cold beer in a similar manner. Stold from the US Army and delivered by US Army helicpoters who often returned to base and wondered who took their beer.

And at the end this gym in the boonies really did pay off for one great bodybuilder in particular!

Back then, when you served in Vietnam, you got a one week vacation in some peaceful place like Hawaii or Bangladesh or Australia or Japan. (Yea! Some actually went to Bangladesh!)

When your turn came you merely hopped on a helicopter to the nearest US military airport and got the next plane out of the country to the Paradise of your choice.

But you had to return in 7 days! In many cases, you got to fight a war with a decent tan and sometimes even a heavy hangover.

This one particular time, one of out better  bodybuilders was totally ripped and hard as nails and heading off for seven days in Hawaii.

He and three other Marines were in the boonies waiting for the helicopter "taxi" to arrive when the sound of incoming was overheard over the whang whang whang of the whirley bird.

It only took a couple of weeks in Vietnam to know the sound of 122mm rockets and this was definitely the sound of 122mm's.

Most every one hit the deck except the four guys standing by for the taxi which was heading towards them overhead.

That rocket struck that landing zone close enough to blow them off their feet and about 20 feet back. Two of the guy were hit by shrapnel and suffered serious damage. The third was "crushed" by the percussion but survived and the ripped to shreads bodybuilder who was standing by his side just managed to get up and straggle off once the damage was done.

Every one in that LZ was taken to the doc and three were rushed off to the base hospital in Danang in the same helicopter that was gonna take them on their first leg to Paradise.

Our ripped up bodybuilder was the only one to come out unscratched except for the constant ringing in his ears and a slight case of nervousness.

But the doc gave him a clean bill of health and he got on that same helicopter and continued beyond Danang and onward to Hawaii.

The doc simply shook his head as that bird took off and said, " He was too damn muscular to suffer any percussion damage, I guess!"

That's a true story and this one is too ......

A friend of mine works for a tire company. He was also a Marine and one hell of a great bodybuilder. Thick and solid and ripped to shreads all year long.

His job at that tire company was working the tire retreading machine.

I've never seen one of those but here is what happened according to his wife who gave me this report the following day.

He was working the retreading machine when somehow it "bit him" and sucked him inside. (Honest folks!)

Someone hit the emergency switch and once it came to a halt, you could hear moaning from inside that damn thing!

It took hours to take that machine apart but they eventually got to him and pulled him out and got him to the hospital.

They gave him a complete exam and once it was over the doc simply shook his head and said, " He's black and blue and will be off his feet for a couple of days but he's too damn muscular to suffer any serious damage, I guess!"

True stories! Honest!

Solid muscles do pay off in combat situations and tire retreading companies.


 



Good stories & I can totally relate.

Seen many circumstances where the average guy would be crushed or killed & the guy with the build...walks away.

When I was deployed.....i was always amazed of the "gyms we built" & what it consisted of.

Sand bags worked attached to a tent pole....but of course....the sand always leaked out & it became inconsistent.

There was something always around the motor pool that was heavy & seemed to work.

We also used 5 gallon cans & filled them with water & slid a tent pole through them.  That seemed to work well.

Push ups worked....but man does it get old.  Eventually you could do so many you had to have someone sit on your back/shoulders.

Pull ups became one arm pull-ups or you begin to attach sandbags to your body.

Another thing we used to do which was funny......when ever we deployed....we would get with the mechanics of motor transport & load in the back of their container which carried their tools a weight set & a bunch of other weights & benches we "acquired" over the years.  In the military....it's all about "who you know" to get things done.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: onlyme on April 24, 2005, 03:25:34 PM
Okay gotta keep this short cause of the cost.  I know Kevin.  He is truly a Vietnam hero.  He is very modet but I have heard stories of his heroics from others.  He has some of the best war stories ever.  Also, having more muscle density than normal does help in certain situations.  What happened to me back in 98' with that little fuckin' spider the doctors credit my muscle and condition for saving my life.  If i got bit now I'd be dead.

I will have a computer this week I think.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 24, 2005, 06:32:35 PM
It is really too bad thatt he Mr America title is not being used anymore.
.


But it is being used .
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Bix on April 24, 2005, 06:35:51 PM
http://www.musclephotos.com/amer-04/index.html
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 24, 2005, 08:04:59 PM
I've been in So Cal for the past few weeks and "onlyme" has been telling me to go to "Piggelly Wiggely" ever since I arrived.

He calls at least once a week asking, "Did you go to Piggelly Wiggely yet!?" (He also wants me to go to "Pink's" where all the top movie stars dine on the best hot dogs but he can't recall the address.)

I always say, "NO!" about Piggely Wiggely cause I couldn't find it but today he called with specific directions, "Go to the intersection of Roscoe and Sepulveda and look for it."

So I went to Roscoe and Sepulveda and did manage to find it about a block south of where he said it was located.

The only problem was that is ain't "Piggelly Wiggely"! But that was close enough to figure it out.

The real name is actually "Dr. Hogley Woggly" and they serve some damn fine Tx Bar-B-Q (30 years in that same location) which I just finished eating while my dog (Marley - a white lab) looked on thinking she was gonna get the bones but she ain't cause dem bones make her meaner than she usually is already.

Had a good day in Venice. Had a good talk with a lot of the pros at the Fire House during lunch and all agree that promoting the Olympia in three different locations (the Hilton as the Host Hotel, the Convention Center as the Expo site, and the Orleans Arena as the contest site) was beyond their comprehension but nothing to get too concerned about.

Jay was there having lunch with some friends, Gunter was talking business, and Bob Chic was looking contest ready already (NOC) and Tom Prince was enjoying his lunch.

Had a long talk with Dan Decker who has packed on a lot of good bodywt since I saw him last at the Arnold a few years back. Looks like he plans to have some fun entering the July 4th Muscle Beach event. Looks like he sould win that one pretty easily.

Stopped by Gold's to see some old friends on the staff but they were hiding someplace or out of town so I just mosied around looking to see who I thought I might know or have met in the  past.

The big man from Australia (Mike Woods?) was doing some heavy training after a long flight from down under and it looks like he will be doing well this year or next.

And there was an impressive guy in the outside part of Gold's in the back who was doing some stretching movements without a shirt and he couldn't have gotten any "rip-ter" if he pealed the skin off his body. Not real huge, but definitley ripped to shreads. I actually think he was turned inside-out.

It was relatively quiet so it was a short visit and I went a-looken for Pax Beale without success.

A great sunny beach day in Venice. Good conversations and a very relaxing day.

I'm not a leather guy at all but I did buy one of those big and bulky leather motorcycle jackets on the Broadwalk and someone gave me a Harley Davidson logo to sew on the back. I can sew a button on a shirt if I have too (come to think of it, I've never had too!) but sewing one of these things on a leather jacket is beyond my capabilities so the shop gave me the address of a place to get it done cheaply.

So I took the jacket and the Harley logo to the shop and it turned out to be full grown leather store for people who like leather a whole lot - shirts and pants and other paraphenalia.

I was expecting to pay about $50 to get this logo sewn on professionally  but the guy only charged me 10 bucks. So I thanked him and told him that if I ever meet anyone who was into leather pants and stuff, that I'd send them his way.

Keith? You need a pair of leather trousers?

Now I gotta save up to buy the Harley.

 

 

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 24, 2005, 08:28:23 PM
Piggelly Wiggely..... ;D ;D....that is an east coast grocery store chain.

Good thing Kevin didn't tell Bob Chick he was a Getbig member... :-X

I am surprised the Firehouse is still there....is the Rose Cafe still around.....It has been a long time since I was at the Mecca of Bodybuilding!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 24, 2005, 09:22:53 PM
Pat Casey has died.

From the Ironman forum:

http://www.graphicmuscle.com/forum/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=2&MessageID=1859
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 24, 2005, 10:23:20 PM
Max, your news about Pat Casey passing away made my hair stand on end. I haven't seen Pat in a good number of years but I was present that day when he broke 600 in the bench in San Diego, California in the early 60's. I sure wish I could find those photos but I fear that they have been long gone.

I'll never forget that sound of a roaring lion the moment Pat made that lift. We must have been close to the San Diego Zoo.

Rest in Peace, Pat! You made your mark upon this world!

Thanks for informing us, Max.

Rules, I did mention GetBig to Bob during our conversation. He just laffed and kept on talking.

I've known Bob for a good long time and have a completely different viewpoint. In my opinion he is one of the good guys in this sport. Been a good friend for many years.

Ya, the Rose Cafe is still there and going strong. It looks like they extended the interior to the exterior on the west end side. It was packed around noon with lots of people waiting for an outside table. I had a cup of coffee, took some inside photos and headed on over to the Firehouse where I met the gang and had my typical Bodybuilder's Special Dinner - half a chicken with vegetables and rice for $11.95 (I think that's what I paid).

Most of the others ordered egg whites with various cutting up stuff inside. It's still a haven for the guys from Gold's and the best place to meet the pros if you really wanna  meet them. It's kind of like a bodybuilder's social club there.  Everyone seems to want to relax and talk after a long and hard and silent training session in the gym.

If you're new to this bodybuilding scene and really want to meet the pros, go to lunch at the FireHouse and politely introduce yourself while their mouth isn't completely full of food. Or simply wait until they're finished eating.

I have yet to meet any pro who didn't appreciate meeting a fan while he wasn't under a heavy squat.

Jay introduced me to a very impressive natural competitor whose name completely escapes me now, but I guarantee ya that it won't escape me in a few month's time. This new guy (new to me anyway) is gonna worry a lot of people - natural or supernatural. Jay told me to check him out at GraphicMuscle.com but I failed to find his photos there or any mention of a great new natural guy appearing on the competitive scene. Nice guy too. Very HUMBLE! Anyone know who I am speaking of?

KooKooRoo across the street is now closed up and waiting for another tenant.

If I recall correctly, many years ago the Rose Cafe used to be situated furhter north on Main St down by the old World Gym. If you have any desire to meet prominant TV stars, drop into the Rose most any time of the day.

Oh yea, I gotta mention this. I previously mentioned that the meeting that joined the NPC to the IFBB was held at the Santa Monica Civic, but another good friend who was also there says that I am mistaken and that it was held at the Santa Monica Holiday Inn. I hate to say this, but I think I am right. Any help out there?
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 25, 2005, 03:32:23 PM
The Rose Cafe is pretty cool. I have only been to the location by Gold's, and it has been there since I first went there in 1982-don't know if it was at another location earlier or not.

KooKoo Roos have not donw very good-every single one I have seen open has closed.

I spoke with Onlyme today-I forced him to tell me the Flex Wheeler driving story- and it is pretty damn funny. Has to do with Flex and a rather very expensive Italian sports car  :D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 25, 2005, 05:25:11 PM
For as long as I c an remember, competitive bodybuilders like fancy cars.

Back in the old days, you had to have a Corvette to be an "in" car guy.

I was raised on an auto lot so I usually had my choice of any car I wanted when I needed one for special occasions, so nowadays when you talk about transportation, what comes immediately to my mind is a good pair of hikeing boots or a solid pair of Adidas.

No kind of car really impresses me.

BUT this weekend a few of the old time gym guys are getting together for an annual reunion in Las Vegas and we all got good deals at the new 2.7 BILLION Wynn Las Vegas.

And a couple of guys are interested in renting one of those Ferraris or Maseratis that they plan to offer at that hotel.

I actually could care less about the car I drive around in but that often causes lots of arguments.

What is it with bodybuilders and cars and who drives what?

I'll let Only tackle this one once he gets back on line. We did discuss the story he plans to tell but some of it may have to be toned down a bit to avoid complications.

Only likes any car that he can lift from the street onto the sidewalk.




Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 25, 2005, 05:49:21 PM
Car and sidewalk!

That reminds me of a story I haven't told yet. Not much to this one but it will fill in the gaps until a better one comes along.

I got a good friend who is more of a model than a bodybuilder. But he is one of those guys who looks like he has an average athlete's build until he takes his shirt off and then it's a horse of another color.

And he is strong as shit!

One time we were all out some place doing some heavy partying and noticed that the car (a VW) was missing from the place we parked it. In fact, two VW's were missing.

Then we noticed the "No Parking Zone" sign which had an address on it showing us  parking culprits where guilty VW's were towed to.

So we go over to reclaim two VWs but the jerk behind the desk wants $120 each before he will release the cars and no kind of argument from any of us is gonna persuade him any differently.

So we go outside and get a cup of coffee to sober up a bit and Ken says, how tall was that fence there?

We said, "No fence! Just a heavy iron chain link fence about three feet off the ground surrounding the entire lot!"

So we are four strong guys who lift heavy things and decide to go back to that lot and lift the two VW's right out of it.

But first one of us had to keep the jerk behind the front desk occupied,

And somehow I got that job. I talk good, I guess.

And I did my job talking good cause the other guys, with the help of a sleepy brother, got into that lot and lifted both those VW's onto the other side of that chain linked fence and drove up to the front office, honked the horn and got me into the car while the jerk behind the desk simply watched us drive away with  a dumb look on his face.

I bet just evey bodybuilder or weight lifter has a similar story about lifting cars, but this one is unique.

The City of San Franciso Fire Department opens their fire hydrant class for new recruits by stating that no city fire hydrant has even been lost or stolden EXCEPT one!

And they still can't figure that one out because fire hydrants are just too big and bulky.

That stolden hydrant was in my basement for many years, We "stold" it one late Friday night when a drunk knocked it over sending water a hundred feet into the air.

I got back home that nite, wet as hell lugging one hell of a heavy fire hydrant into the house.  The only MIA in the city.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: man from oz on April 28, 2005, 02:14:59 AM
you blokes have had great lives
more stories
please
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 28, 2005, 08:05:35 AM
OzMan,  Who was the young  "bloke" from New Zealand or the whereabouts who trained with his dad and was very impressive and was planning to train in the USA about 10 years back?

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on April 28, 2005, 08:40:54 AM
Still waiting for OnlyMe to get back on line. I think he'll show up soon.

Here's another "hold-over" until he reappears........

Back in the 70's a couple of the Santa Monica smorgasboard (buffet) type restaurants were closed up because of the local bodybuilder eating habits.

When those places closed down and before the German's opened, a few of the big guys who trained at Gold's used to visit the local grocery store and make it a smorgasboard of their own.

They would cruise up and down the aisles and fine dine on anything that was "eatable" in accordance with their current diet objectives.

Milk and cottage cheese and the fruit stands were of special interest but the entire  inventory of the store was wide open just as long as it was consumable before you reached the check out stand.

When the German's opened in Venice, the management of that place caught on and offered a dozen egg omlete and all the fixens for about $3. I always ordered the huge bowl of fresh strawberries for a buck.

It soon turned into a bodybuilder's haven.

Last time I ate there was when Ed Corney was training for one of his final IFBB entries.

The German's was the Fire House of its day which saw the needs of hungry bodybuilders and filled the gap.

I don't know why that place ever closed down. Today it's a karate dojo I think.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: 619Rules on April 29, 2005, 06:28:50 PM
Onlyme-

We need that Flex Wheeler driving story ASAP......please get that baby up..... ;D ;D
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: man from oz on April 29, 2005, 09:29:43 PM
OzMan,  Who was the young  "bloke" from New Zealand or the whereabouts who trained with his dad and was very impressive and was planning to train in the USA about 10 years back?


can't think of him at the moment
but the guy from here you posted about training at gold's is luke wood
sorry mate
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: man from oz on April 29, 2005, 09:43:51 PM
OzMan,  Who was the young  "bloke" from New Zealand or the whereabouts who trained with his dad and was very impressive and was planning to train in the USA about 10 years back?


your not thinking of sonny schmidt
are you
passed away 25 jan 2004
(http://www.ironlife.com/mag/issue6/images/sonny1.jpg)
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Max_Rep on April 30, 2005, 05:54:00 PM
Still waiting for OnlyMe to get back on line. I think he'll show up soon.

Here's another "hold-over" until he reappears........

Back in the 70's a couple of the Santa Monica smorgasboard (buffet) type restaurants were closed up because of the local bodybuilder eating habits.

When those places closed down and before the German's opened, a few of the big guys who trained at Gold's used to visit the local grocery store and make it a smorgasboard of their own.

They would cruise up and down the aisles and fine dine on anything that was "eatable" in accordance with their current diet objectives.

Milk and cottage cheese and the fruit stands were of special interest but the entire  inventory of the store was wide open just as long as it was consumable before you reached the check out stand.

When the German's opened in Venice, the management of that place caught on and offered a dozen egg omlete and all the fixens for about $3. I always ordered the huge bowl of fresh strawberries for a buck.

It soon turned into a bodybuilder's haven.

Last time I ate there was when Ed Corney was training for one of his final IFBB entries.

The German's was the Fire House of its day which saw the needs of hungry bodybuilders and filled the gap.

I don't know why that place ever closed down. Today it's a karate dojo I think.

Kevin...

Remember the Swedish Inn Smorgasboard on Lincoln up near Manchester? My roomate and I used to eat thear all the time in the ealry 80's. We'd see Waller and Tony there but then they got banned because they ate to much.

What about Dinah's all you can eat chicken night? I used to see Roger Collard, Robbie the Barbarians and a bunch of other guys there. Thay are still there.

Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Kevin on May 03, 2005, 08:33:53 PM
JUST GOT BACK FROM Las Vegas.,\ Let me get unpacked and I'll do my best to catch up and respond.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: man from oz on May 04, 2005, 01:03:26 AM
o k
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: man from oz on May 04, 2005, 01:11:17 AM
JUST GOT BACK FROM Las Vegas.,\ Let me get unpacked and I'll do my best to catch up and respond.
hurry up before i go to bed
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 11, 2005, 06:08:19 PM
Well I will be back online this Saturday.  Stay tuned. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 12:52:38 PM
Hello again! This is KEVIN on another computer with a new name due to a sign in problem which I had trouble with.

I am also having problems finding out how to post photos here so I have built a scrapbook on line with the recent pics I took of some of the spots that were bodybuilding hangouts in the old days in the Santa Monica / Venice area.

If you want to see them you'll have to email me at stuntmovie@yahoo.com until I can figure out another way to do it. I'll also send  some off to Only Me to see if he can post them on here.
He is a computer Guru[img]

If you email me I'll send you the Club Photo invite to see the pics. The password to see them is "getbig". [
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:03:46 PM
OK, it appears that I figured this out, so here are some more pics .........

This is the original Gold's Gym location on Pacific Avenue in Venice. About one block from the beach. I think memberships were only $35 a year back then. Joe was usually in the back welding some new equipment together. Years later, I believe Ken Sprague bought this place and turned it into his living room. I recall a glass window front but I guess they were boarded up when it became part of the house. Anyone have detailed info?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:11:06 PM
This is the buidling on 2nd Avenue in Santa Monica where Ken Sprague set up the business after purchasing it from Joe Gold. It is now a lawyers' office in a very trendy neighborhood. I don't recall how many years Ken kept the business but he eventually sold out to Peter and Tim and Ed and one other whose name presently escapes me. There were a few rough years there whe nT-shirt sales were the main source of income.

To me, these were the glory days of the sport and mostly great times were had by all. Rents were cheap and food was cheaper and weekend hell-raising was had by all.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:15:53 PM
Gold's location on 2nd in Santa Monica
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:22:46 PM
This is the original World Gym location. Joe was going to call it Gold's but he had already sold the Gold's Gym business to Ken Sprague which included the rights to his name. Someone correct me here but I believe it took some legal action to settle it. Joe lost and named it World Gym.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:30:10 PM
This was Zucky's on 5th and Wilshire if I remember correctly. It was Santa Monica's only Kosher Coffee Shop and they served great meals including Pastrami sandwiches and home made chicken soup with a real chicken in it. It was always one of my first stops when I was in Santa Monica. It was another Gold's Gym/World Gym haven.

Some guy named Arnuld was always holding court at one of the tables. This place is part of my bodybuilding history. Sad to see the shape it's in today.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 01:45:28 PM
To the best of my knowledge, this was the location of Weider Enterrises' first west coast location. Dave Draper worked here mailing out Weider suppliments while Joe was still doing business out on the east coast.

I believe that Dave was training in the "Dungeon" at this time and made "Don't Make Waves" whilehe was working there.

I tried to find the Dungeon but I'm pretty sure it was located where the big Santa Monica Shopping Mall stands today. Another part of bodybuilding history lost forever.

This location is a few steps down the street from Zucky's.

<Unable to transfer photo at this time due to site unavailability. Will resubmit later today>
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 14, 2005, 02:17:26 PM
good pictures
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 05:19:29 PM
Thanks, Knny!

Here's a 2nd attempt at sending that Weider first west coast office photo ...........
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 05:28:36 PM
Here's Guido!

There is an interesting history behind Guido, but I forget it so I'll leave it up to Only to tell us that one.

I'm confused on who was the original artist, but I do recall some story about Pete staying alive as a result of "Guido".

This is actually the Guido Crossing Sign outside of Gold's Gym Venice.

HEY!! If this is boring stuff to the group or if it takes up too much room, let me know and I'll stop posting them. WOuld hate to be a web site HOG!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 05:49:52 PM
Back to the beach! This is a present day photo of the old Muscle Beach location. The actual pit was maybe thirty yards  south of the lifeguard headquarters and I don't recall that building being there in the late 50's/early 60's.

The Santa Monica Pier and the old Merry Go Round is right off the photo to the right (north) and the roof tops you see in this photo are the Muscle Beach businesses serving cold beer and various greasy foods. That's be my next photo.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 06:04:43 PM
Almost directly opposite the SM Merry Go Round is Dean's Muscle Inn where they serve cold beer and fast foods. The walls are covered with the olden days Muscle Beach photos. An interesting spot to take a break if you're in the area. This is one of the first spots I had a legal beer.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 06:15:37 PM
Three of the Muscle Beach originals. They were sitting on this bench looking at a very well preserved scrapbook of personal photos taken at Muscle Beach in the 40's/50's.

That scrapbook would be worth a million dollars if Weider could get his hands on it. It included photos of just about every bodybuilder and gymnast who ever showed up at MB in the glory days.

It clearly showed how important gymnastics was to the popularity of Muscle Beach. Probably more important than bodybuilding itself.

They asked me to wait around to meet Armand Tanny whom I know from many years back but I had to head off to meet another group for dinner and they got busy getting briefed by one young lady who was doing a video on them for a school assignment.

I kick myself in the ass for not getting more detailed information but it was one of those afternoons when everything was happening too damn fast to get the facts.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 06:26:57 PM
Santa Monica "Muscle Beach" as it stands today.This is the approximate location but the trees are relatively new. The Purser Hotel was in the vicinity. You'll see that hotel in a lot of the old photos taken in the glory days.

(Been reducing these photos to make them load faster so the quality may be not quite up to par.)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: man from oz on May 14, 2005, 06:33:25 PM
i'd love to get there one day mate
great stuff keep it coming
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 06:48:20 PM
Thanks, OZ@

The Firehouse! The number one spot to meet your favorite pro. Most all the guys and gals eventually eat a meal or two here after a Gold's Gym workout.

I stopped for lunch late last month and got stuck for a couple of hours talking story with five of the pros and a couple of unreal up and coming amateurs.

I'd start out the door and someone else would come in dragging me to the table to have a few words or more.

The one natual competitor having lunch with Jay was most impressive and should be making a major name for himself soon. I misplaced his name but I'll contact Jay and ask for it. He was definitely contest ready and most impressive.

In those few hours I caught up with Jay and Chick and Prince and Gunter and a couple of impressive amateurs among others.

The Fire House - Great place to talk story and have a fairly decent meal. Get the Bodybuilder's Special - Chicken with vegetbles.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 06:55:14 PM
I should have mentioned that the Firehouse is around the cornor from Gold's.

And right across from the Firehouse is the Rose Cafe where the coffee is pretty good and the crowd is interesting.

Everytime I go there I see a movie star or two but mostly people I recognize from various TV series.

Famous among BB's cause it is right up the street from Gold's.

Here is an interior shot of the Rose Cafe
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 07:26:23 PM
The PIT at Venice Beach. I don't know if you call it "the pit" any more but in my day it was the PIT.

Back in the old days before the PIT we used to catch an electric open air tram right in front of the Santa Monica Pier and ride it all the way down along the Beachwalk to Venice Beach. I think that cost a dime and it took about ten to fifteen minutes to go one way.

I actually forget why we rode down to Venice Beach because I don't recall there being too much there. Might have been a pier with a dance hall on it where famous big name bands used to play but I'm not too sure that it was still there in the 50/60's.

But I do recall Pacific Ocean Park (POP) on the Pier that was at the midway mark in the approximate location where those big high rise apartments are today. That was a major LA beach attraction that pulled them in like Disneyland but not quite enough to keep them going after a few years trying.

They had the only all wood roller coaster on the west coast that was built on the pier over the ocean and every time I rode it, I felt like I would be swimming back to the beach. It shook like it was gonna collapse. I hear that they eventually had to tear it down.

Back in those days the beachwalk was never really crowded so that electric tram ran every day of the week and tons of old folks lived in those beach front units. There were a good number of Synagogs and all the benches were full of old folks talking foreign languages and enjoying the sun while wrapped in black colored robes of some kind.

It was entirely different than it is today. TOTALLY!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 07:41:13 PM
My home for a brief period in the 70's/early 80's. (The blue building with the guy climbing up the side.) It was dirt cheap back then but even the one bedroom that I had is probably into the Stratosphere today.

A friend of mine now lives in a Venice apartment building that shares rooms with six bunkbeds per room. I forgot his share of the monthly rent but it was rediculous.

And they have a waiting list!!!

The Venice area is slowly going through a recovery phase at present. Walk a few blocks past the Pit in a southerly direction and you'll be seeing beachfront homes priced in the millions, some belonging to professional athletes. (Not the bodybuilders of couse! They prefer to work cheap!)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 14, 2005, 07:44:32 PM
Here is the photo I failed to submit as mentioned above. SOrry bout that...........

Note the optical illusion! The artist/painter did a great job!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 14, 2005, 10:48:14 PM
Kevin/Stuntmovie-

These pictures are GOLD  baby- GOLD!

Here are some updates to a few questions raised.

1. The 2nd Golds Gym location at 1452 2nd Street Santa Monica was a 15,000 sq/ft building divided in half. Gold's Gym had 7500 and Lisa Lyon rented the other half as a home.

2. The 2nd Street location was home to Gold's Gym from 1977-1982. In 1982 they moved into the 360 Hampton Drive location. That was the first time I was ever in Gold's Gym Venice-1983. Same for World Gym-22 years ago.

3. The original Gold's Gym muscle man, "Guido" was designed by Ric Drasin, who has been on some TV series lately-like "The Sheild"  on the FX network. He had a few original Gold's Gym shirts with Guido, or what most people call "Baldy" on them, that he were selling on EBAY for about-as I recall-500 bucks each. Baldy has since had a make over though, and he looks more like Oscar from the Academy Awards to me now ;D.

4. The 1006 Pacific Avenue location, Gold's Gym #1, is now a home. Ken turned it into his home, and that was the reason why the gym moved to 2nd Street in Santa Monica. Lee Priest posted a while back that the place was listed for sale and it had a price tag of about 500,000 as I recall Lee posting. Lee went in and looked it over. That would be the ULTIMATE-buying the original Gold's Gym as your home. It is amazing  that today, after the gym being gone for 28 years, it still has the Gold's Gym sign that can easily be seen. The windows were taken out and plastered over though.

5. The old World Gym location at 2210 Main Street in downtown Santa Monica. I have been by it recently and the bottom used to be parking-about 5-6 spaces (showers were also downstairs next to the parking spaces), but it has been sealed off and turned into office space. It was listed as being for lease when I was there about a year ago. At one time Tony Nowak, who makes all the World Gym, Arnold Classic and Terminator leather jackets had his office located there. Tony was also in "Pumping Iron". Arnold comes into Gold's to train and he goes "Big Tony". And Tony is a huge guy.

6. Is Zucky's  still open? It looked pretty beat up!

7. The "Dungeon" gym that Dave Draper trained at, before Gold's Gym opened in 1965, was in the basement of an old hotel that was torn down. It was replaced with a parking lot-and I am sure the the parking lot has been developed by now.

8. Muscle Beach Santa Monica was almost all gymnastics and tumbling up until the late 40's. That is when the bench press platforms and squat platforms were built. They were made out of wood back in those days-not steel. Even in the 1950's there was some serious bench pressing going on at Muscle Beach.

Those pictures are BBing history. You should have hung with the Muscle Beach old timers and waited for Tanny to show up, that would have been the bomb.

Thanks for sharing! Loved it baby!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 02:16:32 AM
Thanks for the updates, Rules. Appreciate any kick to the old memory banks.

I knew Lisa but did't know she lived next door. Must have been during one of my many absences. She changed "gym history" for females. What is Lisa doing now?

I knew Ken Sprague when he converted the original gym to his home or entended his house next door into the gym. I never did get that story straight.

I last saw Ken at 2nd Street Gold's when he was shooting photos for his Gold's Gym Training Manual or whatever it was named. He had already sold the gym to Pete and the gang and was living up north with his wife in a very nice home on an island in the Seattle area.

Yes, Zucky's has been all boarded up for a while now. That surprised me because it was such a popular spot for so many years. You could go in there to have a decent meal any time of the day or night and end up talking to some great or another.

I'm posting another photo of it all boarded up. It had a "For Lease" sign on it that last time I looked so maybe someone will resurrect it once again.

Do you recall the days when Joe Nazario worked as a "front door person" in a "new" Santa Monica restaurant on one of the side streets close to Gold's? I'll let you guess the name of the place which is still very popular.

Joe told us to drop by and have a good meal so we did. The tables had white linen tablecloths and candles and a piano player played dinner music. A full sized slab of ribs with all the trimmings (potato and slaw) would run ya about five or six dollars (it might have been even less). And they gave ya little, wet paper napkins at the end of dinner to clean your face and fingers. A very fancy joint back in them days.

I looked for the old location last month but failed to find it unless it was the current Lighthouse Buffet business.

Joe eventually returned to his home back east (Jersey?) and has not been heard from since. Anyone ever hear from Joe or know what the hell he's been up too lately?

Ya, Rules, I initially had a difficult time finding the original World's Gym building due to all the remodeling that has been happening up and down Main Street these past few years, so I took a photo of every building in that area that looked familiar (there are three  others apparently built by the same developer using similar plans) just to make sure I had one correct shot. I wasn't sure until you mentioned the address in an earlier post.

Yes, I believe that the Dungeon is now under the SM Shopping Mall.

OK, here's Zucky's as it was in April 2005. Sad..................

I can recall many many long bodybuilding discussions in that place and most of those discussions were so long that they had to be continued in the parking lot in back just north of the place.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 02:32:38 AM
This "Wall" is located on Pacific Ave down from the original Gold's and was commissioned by Pete and his Gold's Gym partners.

I spent a lot of time reading this wall and have a couple of good friends' names on it.

God bless each and every one of them!

And thanks to Pete and the gany and everyone else who had a hand in setting this up.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 02:54:46 AM
This is a true short story.

I have a friend who is into all the weight sports .. bodybuilding, powerlifting, and olympic lifting. He excels in all three but is not a professional in any.

But this individual has been known to help many athletes in their efforts to get to the pro level. He is a genius at seeing what is missing and making corrections that establish new "world" records.

I cannot say his name for obvious reasons but if Bill Starr is reading this, he will verify it and add some comments of his own.

This individual used to enjoy building his own gym/strength equipment. All types of far out gym equipment and crazy stuff to test the strength of any muscle in your body.

He was always in a search for iron. He needed the iron to make his stuff;

The city soon found that it was missing street sign poles from various cornors around the town. And "Slow Down", "Speed Bump", "Slippery When Wet" etc sgins were mysteriously disappearing. Anything made of iron was slowly finding its way into this guys possession and turning into training gear.

Then one day the city began missing manhole covers. Ya! Manhole covers! They make good bases for heavy gear or close to impossible to lift barbell plates.

This continued until an accident occured on a busy intersection. No one was hurt but he learned his lesson. From now on manhole covers would remain in place, but any other iron product was open game.

I regret that I never took a photo of his gym but we were discussing this in Venice the other day  and I had to take this picture............. The one that got away!






Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on May 15, 2005, 06:07:44 AM
Kevin & 619Rules,

EXCELLENT!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jeff Preston on May 15, 2005, 08:45:25 AM
Kevin the pictures and recollections are absolute priceless treasures!
Your efforts are much appreciated across the world wide web!!!
As a matter of fact all contributions and contributors to this thread have made it a "classic"...thanks all around!

Some additional background info on the Gold's Gym mascot for you all from Ken Waller,

"You know when I got out there we didn't even have a t-shirt. I went up to the bay area, watched a band one night and there was this bald headed guy that looked like Mr. Clean. I had a friend (Ric Drasin,) and told him what I wanted. We bought a bottle of Mr. Clean I told Ric make him look like that and we'll make a t-shirt out of it. That's how the first little Gold's Gym man got started."

Ken Sprague mentioned that Ric's payment at the time for his artwork was $25 off his gym membership!
I hope Ric made out well on his ebay auctions, that little bald guy has made millions!

Managing Gold's Gym for Ken Sprague was the reason that Waller moved out to California in the first place.
You might enjoy catching up with "Big Red"  http://ironage.us/articles/preston-waller.html

Ken Sprague (he posts often on Ironage.us under the name "OldGoldsGuy") is trying to locate some pics from when he converted Gold's I to his home.  When he does we'll be sure to share them on this thread.
He also shared this bit of info on the interior:
"I also have fond memories of Golds as a home---my youngest son's crib was situated where the squat rack had been located.  My wife and I were married in the living room---the living room covered the north side of the building."

Ken's son went on to become a 4-time All American track and field athlete in the throws by the way.
Obviously there was something magical about that little cyder block building after all!  ;)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 09:29:24 AM
KEVIN HERE!

Thanks, Jeff. Thanks,  Absent!

Jeff, thanks for all that info you provided. That's the kind of stuff I hope to get sending these photos out.

I got a slew of old time photos in one of the family attics and promise to do my best to locate them ASAP. Those are the really interesting shots, but they are all 35mm so it may take a while for me to figure out how to get them on here, so don't hold your breath waiting.

I was asked to submit my posts to IronAge, but I just haven't had the extra time I need to do so....... So I hope those guys over there will come here to check this stuff out and correct me whenever necessary. My memory is getting to be like a worn out couch. But there are still some valuable coins beneath those cushions. I just gotta go looking for them.

Here's a picture of Roland I took while trekking from the Pier down to Santa Monica and back.

All those little cafes in the background did not exist in the 50's/60's. Now they are stretched all along the beachwalk throughout Venice.



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on May 15, 2005, 10:08:55 AM
Kevin these photos are awesome,the one you posted that you said was the place where you used to live,is that right on the beach front.?The reason i ask is because i came over to the USA in 1990 to train for the British Championships,and trained at Golds and one day took a walk along the beach front and a couple of things stood out for me.The first was a shop that was there where a couple of stunning women were stood in the window,absolutely motionless,pretending to be mannequins.The other was a guy on roller skates,wearing a turban,and playing an electric guitar,who i then saw in a Bridget Fonda movie a couple of years later.Plus also a guy with no arms or legs who was sat on the floor rocking back and forth to music.I always wondered how he got there.Anybody else recognise any of these characters.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 10:29:10 AM
I was 15 and lifting weights.

I thought I was a bodybuilder cause I knew Steve Reeves and in the old days every bodybuilder wanted to go to Santa Monica's Muscle Beach.

So I stold a family car and drove down from San Francisco in 1955 (or thereabouts). It was a 1941 (?) four-door ford with the largest back seat area in automotive history. You could actually sit in that back seat and stretch your legs out as far as possible and still not touch the front seat.

And all those car seats were thick and comfortable.

They made cars huge back then but gas was less than twenty-cents a gallon and we usually filled it up with loose coins we would find under that huge back seat.

Well, one day may dad woke up carless.

Me and four of my buddies drove it off to head down south at about 3 o'clock in the morning. We had decided to search for movie stars and see what was up in LA LA Land. We had never been there before.

But I made everyone promise me that I could get some spare time to check out Muscle Beach and they all agreeded as long as it was early in the morning while every one else was still asleep.

So four of us kids arrive in Hollywood looking for some movie stars.

Back then San Francisco kids were fancy dressers and we sort of led the pack with in-fashion Kakki pants and crew neck sweaters (new that year). And we had the necessary flat top haircuts.

Somehow we managed to get a motel room in Hollywood which was the in-place to be in Southern Cal back then.

We got some shut-eye that first nite and the next morning I was up with the roosters asking for directions to Muscle Beach while everyone else snoozed away.

Someone pointed west so I headed in that direction down Santa Monica Blvd. which was way way different way back then. No traffic! No stoplights! No small trendy businesses along the way! Just a clear shot to Santa Monica and a left turn to the beach.

I arrived before 9:00 am and parked my car up on the little rise overlooking Santa Monica Beach. No parking meters! No need to lock the car! No crowd of any kind!

A real short walk and there was Muscle Beach! WOW! Muscle Beach! There was the Purser and there was the pier and this was one hell of a mighty big beach! I'd seen it all in so many magazine pictures, I felt like I had been there many times before.

But it was completely empty and the morning sky was still a fog bound white.

But, what the hell! I'll check it out anyway.

It wasn't much really. Just a small, wooden fenced enclosure with partially rusty equipment inside and some kind of wooden stand off to one end.  All there, all alone on this huge sandy beach with no one on it.

The sounds of the Merry Go Round brightened up the place a bit but not enough to make it too appealing.

And then someone came down that same hill that I had just taken a minute before. A huge guy and definitely a bodybuilder.

Must be coming for an early morning workout.

And to make a long story short .......... it was Doug Strohl.

I got brave enuff to have a brief conversation but I had friends waiting back at the hotel so it was a very bried howdy-doo.

I never did see a photo taken of Doug in the great condition he was in that day. Or maybe my memory gave him more credit than he actually deserved.

But Doug was the first bodybuilder I ever met at Muscle Beach and I've carried that memory to this very day and once in a while Jeff Everson will write "Whatever happened to Doug Strohl?" cause that is what I always ask him whenever we get together.

So I got back to the motel and we started our search for movie stars ..........

We met Eddie FIsher and Jeffry Hunter and Phyllis Thaxter and a very young Marlon Brando in a shitty little bar/food joint called the "Lamplighter" someplace off Hollywood Blvd. We even got served a beer or two. (Must have been our High Fashion cause we were two years shy of 18.)

ANd because we were impressively dressed by the Hollywood standards of those day, we were invited by John Gudel who we met while having dinner at Trader Vics in the Beverly Hilton Hotel to be his personal guests on the Art Linkletter Show followed by an invite to the Bob Crosby SHow ..... Bing's brother.

But we got thrown off the 20th Century Fox Studio lot when we followed a huge truck through the front gate. At least we had seen it for 20 seconds.

Somehow we fell in with the Rich and Famous but I left LA a few days later with only one important memory.

I had visited Muscle Beach early one morning and had met Doug Strohl.

I got hell when I got home, but my dad got me a car I could call my own and we headed back down south quite often after that.

As it is today .....................

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:01:01 AM
Yes, Crown, I do know all those people you have mentioned. Not personally though, but I think I have photos of most of them.

The shop that you mentioned was possiby either one of two shops that used great looking ladies to model their goods. I got a photo of each of those shops and will post them shortly. Turban guy on roller skates has been on Venice beachwalk for many years. I have photos of him someplace too and will post them if I can find them.

The following photo used to be the business location where male and female models w. ould model the clothes that were sold inside the shop. Later on it became a leather jacket shop and now it is nothing at all. There is another shop further north that could possibly be the shop you are referring too. They hire a good looken guy and a beautiful lady to model their wild clothes. The guy is a ripped up bodybuilder (most of the time) so he always models a shirt half unbuttoned. If I recall right, they do stand motionless. Can't find a photo of that shop though.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 15, 2005, 11:02:47 AM
Damn great stories & pictures.

It's been a few years....I need to visit Venice again
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:07:55 AM
Thanks, Knny!

Crown, I think that the armless gent is now in Las Vegas on the Strip. RIght in front of Harrah's or a bit further south if I recall correctly. I understand that he is doing well and someone picks him up late at night in a limo. Or could that possibly be another guy?

I forgot to include one important picture. The current status of World Gym. Now a gymnast center. The building is still owned by Arnold I think.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:45:31 AM
Here's the turban guy, Crown. I understand he has a colorful background but I forgot that story. Can anyone fill us in?

And how about the bodybuilding significance of the hotel I posted too???!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:52:50 AM
OK, here is a contest........... What Venice gym used to be located in the vicinity of this clown?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 15, 2005, 01:50:39 PM
More great pictures.

The Marina Pacific Hotel. Catered to the BBing guys that would come in from out of state to train for a few days to a few months.

Joe Bucci used to have ads in all the muscle magazines promoting this hotel. I ran into Joe at Gold's Venice in the mid 80's, and he was a pretty cool guy-big guns (but nothing else). I do not think it is the Marina Pacific anymore though. I think it is now a Best Western Inn, or used to be. But these medium sized hotels change ownership, and names, very often these days.

The Bridget Fonda movie that was filmed in Venice Beach is "Point Of No Return", a remake of the European film (scene by scene copy really) of "La Femme Nikita".

The fact is, Venice Beach has had so many films, commercials and Music Videos shot there it is impossible to keep track of them all. Y & T  did a music video of their hit song "Summertime Girls" at Venice Beach. "White Men Can't Jump"  -all Venice beach locations. The classic summer movie with Linda Blair "Roller Boogie" was all shot at Venice Beach (man does Linda have a smoking body in that show-meowwww!!).

The Venice Beach boardwalk is a bit much for me, I can only take so much of the goofy people there ;D, but the ones I remember are;

1. Skateboard Granny
2. Chain saw juggler
3. The black guy with the flat top hair cut that had all these wild dance moves (name=Flat top?)


WHo can add to this list?

BTW-the Venice Beach "PIT" was completely redone in the early/mid 90's-who remembers when it was just a little tiny little square area with a couple of benches, a pull up bar and a plate loaded lat machine? All fenced in with cheap, waist high, cyclone fencing! The equipment was AWFUL, but back then all the BBers trained at Gold's or World and would only hit the PIT for fun.

I have to say thanks to Ironage for the info about Gold's #1 and Gold's #2, they have some serious info on that site. I knew Ric Drasin designed the Gold's Gym "Baldy" or "Guido" t shirt, but I did not know he was posting on Ironage and that is where I learned he was on TV shows now!

World Gym #2, 826 Main Street Venice. I too went by there when I was in Santa Monice/Venice, and that kiddie gymnastic studio is still there. Arnold does in fact still own that building. I would like to know the story on why World Gym was kicked out of there. If anyone has the inside scoop please post. World Gym moved into that place sometime around April of 1987. I have no idea when they went over to the Marina Del Rey location, maybe 5 years after (1992?). They were not there very long though. I was in there right after World Gym moved in 1987 and I saw Big Lou! The problem with that place is (the building was made for World Gym on a build to suit)  the parking problem, it was not cured. This location was 3-4 times as big as the original, but the place had about the same number of parking spots, again under the gym- 5-6 spaces.

If you had been to World Gym #2, Arnold had one of the 6 parking spaces reserved for HIM! The first spot next to the stairs had that big (bronze?) plaque laid out right in the middle of the space- RESERVED FOR ARNOLD.....LOL...I am going to have to see if that plaque is still there next time I am in the area (it was cemented into the space).

The old sign from this location was left there by Joe Gold when they moved over to MDR. The owner of the kiddie gymnast studio listed it on EBAY for 99 dollars. Took a long time to sell, but finally sold. That sign was huge-all the letters from the name were 3 feet high and about 2 feet wide. I was thinking of buying it, but then I was thinking where the hell am I going to put a sign that is 40 feet long ;D ;D Would have been cool to buy it though-but no room at my home.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 15, 2005, 01:59:01 PM
One last thing, the house picture you have, where you said the models would model the clothes for sale inside-I am pretty sure this is the house of Bidget Fonda's charachter in "Point of No Return".

The following photo used to be the business location where male and female models w. ould model the clothes that were sold inside the shop.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 15, 2005, 03:41:33 PM
Yes, Crown, I do know all those people you have mentioned. Not personally though, but I think I have photos of most of them.

The shop that you mentioned was possiby either one of two shops that used great looking ladies to model their goods. I got a photo of each of those shops and will post them shortly. Turban guy on roller skates has been on Venice beachwalk for many years. I have photos of him someplace too and will post them if I can find them.

The following photo used to be the business location where male and female models w. ould model the clothes that were sold inside the shop. Later on it became a leather jacket shop and now it is nothing at all. There is another shop further north that could possibly be the shop you are referring too. They hire a good looken guy and a beautiful lady to model their wild clothes. The guy is a ripped up bodybuilder (most of the time) so he always models a shirt half unbuttoned. If I recall right, they do stand motionless. Can't find a photo of that shop though.



Great stories and pics guys.

619Rules I think that the Gold's moved to Hampton drive in 1981 not 1982 as you mentioned because when I trained with Samir and watched Platz train it was in 1981 and it was the Hampton location.

The house in that picture was also used in a 1980's (maybe early 90's) with Bridget Fonda were she played a hit woman.

Oh man the guitar playin turbin mummy guy. Man is he still around?

Anybody got pictures of Flattop (Rueban) performing on Venice beach?

Man this thread just took on new life! 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on May 15, 2005, 06:50:25 PM
World's current location......


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:02:41 PM
Bix, strange that  you posted that new World Gym photo! I had just talked to Keith telling him that I regreted not having gone to the new location and shooting some photos. And then I come back on and there it is! Thanks!

So you have the exact location (address)? How many square feet does it have inside? Good membership? Any pros? Is it hurting Gold's?

Thanks, Bix!

Rules, I never had the honor of meeting Ric but I've heard a lot about him. Too bad there ain't no such thing as T-shirt residuals though.

I did not check out Arnuld's parking star but that's pretty typical in La La Land.

I never did meet Skateboard Granny but I did know Chain Saw Juggler (he got cut short) and Flat Top too! Flat Top did one hell of a great act at a few of the contests I attended. He's one of the best at what he does.

How about the little Italian guy who would follow you down the broadwalk and mimic your ever action? I saw and watched him for a couple of hours one afternoon and fell on the ground laffing a couple of times.

Did you ever join in at the sunset drumfest down by the seashore? A few years back there were thousands of people there doing things that people do in tune to the chanting rythem of a couple of hundred drumming drummers. The police officers were wise not to participate and I never saw a problem of any kind. Is that tribute to the setting sun still happening?

You are correct abut Joe Bucci and the Marina Pacific Hotel but do you know who opened the restaurant there? And it is now a Best Western and looking good.

I've been going to Venice Beach the late 50's  and have met and seen some damn impressive bodybuilders there even before the Pit was constructed. Most were visiting kids fom the mid west. Country boys who bailed hay and hearded cattle and got drunk on Friday nites and married on the following Saturday with a father in law toten a shotgun.

I recall two guys in particular .......... one was about 6 foot, 220, with the smallest waist I've ever seen. And a pair of shoulders that never ended. And damn impressive arms too. And as ripped at a competitive bodybuilder at prejudging.

I asked him how long he'd been training and he answered like this, "Don't train at all. Daddy's just too poor to buy a bailer so I gotta do all that work and all that loading by hand and I've been at it since I was a kid! I can't even break a sweat lifting these here weights!"

The other was an impressive lanky  kid who looked like he was turned inside out proving to the world that you can survive on zero percent bodyfat. This one told me he wanted to be a Superhero.

White Men Can't Jump - Here's a picture of one of the courts on which that movie was shot. I did fail to shoot a picture of the main court for some reason, so this one will have to do.









Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 15, 2005, 11:28:13 PM
I've mentioned The German's earlier. This is the spot where it was located just a block or so north of the Marina Pacific Beach Hotel,

It was another bodybuilder :dining" hangout. I only had breakfasts there and can tell you for a fact that they served 12 egg omeletes with all the trimmings for about $3 and the biggest bowl of strawberrys I've ever seen for a buck.

The place was always full with hungry bodybuilders and surfers refueling up.

And I'll let someone else tell you about Schatzy's cause I never had a meal there
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 16, 2005, 06:10:23 AM
Any guesses on which famous Southern California Gym this now the interior of? ???

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/gym.jpg)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jeff Preston on May 16, 2005, 08:20:54 AM
I've mentioned The German's earlier. This is the spot where it was located just a block or so north of the Marina Pacific Beach Hotel,

It was another bodybuilder :dining" hangout. I only had breakfasts there and can tell you for a fact that they served 12 egg omeletes with all the trimmings for about $3 and the biggest bowl of strawberrys I've ever seen for a buck.

The place was always full with hungry bodybuilders and surfers refueling up.

Ken Sprague and " The German's"...

"The only good thing about Zucky's was that it was only a few blocks from the 2nd Street location----unlike "the German's" in Venice, it was clean (didn't matter).  But there was never any doubt our preference, it was the German's---it was within walking distance of the original Gold's location and a block from the beach and the outdoor weight training "pit."

We could train in the morning (dips, chins, abs) about 9:30, head to the German's for breakfast (steak, eggs, coffee, and toast for$.99), go to the beach for sun, back to the German's for a late lunch, back to the gym for bodyparts.  A great life.

No need to change clothes, shower, or any other niceties.  Train-eat-sun-eat-train.  That was the pattern for the early 70's."


There was a simplicity to bodybuilding then.  Any wonder why so many embrace those times!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 16, 2005, 09:10:16 AM
Any guesses on which famous Southern California Gym this now the interior of? ???

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/gym.jpg)

Vinces Gym.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on May 16, 2005, 10:52:40 AM
Thats the exact shop Kevin,cheers for that,and the roller skating guy.I also remember a guy who had a stereo sound system that was about 4 foot wide and 4 foot square and he had it on wheels and just dragged it around with him.Also a big fat guy who must have weighed 25 stone,and he was sat there holding a cardboard placard that said something like "I`m anorexic,please give me money for food".Is the flat top guy someone who used to stand there motionless,and then all of a sudden start doing robotics,cause i remember seeing a guy do that.I did have all these sights on videotape,but a couple of years ago i borrowed it out and never got it back.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 16, 2005, 11:22:56 AM
Does anyone remember the guy that used to do the demo for the "special stach" pipe in Venice. It was like watching one of those old 1960's style "veg-o-matic" commercials except that it was live. The guy was good.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 11:47:13 AM
Jeff,  Perfect way to describe it .............. Much simpler back then and I agree entirely.

But everything was much simpler way back then. Santa Monica was actually just a sleepy little beach city except on warm weekends when the inner city arrived for a short stay.

We discussed how much simpler things were back then during a walking tour through Santa Monica and down to Venice Beach last month. I'll try to write something about those differences in a future post.

Glad to see that someone else on here fine dined at the German's.

Was my $3 price estimate for the dozen egg omelete too high? What years was that place in business? Who ran it and why did they go out of business? I'm gonna guess that it was some sort of young religious group who started it up  but I'm not too sure about that either.

I agree with Max on Vince's Gym, but if we are correct, here is the big question ....... where did that door lead to?

Stach pipe??????  Vegomatic??? I must have been someplace else at that time.

Crown, the guy with the huge stereo (or someone with the same act) is still there and always draws a big crowd. I was gonna shoot a photo of his act but the crowd was too thick to get a good spot to shoot it, so I just passed him by. He's been there for years.

I think that the "fat guy" lost weight and now wears a sign saying. "I'm a drunk. Please help me stay that way." He does a good job collecting coins from kind hearted people.

The motionless/robotics guy could have been Flattop. He sometimes does that in his act.

Best act on the broadwalk last month was definitely the lady who sang some unreal songs in the vicinity of the Sidewalk Cafe (photo below). Sorry now that I did not take her photo too.





Will get back to ya , Crown
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 16, 2005, 12:29:04 PM
Flat Top was the guy that did the robotics-that guy was AMAZING. I think he is the best street performer I have seen at Venice Beach-and probably the best anywhere.

Cool picture of Aronld's restaurant Schatzi on Main. Arnold actually owns that entire block (along with the 3 story building) that Schatzi is located on. This is where Arnold's office is too (Oak Indsutries, Inc.). Has the top floor as I recall. A guy who produced the USA when Mike Mattarazo won also had his office located there-I think his name was Mike or Dave Zelon, did anyone/remember know him? He put on a good show. Flex Wheeler was supposed to win that show but came in second to Mike. This was at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1991 I think-can't recall the exact year now-should check it on Muscle Memory if I get time.

Memories.......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 16, 2005, 12:49:49 PM
Vince's Gym is correct. Dave, were you ever inside when it was still a gym?

Stuntmovie, I should have asked about that door. They still have a skylight.

Here's a view out the front window:
(http://www.larrymccusker.com/gym2.jpg)

2004
(http://www.larrymccusker.com/gym4.jpg)

1993...O.J. Simpson used to train there. I've wondered if that was his white Ford Bronco in back.
(http://www.larrymccusker.com/gym3.jpg)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 12:53:04 PM
Rules, How come the Zelon name is familiar?

Flat Top actually did his act at the Arnold a while back but don't ask me the year. He still wears that wild "Zoot Suit"!

I thought I had a photo of Arnold's building but I don't. I only have a photo of the restaurant awning with the building in the background which I'll post here. I think he owns more properties on Main Street too.

I don't think I posted the Muscle Mag store yet either, so here goes. It's right down the street from Arnold's building.

Back in my days, Main Street was dead man's row and the Circle Bar (still there) was the main business establishment. Does anyone recall the first "trendy bar/restaurant" that opened there? Wasn't it a place called Merlin's? The guys from Gold's used to be the "front door persons" there. And does anyone recall an in-spot called the Jaguar??? That one does go back a while..... very early 60's.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 16, 2005, 12:54:18 PM
Great pic Larzker-

I was going to suggest to post the old pics of Vince's Gym with the new ones and you have it done already-good job.

Hey-did anyone catch that PERSONAL TRAINING $20 ad that is hanging on the front of the gym?

That white truck/bronco looks pretty new-what year was this pic taken?

And what was the final year of Vince's Gym before it closed-anyone?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 01:12:41 PM
Larzker, I trained at Vince's and I do believe that that door led to a series of steps going up to an office or small apartment on the second floor. I recall Vince going up there to answer a ringing phone. WOW! That was way back when.................

One thing I definitely remember .......... it was real dark inside Vince's Gym. I don't even think there were glass windows looking out on Ventura Blvd back then.

If there was glass, he definitely has some pretty thick curtains across those windows.

I do recall Bill Smith's photo/photos on the wall because was a friend of my best friend who passed away years ago. I thnk Bill started off as a stuntman at Universal and got a major break in that TV series that was so popular a while back. Bill also played the part of a muscular killer in some Hollywood movie which name I don't recall, but he was impressive in that flick.

I bet ya that was OJ's car.

I looked for the old Vince location last month but gave up after a couple of attempts. The place has changed a lot and there used to be a coffee shop almost directly across the street but it is no longer  there.         But Jerry's Deli is still doing well down the road even though they "Modernized" it way too much.

OK, took this photo on Venice Beach directly down from the Firehouse/Rose Cafe. Anyone want to guess who it is. You're damn good if you come up with the correct name.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 01:16:48 PM
That second photo of the bodybuilder with the sunglasses was taken right on Santa Monica Muscle Beach. I am sorry that I forget his name but he had just recently won his class in an NPC event promoted by John Lindsay south of LA.

He was on the beach working with a group doing a filming project for a class at UCLA if I got the story right.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 01:24:37 PM
Kevin again,,,,,

And before I take a break, here's a photo of an upcoming guy who visited Cal last year and enjoyed it a lot. He and his girlfriend showed up in LV to watch the USA. He was in great shape when he first showed up but someone took him to a LV buffet and he got addicted and blew up within a few days of "fine grazing".

Great kid to talk to and loads of potential. They both loved their So Cal visit and all that food in Las Vegas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 16, 2005, 02:11:05 PM
Dave Zelon was involved in promoting a lot of the BB shows in the early 80's. Then he developed some connections to Hollywood and went on to work for Columbia Pictures in the production administration department.

He was involved in the production of NOWHERE TO RUN with Jean Claude Van Damme, LAST ACTION HERO with Arnold, THE NET with Sandra Bullock, DESPERADO with Antonio Banderas, TO DIE FOR with Nicole Kidman, THE CRAFT with Neve Campbell, and CABLE GUY with Jim Carrey.



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 16, 2005, 03:06:33 PM
Dave Zelon was involved in promoting a lot of the BB shows in the early 80's. Then he developed some connections to Hollywood and went on to work for Columbia Pictures in the production administration department.

He was involved in the production of NOWHERE TO RUN with Jean Claude Van Damme, LAST ACTION HERO with Arnold, THE NET with Sandra Bullock, DESPERADO with Antonio Banderas, TO DIE FOR with Nicole Kidman, THE CRAFT with Neve Campbell, and CABLE GUY with Jim Carrey.

Thanks Max_Rep.....Dave Zelon. I knew someone would remember that guys name. The USA that year was a good show-and having it in Santa Monica was a great call-home to Gold's and World.

I always wondered what happened to the guy....that is cool he was able to hook up with some film connections. I mean, like who WOULDN'T want to be in the movie business.

Stephen Cannell and Stu Segal (spelling?)have a film production company here in San Diego-and it is always cool to see them shooting at the local beaches or where ever (lots of beach filming though). "Renegade" "Silk Stalkings" "Pensacola Wings of Gold" were all filmed in San Diego. Right now the UPN has "Veronica Mars" being shot down here.

Thanks for the update on Zelon.

Kevin...aka...Stuntmovie-

On the top pic, the guy with the abs, I am going to call Shawn Phillips of Muscle Media 2000 fame......am I right?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 16, 2005, 03:40:37 PM

I agree with Max on Vince's Gym, but if we are correct, here is the big question ....... where did that door lead to?


That’s easy it lead to “Larry Scotts dressing room” which was simply the locker room but Vince had a sign made with that saying.


Vince's Gym is correct. Dave, were you ever inside when it was still a gym?


Yes I did train there a few times. Vince was just as his reputation said he was.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 16, 2005, 04:09:19 PM
619Rules, the Bronco pic was taken around Nov. 1993. Below is another view. Off to the left there is very tiny sliver showing of a billboard for Stallone's Demolition Man which was out at that time. This was before the Bronco parked. I missed when O.J. parked. ;D

Stuntmovie, thanks for sharing your experiences. I've seen a few things Bill Smith was in. He's probably best known for Rich Man, Poor Man. I had a neighbor in Woodland Hills who probably worked with him at on time or another. Clu Gulager, he was a recognizable more so in the 70's and 80s although he's still works. He did alot of TV and movies but I remember him in McQ with John Wayne.

The hand sculpture below is a 'landmark' on Ventura Blvd. If you're heading South on Ventura Blvd. Vinces isn't that much further. Vince's is on the same side of the street as the hand, right side if you're heading South toward the city.

Dave, that's why I never went inside, because of his rep. ;D Actually, I was in street clothes at the time but now I regret not going inside(I was on vacation in LA several years before I moved to Calif. from Baltimore).  I could have at least bought a Tshirt.

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/vinces01small.jpg)

MUCH bigger version of above:
   http://www.larrymccusker.com/vinces01big.jpg



...and the hand:

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/hand.jpg)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 16, 2005, 05:21:12 PM
Bill Smith, he's in alot more movies than I thought:

Year   Title
1959   The Mating Game
1960   Atlantis, The Lost Continent
1961   Go Naked In the World
1964   Mail Order Bride
1968   Three Guns for Texas
1969   Run, Angel, Run
1969   The Man Hunter
1969   Backtrack!
1970   'Nam's Angels
1970   C.C. and Company
1970   Angels Die Hard
1970   Darker Than Amber
1971   Summertree
1971   Runaway, Runaway
1971   Chrome and Hot Leather
1972   The Thing with Two Heads
1972   Piranha, Piranha
1972   Hammer
1972   Grave of the Vampire
1973   A Taste of Hell
1973   Sweet Jesus Preacher Man
1973   The Last American Hero
1973   Invasion of the Bee Girls
1973   The Deadly Trackers
1974   Black Samson
1974   Another Day at the Races
1974   The Sex Symbol
1975   The Ultimate Warrior
1975   The Swinging Barmaids
1975   Dr. Minx
1975   Death Among Friends
1975   Boss
1976   Scorchy
1976   Hollywood Man
1976   Crackle of Death 
1977   Twilight's Last Gleaming
1978   Blood & Guts
1979   Seven 
1979   The Rebels
1979   Fast Company
1979   The Frisco Kid
1980   Any Which Way You Can
1981   Conan the Barbarian
1982   Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang
1983   Rumble Fish
1983   The Outsiders
1984   The Jerk, Too
1984   Red Dawn
1985   Fever Pitch
1985   The Mean Season
1986   Eye of the Tiger
1987   Moon in Scorpio
1987   Hell On The Battleground
1987   Hell Comes to Frogtown
1987   Commando Squad
1988   Red Nights
1988   Platoon Leader
1988   Memorial Day Massacre
1988   Emperor of the Bronx
1988   Bulletproof
1988   B.O.R.N.
1988   Maniac Cop
1989   Spirit of the Eagle
1989   Slow Burn
1989   L.A. Vice
1989   Jungle Assault
1989   Evil Altar
1989   East L.A. Warriors
1989   Deadly Breed
1989   Gas Pump Girls
1989   Action U.S.A.
1990   Instant Karma
1990   Forgotten Heroes
1990   Chance
1990   Cartel
1991   Terror in Beverly Hills
1991   Cybernator
1991   The Roller Blade Seven
1991   Merchant of Evil
1991   The Last Riders
1991   Last of the Warriors
1991   Kiss and Be Killed
1991   The Final Sanction
1992   Shadow of the Dragon
1992   Maniac Warriors
1992   The Legend of the Roller Blade 7
1993   American Me
1993   The Return of the Roller Blade 7
1993   Hard Time Romance
1994   Manosaurus
1994   Maverick
1995   Taken Alive
1995   Raw Energy
1995   Judee Strange
1995   Big Sister 2000
1996   Uncle Sam
1996   Neon Signs
1997   The Shooter
1997   Rock 'n' Roll Cops
1997   Ground Zero
1997   Double Cross
1998   No Rest for the Wicked
1998   Dogs of Damnation
1998   Broken Vessels
1998   Blood of His Own
1999   Inspector Gadget
2000   With Intent to Arouse:Texas vs. Logan
2000   Never Look Back
2000   Dead Man's Bluff
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 05:48:28 PM
No, Rules, not Philips! Similarity there though.

Now I think you're right, Max, about that door in the back but wasn't there some stairs going to the second floor someplace. COuld I possibly be correct that that door led to a set of stairs going up?

And where was the gym office? In the far left hand cornor as you walked in???????

Been trying to get that layout in my mind for a while now for some crazy reason.

Clu Gallegher! WOW! That's a name out of the past. Clu lifted lots if I recall correctly and was in great shape. Did he train at Vinces? I think he was one of the regulars at Universal too.

If you see Clu, ask him if he recalls Jack Tyree who was killed making "The Sword and the Sorceror"? Jack was a major kind of guy at Universal back then.


Rules, some of my family are in the movie business and I was part of it earlier this year. On the Call Sheet I was the stunt coordinator. It was an elaborate commercial for a major company in Japan and one hell of a great experience.

I oversaw the performances of 32 athletes/bodybuilders who had to act like apes in business suits running through the jungle.

We built this elaborate "rig" to take about 60% of the bodywt off each "performer" so that they could run on all fours like a real ape does. We filmed it in a "arboretum" that looked like an ancient jungle. The exact spot was across the little lake and house that was often seen in Fantasy Island(?) "Da plane, da plane!"

Was that the name of it?

They dressed the set and lit it and I now know how Tarzan felt when he lived in a real jungle.

I have never worked with a more profession bunch of people. Two of my family members were the principal "stars" in this "production" and there must have been a crew of more than 100 people behind the camera to make everything go elaborately for the director, who was God on this set.

Each and everyone gave more than 100% to insure that what got on that film was beyond perfection.

We all did phenominal things during that shoot on the ground and in the air and high above the treetops and the Japanese representatives who were present watching it all, went "bannanas" at the end of the ape scenes and  ran around screaming and shaking everyone's hand.

They loved it. They really loved it! (Academy award handed here.)

While working on that set, I learned the real meaning of "PROFESSIONALISM" within a civilian environment from the bottom to the top and came to the conclusion that competitive bodybuilding endeavors (of which I am very familiar) could never reach this degree of professionalism because no one seems to work together.

Hence everything sees to fall apart.

I'm sure Chick noticed this while he was on that dodgeball set.

We were high on professionalism for a full week straight and when it was complete, and all was done m(in the can?) we hit the wall and came to a major low. We became a team that had to separate until the next time we would be called together.

Interesting to note that some of my family went to the Superman movie presently filming in Australia while a couple of others went to rehersals to do amazing things in the air this summmer at the Crystal Cathedral in So Cal. And others back to Cirque and school and mom and dad.

After all these years I reaffirmed that "Professional athletes" are amazing critters who make amazing things happen when they work together.

And that is the problem with this crazy "sport" of bodybuilding.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 16, 2005, 05:52:44 PM
Thanks, Knny. I didn't know Bill was in so many movies! I think the one I recall most was Darker Than Amber but I'll have to look for that one to make sure. He was totally ripped up in that movie if it is the right one I am thinking of. I'll see if they have it at Blockbuster.

Chuck Colleras?? That name just spung out of nowhere! He was a great BB in his day. Must have worked at one of the movie studios or had somethng to do with the movies. Any help?

BTW, Onlyme has a computer now but is having problems getting on line. Should be here tonite if all goes well. He is a major movie fan and should know all these movie muscle guys we have been discussing but probably won't be able to go as far back as we have been doing.

Talking about muscle in the movies, here's a real tough one. Back in the early 60's they usually played double features. One Elvis movie we saw in Hollywood had a fsecond feature called Beauty and the Beach which was actually pretty good.

It was a story about this bodybuilder who took a bus from someplace and ended up in Santa Monica and met this girl and ..... I forget the rest but some of it was filmed at Muscle Beach. I searched for that movie a number of times but never did manage to find it. Anyone recall seeing it who can tell us who the "stars" were?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 16, 2005, 08:54:00 PM
Kevin/Stuntmovie-

I was wondering how you came up with the new handle....pretty cool. Pretty wild that the Dave Zelon guy ended up in movie production. There were a couple of guys at Gold's San Diego back in the mid/late 80's  that got jobs on the TV series "China Beach" about the Vietnam war. Had that Delaney babe in it. Always started off with the Diana Ross song.

Bill Smith has been in a ton of movies. Max_Rep knows David Zachery who worked at Gold's Gym Venice, San Francisco (opened it in 1980) and San Diego-and Dave knows Bill Smith from when Dave worked at a grocery store as a bagger when he was a teenager. Bill was living in Marina Del Rey then. Dave said Bill was a cool guy. Bill looked pretty good in the Clint Eastwood movie "Any Which Way You Can" which was a sequel to "Every Which Way But Loose". Bill also was a cast member of "Hawaii Five-O" the last couple of years it ran on TV.

If you ever stay up late and watch cable TV, there is this early 1970's Bill Smith movie about hot chicks that turn into bee's. Really wierd show...actually I just found the name on that list "Invasion of the Bee Girls"......also played Conan's dad in the original Conan movie. The Fred Williamson show from the 70's called "Hammer" is on cable right now and Bill plays a bad guy in that show.

If anyone wants to see a really strange and absolutely bizzare show, watch "Lord Love a Ducky" with Roddy McDowell........has a pretty buffed out Dave Draper in it, looking huge!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 16, 2005, 09:02:31 PM
Vinces Gym office was sort of the front desk. It wasn't really an office. And the stairway to go upstairs was in the front on the other side behind the smith press. I'm not sure what was upstairs.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 17, 2005, 02:16:06 PM
Man I can't belive the crap I have gone through with a computer and internet over the past month.  I finally got a computer and my DSl was to be hooked up on the 13th but they made a mistake and now not till the 23rd.  So I am actually using dialup at home till then.  What a nightmare.  It takes minutes for these pages to load.  but at least I am back up.

Alot going on here since I've been gone.  Kevin (stuntmovie) is going like gangbusters.  I have to catch up. 

A quik story about Flex when he came to Hawaii for my show.  I am not going to get to in-depth cause i like Flex.  In short Flex wanted to rent a Ferarri F40 for a day while he was in town for my show.  I got a discount so it only cost $660 for a 24 hour period.  It was  beautiful car as you might expect.  later that night out in front of the hotel.  Myself, Grymko, Quincy Taylor, Nasser, Shawn, and a few others were talking and seeing what everyone was going to do.  Flex pulls up in this beautiful car revving it like an Indy car driver getting ready to pullout of the pits.  Now this car is surprissingy pretty loud.  Well after a few minutes of talking everyone decided to do whatever.  Well Flex jumps back into the red racer and all of us are yelling at him to burn rubber.  Well, after about 5 seconds at 8,000 rpms and 2000 decibels Flex lets out the clutch at a millimeter at a time and winds the rocket down the driveway in a very dissappointing non-rubber-laying sprint.

Well after an interesting night on the town with Grymko we all retire for the night.  At about 9:00am the next morning I get a hysterical call from my friend who owns the car rental place that rents exotics.  He is screaming at me wanting to know where the Ferarri is.  I told him I have no idea.  He then tells me that he has been getting calls for the past couple hours and reports of a red Ferarri doing some interesting displays of speed in Waikiki.  After numerous expletives that I am embarrased to even put on GetBig, this guy is going crazy and wants his car back.  We hang up and I try to locate our muscled speed demon and finally shows up at the hotel.  In one piece I might add.  Well in short, the guy got his Ferarri back even if it was a little (well maybe a little more) worn.  Luckily new tires weren't that much, compared to the overall cost of the car.

The moral is "if you practice enough, you too can learn how to burn rubber in a $200,000, 200mph sports car."

I have to admit though Flex was great at the show and no one else would have rented that car, except Grymko if he didn't have his Rolls Royce there. And if he did rent it, I'm sure a new one would have to be bought after a night on the town with him behind the wheel.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 17, 2005, 03:23:58 PM
Glad you back Keith!  ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 17, 2005, 06:08:17 PM
Good to see ya, Only! Now get to work!

________________________ ___________________

THAT'LL BE $20, KID!!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 17, 2005, 06:45:43 PM
I remember Pete G. telling me a story about the gym (Gold's)almost having to close cause they couldn't make rent or something.  He was approched by Robert Blake (if I remember right) about shooting an episode of Barretta at the gym.  I thought Pete told me Blake owned the building.  Does anyone out there know about this one.  Well they paid Pete a fee to use (rent) the building (gym) but because of the weather they had to use it a few extra days.  Does anyone know about this one. 

I saw Joe Bozich's name on here.  If I remember right I had dinner with him and Pete at the LA Marriot.  Is Joe Pete's cousin.  I thought that is what he said.  If this is the same Joe Bozich.  he had something to do with the t-shirts at Gold's. 

I remeber way back when Kenny Waller had the best tank tops.  They where thin strap.  His company name was KW Enterprises.  Now he works at Extreme Sportwear a Gold's Gym vendor.   He was crazy.

Did anyone here train at Rennaisse Health Spa in Hawthorne.  Itrained there for awhile and Rod Koontz did too.

Has anyone here trained at the Sports Center or the Pacific Club in Hong Kong.  I have a couple good stories about training there. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on May 17, 2005, 06:46:25 PM
Larzker, I trained at Vince's and I do believe that that door led to a series of steps going up to an office or small apartment on the second floor. I recall Vince going up there to answer a ringing phone. WOW! That was way back when.................

One thing I definitely remember .......... it was real dark inside Vince's Gym. I don't even think there were glass windows looking out on Ventura Blvd back then.

If there was glass, he definitely has some pretty thick curtains across those windows.

I do recall Bill Smith's photo/photos on the wall because was a friend of my best friend who passed away years ago. I thnk Bill started off as a stuntman at Universal and got a major break in that TV series that was so popular a while back. Bill also played the part of a muscular killer in some Hollywood movie which name I don't recall, but he was impressive in that flick.

I bet ya that was OJ's car.

I looked for the old Vince location last month but gave up after a couple of attempts. The place has changed a lot and there used to be a coffee shop almost directly across the street but it is no longer  there.         But Jerry's Deli is still doing well down the road even though they "Modernized" it way too much.

OK, took this photo on Venice Beach directly down from the Firehouse/Rose Cafe. Anyone want to guess who it is. You're damn good if you come up with the correct name.


What year was the upper picture taken ?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 17, 2005, 08:40:59 PM
I saw Joe Bozich's name on here.  If I remember right I had dinner with him and Pete at the LA Marriot.  Is Joe Pete's cousin.  I thought that is what he said.  If this is the same Joe Bozich.  he had something to do with the t-shirts at Gold's. 

I remeber way back when Kenny Waller had the best tank tops.  They where thin strap.  His company name was KW Enterprises.  Now he works at Extreme Sportwear a Gold's Gym vendor.   He was crazy.

Did anyone here train at Rennaisse Health Spa in Hawthorne.  Itrained there for awhile and Rod Koontz did too.

Has anyone here trained at the Sports Center or the Pacific Club in Hong Kong.  I have a couple good stories about training there. 

Onlyme! man, you needed to give the full length version of the Flex car story-the one you told me on the phone. The short version does not do it justice ;D

Joe Bozich was the head of the entire shirt/merchandising (or maybe just shirts) at Gold's Gym in the mid 80's/ Joe was a competive BBer and did some national shows. He was somehow related to Grymko-but I don't know how, if he was a cousin or nerhew or what have you. Again, my friend Dave Zachery used to work at Venice and pretty much knew everyone who was anyone-and he knew Bozich.

Does nayone remember when Gold's came out with their own shoe line? Cross tainers-those were the rage back in the 80's.

I do recall in 86 or 87 that Joe Weider was pissed off at Gold's Gym for some reason or another and refused to do anymore photo shoots at Gold's for Muscle & Fitness and Flex. Ed Connors got his panties all bunched up and threatened Joe with a Gold's Gym Magazine. I think in the 80's Gold's was really at it's apex of popularity-it still had a mystic to it and hardcore bodybuilding  was still a major  part of the gym- and that added to the mystic. For that reason I think a Gold's Gym Magazine would have done major damage to M & F and Flex. In the end Weider backed off, continued doing shoots at Gold's and that was the end of it. Too bad-I think a Gold's Gym Magazine would have been cool.

Onlyme-How is Hawaii going? ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 17, 2005, 10:04:23 PM
Okay, I've been pretty lucky to train in allot of different gyms aroun the country and in Asia and Mexico.  Each gym was different and each had at least something memorable about it.

When I was in Hong Kong, I got to train at a few places.  The first place was definitely somewhere I would never be a member but I had to try it once especially since it was free.  It was called the Pacific Club and was a member only (limted to 1000) and was the most exclusive place I have ever trained at.  It is located in Kowloon on a pier.  It was the full length of the pier and 5 floors.  When it opened memberships cost as much as $1 million dollars and an annual fee.  So I got to go while I was there cause I knew somebody.  First off you go in and have to sign all kinds of papers.  They also give you a temporary laminated membership card with your picture and several other stuff that signified what kind of member you are.  Depending on what type of membership you had decided what part of the club you got to use.

Then they assign you a "personal assistant".  This person acts like a personal trainer if you need one among many other duties.  He changes the weights for you, gets you water (filtered in a glass and chilled if you want), brings you the phone if you get a call, and my favorite... wipes your sweat off your body and equipment.  If he wipes off the equipment he always went and got another towel.  I swear to god this place was ridiculous. 

Anyway, I was told I couldn't make much noise when I lifted.  i don't grunt or anything like that anyway.  I also remember I think you had to have a collared shirt (no t-shirts).  I didn't have a collared shirt and they didn;t have XXXL in stock.  But because I was a guest and VIP they waved that rule.  But I could tell they didn't like that cause they would talk about me all the time.  I didn't know what the hell they were saying but I knew.  Anyway, about 45 minutes later the manager came up to me and asked me to come with him.  I thought I was in trouble.  I tried not to sweat and make noise.  So I follow into his office and I see Jackie Chan sitting there.  He stands up and shakes my hand.  I knew who he was even back then.  I knew him from Cannonball Run.  I just remember he was kind of short but very thin.  Anyway, this place was not my favorite place to train.  To stuffy, no real lifters, not to serious, more of a fufu place.  But it was definitely the cleanest place ever.  If you ever go there see if my pic is still in the office.

I have to tell you about the Sports Center there later.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 18, 2005, 02:24:40 AM
Bix, the photos where Vince's is painted blue were taken in 1993. All the others of the current Vince building were last year.

Stuntmovie, I think Clu trained at Vinces but I'm not certain. My family lived across the street from the Gulagers when I was a kid. I was his children's age and was over at their house alot. I haven't seen them for decades but I knew someone here would know Clu. Artie Johnson from 'Laugh in' lived nearby as well.

Onlyme, those are interesting stories. Hong Kong sounds surreal.

Hopefully this animated gif will load up quickly for people with 56K modums. If not give it a few secs. It's a little jumpy because I reduced the frame count so it would be a smaller file. I was guessing at what color the signs and all were from B&W photos of the old Muscle Beach. If anyone saw the actual old MB when it was still around let me know how close it looks.

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/mbeach.gif)

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on May 18, 2005, 03:22:44 AM
What year was this picture taken ?


(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26229.0;id=27354;image)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 04:52:38 AM
Bix, the above photo was taken late April or early May of this year. (Just recently.)

I redid the color in Photoshop to highlighten it but that is all.

Larkzer, what is that and how did you do it? I was at Muscle Beach in the early 50's and returned often. Colors look good to me.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 18, 2005, 08:50:23 AM
Stuntmovie,  Below are some pics I got from Joe Roark's forum recently that are the only color photos I've ever seen of the original MB. I think they are screen caps from a video someone put the film footage on. The awning is different and some of the signs are as well. The stores had alot of little changes over the years.  The animation I did about 4 years ago on a 3D animation program that alot of video game companies and movie studios use. On the computer you create a model of whatever you want, put textures/colors on the models, and then you can render an animation of it from any angle....above, below, fly around or whatever. With today's 3D technology I could make it look 100% real as if I had actually filmed it in the 40s. It's possible also to create a real looking Reeves or Sergio and animate them.

(http://www.larrymccusker.com/mb01.jpg)  (http://www.larrymccusker.com/mb02.jpg)

Here's a quick Gold's gym one I did that is only about 1% done. It's probably all I'll do on it. Press the little 'arrow' in the lower left of the movie and it will play continuously. It's a big file and will take a long time to load if anyone doesn't have cable or DSL.

http://www.larrymccusker.com/goldsmovie2.html

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 18, 2005, 11:27:11 AM
...you had to have a collared shirt (no t-shirts).  I didn't have a collared shirt and they didn;t have XXXL in stock.  But because I was a guest and VIP they waved that rule.  But I could tell they didn't like that cause they would talk about me all the time.  I didn't know what the hell they were saying but I knew.

Yes they were definately talking about your collar-less shit. Not your size or your 600 pound bench.

You kill me Keith!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 18, 2005, 12:32:07 PM
Kevin,

Thanks for sharing all these photos and stories!

Good to see ya, Only! Now get to work!

________________________ ___________________

THAT'LL BE $20, KID!!!!

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=26229.0;id=27479;image)


This Hulk photo was taken at the Universal studios theme park.  I was there last November.

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 18, 2005, 12:53:24 PM
Here's Vince's Gym THEN:

(http://primux.com/BB/VG/vincegym-then.jpg)

And in November of last year:

(http://primux.com/BB/VG/VincesGym-2004-11.03.jpg)

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 01:10:06 PM
Tamas, You are right about the Hulk shot. It was taken at City Walk Universal Studios.
Here's the bigger picture. It is huge and located over the ticket booth at the multiplex theater there.

Larz, interesting how you did that. What program do you use? It would be interesting if you could produce something similar with Steve Reeves as the subject.

There were some shops directly to the east of Muscle Beach, but I honestly don't recall what they looked like outside of being reminded by the photos you posted. It would be interesting if someone could recall what each of them were.

At present that area is a mixture of vacant lots, parking lots, and apartments. The small beach homes were demolished in the 60's.

The only building I can recall was the Purser Hotel and that is probably only because I saw photos of that hotel in the scrapbook the "Originals" were thumbing through. (See above)

OK, here's the Hulk.............. BTW, a friend of mine (Marty Gentle) was in that series once. He played the part of a competing bodybuilder in a bodybuilding contest where the Hulk went beserk. He had a good closeup showing how much he "feared" the Hulk. Later on Marty was getting some sun at Santa Monica Beach and was asked to hold a girl on his shoulders for some Playboy photo shoots. That shot made Playboy and the girl was murdered a few months later. I forget the fine details. He also shot a fully clothed photo for Jim French that got more publicity than anyone expected. It turned up for sale in every art store in Santa Monica and Venice and was even featured in the background of a movie about a cop and his gay partner looking for a serial killer in Hollywood. (I forget that name too). I got the report that it was the hottest selling poster in California and all it was was a photo of Marty wearing Levi's with a tired look on his face. It sold big time, but he only got $300 for the shoot.

Very much like the pros today, I guess.

That poster was even featured on a web site someplace. Great shot even though it was taken over 20 years ago.




Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 18, 2005, 02:26:55 PM
Another Hong Kong story.  I got to train at this complex over there which was huge.  it had a very large gym along with tennis courts, pool area, bowling alleys, huge soccer fields, baseball and driving range and more.  it was huge.  I can't remember the name so if anyone knows it?  So I go in with a guy i met there and he introduced me to several people including the boss.  I never knew what any of these people were saying the whole time I was in Hong kong.  I didn;t learn any words cause they talk so fast.  Well no matter what they were saying it always led to them touching me.  Usually squeezing my arms or poking at my chest.  Anyway, they knew enough english to tell me okay you can train.  Well I was there for about an hour or so.  I would say maybe 50-60 people were in the gym area training. They had allot of pictures of bodybuilders on the walls.  You could tell they were just pics torn out of magazines and either taped, stapled, or pinned on the wall.  They must have had over a hundred of these hanging around.  As large a facility they had mostly old Universal machines and old dumbells.  There was really nothing new or currently made equipment.  but, it got the job done.  I do remember they had 3 bench presses that were the old ones with the narrow bench and the racks were close together so if you put the bar on just a little crooked it would fall off.  They did have one really old Olympic bench.  Anyway, I didn't train like I wanted and wasn't even using any big weight, but all along I had at least 4 people tagging along with me and watching me.  There was one guy who looked like he might have competed.  he looked good but never smiled and in fact never said hi.  Anyway, after training I went to eat at the bowling alley.  Some of the guys came with me.  The only thing I ate mostly over there was anything with chicken.  I was afraid to eat anything else.  Now after eating i was walking and I saw the driving range.  i love golf.  It was upstairs.  It was a really long kind of deck that was over looking the soccer field.  The people would hit the balls onto the soccer field and they had these motorcycle looking things with cages that picked up the balls.  I was wondering if they did this during soccer games.  It was about 6pm.  Anyway, I saw that the area wasn't really long and in fact just over 300 meters accourding to the signs.  So I had to try it.  It was so fun.  Eevryone watched me hit the ball.  I know how to drive a ball.  In fact in a celebrity golf tournament I played in hawaii I took first in the long ball hole.  Well I hit a few over the fence and after that the guy in charge asked me to not use a wood and only an iron.  It was allot of fun.  but if you are ever in Hong Kong you have to go to this place.  It is quite a trip.

Max do you remember Ron Gibson and does anyone have any pics of him.  Remember his forearms and how vascular he was.  I wish someone had pics of Bob Sear.  He looked awesome.  He is still to this day the closet body to Arnold's I have ever seen. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 03:53:15 PM
Good to see you back, Only. Keep your milkshakes on the kitchen sink from now on out.

I can keep this topic going with photos and stories for a couple of more months (at least) if I can find the 70's 35 mm scrapbook in one of the family attics.

Other than finding them, I also gotta find out how to post 35 mm slides to this site.

I consider myself to be an expert posting photos now. It took a while but I finally learned that I gotta reduce them to 300 pixels in width to get them to a small enough size where they can transfer swiftly and then save them in low quality cause when I send them the program in GetBig somehow posts them on site much larger.

Hard to explain, but I think you gotthe idea.

SO now I gotta learn how to post slides.

Thanks for all your comments on my photos and the input on my half assed remarks.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 18, 2005, 04:05:13 PM
Tamas, those 2 Vinces pics line up pretty well. I know you have tons more recent pics than I, plus all those angles of the old one. If you get a gallery going can you post a link here?
 
Kevin, the program I used is 3D Studio Max. I'll probably do tons of people in 3D in the near future. I'm an illustrator and I'm going to go from drawing people,etc.. to modeling everything in 3D.  Then I could animate everything in an illustration.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 18, 2005, 04:59:10 PM
Max do you remember Ron Gibson and does anyone have any pics of him.  Remember his forearms and how vascular he was.

Only... when you have a long story like that, it's a lot easier to read if you break it up into several paragraphs.

I only found one pic or Ron from when he was in College. He was a lot better than this when we knew him.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 18, 2005, 05:00:08 PM
Good to see you back, Only. Keep your milkshakes on the kitchen sink from now on out.

I can keep this topic going with photos and stories for a couple of more months (at least) if I can find the 70's 35 mm scrapbook in one of the family attics.

Other than finding them, I also gotta find out how to post 35 mm slides to this site.

I consider myself to be an expert posting photos now. It took a while but I finally learned that I gotta reduce them to 300 pixels in width to get them to a small enough size where they can transfer swiftly and then save them in low quality cause when I send them the program in GetBig somehow posts them on site much larger.

Hard to explain, but I think you gotthe idea.

SO now I gotta learn how to post slides.

Thanks for all your comments on my photos and the input on my half assed remarks.


you should be able to use 500 pixels
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 08:03:57 PM
Isn't lesser besser?

Been trying to compete against OnlyMe here and come up with some new stroies to keep you all interested (or pissed off) until I can find those old slides I mentioned earlier. (The ones when even Tom Platz had no legs to speak of or a casual hint that they were forthcoming).

Maybe this next story will keep some interest going in the meantime.

BODYBUILDING AS A KID

Back in them old days, bodybuilding was "squeeky clean" and not a "sport" at all. It was something that most people never even heard of. It was something that some good looken kid named Steve over on the other side of the Bay was doing cause he was so dam unreal in the first place. He was the kid who nevr had a cold or a cavity.

There was no such thing as "muscle hustle", or at least we never thought of such a thing or had any idea that it ever existed.

It was a novelty of sorts that only a few participated in. There was Walt Baptiste and Jack LaLanne and Clancy Ross, and Steve of course but they got almost no publicity unless some kid at school started bragging about some schoolmate who was strong as shit and that kid's dad happened to be a newspaper reporter looking for a local story.

That's exactly what happened in the case of a kid named Steve Reeves whose mom was interviewed in the local newspaper "Sunday Suppliment". Steve was one of these kids in high school who stood out among the rest. Not mentally, but definitely physically.

I recall going to a place called Rio Nido on the Russian River for my summer vacations and kids from all over the Bay Area would come together for lazy days on the beach and dinner with the family at 6 and a massive gathering of Bay Area kids coming together at the dance hall to do what kids tha age love to do best...  dance and make love and talk about friends who were'nt fortunate to be there that particular weekend due to work committments back home in that foggy city or points across the Bay.

Mot everyone in the Bay Area had heard of Steve one way or another and it was a big thing whenever he and his buds showed up at the River.

Back then the worst thing that could happen to a bodybuilder was the mysterious shirt disappearance. A guy with a great build would hit the beach and dive into the river and come back to his spot only to find that his shirt was missing.

This was an activity most of the girls would pursue or sometimes the firend of the missing shirt person and it happened frequently.

SO unless that person packed anothr, he was shirtless for the rest of his Russian River visit.

Needless to say, this happened to Steve one sunny afternoon so he showed up that evening outside the danceing place with out a shirt and feeling a bit undressed no matter how great he looked in a shirtless state.

He was there simply to say goodbye to some new friends he had made that weekend before heading back home 70 miles away.

And that was the nite he had a fight or was side swiped by some obnoxious ass.

My folks had a summer cabin a few yards away so I got the word that there was a fight going on outside the dancehall almost as soon as it started.

"Someone is beating on Reeves!"

I was there within five minutes and it was all over. No blood, no crowd, no nothing. It was all over. The duty cops had done their job and it was kaput.

And that was about the worst thing that happened in the "bodybuilding community" that I can recall back then. Nothing really worth writing about unless you need it to compare to somethng else.

Those were the days when bodybuilding contests were held in local YMCA's promoted by guys such as Bill Stathis (a police office in San Frasncisco) with special guests like Doc Northrup and an audiance of maybe 35 people. $2 at the door got you in.

And you had a grand old time compareing lifts and talking story.

Not much to it then, but them were the good old days.

More to followw.......

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 09:09:25 PM
There wern't too many noticeable bodybuilders in the city back then, but we were hearing lots about Muscle Beach which was a place in LA about 420 miles to the south of us.

I can recall Bay Area guys such as Mel Knoll who traveled south on some occasions to shoot shirtless photos with a bow and arrow. I was amazed that he got to fly to Los Angeles and get paid for doing that.

I remember Curt Freeman who was probably the best built teenager (outside of Reeves of course) in the Bay Area. He eventually became a pro wrestler.

And the gyms in the city were all YMCS's except for Jack Lalanne's place on the fifth floor of some old building in the run down section of Market Street and Walt Baptiste's which was more of a Yoga palace than a hard core gym.

And in the East Bay there was Ed Yarick's. That'd where Reeves' did his serious training from my recollection. I looked for it once and found it but never did get inside.

And I do recall seeing a front cover shot of a very young Frank Zane on some pocketbook size magazine called Young Physique or something like that. I even discussed that with Frank one time many years ago.

Back then bodybuilding publicity was on the edge of something and it wasn't something that you'd "take home to mother".

And about this time we took a trip to Los Angeles and that's when I met Doug Strohl. (See earlier story). And Muscle House and Pudgie Stockton and bodybuilding history as we know it slowly started.

ANd Muscle Beach was packing them in on the weekends. People flocked to the beach to see the handstand guys and the guys with muscles.

Some thought it was a freak show even way back then. Others viewed it as a goal they themselves would like to achieve, but had a life to live that did not allow it

But those who always loved a circus made it a part of their daily lifetime. They created a lifestyle that many would soon follow.

And then a catastrophe!

Someone got raped and the finger pointed to one of the Muscle Beach guys. And the City Fathers raised hell and closed it down.

Muscle Beach was closed for good!

And an enterprising young man by the name of Joe Gold filled the void and made equipment that would make muscles grow.

And Gold's Gym became a reality. For $35 a year you could grow muscles to you heart's content. A cheap price to pay if you were willing to pay the price.

Things were so muchy simpler then.

More follows ......



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 18, 2005, 09:49:48 PM
Maybe it was the lull before the storm!

Someplace back east little clouds were gathering.

Joe and Ben Weider had a publishing business.

Ben Louri was selling something and had a magazine. (Did I spell that right?)

And Bob Hoffman was promoting his own brand of weights and weightlifting and bodybuilding on the side.

And Mabel and Perry had a little magazine and chose not to fight with anyone.

SO there were four entities on the road to success but had no idea where that road would  take them.

Pioneers of the iron game.

And each (excluding Mabel and Perry) contended that he alone would lead the way and castegate the others if the others surged ahead.

The battle had begun, but there was no one there to witness it except those few who had an interest in the final outcome.

And I was interested in that outcome! Sitting on the sidelines with a great view of the eventualities.

Some of which I don't recall too well!

more follows ....
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 19, 2005, 06:19:28 AM
Kevin,

The story of you going to Hollywood for the first time was great!  Thanks for sharing!

A real short walk and there was Muscle Beach! WOW! Muscle Beach! There was the Purser and there was the pier and this was one hell of a mighty big beach! I'd seen it all in so many magazine pictures, I felt like I had been there many times before.

But it was completely empty and the morning sky was still a fog bound white.

But, what the hell! I'll check it out anyway.

It wasn't much really. Just a small, wooden fenced enclosure with partially rusty equipment inside and some kind of wooden stand off to one end.  All there, all alone on this huge sandy beach with no one on it.

The sounds of the Merry Go Round brightened up the place a bit but not enough to make it too appealing.

And then someone came down that same hill that I had just taken a minute before. A huge guy and definitely a bodybuilder.

Must be coming for an early morning workout.

And to make a long story short .......... it was Doug Strohl.

I got brave enuff to have a brief conversation but I had friends waiting back at the hotel so it was a very bried howdy-doo.

I never did see a photo taken of Doug in the great condition he was in that day. Or maybe my memory gave him more credit than he actually deserved.

But Doug was the first bodybuilder I ever met at Muscle Beach and I've carried that memory to this very day and once in a while Jeff Everson will write "Whatever happened to Doug Strohl?" cause that is what I always ask him whenever we get together.

......

I had visited Muscle Beach early one morning and had met Doug Strohl.

Here's a great shot of Doug Strohl to bring back some more memories, courtesy of Gene Mozée :

(http://primux.com/BB/DougStrohl.jpg)

Everything fits so well together!  His legs are excellent!  Check out the calves!

Does the background ring a bell?

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 19, 2005, 06:29:10 AM
Kevin,

Ben Louri was selling something and had a magazine. (Did I spell that right?)

I believe you meant Dan Lurie and his Muscle Training Illustrated magazine.

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 08:23:22 AM
Tamas, thanks for the Doug Strohl photo (courtesy of Gene Mozee) and the MTI info too.

Yes, the background is definitely familiar and here is a photo of took of it last month (April 2005) from just about the same spot where Strohl's picture was taken about 50 years earlier.

That building is the Casa Del Mar and there was a private beach club attached to it in the early days. You can see part of it (fenced) on the sand. Apparently a law was passed a while back prohibiting any structures on the beach, so it was removed. If I recall correctly, they had a lot of paddle ball courts in that location and lounging areas to relax in and catch the sun.

There were a couple of those clubs immediately north of the Santa Monica Pier too.

Here is the Casa Del Mar. I tried to go inside and get the building's history but no one was immediately available and we were rushed to get back to the valley, so I'll have to check that out the next time I make a SM visit.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 19, 2005, 08:51:47 AM
That Casa Del Mar looks cool...is that a hotel today? Looks big from the outside, and the pic with Doug Strohl in it looks like it has kept the same look the entire 50 years.......this is across from Muscle Beach?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 10:43:39 AM
Rules, the Casa Del Mar has quite a history behind it. I believe it was a hotel and beach club in the early days and then went through some deteriorizaton before a drug rehab outfit bought or rented it. Today it appears to be a fancy hotel/apartment complex. As I said earlier, I'm interested in this building's history and plan to check it out on my next visit unless someone here can provide those details.

The Casa Del Mar is located about 120 yards south of the old Muscle Beach.

Just north a bit from the Casa Del Mar is the remodeled Sea Breeze. If you were there a long time back, the Sea Breeze is the building that used to have the big wall between the broadwalk and the beach. It was a great spot to catch the winter sun because that sea-wall served as protection from the winter breezes.

It appears that the Sea Breeze (I don't think that was its name in the early days) today is an ultra fancy apartment complex. But this is another thing I want to check on during my next visit.

The Sea Breeze's next door neighbor on the southern side of the building is now Shutters, an ultra expensive hotel on the beach. The beachside restaurant always seems crowded.

Pictures poster below. You can see the Casa Del Mar south Shutters in that second pic.

In my next post, I'll include a photo of the only residence remaining that was almost directly across from the the Muscle Beach weight pit.




Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 10:52:59 AM
To the best of my recollection, this is the last remaining residence directly opposite the old Muscle Beach weight pit. It's been remodeled quite extensively.



Back in the 70's there were more single family homes in the area looking straight out onto the beach. We had the chance to buy one for rought\ly $32,000 to $34,000. I don't know if it ever sold and it must have been torn down because it is no longer there today.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on May 19, 2005, 11:08:34 AM
This stuff is great. I usually just save the pictures but now I'm saving the whole page so I can refer to what's written later.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 11:31:50 AM
You really like this "house stuff" too?

In that case let me add one more picture of two Venice Beach houses that went up in 1905 - the year before the big San Francisco earthquake. The tenants living there now had no idea what the original price of these homes was but I'll take a wild guess and say anywhere between $800 to $1,200.

This last house photo is the Gingerbread House which was built for Charlie Chaplain so he could have Hollywood parties on the beach.

I originally took photos of all these places in the hopes that someone could identify the original "Muscle House" that was managed by Pudgy Stockton. I understand that Reeves and many of the original old time greats stayed there for short periods of time.

Anyone got those details?

End of building photos.... Unless someone wants to see the million dollar plus new places that are just south of the Venice Pit.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 19, 2005, 11:44:11 AM
Here is a link to the Casa Del Mar.  The place is really nice.  I don't have any memories of it personally but I do remember the name cause my uncle owned quite a few homes down in that area and back when I was probably around 8 or 10 years old and I remember us going down there and my uncle telling us about it.  He was into fitness back then.

http://www.hotelcasadelmar.com/
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on May 19, 2005, 11:53:25 AM
Kevin,
I believe the lady who ran the Muscle House By The Sea was Joy Crettaz, not Pudgy Stockton.
Joy wrote a letter to Muscle Builder in July 1965 p 5, and she and Weider had been corresponding.
She mentioned Reeves was with her (at the House) in 1948 and 1949.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 12:20:26 PM
Thanks for that link, Only! It's amazing how things do change but always remain the same!

Joe, Could it be possible that Joy Crettaz was Pudgy's maiden name?  To be honest with ya, this is the first time I've ever heard of Joy and I've always associated Pudgy with Muscle House although I never could get the full details on that place.

I do recall seeing an old photo of Steve Reeves and some of the other old timers sitting around a breakfast table and Pudgy was in that shot.

I could be wrong though and do hope to hear from others on this subject.

The last I heard about Pudgy was a long time ago and I understand that she had a health food store in the San Diego area.

Last month when I visited "Dean's Muscle In" I noticed her photo on the wall. She was top lady on the totem pole.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on May 19, 2005, 12:37:30 PM
Kevin,
No, Pudgy's maiden name was Eville. So far as I know she had nothing to do with managing the House. I have had extensive talks with her and with Les, her husband. so I sure certain about this (famous last words). :)
Of course, Les is gone now.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 12:52:27 PM
Joe, THANKS! This is something completely new to me (and I thought I knew it all but that is one of the reasons for posting this stuff).

Can I ask you this then?? ..................... Just what was Pudgy's connection with the bodybuilding world then?? Without her association with "Muscle House" I only have her standing on someone's shoulders as the third person in a totem pole.

Whenever I ever thought of Pudgy, it was always in connection with Reeves and all those other old time "originators". But now your broke that memory bubble!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Richard2004 on May 19, 2005, 12:53:13 PM
Kevin,
I believe the lady who ran the Muscle House By The Sea was Joy Crettaz, not Pudgy Stockton.
Joy wrote a letter to Muscle Builder in July 1965 p 5, and she and Weider had been corresponding.
She mentioned Reeves was with her (at the House) in 1948 and 1949.

Joe, wasn't the "Muscle House By The Sea"  run (at least for a time) by Mae West? 

Among the BB'ers who were part of Mae West's Las Vegas show/troupe of BB'ers, in the early-mid 1950's, were George Eifermann, Mickey Hargity (before his involvement with Jayne Mansfield) and Chuck Krauser.  As I recall, Chuck Krauser "punched-out" Mickey over some disagreement. 

George Eifermann later toured the public schools in the country and came by my HS in Nashville, TN.  He put on a demo. at my school where he spoke, posed, demonstrated his flexibility, and played his trumpet while simultaneously one-arm pressing a barbell overhead.  He looked fabulous and this was back in the time when all the HS coaches tried to tell us that lifting weights would make you "musclebound"!

For a young, skinny, impressionable, teenager just beginning to weight-train, George was a tremendous inspiration to me and convinced me that my coaches were full of sh*t when it came to knowledge about weight-training!

By the way, one woman of that era (the 1950's/1960's) who was a true pioneer of strongwomen was the great (and all but now forgotten) Joan Rhodes.  If you can ever see/get-ahold-of  a movie called "Ecco", made in the mid-1960's, there was a segment in the movie showing Joan's strongwoman/nightclub act in London where she sang, danced, and did various strength feats like bending iron bars, etc.  She had a gorgeous figure and really combined feminine beauty, sex appeal. and physical strength! 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on May 19, 2005, 12:54:23 PM
I checked my files. Fleurette 'Joy' Crettaz was the hostess at the House. See Muscle Power October 1950 page 47 for confirmation.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 19, 2005, 01:25:06 PM
Kevin,
No, Pudgy's maiden name was Eville. So far as I know she had nothing to do with managing the House. I have had extensive talks with her and with Les, her husband. so I sure certain about this (famous last words). :)
Of course, Les is gone now.

I too am curious as to what Pudgy Stocketon is up to these days, like where does she live. She must be retired at this date.

Case Del Mar, did not know it was next to Shutters Santa Monica-one of the most, if not thee most, expensive hotels on the west coast. High end place, but now I know where Casa Del Mar is.

The house that is left next to Muscle Beach is awesome, thanks Kevin/Stuntmovie for the post.

The lots on Venice Beach sold for, as I recall from the history book, about 500-1000 dollars each-house extra. Venice back then, like most So Cal beaches back in the early days (Mission Beach, Coronado and so forth), was really just a big amusement park. The boardwalk was lined with booths offering the various games and shows. The interesting part of Venice Beach is that (it is named after Venice Italy of course) it was orginally named Venice of America. They built like 10 or 12 canals going around the area that used pumps to get the water in and out. Eventually though almost all of the canals were filled in. I think there are only 2 canals left in Venice-but don't know for sure.

All I can say is I wish I owned that beach front home. ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 19, 2005, 01:49:10 PM
It would cost ya a few millions smack-o-las now, Rules.

I believe Pax Beale and his beautiful wife have a house in this vicinity just south of the Venice Pit ........... Not sure it's one of these new ones though.

HEY! Remind me to write about Zuver's Gym in Costa Mesa. Does anyone have photos of that incredible place? I trained there in the early 60's and was always greeted by the gorilla at the door.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 19, 2005, 02:46:22 PM
Kevin,

HEY! Remind me to write about Zuver's Gym in Costa Mesa. Does anyone have photos of that incredible place? I trained there in the early 60's and was always greeted by the gorilla at the door.

Here's your reminder of Zuver's gym along with some photos, thanks to Jeff Preston's scanning:

Artie Zeller being given the key by the owner:

(http://primux.com/BB/Misc/ZuverArtie.jpg)

Some guys are trying to get in without the key:

(http://primux.com/BB/Misc/Zuversdoor.jpg)

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Tamas on May 19, 2005, 02:52:59 PM
We had a few threads going about Zuver's Gym on Ironage with all those pics and more:

Once Upon A Time.....There Was Zuver's Gym! (http://ironage.us/yabbse/index.php?topic=4185.0)

There's also an article by Dave Draper on his site:

The Weider - Zuver's Gyms (http://davedraper.com/weider-zuvers-gyms.html)

And of course here's Mike squatting the 2000lbs dumbbell:

(http://primux.com/BB/Misc/ZuversDB.jpg)


The inside:

(http://primux.com/BB/Misc/ZuversInterior.jpg)


(http://primux.com/BB/Misc/ZuversLatPulldown.jpg)

Tamas.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 19, 2005, 07:50:18 PM
WOW! That is the most awesome pulldown I have ever seen.  The first gym I ever trained at was called Doc's in Hawthorne.  It was built in the backyard at his house by him and some of th local dad's.  It was built in 1960.  It had a boxing ring too.  he used allot of bycycle rims for pulleys.  He was a All-american shot putter way back.  We had allot of old gears for weights. 

Paul "super-strongman' Anderson lived in Hawthorne for awhile and he trained there for a year or two I heard.  A black bald lady boxer named 'The Tiger" trained there too. 

It was definitely a "get-down" gym.  There was also a neat poster of Arnold.  It had his measurements on it.  It also had other info that you could use to see what your measurements would have to be at your height and weight to be in proportion to Arnold.

That was the first gym I ever trained at.  Started back in 1974.  I was still in business till 1994 when Doc died.  Membership was always $20 a month.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 20, 2005, 01:45:28 AM
WOW! Thanks for those Zuver shots. Great memories. Was Arty Zeller every really that young?

Here's my memory of that place.

First of all, it was in a residentual neighborhood. Wasn't it in the back of his house or ajacent to his home? And I think it was "Reverend" Zuver. And I think he had a little son whose name was "Rhino" then. Or did he get that name later?

Anyone know what "Rhino" is doing today? And how about Reverend Zuver? Is the gym still there?

Thanks for those photos , Tamas.

I recall that the gym was either in the back or the front of his personal residence and that there was a big gorilla at the entrance. And that huge front door had a sign on or near it saying, "If you can't open this, you're too weak to enter!"

I recall that olympic plates were used to cover a major portion of the floor and that a lot of the gym equipment was labeled "The world's largest this!" or "The world's largest that!" and there was no reason to question either claim.

It was always neat and squared away!

It wasn't a place for a novice lifter. I must have been there in 1962-1962 but once again those dates could be wrong.

Thanks for those photos,  Tamas. I never took any myself.

There was a pretty popular bar in the neighborhood called "Abners" where the waitresses dressed like Daisy Mae and the bartender was a musclehead who looked and acted like L'il Abner. It was the "in-place" to be for a couple of years. They made it feel like "Dogpatch, USA" so I was right at home.

Years later I had the opportunity to meet Arty Zeller and we remained in contact until he passed away. The last time I saw him was when he was in Venice judging one of the Venice Beach contests with Gene Mozee and the "good looking guy with the beautiful wife" whose name escapes me at the moment.

Oh yea, it was Reg and Sheri Lewis. Reg was there but Sheri was not. They were major attractions on the beach in them good old days back in the 60's.

Here's a question for one and all ................... Where was "Sinbad's"? Sinbad's was a restaurant on one of the pier's in southern California, but I can't recall the precise location. They hired bodybuilders to work the front door on weekends and it was a very popular dining spot.

And another question ..... Was anyone around when the original Venice Pier was in operation? It's not there today of course but it was a major attraction in its day. Does anyone recall the year it ceased to exist and the reason for its non-exisance? I think I was on it once and saw the real huge "ballroom"where that major band leader who said , "Ahhh one, ah two, ahhhh three" appeared on a weekly basis.

And one more to cap this off ......... Did anyone here ever train with George Frenn or Bill "Peanuts" West? Or see them train? Or even ever meet them? Or have any clue as to whom I am talking about?


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 20, 2005, 01:55:53 AM
Only, I don't recall Doc's Gym in Hawthorn and I don't know why but I did know Paul Anderson and was invited to the first pro wrestling match he ever had. It was held at the Civic Center in San Francisco and he won, of course.

Can anyone recall who his opponent was?

I don't know how many matches he had in his lifetime but he was darn popular way back then and that auditorium was packed.

He had short arms and a humongous chest which made his bench presses relatively short lifts.

But no one ever questioned his strength or sincerity.

 

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 20, 2005, 02:13:39 AM
Rules, back in the 60's/70's bodybuilders could actually afford to rent those houses along the Venice Canal. They weren't rich but the rent was cheap. Real cheap

Now they are untouchable and many bodybuilders have moved down to San Diego or over to Las Vegas.

I stayed at a great house along the canal for a few months back then. It was a very peaceful place and only a short walk over a bridge and on to Gold's each morning.

Things were so much simpler then!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 20, 2005, 01:06:40 PM
You know I have known Pete G since 1986 about.  We became very close friends in 1990 when the Honolulu Gold's Gym opened and I was the marketing & promotions director there.  He bought a condo and spent allot of time in hawaii.  We went nearly every night along with the countless meals.  We had great times.  I always knew he was a bodybuilder.  But I never knew how big he used to be.  I mean now he in around 190lbs.   I would have never guessed he weighed 260 lbs. 

I found this link below to some really good pictures of Pete when he competed.  I thought it was great.  How come he lost weight after being so big and I gained weight.  Don't figure. 

I know you guys have great Pete stories.  I will tell some more if you do.  It was never a dull moment when you are with him.


http://clay_b869.tripod.com/GrymkowskiPete/GalleryPGrymkowski.html
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 20, 2005, 01:44:01 PM
You know I have known Pete G since 1986 about.  We became very close friends in 1990 when the Honolulu Gold's Gym opened and I was the marketing & promotions director there.  He bought a condo and spent allot of time in hawaii.  We went nearly every night along with the countless meals.  We had great times.  I always knew he was a bodybuilder.  But I never knew how big he used to be.  I mean now he in around 190lbs.   I would have never guessed he weighed 260 lbs. 

I found this link below to some really good pictures of Pete when he competed.  I thought it was great.  How come he lost weight after being so big and I gained weight.  Don't figure. 

I know you guys have great Pete stories.  I will tell some more if you do.  It was never a dull moment when you are with him.


http://clay_b869.tripod.com/GrymkowskiPete/GalleryPGrymkowski.html

you're right....some good pic's there
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 20, 2005, 01:49:27 PM
WOW! Thanks for those Zuver shots. Great memories. Was Arty Zeller every really that young?


I guess we always will remember artie as the man behind the camera

Artie....the early years:
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 20, 2005, 02:42:24 PM
Man.....look at those fucking biceps....Artie looks like he is 10 years old there with Arnold type peaks....just goes to show you how you are born with certain body parts that don't need much training.....
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on May 20, 2005, 02:50:29 PM
Onlyme and knny... to be honest those pictures don't do Pete justice. Pete physique for some reason (I don't know photography) was not photogenic. In addition Pete was known to look much more impressive in repose and always seemed to loose a little when hitting a shot. These pics were all taken in the seventies Pete's best year was the third time he placed second in the AAU America. He walked on-stage at 255 and hard. The next guy was about 225. Pete looked like a gargolye. His back and his delts did overpower his arms which were very good but his delts were outstanding. They published very few pics from this show because if they did everyone would have seen it was Pete's show and Hoffman (Publisher of Muscular Development and Stregth and Health) held a lot of Power in AAU bodybuilding. They didn't like Pete because he was VERY open about his drug use.   

It's really to bad that there aren't better pictures of Pete because he was damn impressive. Not that these pics aren't impressive. They just don't do him justice.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 20, 2005, 08:17:34 PM
i found this pic of he Twins with Pete. 

The twins and myself were promoting their movie Twin Sitters in Hawaii back when it came out.  We went to The Big Island and Maui and did several autograph signings. We had one schedled at a mall on Maui.  My girlfriend came with us to help.  I couldn't believe how popular the twins were.  Literally 500+ people came out for autographs.  My girlifriend was keeping track of the line and escorting people up to the stage and table. 

Blockbuster Video helped sponsor the signings and sent a beautiful girl to help out.  She was assigned to help me in anyway I needed her.  My girlfriend wasn't happy with that but stuck it out. 

Well she (my girlfriend) had a clipboard that I had given her.  I would look up every now and then and one time when I looked up I noticed her reading something.  In about 2 seconds I realized it was a letter to a girl i had written that I met while shooting a movie in San Diego (Dangerous Curves).  She had left hawaii a few weeks before visiting me.  Well my girlfriend came over to me and threw the letter at me and said f**k you and she left.  i didn't do anything cause what could I do.  She flew back to Oahu.  Well the twins started laughing and making fun of me for getting dissed by my girlfriend.  The girl from Blockbuster says "so does this mean you don't have a girlfriend now"?  Peter says 'well he doesn't now"!  I said yep it appears that way.  She says great!

So we finish the sigining and go to dinner in Lahaina.  The girl comes with us.  as we are walking down the main strip everyone is yelling at the twins and cars are stopping.  We ended up having the cops escort us back to our cars after we ate. 

We go back to the hotel room.  My room is right next to the twins room.  (this was the trip where they tried to convince me to have breakfast with them...a diet orange soda, tuna, eggs, and protein powder shake).  They are trying to convince me to leave the door between our rooms open so they can watch me with the girl.  It didn't happen.  I had a great night with the girl and I actually ended up seeing her each time I went back to Maui for a couple years.  And yes me and my girfriend got back together after some great talking from me to explain the letter.

While we were there we trained at a gym in Kihei.  The people in their of course went crazy when they saw us.  the twins made so much noise though and threw weights around that the management asked us to leave.  So we only got to train once there.

It was very surprising to me how popular the twins were everywhere we went.  It was like rock stars.  Even though we get allot of celebrities here in Hawaii they mostly hide out and stay away from the public.  So seeing these guys hanging out with the public was really neat for everyone.

And the pic below is real weight.  I trained with them numerous times and we would get 405 seated BNP for a couple. 315 was butter.  they were strong.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: man from oz on May 20, 2005, 08:33:33 PM
i can feel my rotator cuff going   POP just looking at that pic
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 20, 2005, 08:40:36 PM
Onlyme....that is some serious behind the neck pressing.

Since you trained with the twins (and Twin Sitter was one of their better movies) I am sure you know what the real story is on them coming out to CA. I had read that they met Grymko at a show in Rhode Island where they're from, and Pete said if they ever made t out to CA that they could train for free at Gold's.

I guess they said WTF and moved out to Cali and Pete kept his word. Is this the true inside story?

Vic Richards also trained with the twins-did you ever train with Vic?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 20, 2005, 08:54:39 PM
I'm sure that is true.  I see pete saying that. 

you know the twins were building a gym at their house back east when they were younger.  They would go to the local gyms and high schools and the "Y' and take a dumbell or plate or bar or whatever they could get in order to make their gym.  Pete told me this and I thought it was funny.

you I never used a liftoff in any exercise except the seated BNP.  I just couldn't get it off the rack.  But. once off I could go all the way down till it hit my traps.  For some reason i couldn;t reach back and lift off.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 21, 2005, 12:27:28 AM
Not sure if I told this story before.  Me Pete, Linda (his very long time girlfriend of 17 years) and her sister went to Kauai for a weekend.  We were eating dinner at the hotel when all of a sudden this man comes up to Pete.  he says to Pete "man I haven't seen you in more than 25 years".  If you know Pete he of course pretends that he remembers the guy.  But the guy knew he didn't. 

So the guy goes on to remind Pete who he is.  "He says he was a cop in Santa Monica and that he once arrested Pete.  Pete looks at him with that look of "what time was that.'  He goes on to remind Pete of the time when he was laying naked on top of one of the lifeguard towers and was arrested for indcent exposure.  Well that jogged Pete memory big time.  They both new the exact date and so did Pete but I can't remember.

Pete remembered that incident very clearly.  That is when he told me about sleeping during the day and training at night.

Pete guest posed as often as he could.  he charged $2,000 plus expenses back then.  he would take the money he made to pay back the loan for the gym.  in fact, his first guest posing gig was here in Hawaii at the Pacific Hotel. 

If I remember right Pete paid for the guy and his wife's dinner.

Another story from the same weekend.  After dinner and some drinks we all went back to our rooms.  For some reason I had an odd idea.  Now we are staying in a 5 star resort.  Pete and the others are walking behind me as we exit the elevator.  All of a sudden I start walking down the hall makig a chicken noise.  It is around 10pm.  Then I start screaming "help me my chicken is loose".  And I keep doing this.  He is laughing so hard.  Then all of a sudden doors start opening and watching me chase down the hall after an imaginary chicken.  I am running side to side in the hall and I hear Pete telling people it is a champion chicken worth thousands of dollars.

Anyways I get to the end of the hall and turn the corner.  Our rooms were down there and I just stayed there.  Pete, Linda and her sister come around the corner laughing and couldn't believe how many people were out in the hall watching chase an invisible chicken.

If you ever see Pete mention this story and he'll go crazy telling you about it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 21, 2005, 12:12:04 PM
Only, I picked up Pete at the airport when he did that guest posing stint in Hawaii. I think Ernie was with me when we drove him to the hotel and he kept telling us that he was presently in horrible shape but would look unreal  if we locked him up in his hotel room (the Outrigger) for three days and don't let anyone visit him.

So we said, "Sure, Pete! We'll come and get ya the night of the show."

Three days later we are knocking on his hotel room door and he opens up wearing his sweatpants and no shirt with a big "Grymko" type grin on his face asking. "How do I look, guys? I'd hate to disappoint anyone at that show tonite."

We couldn't believe it! He was just about in tip top condition and all it took was three days!

"How the hell did ya do that, Pete?! You only had three days!"

"Don't ask now, we'll be late!"

So off we went to the contest and he brought down the house.

And I never did ask him how he did it.

Damn!!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 21, 2005, 12:50:59 PM
I also posted this in the Tribute to Artie Zeller - Kevin

I had one of those real small VW's a long while back and was stationed in Hawaii.

Artie and Franco and Arnold were all over here in an effort to shoot a cover shot for Weider.

But it was the winter season and the sun was behind a mass of clouds. Even in Waikiki where is shines  365 days a year and one additional day on every 4th year.

But this particular day, the sun was taking its own vacation.

It was important to Artie and Arnold that they get that cover shot as requested by Weider, but they needed the sun to make it happen.

So I come up with the idea ....... Let's chase the sun and see where it leads us!

So the four of us hop in my little VW and go in search of the sun for a  photograph session.

Picture Arnold and Franco and Artie and me in this little car driving over the Pali Highway! It just about made it to the top, but we did get there and sped down the other side.

But no sun here either. So I turned right and headed out to Makapuu because it looked like the clouds were brighter there.

And as we drove around the Blowhold area, the sun came out and peeked through the clouds and I pulled off to the side of the road and we all hopped out and ran off to that patch of sun which probably shone on us for about a minute and a half.

But Artie did get his picture and was satisfied enough to say, "Let's get lunch! Enough of running around in this little car!"

I understand that that photo was used as planned, but the story around it was never told.

It was the only shot that Artie took that day but it was good enough to make the cover. 
 
 
 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 21, 2005, 02:28:15 PM
Stuntmovie/Kevin-

The Ernie you said was with you when you met Pete G., was that Ernie Santiago?

He was from Hawaii and won the Jr. Nationals, Jr. USA and the USA-only thing he didn't win was Nationals-he was a force in his day.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 21, 2005, 02:31:26 PM
Yes, Rules, It was Ernie Santiago. I talked to Ernie and few months back and he might be getting back into shape once again. Maybe I'll talk him into entering some Over 40/0ver 50 contest before he reaches Over 60!

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think that the only 2 guys who won the Jr Nationals and the Jr USA in the same year was Ernie and Tony Pearson. I think that Pete G told me that.

I'll keep ya posted on Ernie's plans.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 23, 2005, 03:53:32 AM
Okay prepare yourself for Fart Story #2.  I have to tell you in advance I am typing in the dark on my bed so give me a huge break on spelling. 

Also, I was wondering because I type so fast does that make me more feminine.

Okay, I was with 4 or 5 others including my pal Tony Halme.  One of the others was our friend and one of me and Tony's sponsors, the owner of Legends Sports Bar & Grill.  We had just had lunch and decided to walk the Venice boardwalk.

It was Saturday and very hot.  If you know Venice, the weekends are packed with thousands of people.  Before I go on I need to tell the people who don't know me that I am probably bigger than most people but not everyone.  And one of them is Tony.  He stands 6'4" and weighed then around 330 lbs.  I was 6'1" and a puny 300 lbs.  Now this plays an important part of the story as it develops.  I keep wanting to say Hannu and Marjo Selin was with us.  I think they were but can't really remember.

As we strolled down the boardwalk we (me and Tony) got occassionaly looked at.  he stopped at every vendor to see what they were selling.  Well, I had my infamous fart machine with me.  Needless to say I was farting on as many people as I can. 

Now if you know Venice you know on weekends every guy who workouts is down there showing off their muscles.  (this is where the size thing comes in).  Well no one is immune to my farting.  I would walk up behing the most beautiful girl and just start farting away.  Of course I would apoligize when they looked at me with that "Oh my God" face.  Now I think because of my size people get the wrong idea that my farts smell worse or more than the normal persons.  I personally don't think so.

Now Gene (the owner of Legends) notices how excited a reaction I recieve when I fart and he starts video taping me and peoples reaction. 

Now I had a pair of sunglasses I had bought earlier that had small mirrors on the side so I can see behind me.  I wore them because I found out when I fart while walking by someone, the reaction is delayed and it happens after they pass me by.

So, while we are walking down the boardwalk I am farting constantly and am getting several different reactions from people.  Japanese jump. black women scream (loud), white girls hit each other while pointing at me, middle aged women call me imature or sick, older guys just stare, younger guys go crazy and tell me I'm rad or that's awesome.

Well after about 60 minutes of farting people were noticing Gene videoing me.  Now all of a sudden after people found out about the machine I started getting people following me and watching others who didn;t know I had the machine react.  I swear to god you can ask Tony when you see him I had at one time more than 50 people following me down the walk watching me fart.  I even had the cops following me. 

Well here comes the size thing again.  I see these 4 good sized black guys with no shirts on comiing towards me.  I walked right between them splitting them and then farting as loud as I can.  These guys turn around and and looked at each other then say to me "hey man that;s fucking rude".  I turn around and I say "sorry guys I just had some bad food."  At the same time the huge group comes up laughing then telling the guys what I was doing.  They started laughing and we are all friends now. 

Also, you know the have mimes down there that just stand there and don;t move.  I was walking by them one time and farted on these two girls.  They (the girls) turned around and yelled "how sick you pig!"  Well the two mimes started busting up.  They couldn;t keep it together.  They were watching me all day and jsut couldn;t hold it.

Anway, thay day was really fun.  Well, Gene made a tape and it was almost an hour long.  He calls me one day to come down to the restaurant.  I show up and up on the TV screens he points to them and he is showing the tape of Venice.  everyone is laughing so hard.  Well that tape was seen by hundreds of people.  It made it travels to several different people and ended up lost.  I wish i had a copy cause it really was a funny tape showing the reaction people had at me.

i will bring it to the Olympia so beware.  And don't hit me if I fart on you.  Also, in Vegas it is a great way to get a free taxi ride.  jsut keep farting and the driver will kick you out and you don't have to pay.  It's also a great way to get free food.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 23, 2005, 11:31:25 AM
..........farting machines and mimes..........you're killing me........ ;D ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 23, 2005, 03:27:17 PM
Here are a few old World gym stories from 79', 80' and maybe 81' or 82'.

First my friends Dan & Rosie Keller got me into bodybuilding and lifting seriouosly.  Their daughters were friends of mine in high school.  Dan & rosie trained at the original Gold's Gym and were also part of Muscle beach back in the 50's.  They were in incredible shape and rosie was very hot for a mom.

They introduced me to Ron Depolito who has been bodybuilding since the 50's and was very popular with the guys at the gym(s) because he was like a white pimp.  he had a convertible corvette and/or cadillac and always had hot women around him.  He would get guys laid at the gym all the time.  I heard recently he had one of his legs amputated which he blamed on the many years of steroids (?).

Anyway, he paid for my first year at World's for me. Which if I remember was $150.  The only thing I didn't like is he was a morning person.  We trained at around 8am or 9am.  I lived in Hawthorne back then and it was a drive taking into account the traffic.  Even back then.

he knew allot of stuff and I learned allot from him.  But it was also learning from the others in the gym.  Back then you could basically ask anyone if you could jump in with them or ask them a question and learn more from them for free than you would paying a personal trainer $70 an hour anyday nowadays.

I learned allot by either watching or working in with guys like Ferrigno, Pearson, Columbo, Callendar, Tinnerino, Dickerson, Platz, Skalak, Waller, Pettis, and others.  It was great.  I'll never forget doing arms with Lou.  He really helped me and worked with me to each me how.  I never knew how much dips could help you till I did them with Roy Callendar.  Nothing like seeing a guy do full dips with (2) 150 lb. dumbells hanging from his waist.  And him and Pettis would do full chinups the same way.  Deadlifts which I hated and rows were great after doing them with Franco.  I remember Franco taking his shirt off while doing bent over rows.  His lats were so big from the back, to this day I have seen any like them.

I remember Kal, going around the gym like a secret agent measuring the equipment.  I asked him what he was doing and he tells me he is going to make his own equipment and sell it.  Joe made some of the equipment in the gym I think.  Joe was a welder if I recall.  when Joe would come in and walk around Kal would hide his little notebook and tape so Joe didn't see him.

And how about Tony Novak.  he was Joe's very own security.  he made sure things stayed in order at the gym.  I remember there were signs all over saying "NO Pictures allowed without permission"  Well one day some guy comes up the stairs and is looking around.  Then he starts taking pictures.  tony yells at him from across the gym.  He starts to walk towards the guy.  Now if you know Tony he was a very big and intimadating looking guy.  In fact when I frst started there I thought he was Raiders John Matuszak.  And tony can be loud.  So now the whole gym is watching Tony dart across the gym towards this guy.  There is no talking quietly for Tony.  he gets in this guys face and yells.  He tells the guy no pictures.  Now this guy is scared as hell.  And starts to leave.  Tony grabs his camera tears out the film and throws it down the stairs.  They guy is just standing there scare stiff and probably thing he is going to die.  And now there's no proof,  not even enough for Columbu to figure out.  well grabs the guys and gently (in Tony version of gently) throws the guy down the stairs.  then he yells "and quit tresspassing".  Then everyone just went back to training like nothing happened.

Tony was also the supplement guy back then for most of us, if you knwo what I mean.  His training partner was a guy named Bugsy.  he was a chubby older guy who had a Rolls Royce.

I have more but this one got to be to long. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 23, 2005, 03:48:59 PM
Short comment on your post above, Only.

Joe Gold was an avid welder and made his own equipment. When I first met him in the early 60's he was welding a bench together in the back.

Someone else here may be able to elaborate but I think most of the original equipments was home made and of his own design.

Here's a question. Who made the first Scott Curl "bench"? Must be another name for it cause it ain't no bench at all.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on May 23, 2005, 04:17:17 PM
Here's a question. Who made the first Scott Curl "bench"? Must be another name for it cause it ain't no bench at all.

Just a guess:  Vince Gironda?

In any case, a buddy of mine visited Vince's Gym a few years back when Vince was still around.  He sent me a pic of him standing with Vince.  I wish I could find that pic.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Flex 215 on May 23, 2005, 06:02:18 PM
Hey Onlyme, is Tony Novak the guy in Pumping Iron that Arnold calls Big Tony when he is signing in at Gold's at the beginning?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 23, 2005, 07:27:32 PM
Hey Onlyme, is Tony Novak the guy in Pumping Iron that Arnold calls Big Tony when he is signing in at Gold's at the beginning?

Yup....thats him.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 23, 2005, 08:33:54 PM
Just a bit of info here.........

The Olympia (Oct 13-16) host hotel is the Orleans where the contest will be held.

The Expo part will be held at the LV Convention Center which is a couple of miles away.

The Convention Center is HUGE, so bring a map and a compass to find the exact Oly Expo spot.

If you plan to stay at the Orleans (recommended as a fine place to stay), I suggest you book early as the room rates have already been increasing and right now you can get a decent Room for $80 Thursday nite and $120 on Fri/Sat nights. A month or so ago, it would have been a hell of a lot less. And it will probably go up.

This morning I asked for the Olympia rate and got a quote of $75/$150 so it does pay to check it out first before passing your credit card.

I am very familiar with the Orleans as I have been staying there since it first went up. It is one of the better Locals' hotels and has one of the best buffets in town unless they jack the prices up when the bodybuilders arrive in town.

You won't really need a car as they do provide shuttle service to the Strip (Barbary Coast) and from there you can get the Tram over to the Convention Center ... $3.00.

Or just flag the "farter starter" and ask for a ride. Only is very kind when it comes to toteing people around and he knows a hell of a lot about the Orleans too as well as just about every Craps Pit Crew in that city. He can also tell you a lot about the Convention Center and T-shirt sales, etc. And some of the better places to eat even though he eats less than half as much as the normal person. Just look for the Big Guy throwing the dice at one of the tables.

The Orleans is a great place to bring your wife or your girlfriend. But if you want CHEAP, take a look into the Wild Wild West which is about a half mile east towards the Strip. They always take credit for the best hamburgers in town and a decent breakfast will run ya about $1.99, but that does not include your coffee - so add another buck and a half. I wouldn't take your wife there though unless she is a female wrestler.

Between Only and I and a couple of other guys on here, we can just about write the history of that town from MEMORY, so feel free to ask if you have any questions.

In fact, I'll start a LV OLY QUESTION topic tonite.

Thanks, Kev   Here is the Orleans Toll Free #  800-675-3267
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Flex 215 on May 23, 2005, 09:08:01 PM
Yup....thats him.



Thanks Knny.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on May 23, 2005, 09:25:34 PM


I am very familiar with the Orleans as I have been staying there since it first went up. It is one of the better Locals' hotels and has one of the best buffets in town unless they jack the prices up when the bodybuilders arrive in town.



You ain't kidding.

I spent  a lot of time in Vegas & if you like buffets....the Orleans has an awesome one.  You name it....they got it.  Every single dish that I can think of and so many different cuisines.

Makes me hungry just thinking of it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 23, 2005, 09:30:04 PM
Hey Onlyme, is Tony Novak the guy in Pumping Iron that Arnold calls Big Tony when he is signing in at Gold's at the beginning?

Actually his name is Nowak, not Novak, but that is him in Pumping Iron, and Onlyme knows him :o

He makes all the jackets for Arnold and World Gym-I have 4 or 5 World Gym jackets from Tony. The ASC jackets are pretty trick too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 23, 2005, 10:30:12 PM
Yes I like the orleans.  It has gotten very huge in size and getter bigger cause Michael Gaughn owns a ton of property on that side.  The buffet is definitely great and is one reason I am as big as I am.  It is absolutely the best place if you are bringing your family.  It has the voted best theaters and bowling alleys in Vegas.  Plus it has a huge childcare center.  As great wine cellar.  And the spa is suppose to be pretty good too.  They also have a great Cafe that serves the best Chinese food in Vegas.  Canal Street is a classy restaurant with awesome gourmet food but not much of a selection.  Don Miguels is an awesome Mexican restaurant too.  And the seafood place is unreal.  For the price the Orleans is a great place.  Plus it is right there.  No I don;t own any part of it but have lost enough they should give me some.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on May 25, 2005, 06:32:36 AM
Hey onlyme,

GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!

I have been meaning to ask you a question.  There was a BB in the 80's from Hawaii (i believe he owned a gym there) anyways he wasn't a top pro but he had some serious arms.  He was featured in musclemags book on arms in teh 80's and they said he could do concentration curls with 100 lb DB's...I can't find the book in storage but I was wondering if u had any idea who I am talking about ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: bcrizzy on May 25, 2005, 07:04:43 AM
Hey onlyme,

GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!

I have been meaning to ask you a question.  There was a BB in the 80's from Hawaii (i believe he owned a gym there) anyways he wasn't a top pro but he had some serious arms.  He was featured in musclemags book on arms in teh 80's and they said he could do concentration curls with 100 lb DB's...I can't find the book in storage but I was wondering if u had any idea who I am talking about ???
are u talking about joe bucci he owned a hotel in l.a. and he was known for his arms but he wasn't a pro if i remember correctly but he was on a lot of magazine  covers
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 25, 2005, 08:32:24 AM
Joe Bucci was the spokesman for the Marina Pacifc-but he did not own it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 25, 2005, 11:23:43 AM
Hey onlyme,

GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!

I have been meaning to ask you a question. There was a BB in the 80's from Hawaii (i believe he owned a gym there) anyways he wasn't a top pro but he had some serious arms. He was featured in musclemags book on arms in teh 80's and they said he could do concentration curls with 100 lb DB's...I can't find the book in storage but I was wondering if u had any idea who I am talking about ???

Well the only guys I know that were aby good from here would Ernie Satiago, Curtic Leffler, Alan Ichinose, Chris Faildo.  A guy named Mike Sapp owned a great gym called The Gym.  he comepted once but wasn't big or anything.  kind of built like Waller.  A guy named Shane owned World Gym for awhile.  he had incredible 20' arms and huge peaks.  But had nothing else.  he only competed locally.  He was oriental.  Timmy Leong owned a gym but he is from the 50's.  Raoul Fulcher lived here for awhile.  If I didn't get it I know stuntmovie will know for sure.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on May 25, 2005, 12:06:23 PM
I don't believe it was Joe Bucci.  He was a white guy and in fact now that I think more of it he wasn't a pro...but his arms were crazy...I disticntly remember that he owned a gym in Hawaii, perhaps a world, but may not be....

Anyone else have those books from the 80's by Robert Kennedy (muscle mag) there was one for each body part and had the routines of all the top guys of the time..they were like "barn door back" etc they wre pretty cool.   I may have to go searching the garage this wekend and see if i can use GF's scanner for some pics
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on May 25, 2005, 12:11:17 PM
Here is the cover of one of the books from the series:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0806964162.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 25, 2005, 02:32:39 PM
Here is the cover of one of the books from the series:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0806964162.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Believe it or not, my gym has this book in their basket for treadmill reading-has GREAT old time (80's) pics.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on May 25, 2005, 03:07:37 PM
I have the whole set except shoulders in storage, hopefully I can find them! When I first started lifting weights i would try all these programs.  I remember the legs program it has for Scott Wilson was like close to 50 sets, needless to say i was sore for almost 2 weeks 8)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 26, 2005, 12:57:57 PM
Here's a question that is somewhat related but not entirely.

I understand that the Pros who competed in the recent NY Championships were not given comped hotel rooms, nor were they reimbursed for their travel expenses nor meals.

Is this the first time this has happened? Haven't the pros always been paid to cover their air fare, lodging,  and meals?

And a lot of Pros did show up! And the contest was a sell-out. And a sell-out usually means a decent profit.

Just goes to prove that a promoter does not have to shell out the dough to the Pros to run a successful contest.

Won't this set a new trend? Why pay a pro anything if he is willing to compete for free?

A promoter would be a fool not to follow this trend. And it's apparent that the BB's don't give a damn.

So far, Titus is the only one who has complained and I support him completely in this regards.

AM I correct or no?



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on May 27, 2005, 12:49:11 AM
I was talking to someone today and we were talking about something that happened to me back around 1994 or so.  I think the beach name is Yokohama.  It is at the very end of the road out by Waianae.  The road deadends into a real nice beach.

The waves get pretty big but they shorebreak.  I mean straight down.  Literally you could be riding a wave and be 10' off the shore and it would slam you straight down into the sand.  It is so fun though. 

Also, out that way are lots of spinner dolphins that you can swim with.  Anyway, one day as I arrive where I am going to lay out and swim I pull up in my Jeep and I notice some tourists stuck in the sand.  I see they need help so I offer my help.  They were Japanese.  So we didn't talk much just doing charades.  Anyway after  a couple minutes i get push them out of the sand with the Jeep.  They thank me and I go on my way to layout.

Now the sand is super hot and this beach is located on the hottest part of the island.  So I lay pretty close to the water.  What's neat is that there is a cliff of sand about 8' about the wet sand where the waves break so there is kind of a wall of sand between you and the water.  So after some time in the water I lay out,

Not sure how much time goes by but I am on my stomach facing away from the water.  I look up and there are the same people I helped out the sand taking pictures of me along with about 10 others including a couple lifeguards.  They are just looking at me and others are taking pictures.  When I look at them they are motioning to me to be quiet and don't move.  I look at them thinking what the hell. 

One of the lifeguards whispers to me to turn around and move slow.  So I turn around and there is a giant elephant seal about 3' from me just laying there.  I swear to god this fucking thing was 1000 lbs easy and was HUGE!

The lifeguards were telling me not to move cause I might scare it.  After about 2 seconds that told meant I needed to get my ass out of there.  So I got up and just crawled really slow to the lifeguards. 

They had called the cops and they just showed up along with now dozens of people.  Most of them were laughing there ass off.  After about 20 minutes the cops decided to try to get this thing to go back to the water.  Usually here if a seal comes to shore they put orange cones around it and don;t let anyone come close.  But I think they were afraid someone might get hurt by this huge thing,

The lifeguards had different theories of what happened and the one they all really liked was that is was a male and it was about to fuck me.  They kept saying what would have happened if that thing climbed atop me and started fucking me.   What would they do.  i didn't like that image at all in my head.

Anyway that was my brush with an elephant seal.  I guess it was funny at the time but after I start thinking about what if it decided to make me its bitch what would have happened. 

But this is nothing compared to when the bear attacked me.  that to this day is the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.  Stunt do you remember when this happened to me.

You know an old Hawaiian saying is "never turn your back to the water".  Now I know why.  Gets me thinking that maybe this happened to some old Hawaiian 200 years ago
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on May 27, 2005, 12:54:22 AM
Great story....thanks for the laugh....elephant seal, fucking A..... ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on May 27, 2005, 02:08:40 AM
Before Only tells you all about the Bear story, let me just say that he invited me to go to his friend's ranch to have my picture taken with that same bear after he had already told me of his big bear experience. 

I doubt if any of you would visit that bear after Only tells you his story.

But just the bear essentials, Only. Don't make it as long as I done above.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 01, 2005, 01:57:59 PM
While waiting for Only to post that Bear Story ..............

I passed by a House of Pancakes this morning and it reminded me of the following ...

Back in the 70's when they were holding major NPC events in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, it was a common practice for bodybuilding competitors to carb up at the International House of Pancakes which was just about next door to the Civic parking lot.

The place was packed and just about everyone would be there including the "innocents" who knew nothing about bodybuilders but loved those pancakes.

So the contenders, their families, their friend and fans and a few other unknowing hungry folks would pack that place and keep 'em busy.

And just about everyone in that place was lifting shirts and dropping trou to make sure that the pancakes weren't diluting the muscles.

This was common practice........ but not to those who had never seen a competitive bodybuilder on the morning of his competition in the House of Pancakes.

It was kind of like a circus side show with no admission charge.

The general idea back then was to get as many carbs in ya as you could without eating too much that would extend your stomach. 

Sound familiar? Maybe not!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 01, 2005, 02:07:24 PM

The general idea back then was to get as many carbs in ya as you could without eating too much that would extend your stomach

Sound familiar? Maybe not!


It is so sad today to see all the top Pro's with gorilla bellies, it really is.

No one has had a vacum shot since Lee Haney back in 1991-14 years.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 01, 2005, 07:13:37 PM
I totally agree, Rules!!!

Lee thanked me once for "helping" him win the Olympia one year, but I'll leave that story for a later posting. 

Right now I wanna get Only to tell us the Bear story. For some reason I love that story! Maybe because it was fair warning telling me not to go with him to the Ranch to meet wild animals who are six feet taller than I am. And outweigh me by a ton and half. And love to hug guys one-tenth their size!

And other things if it is the mateing season!

Tell it, Only! I think it would fit here because the guy who ran that ranch was a bodybuilder.

And here's another story I wish he'd tell and which I lead off with a short introduction .....

I think I can post it here because most of us will be in LV soon for the USA or the Oly, and I gotta tell you that you really ain't experienced that town until you hang with the High Rollers.

And I do mean REAL HIGH Rollers.

Back in the days when Alan Ichinose was competing nationally in an effort to turn Pro, the contest was held at the Sands Hotel in good old Las Vegas, Nv.

The Sands is no longer there now but it was a hell of a great place in its day! High rollers gambled there in droves because they were associated with the Rat Pack in one way or another and talked like Damon Runyon with funny names like Stiletto, Boom-Boom, Johnny Knuckles, Rat Eye ........... etc.

We had seats up front and Chuck Norris was sitting next to us as a personal guest of Pete G's I think he was Pete's guest ....... I don't think he bought his own ticket.

So there's my excuse for posting this here ..........

Now Only and Chuck have been friends for a good numbr of years and they both have a mutual friend who is a WHALE in the desert. A whale is one who gambles with a heavy bankroll and is treated like God by everyone in the casino from the Boss on down to the guy who lights his cigars and more than a couple of ladies waiting at the nearest bar.

And here is where I'll end this post and ask Only to butt in and make it interesting ........

Only, don't forget to tell why Peter felt he had to gamble and ................
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 01, 2005, 11:12:42 PM
Watching the Ernie Shavers/Tex Cobb fight from 1980 on ESPN Classic.  I remember Cobb coming to the club I bounced at.  He had he largest head I have ever seen on a human.

Well stunt wants me to tell the bear story.  I could swear i told this one before but I can't find it.  If someone finds it sorry for this wasted space.

One of my best friends has been working with Hollywood animals since the late 70's.  His specialty is bears and chimps.  I have mentioned him before.  he is very popular in the Valley area of LA.  Hehad his own gym called Wrights Gym back in the 70's.  He is still to this day the youngest person to compete in the Worlds Strongest Man.

Most of the time when I visited LA after moving to Hawaii I stayed with him or at least visited him.  He worked in Acton where he had a ranch full of Hollywood animals.  He had a couple of bears, several big cats, an elephant, fully trained attack Rottweiler and a chimp. 

Allot of times I got to feed the big cats.  Now this is the 2nd most scariest time I have ever had in my life.  There is about 10 (5 each side).  chain link cages that measured around 10' wide by around 16' deep and had a ceiling height of about 8'.

There is an aisle of about 8' between the front of the cages that you walk down.  Well with a wheel barrel full of dead chickens I head toward the cages.  Now I am maybe 50' or more away when all of a sudden every single cat is growling as loud as it can.  I swear to god you could feel the sound hit your skin.  It was unreal.  The cats would jump at the cage right at me.  I through the chicken under the fence in each cage.  The tigers would just stare at me growling so loud.  And the male lion was so big.  The paw was the size of my head easy.  When it stood on all fours the top of its head was even with mine.  When it stood on its hind legs it hit the ceiling easy.  Evey time I watch the discovery channel and see the cats i have an entirely different point of view knowing how big and strong they are.

I got to play with Shirikon who starred in Jungle Book but never the lion cause it was unpredictable.

but the bears were my favorite.  The cubs (Fred and Wilma) were allot of fun but was a workout in itself cause all they wanted to do was play non stop.  And at about 100 lbs each they were something else to handle. 

Now they had a Grizzly.  It was about 7' tall and weighed around 700 lbs.  I wanted to play with that one but my friend and his partner suggested no way.  I insisted.  Then the partner lifted his shirt.  This guy was 6'6" and weighed about 180 lbs.  He was really skinny.  When he lifted his shirt there was a huge scare like he got bit by a shark.  What happened was the Grizzly attacked him and literally picked him up in his mouth on his side and was thrashing him all around.  He ended up with a huge scar that took 700 stitches.  After seeing that I insisted not to play with the Grizzly.

So I played with the Black bear instead all day.  His name was Boggie.  He stood nearly 7' tall and weighed over 600 lbs.  We got along all time.  I always played with him with no problems.  I'd punch him and tickle him.  He loved taking marshmellows out of my mouth.  I remember one time as he was going for the marshmellow I enhaled it and hid it in my mouth.  He pinned me down and was using his lips to try to pry open my mouth.  He was getting so frustrated.  finally I gave in and gave it to him.

Well one day when I was visiting and played all day with him I realized  I didn't have any pics of him showing how big he really was.  So I told my friend take a pic of us standing next to each other. 

So as we are standing I decide to put my arm around him like were best buddies.  Well that was a mistake.  it must have surprised him cause he wheeled aruond and took his right paw and slammed it against my chest.  It made a good thud.  He started squeezing me.  At that time he started to go for my neck.  That is when my friend took the picture and threw it down.

Boggie put his jaw aruond my neck and I just went limp.  as you can see in the pic I am screaming.  but the only thing is nothing came out.  he was sqeezing me and the fact I was looking at death I think my vocal ability seized to exist.  Well I am on the ground now with his mouth firmly around my neck and covering my ear.  Well my friend and his partner is yelling at me not to move.  Dah I froze like a fucking popsicle.  Then I start hearing this thud noise. And then all of a sudden I am getting pulled out from under the bear.  My friend and his partner grabbed me and pulled me out. Now the bear is about 3' in front of us on all fours with his head directly in front of us growling and throwing dirt with his right front paw (like a bull).  My friend slowly pulls me away and we crawl under the wooded fence of the ring.

I swear to go my two friends were hyperventalanting and we all just collapsed and just saying how unreal that was.  I found out the thud I was hearing was the both of them beating the bear on top of its skull to let me go.  Needless to say to this day that was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.

You can't believe how strong these huge wild animals are until you feel it.  Gives you a whole new outlook when watching them on TV from the safety of your home.

And yes this was scarier than the spider bite just not as life changing
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 01, 2005, 11:40:41 PM
Thanks,K, I love that story more every time I hear it. You are completely "Wackho"!

I have a good friend who lives in Alaska. He is a full blood, native Eskimo and gets hired as a guide to lead people to see the Polar Bears up thar.

I don't know the present regulations on Polar Bear hunting but a long while back he and another 100% Eskimo guide were out near the ice flows and ran into a Polar Bear on the ice with her cub.

It was one of those "over the ice mound and there they were" so no one expected to see the other and the first thing the mom did was ATTACK!

And my friend was hanging from the mouth of this monster with her jaws across his head and half his chest.

His partner got off a couple of shots and the Polar mom dropped him and ran off with her cub onto the ice flow.

They got help and he did manage to survive after weeks in extensive care.

They never did find that bear so he assumes that the shots that she suffered had little or no affect.

Once in a while he'll take off his shirt to show his battle scars and it is amazing that he managed to survive. A big huge U-type scare on his chest and on his back where her mouth had taken a grip.

He says that he is one of a very few who has survived a Polar Bear attack but he still has a lot of respect and love for those humongous critters.

He says he was just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a cub was with it's mom.

And he still takes vistitors out to see them.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 02, 2005, 10:32:51 AM
I found this pic of Reg Park in Honolulu,at a place called Diamond Head,just wondered if Onlyme was familiar with this location.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 02, 2005, 02:26:56 PM
Stunt here!

Yea, that pic of Reg Park looks like it was taken right before the seawall separating Hilton Hawaiian Village from Ft Durussey.

That "sand" at the bottom of his feet is actually crushed coral that the Army Corps of Engineers used to build up the Ft Durussey Beach.

Before that time the ocean would come right up to the seawall which is now a concrete pathway separating green grass lawns and the military hotels from the coral/sand beach.

Most of the rest of the beach in the Waikiki area is soft sand outside of Ft Durussey.

Immediately to his right (Mauka) and about 100 feet, there were a couple of military beachfront homes which were reserved for high ranking officers and civil servants. And then about fifty yards further south of those quarters was the Officer's Club where you got a beer for a guarter and a highball for sixty-five cents and two Polynesian shows a night.

A full course dinner with all the trimmings and fancy stuff would cost maybe $4 each.

If you needed a haircut you had to pay fifty cents plus a ten cent tip.

The classiest restaurant in Waikiki (The Red Vest) would set ya back about $12 for the evening and if you were late getting off the base for some reason, your lady would be taken care of at the bar compliments of the house and the Matre'd would ensure that no lady that was waiting for her guy was bothered by other guys on the prowl.

Things were so much simpler then. You were probably still wearing knickers, Only.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 02, 2005, 09:32:02 PM
Well according to the caption it looks like it was taken in 1959.  I wasn't even one yet.

Okay since the olympia is coming up and Vegas is in the air, here are some vegas stories (a few of a whole lot).

My uncle Joe is a very close friend of Chuck Norris's.  In fact when Chuck was falling on hard times after selling all his karate studios Joe helped him.  And Joe ran Chuck's Fan Club for a side thing.  Anyway, I like going to Vegas with my friends allot.  But when I started hanging with Joe more (cause he ran one of my companies)allot changed.  He was what Vegas considered a Whale.  He basically spent every Saturday and Sunday in Vegas for years.  What I found awesome was how whenever a boxing match came to town how many tickets the casinos would give him.  I knw for a fact for the Tyson/Bruno fight we had 20 ringside seats (actually 5th row).  For one of the Hearns/Leonard fights i too with him he had 30. 

In fact, I was in his office when over the intercom his secretary says "Joe Secret Service on line 2".  He looks at me and picks up the phone.  After a few what the hell is with you guys, he says I can get you 4 and then hangs up.  He tells me that some of George Bush's agents were going to be in Vegas for an assignment and wanted to see the fight.  Well everyone knew Joe was the guy to get tickets (FREE) to any fight in vegas.  He says to me "I can't belive these son-of-a-b***hes can't get tickets and have to call me.  Joe gave Bush allot of money for his campaign.  There are pictures all over his ffice wth Bush.

well my very first trip of many with Joe was to the Hearns/Leonard fight.  he asked me if I wanted to go and of course i said yes.  He tells me to go to the Garrett hanger at LAX off of Imperial.  Be there at 3pm. We were leaving on Friday.  I thought we were going to all meet up there and drive on a shuttle or something to the airport.  I was about 10 minutes late and was realy scared that they left without me.  I get t the guard gate and he says go right in Mr. Jones.  He tells me where to park and go in the hanger.  When I get there Joe is standing there on the steps to his private jet.  It surprised me cause i knew he had a plane but he never told me it was a jet.  So, as he is telling me never to be late again I am climbing into this beautiful British Hawker.  Now I have flown once before on a private jet when I was younger and didn't think of it much. 

This plane was really nice.  And the biggest thing I remember was it had buckets of KFC on the counter.  It only sat I think 10 people.  Myself, Joe and his wife, Richard Rountree (Shaft), Benny Urquidez (famous fighter)and his wife, Chuck Norris and his wife, and Bob Sidell (famus make-up artist) and his wife were on board. 

Anyway, about 45 minutes later we were in Vegas.  Had limos at the plane to take us to the hotel.  The Barbary Coast was Joe's home hotel.  he and the owner were great friends basically anything and everything was comped except Michaels.  Joe always had an entire floor reserved for him and his friends.  He always stayed in the John Wayne suite.  Never saw Chucks suite.

When you are n vegas and have an extra couple hundred dollars and want great food and service you have to eat at Michaels inside the Barbary Coast.  With good Champagne or wine expect about $500+ for a couple.  There specialty is the Filet of Sole which is ala carte and then cost about $75.  Joe told me if I order that to order 2 cause two won't fill me up.  I said no one is fine.  I ended up having 3.

Anway, after dinner we hit the tables.  Now this was the first time I've been to vegas with Joe so i didn't knwo what to expect.  joe is one of the best known crap players in vegas.  So we get to the table everyone says hi to Joe and then he introduces me to all of them.  This story could get really long if I really et into it.  So I will tell you the best parts.

Joe likes to play his money for his friends at first.  I'm saying $500 chips on the line for everyone in his group.  Now the women went off to play slots.  The men are with Joe.  In short, in a little over 4 hours Joe had won me $8,000+.  I said I am tired and went upstairs ($8,000 richer).  At breakfast the next morning, I ended up sitting with Tony Halme and his girlfriend who managed Crazywear then and they drove up that morning), Benny and his wife.  Joe and the others were at the table next to us.  Chuck comes up to me and say Keith why did you leave so early, you should have hung around longer.  benny then says we all ended up winning $12,000.  I couldn't believe it.

So then it's time to order breakfast and Tony is looking at the Keno cards,  he asks me what it is and I tell him to play.  he picks numbers and hands the girl a $20 bill.  He says give me $15 back.  I said just play that you cheap ass and he says no way he doesn't want to throw away money.  So he plays $5.  Anyway he isn't even paying attention to his numbers and i am and he ended up winning $5,000.  If he played the $20 I think it would have paid him $100,000. 

Anyway, I remember watching Joe play craps.  And he draws a very large crowd all the time.  I never seen anyone play with so much money until I started going with Joe to Vegas.  I remember counting the chips he had on the table one time.  There was close to $40,000 on the table.  I ws looking at most of the people playng and was certain just what was on the table was more than they made in a year.

Anyway I have a ton of these stories about Vegas.  if you find them interesting tell me cause I have some good ones.  In leaving, when Joe would hit a bad streak he wuld play Blackjack.  I went with him once to play.  Now tell me if you have ever seen this before.  When a dealer had an ACE showing they'll always ask for insurance.  If Joe is at the table, he would simply reach across the table and look at the dealers cards.  Now I only saw him do this at the Barbary Coast.  I'm not sure if other casinos would like this. 

One more thing about Joe.  Caesars Palace once owed him $50,000+ for some things they had bought from Joe.  They didn't pay him for about 4 months.  He was really pissed off at them and when they finally had his money (after months of trying), he told them he'd be comng to pick it up personally and make them be very sorry for taking so long.  Well he cashed the check and used the money to gamble at Caesars.  In short, he won $876,000+ that night.  At 1am he called his friend who is the largest jeweler in Vegas (Mordikai?) and told him to be at his store he needs to buy some jewelry for his wife.  he spent the entire amount on her for her birthday.

If I am at the Olympia I will be with him most of the time when I am l playing.  so be sure to come see us.  But don't talk to him while he has the dice he gets pissed, right Stunt.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 03, 2005, 02:04:15 AM
I am loving these Vegas stories Keith,and no i didn`t take the photo of Reg Park,i was going through some old mags and when i saw it mention Hawaii i thought of you.Over here in the UK at the moment there have been quite a few programmes on Sky tv about Vegas and the Jet set lifestyle and they had one about the top ten hotel rooms,and i must admit one of my favourites was when they showed the Venetian Hotel,which is in my top 3 of places i want to visit.The other 2 are the Atlantis resort on Paradise Isaland in the Bahamas and the Burj al Arab in Dubai,have you or Kevin been to any of these hotels.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 03, 2005, 04:42:43 AM
Just found an old UK mag from 1981 with your friend Ernie Santiago on the cover.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 03, 2005, 06:23:37 AM
Shep, Interesting to see that you posted that front cover shot of Ernie as I gave him a call yesterday but there was no answer, so now you've reminded me to call again.

I'll give you all a current update on Ernie as soon as I get through.

As of about three months ago, he was back to training and giving a thought to competing once again someplace.

I'll try to get those details this weekend and pass them on.

Only, looking at that Reg Park photo, I notice that the Gold Coast beneath DH is still barren so maybe that picture was actually taken way back then. I'll see if I can take a photo of that identical spot this weekend and show you all how much it has changed over the years.

SHep, I have stayed in just about every hotel on the LV Strip and have written a number of web site articles about the early days of that town. In fact, the Venetian is just about the only place on the Strip that I have not stayed in.

Actually we enjoyed ourselves best in that town when the "Boys" actually ran the place and all the better casinos. In fact, it was common knowledge that anyone in uniform would have a hard time loseing unless he started getting greedy.

A long story short, but back then most everyone was met at the casino front door by an official greeter and if you were in uniform or simply had that military haircut and introduced yourself as a Marine or a member of any of the armed forces, you were immediately led to a table and introduced to the "crew".

Someone would come up and "teach" you how to play the game of your choice and politely tell you when to quit after you got a few days' pay ahead.

"The drinks are on the house, boys! Get 'em at the bar!"

And you were wise to take that advice and count your chips at the plank!

This was not a rare occurance and it happened at most of the clubs.

I still go back a lot and always ask for for "Mo" or "Knuckiles", but those guys and those days are long gone now.

Just returned from a stay at Wynn Las Vegas and offered a toast to Bugsy on a number of different occasions.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 03, 2005, 06:32:56 AM
Very sad to hear about Paul DeMayo.

I met Paul many years ago when he was just starting to make his mark in the bodybuilding world.

He was a great guy!

He was traveling with his best friend .......... an Italian kid from the east coast who was also training hard to make a name for himself, but I forgot his name.

Can anyone help me with this?

God bless ya, Paul.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 03, 2005, 10:22:12 AM
Kevin,are you thinking of Franco Santoriello.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 03, 2005, 12:08:49 PM
Crown, I watch those shows too.  I love them.  The Atlantis is unreal.  The guy who runs the water activities there is my friends brother.  He is from hawaii.  The hotel in Dubai is ultra nice roo.  I have spen some time at the Venetian but only playing and eating.  But the rooms there are supposed to be the best in Vegas.  I think they are all suites too.

last time I talked to Ernie was a couple years ago.  he has a security cmpnay here.

I had to deal with the owner of the La Concha motel which is one of the oldest in Vegas.  It had to do with a guy using my name and selling Super Bowl T-shirts to people on the street and smaller hotels.  At the time I was running a t-shirt company in vegas that Pete G. owned.  This guy was collecting money from people and a few smaller hotels (including the La Concha) for Super Bowl T-shirts which we were providing to them but never delivering the shirts.  The owner called me up and I will tell you it sounded like a sound-bite from the old mafia days of th 50's and 60's.  This guy was pissed.  I told him the whole story on how this guy no longer worked with us since a month ago, and he said don't worry I'll take him personally.

Whether it's a coinicidence or what I swear to god we never heard a word about this guy again.  Luckily most of the places got there shirts but we lost in the long run some money.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 03, 2005, 01:10:37 PM
No, Shep, it wasn't Franco. But thanks!

Only, back in the early 60's we would drive up to LV a lot and most every weekend we were in that town there would be a small article on the front page of the local newspaper about finding a new dead guy in a shallow hole in the desert right outside of town.

And back then, "right outside of town" meant a block or two away from where the Strip stands today. Maybe as close as 20 yards from the backdoor of the casino.

I was curious as to why someone would take a walk into the desert to pass away and was informed by one of the casino bosses that that was the usual way of solving problems in Las Vegas.

If you owned money to someone or one of the casinos and were declared a "deadbeat" it was wise to just leave town.

But if you were dumb enough to stick around, it would be really wise if you never accepted an invitation to take a walk a little ways into the desert after the sun went down with a little guy with a funny accent.

If you were wanted badly enough you really had no choice in the matter and you were "delivered " one way or another.

Someone correct me here if I am wrong, but didn't someone who competed against Steve Reeves in the 50's get a job as a "collector" (a legal one) in Las Vegas?

(Another story that should be told for bodybuilding history before it is too late!)

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 03, 2005, 01:22:35 PM
"Paul DeMayo's wake will be Monday night with the funeral on Tuesday." 

Can anyone check this out and confirm the precise location?

Thanks
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 03, 2005, 02:31:49 PM
Just had a long distance conversation with Ernie Santiago. He is attending some conference in Illinois but had a break so we had a good talk.

As far as he recalls that photo above was taken sometime between 1982-1985 (I thought it was much earlier, but I am real bad with dates).

He also said that I was there with him that day and that the photo was shot "by those rocks down on the beach in Venice a short ways from the pit!"

"Remember??!"

"Nope!"

He can't recall the photographer's name but he is still shooting photos today.

Ernie is now 53 and has been doing some serious training lately in an attempt to compete in some masters contest about 2 years down the road. That'll be his last so after that, he'll hang up his posing trunks.

He is pesently a pretty solid and relatively bulky (what the hell is that???!!!) 230.

We laffed about those good old days and wondered how they passed so swiftly.

We are planning to do an interview upon his return from Illinois. He's got some pretty good stories too if he will allow me to repeat them.

That was the time when this "sport" was going through a "wierdness" transition phase.

Into the wierdness or out of it ........ difficut to determine which.

So if you have any questions that I can ask him in that interview, feel free to let me know, but do it fast cause time is of the essence!

But we both seem to be outlasting many others.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 04, 2005, 01:01:42 AM
Kevin the mag is dated January 1981 and the photographer was Joe Valdez.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 04, 2005, 01:10:49 AM
Thanks, Shep. I had a feeling that Ernie was wrong about the date that shot was taken.

And I even asked him if Joe Valdez took that photo and he assured he did not.

But I am now sure it was Joe who took that shot and will call and ask Joe tomarrow just to make sure 100%.

Joe has/had a great memory recalling dates and has a hobby collecting the birthdays of eveyone he meets.

I always receive a birthday greeting from him on my computer.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 04, 2005, 01:35:51 AM
Joe always emails me on my birthday too.  He is a nice guy.  I met him at the USA's.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 05, 2005, 12:00:25 AM
Here's the best shot I could take of the apporximate location where that Reg Park photo was taken. Lots of changes in those past 50 or so years.

This is Ft Durussy Beach with Diamond Head in the background as it was today around noon.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 06, 2005, 04:33:29 PM
Here's the best shot I could take of the apporximate location where that Reg Park photo was taken. Lots of changes in those past 50 or so years.

This is Ft Durussy Beach with Diamond Head in the background as it was today around noon.

that looks great
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 07, 2005, 12:49:35 AM
that looks great

Im with you on this one....looks inviting to say the least......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: ~noodle~ on June 08, 2005, 07:09:50 AM
Onlyme- that pic of you and the bear is great!! (glad it ended well though  ;) )

   You should use it as your avatar.  I took the liberty of resizing it if you want to, hope that was okay.

   And I have enjoyed reading all the stories and seeing the pics from all of you - thanks!   :)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 08, 2005, 07:57:40 AM
Onlyme- that pic of you and the bear is great!! (glad it ended well though  ;) )

   You should use it as your avatar.  I took the liberty of resizing it if you want to, hope that was okay.

   And I have enjoyed reading all the stories and seeing the pics from all of you - thanks!   :)

I have to admit.....it does make me laugh when i look at that picture.

but I am SURE it was no joke.

Glad you're in one piece.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 08, 2005, 04:23:20 PM
thanks noodle

Now that is one cool AVATAR ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 10, 2005, 01:04:50 AM
Is anyone here from the Original World Gym.  Back in 79' I remember getting massages from Franco who was practicing to be a Chiropractor (which of course he is today). 

He would go around the gym and ask you if you wanted a short massage.  you would lay across one of the empty benches and he'd go at it.  It was great.  Besides me I was wondering if anyone on here got one of those massages from Franco.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 10, 2005, 05:41:01 AM
Was it a massage..or a "Massage"? ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 10, 2005, 01:56:30 PM
I found a bunch of old photos that may be on topic but most are in 35mm format. Can anyone suggest a company who formats 35mm slides to digital disc? Last company wanted $1 each and I have too many to go that route.

Any help?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: serpico on June 10, 2005, 02:51:05 PM
 >:(I remember competing in a contest some years back with some guy named Samir. Bob Reis wound up beating him  for the class and all I can say is they delayed our pose down for the overall because of  his childish behavior, he carried on to such a degree that he was almost arrested.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 10, 2005, 05:36:27 PM
Samir or Reis, b/c Reis was always a very cool guy when I spoke to him in San Diego in the mid to late 80's, I saw him fairly often at Mission Beach. He was always ripped, year round, and he was  monster big. He never got over that loss to Lance Dreher in the Nationals, 81 or 82.

I wish I knew what happened to him (Reis).
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 11, 2005, 02:29:22 AM
Have been going through some old foot lockers looking for those photos of Pat Casey taken by the zoo in San Diego in the 60's.

No luck with Pat but I did find some old photos that you may find to be interesting.

I'll post a few each week and get these 35mm slides to Sam's Club where they format slides to disk for aboutr 24 cents each. It's not a one hour process though so it will take a bit of time, but some may be worth waiting for.

I'll submit them "incognito" and let you guys get the names and try to guess the location and the event and the year and anything else you may want to comment on.

I am the world's best instant camera photographer so keep your quality comments low keyed unless you have something outstanding to say. K, here goes.........
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 11, 2005, 02:43:14 AM
Two more and I head off ............
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 11, 2005, 02:46:52 AM
Two more...............
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: serpico on June 11, 2005, 08:43:38 AM
I think it was the '82 nationals when Dreher won.  '81 was the year of Tim Belknap another  Illinois product. Do you guys remember Bronston Austin? (I took seconds to all these guys!)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 11, 2005, 01:33:50 PM
Serp, I recall the name (Bronston) but not what he looked like.

I was there when Tim Belnap won the event. It was at Caesars Palace I think.

Here's a couple more shots ...........

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 11, 2005, 02:00:22 PM
Boys get ready for some unreal pics that no one has ever seen once Stunt gets them developed. 

Okay here is a short story I promise.  Me and Stunt were talking today and it jiggled my brain.  After seeing the pics of the twins...

At a club I bounced at and where Max Rep worked we had a ton of people come in.  In fact it was the #1 restaurant/bar in LA for a couple years.  Allot celebs and such.  ANyway, the Barbarian Brothers came in often cause one of their training partner Bob Sear worked my me as a bouncer as did Ron Gibson and jim Flarerty. 

We served a huge margarita called a Manhattan Maggie it was 32 oz.  Very popular with everyone.  I  loved the Apple Margaritas.  Anyway the twins would come in and almost always order two each and walk around the club with a 32 oz Maggie in each hand drinking them up.

One day they came in and David had a half gallon tub of ice cream eating it while walking around the club.  he ate the whole thing and everyone was looking at him.  when he was done he ordered two Maggies and had a great time.  That place as max has said was the best place to work and get girls.  As Bob could attest too, you could do girls from all over the world and never leave the parking lot.  It was a tourist attraction too!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 11, 2005, 02:21:02 PM
Onlyme-your not talkin about the Red Onion are you?

Do you remember the Red Onion's? Those were very hot in the early 80's, and very wild. Too bad they all folded.

Stunt-those pics are great-I love the one of Platz-he looks like he is 21 y/o there!

As for the year Lance Dreher won the Nationals, it was 81, b/c Tim Belknap won the LH and Lance won the Heavyweight class, but not the overall which went to Belknap.

I remember Bronston Austin, not big but had a very symmetrical build with good lines.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 11, 2005, 07:39:01 PM
No it's not the Red Onion it was where me and Max Rep worked Tequilla Willies in the Manhattan Village.  I liked the red Onion.  All the bouncers in the South Bay knew about the bouncers at our place.  We even got an award from the PD.  We were good.  I was bringing home over $600 a week back then and that didn't include what we got at the door from people who didn't want to wait in line.  Plus we got free food.  The 12 eggs omeletes they made us were awesome!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 12:40:01 AM
OK, enough Margarita stuff! Only can't drink worth shit! His idea of drinking with the boys is to get sick on the best looking lady in the house, but I think he told ya that one already.

So let's get back to some old time photos ...........

I gave 134 old time slides to the company who places 35mm slides on disks and should get them back next week. I'm kind of curious to see what they are myself.

Can anyone remove the scotch tape tears on the Gary photo useing PhotoShop?

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 12:57:25 AM
More oldies.

Bottom shot.... When this picture was shot the guy in the striped shirt goosed Cori and blamed the guy in white.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 01:00:54 AM
Last ones tonite.

The bottom picture is a Vietnam Fireteam that kept loseing their rifles and stopped at every tree to have a picture taken.

There are four men in a Fire Team but one guy had to take the photo and the bigger FT member wanted to be in every picture.

Notice the guy in the tree practicing his camoflague technique. You can hardly see him. Definitely Sniper possibilities.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 08:29:54 AM
Red Onion? Wasn't that the place where every drink was 70 cents?

Here's a trivia question.....  Name all the bodybuilders who worked Front Doors in various night clubs and the name of the club and the year/years.

That photo of Cory and BM and MF was taken at the Disneyland Hotel on a contest weekend. Jeff MC'd and Cory guest posed.

Here's another pic ......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 07:27:39 PM
Couple more pics ........
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 08:10:51 PM
The helicopter pilot in the above photo had to do a lot of computations before he determined that it was safe to take off with Rolf and his GF.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 08:17:05 PM
You should notice at least two people in these shots .......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 08:26:05 PM
Everyone was so much younger then and in some cases - alive and kicking.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 12, 2005, 08:34:39 PM
Okay another story.  Not so much about BB but there are some athletes.  I hope you guys aren't bored with these stories.  To tell you the truth I get my mind joggled and I remember them.  I know they are about me mostly but I don't know that much about anyone else.  Plus it is therapeutic to me to remember my past since my present is so shitty.  So, if they bother you just tell me and I will quit.

Okay, I slightly talked about this on another thread.  Back in 1988 or so I was in Miami doing an appearance.  These people came up to me while I was doing something for MDA at some hotel.  My manager was with me and started talking to them.  He came back and asked me if I wanted to participate in a Celebrity Golf & Tennis event in Boca Raton.  I said yes.  One of the girls asked me what do i want to do.  I said what.  she said you can  either play in the Golf tournament or the tennis tournament.  I said I want to do both.  She said you play tennis.  i said I actually was an assistant tennis instructor for two summers with Wayne Bryan (who now owns the Pacific Palisades Tennis Club in LA).  She said okay you can do both.

So I reported to the Vitas Gerulitis International Tennis Center in Boca.  I show up and they assign me a personal assistant that will handle all my appearances and anything else concerning the event.  Her name was Cindy Coker from Mankato, MN.  She was absolutely beautiful (and married, but will talk about that later).

She checks me in and gives me my intinerary.  Also, Kappa was a major sponsor and gave us free tennis shoes (along with a coupon for free tennis shoes for a year, limited to 6 pair of course). 

Anyway, we did a “meet and greet” dinner with the corporate sponsors and other people involved with the event.  I was by far the biggest (size wise) person there.  I looked very daper in my Polo shorts and XXXL fusia colored Polo shirt.  Imagine allot of talking and bullshit stuff happening and pictures.
 
Next day, I play tennis.  They assign me Nels Van Patton (as in Van Patton of Hollywood) as my pro.  Each celeb and corp. sponsor was assigned a pro as a partner.  We played Lyle Waggoner and Stephen Edberg in the first match which we lost.  I was doing good except dropped every volley.  Then it was lunch.  Cindy comes and gets me to take me downstairs where they had a spread of food made for a king.  She asked me if I needed anything I said no but can’t you stay for lunch.  She said no I can’t eat here we have to eat upstairs.  I said bullshit you can eat here with me.  What are they going to do to you.  I say it’s okay.  So she did.  Well we talked and talked and we got along VERY good.  I mean VERY GOOD.

When we were finished we were leaving the room and I knew she liked me.  There was a door going down the hall that I just decided to open and see what was inside. It was empty.  I said what is this she said didn’t know. I said come here she said what I grabbed her hand and took her inside the room and closed the door.  I just grabbed her and started kissing her.  About 10 seconds later she backs away and whispers “I’m married”.  I whispered back “I’m not”.  She smiled and said something like I can get in trouble.  I said “I swear I won’t tell if you don’t”.  She starts to laugh and we kissed a little more then left.  Now each time we look at each other we smile.

So then she tells me about the party that night at some club.  I said okay are you going and she said yes she has to be there.  So I kissed her and said see you tonight.  I went and played another match.  Later the limo comes picks me up that night to take me to the party.  I get there and all the camera people and others looking at me like who are you.  I go in.

Well I notice everyone is in a tux.  I am wearing a pair of black Cavarichi’s and a white Polo shirt and boots.  I am standing there looking like an idiot.  Cindy see me and asks where my tux is I said no one told me to wear a tux and where in the hell can I get a size 62 tux in one day.  I said get me out of here.  She grabs my hand and we head to the back of the room behind the bar.

I am so embarrassed.  Everyone looked so fancy.  Then I look up and at the door is Woody Harrelson.  When I see him I said to Cindy “look even Woody has a tux on”.  Well he see me and waves and literally starts to run-walk over to me.  As he got closer I notice he has one of those t-shirts that look like a tuxedo.  It looked so perfect from far away.  I say to him man thank you for not wearing a tux.  He said he didn’t read the invitation that he loved that shirt.  Then he said at least I don’t look as bad as you. 

So then people are dancing and me and Cindy start to dance then before the first song is over Woody taps me to cut in.  We were next to Lyle Waggoner and Linda Evans dancing together.  They could hear me telling Woody I don’t want to leave her cause I don’t’ want people to see me.  He starts to laugh.  So did Linda and Lyle.  Well just then Kristina Wayborn (James Bond girl from Octopussy) passes by and hears this.  So she grabs me and woody grabs Cindy and we dance around.  That was the night.  A little kissing with Cindy but not much cause she didn’t want the other people working with the event to see her cause it didn’t look good I guess help going out with the whoever.  Oh yea, Stephen Edberg grabbed Cindy and she told me.  I went over to him and asked him what he was doing.  He said he didn’t mean anything it was an accident.  I said to him fine don’t have another accident or I will have one on you.  He said something then left.  He thought he was bad.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 12, 2005, 08:36:36 PM
PART 2

Next day golf.  They stick me with Dr. J, a corporate guy and the resident pro.  It’s best ball.  We played at the Bear Creek Country Club in Boca built by Nickolas.  The sand traps are so deep, they had these people called “markers” (I think) that would line up where your ball is lying and where the pin is because you couldn’t see over the top and then rack the pit after you are done.  They had stairs going down into them.  I swear they were 20’ deep.

Anway in short Dr. J cheats allot. On the “closet to the hole” hole I got something like 3’ from the hold and was in first place for that.  The prize was a car phone for one year (back then they were like $1,000) and a ticket anywhere in the continental US on United Airlines.  So we are in the clubhouse celebrating my win of that hole.  Then one of the officials come in and tells everyone that (I can’t remember his name) but he played Jimmy Olsen in the Superman movie, got a hole in one.  I swear to god I was pissed.  He won on top of everything else the ticket was upgraded to anywhere in the world United flyes.  And with all the cheating Dr. J did we still lost.

So now it’s done and Cindy comes gets me.  We are having a party that night on a Yacht.  So I go get ready the limo comes and takes to the yacht.  It is called Monkey Business,  The yacht Gary Hart screwed around with that girl.  So we are on this thing drinking up a storm.  I am drinking with the Kenny loggins and this other musician who I never heard of but has won grammys named something Marcelas.  I think he plays a horn or something.  And of course the beautiful Cindy.  So now the funny thing is we are going t take the yacht to dinner.  We pull up to Shooters in ft. Lauderdale, and they valet park the yacht.  I loved it.  So we had dinner and that was that.

Next day, was the basketball game and that night was the end of tennis and the last party.  Myself and Nels played Bjorn Borg and Kristina Wayborn in front of maybe 5,000 people.  The funniest part was when Nels and Bjorn were volleying and not letting the ball hit the ground.  I stood there with my hand on my hip watching them like how about me.  Then all of a sudden Bjorn whacks the ball straight at me and it hits me in the chest and falls straight to the ground.  The ground starts laughing so loud as he comes over to say sorry.  It was funny. 

Anyway there is so much more but I see this is really long.  Almost as long as the 3 day event.  Anyway me and Cindy stayed in very close contact and it actually ended up almost ending her marriage.  Me and Kristina stayed in contact too for awhile.  The others I never saw again.  The pic is me and Kristina.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 12, 2005, 08:37:27 PM
Well I told you guys to get ready for some pics of BB's you've never seen.  Keep it up Stunt
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 12, 2005, 11:19:13 PM
More.

First is one of Phil;'s better shots. Sorry but I don't know who took this one.

Can anyone ID the second?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 12, 2005, 11:34:45 PM
Stunt do you have any of Pete when he did his first guest posing at the Pacific Beach
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 12:08:20 AM
Only - Any Pete shots that I may have are presently in the shop getting transferred from slide to disc. They get released next Wednesday.

YOU are in many and I will send them to ya and you can post those yourself with the appropriate story if any.

You got any humerous "No Hope in Dope" stories? I thinkI do recall a couple.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 13, 2005, 01:20:29 AM
I need to figure out how to make my stories shorter
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on June 13, 2005, 07:24:51 AM
Hey Guys

I just want to say that I am loving this thread, very nostalgic for me even though I am 35 lol.

Onlyme, I couldnt sleep last night due to the extreme humididty here in Montreal and was watching some old WWF tapes my brother gave me a while back and saw your buddie that you speak of several times Tony Halme(ludvig Borga) in one of the main events.

He sure looked like the type of guy not to mess around with.

PS speaking of the wrestlers any good stories on those guys
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 13, 2005, 09:09:29 AM
Only - great stories as usual

stunt - great pictures of Rolf
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 13, 2005, 09:31:21 AM
Stunt, I believe the 2nd guy is Justin Brooks.  He was sponsered my muscletech when they first started
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 13, 2005, 11:29:27 AM
I got Tony his very first wrestlig gig ever.  They brought him over to wrestle with some local guy.  Bob Orton and Steve Strong also wrestled.  It was fun cause we got to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center for the day.  We ended up (all four of us) hula dancing up on stage in front of about 3,000 people.  It was so embarrassing.

The promoter is "The Rock" Dwayne Thomas mom.  Well she tried to rip Tony off by nor payng him in full.  He was to get $5,000 and she wanted topay him $2,500.  He went ballastic in the back and finally got a check for $5,000.  I can't remember the guys name but he is really famous in wrestling back in the 70's and 80's.  He told us that Tony better go to the bank 1st thing in the morning and cash the check cause she will go there and close the account.

So, at 7am me and Tony went to the bank and was first at the door of the bank.  Before it opened there were 4 other wrestlers.  Anyway, we cashed the check and was pulling out of the driveway (at around 8:05am) and here drives up the promoter.  We found out later she did close the account but Tony already got paid.  I wonder if Steve Strong and Orton got paid.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 12:28:16 PM
Matt and Jeff in thier younger years
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 01:25:21 PM
NEED SOME HELP HERE IF POSSIBLE!

The person in the center of this photo (blue shirt) was a friend of mine many years back. During the "war years" we changed duty stations and lost contact.

He was/is a great natural bodybuilder and I will post some of his photos soon.

Anyone know him, pls ask him to contact me through this site.  THANKS

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 02:01:42 PM
Here's a better shot for ID purposes .....
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 08:58:25 PM
First shot........ Anyone see this guy roller bladeing down the highway or jumping from real high objects, pls have him report to GetBig.com and contact me.  (Old time military friend who got losted).

And the second photo is a picture of Doc Neely and Dave Rogers and his family when he was competing a while back at the nationals. This one was shot in Santa Monica just up the hill from the original Muscle Beach.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 09:12:45 PM
Here's Gary backstage at the Santa Monica Auditorium. He either won this year or the next.
I forget. Looks like Gary's little brother got in this shot.

Haven't seen Gary in a long while but the last time I spoke with him on the phone, he had just found his way out of some forest that he was "lost in" for a few days.

I don't really understand how you can get lost in any forest but he claims it did happen.

But I got to admit that one friend of mine decided to take a hike through some tropical forest down in South America and ended up lost and  living in that forest for almost one whole year.

His dad hired a group who went in to find him and drag him out and they did manage to get it done, but he put up a good fight as he did not want to leave. 

He was an unreal bodybuilder when he entered and came out ripped to shreads kicken and scream'en. I'll try to find some pics I got of him when he was training for Bodybuilding while Bill Starr was coaching a group of Olympic and powerlifters.

If I told you this complete story, you wouldn't believe it anyway.

First picture is Gary and BRO?  This second pic is Tito.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 09:26:43 PM
I think this first shot is interesting because there are relatively few photos of this great bodybuilder (in his day).

This particular photo was taken at the Embassy Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles.

If I am not mistaken, Gene Mozee was the MC at this event. (Right, Gene?)

And I blieve that this shot was taken one year before John Corvello won the Cal title and everyone expected a big battle for that title between Mr "X" and John.

Once again, if I am not mistaken, Larry Scott took a lot of pride in getting this individual prepped for the Cal that year.

Any corrections would be apprecaited.

Second shot was taken in Hawaii. This winner was a Marine who played football and decided to enter a bodybuilding contest a few weeks before the event. As a result of winning this contest the Corp gave him a job running a small base gym. More on this subject later.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 13, 2005, 09:40:20 PM
Keep em coming Stunt. 

Does anyone have any pics of Bill Burney,  I went to school with him and he ended up winning some shows.  They would be back in the 80's
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 10:05:19 PM
Sorry, I did know Bill, but never had an occasion to take a picture. Joe might be more helpful here.

OK, Only, lots  of great stories here. (See photo below.)

I'll let you start.  I really loved this guy! Curtis was one of the outstanding individuals that God placed on this earth.

But He didn't stay around long enough.......

This is a photo of a smaller version of this great individual who loved this sport entirely.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 13, 2005, 10:34:29 PM
Curtis was a good friend but he had better friends than me.

I was always telling him stuff that his best friends did not want him to hear.

I figure that it's best not to tell someone how "great" he is, but it's more better" to point out one's weakness.

It's easier to improve one's weakness and very difficult to improve one's greatness.

So I was always saying stuff  that good friends did not want to hear.

But Curtis himself understood and took most advise graciously. But many others didn't.

We all still miss Curtis a lot. He was a great person who made his mark upon this sport and none of us who knew him well will ever forget him. He was among the very best I've had the honor of meeting.

No Curtis in the pics below but here are a couple more before I call it a night.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 12:44:43 PM
More old pic posting.....

Photo with Cory in it was taken at World Gym in Waikiki with the partners shortly after it opened. Crazy time there! Bodybuilding was at its peak.

Second shot was taken in LV but I forgot what contest it was. Any help???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 12:56:43 PM
First shot is a local Hawaii contest many many years ago. The center guy later became a big time chef at one of  the Disneyland Hotels and trained with Boyer Coe (I hear).

The second shot shows the winners of a small contest held in the deep south. I believe it was taken by Chip English of Foley, Alabama (another good friend whom I have lost contact with).

Chip was last seen judging an NPC event in Georgia. Cory named him "Chocloate Chip". Cory does that sort of stuff.

Chip, get a hold of me!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 02:40:49 PM
More long ago shots...

First pic (Late 60's?) is of a good friend who I still stay in contact with. He is now retired and living in the mid west. Used to be real close friends with Bill and Judy Pearl and trained for a good while at Bill's place in Pasadena.

Second shot is one I have no idea how I came across ............

Presently looking for the Steve Reeves photos we shot while I showed him around town.
Will post if and when I do.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 02:45:54 PM
Sorry, second attempt at posting the shots ......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 03:13:34 PM
This shot was taken a while back as you can see, but we weren't in a real saloon and the guns  arn' t real.

But this is an interesting shot because the guy on the left  did a lot of photo work for Weider and Weider even did a story on him and his younger brother. Years later he worked with Jeff and Cory on that fitness TV show they filmed in Hawaii. Today he is raising a family in a ultra classy neighborhood on the San Francisco Bay.

And the lady on the right eventually became a major TV star in her own right. (Home Improvement?) Don't watch much TV so I may not have the right show.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 14, 2005, 07:33:48 PM
The girl on the right is Debbie Dunning.  i worked with her on her first film 'Dangerous Curves".  She played a bikini contestant and I was Leslie Nielson's bodyguard "Mandrake."

A quick funny story expecially if you were there.  At the time Debbie was seeing a guy who worked on AM San Diego.  They setup an interview with Leslie.  If you ever saw Leslie do an interview he uses his fart machine as much as I do. 

As he was getting interviewed he farted.  The interviewers just started to crack up.

I have a picture of Debbie on stage in her bikini poseing for me and pcking her nose.  I will scan and put up.

I was in a similar situation here.  Myself along with a couple others including Mr. USA Alan Inchinose were appearing on a show called "Five-Alive".  We I had to fart during the interview.  So when I did the interviewer (Crash Kealoha) just strated to bust up and we went to commercial.  i said sorry I culdn't help it.  Well the director saw what i had in my hands.  As much as he thought it was funny he said he had to take it from until the interview was over.  But we didn't tell Crash what it was.

So, when we started shooting again, when Crash looked at me he just ost it again.  In short we literally tried to do the interview 4 different times.  We had to stop for almost 20 minutes until Crasj could get his act together.  You know when you get in those moments when you just can't stop laughing, this is where he was at.  Abyway finally we got it done.  It was funny.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 14, 2005, 09:24:21 PM
Yep, that is Debbie! Great lady!

And here is one of Bill Grant sometime around 1977.

And I don't know the date of the second photo.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 14, 2005, 10:33:13 PM
That is Debbie Dunning from "Home Improvement" in that wild west saloon picture? Does not look like her at all.

Only-she was in "Dangerous Curves" too? I didn't know that.

Debbie Dunning dated and then married a pro beach volleyball player-one of the top guys-who used to train at Frog's Solana Beach. This guy is like 6'6 and has really broad (natural) shoulders, and does commentary now for all the Pro Beach Volleyball coverage on TV-I cannot remember his name for the life of me right now. He also is a founder of the Redsand beach/athletic clothing company.

When I remember his name I iwll post it. Debbie married him when she was on Home Improvement, and then she had a baby which was actually written into the show.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:48:57 AM
Good to see you guys know Debbie. She is a great lady.

Let's see if we can stir up more conversation here.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:56:20 AM
Much younger in these shots but you should be able to recognize each person plus those in the background too (if you've been around long enough!).
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:02:49 AM
It's probably an appropriate time to post these photos.

God Bless Rich!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:10:13 AM
And to finish it up tonite ..............
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:20:19 AM
ANd last but not least...

GUS and BILL
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 15, 2005, 02:41:48 AM
Gus was so wild.  He would get so worked up before he lifted.  i've seen several tapes of him lifting in Hawaii and passing out after doing or missing the lift.  But he was strong.  Bob looks good too.  And Billy was just huge when he was here
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: serpico on June 15, 2005, 08:11:35 AM
Stunt...Were Those shots of teuf and the sisters taken in front of Golds when it was on Main? I have a picture of me taken in front of the same window (I wish I had a scanner). You guys have done wonders for my memory! Its really quite therapeutic you know.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: serpico on June 15, 2005, 08:25:39 AM
I remember this Kid I think his name was Brian Dobson We were both competing in the teenage America in '76 or '77 well anyway He trained at a gym in Detroit called Armento's and he had told me that both Ross and Platz were originally from there.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:39:12 AM
Alphi ............  Hi, Alphi!

Second shot ........ Who can name them all?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:42:59 AM
1st Pic ..... Center guy was in a major movie ......Name it!

2nd Pic ..... One is Roger and I forget the rest. ANy help?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:47:56 AM
Alan Ichinose on the right.

Patriotic pic ........... Teufel
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 12:03:12 PM
No, Serpico! Those shots with the Gold's Gym window in the background were shot in front of the Santa Monica Gold's. That location is presently a lawyer's office and the up to date photo is someplace on this site.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:16:26 PM
This shot was taken before Ernie Santiago started competing on the National level. The blond haired contender was a friend of Ernie's who always placed behind Ernie and eventually moved to Florida where he became a school teacher. (Rich Rippetoe). His younger brother, Greg, who hated to go to they gym with us made a good name for himself competing in the Florida area. If anyone sees Rich or Greg, pls have them contact me through this site.

I have not spoken to any of the Rippetoes in a long while but I do speak to Ernie a lot and he is back in training for a future contest.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:20:36 PM
Young Arnold
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:32:06 PM
This is the first of a series of pictures taken at an IFBB contest held in Tiajuana (International?)

It was the year that Bob Birdsong won, so maybe someone can research the year it occured.

This was a very interesting contest because (as I have mentioned in an earlier post) this was the contest where Sergio Oliva was sittting on a table in the rear of the contest site (a very small banquet room in one of the better Tiajuana hotels) and kept on yelling for Arnold to get on stage with him for a posedown.

Arnold and Franco were seated at the official's table with Joe Weider and others and did their best to ignor Sergio until it started to get out of hand and Joe Weider announced that Arnold was not going to pose down with Sergio (I forget the reason why) and Franco volunteered to pose down against Sergio in Arnold's place.

And the rest is history .........

Sorry for the quaity of these shots but the stage lighting was pretty wierd in the first place and these slide are pretty damn old ............

This first pic is one of Bill Grant and Bob Birdsong.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 01:41:09 PM
Everyone expected Birdsong to win this one, and sure enough he did.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 15, 2005, 01:46:46 PM
This is a pic Stunt just sent me. I'm getting kicked out of the event I was putting on for the military at Pearl Harbor.  Luckily they let me back in.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 15, 2005, 01:48:52 PM
I told you guys to be prepated to see pics never seen before.  Stunt has the best.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 15, 2005, 02:00:06 PM
This is a pic Stunt just sent me. I'm getting kicked out of the event I was putting on for the military at Pearl Harbor.  Luckily they let me back in.
Hey OnlyMe-I have that shirt you are wearing when getting kicked out-The World Record Breakers in Hawaii-except mine is yellow!

Hey-did you ever compete in any of those events-especially since Max_Rep said you have the 600+ bench press. ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:01:57 PM
I gotta say this about that Arm wrestlng expo that evening.

Only invited everyone in the audiance to come up on stage and challange him, and if he lost he would give the victor $1,000 cash on the spot.

So within five seconds there was a line of about 20 of the hughest guys in the place flexing biceps and psyching out to take Only on  and pocket $1,000 in cold, hard cash.

And one by one they took position and with a serious arm wrestlers' face and growl they would do their best to pin his arm.

And Only would build up the suspense by letting some of the guys think that they were going to win, but then he'd just laugh and slam them on the table.

Most of the time, Only would just keep on talking on the mic to the audiance as his "opponent" was grunting and groaning and sweaten up a storm in an attempt to collect that $1,000.

No one ever beat Only, so no one got that $1,000 cash award.

Good thing too cause I had to buy Only a BIG Mac and a diet coke cause he didn't even have a wallet with anything in it.

One last thing and then I quit.

Only has never worn a pair of trou that reach below his knees. Even when he skis, he skis in shorts.

And if it is 32 degrees below zero and we have to shovel snow, Only is right beside us shoveling snow in shorts.

Oh yea! Ditto on the slippers too!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 15, 2005, 02:07:15 PM
Stuntmovie-

I have a question for you-do you ever recall Steve O'Brien doing guest posing in Hawaii in the early 80's. Steve was about 6'5 and a ripped 240-250 back then with some major guns. Steve had won the natural California (Chet Yorton show) in 81 and took 2nd at the Natural Mr. America later in the year, or early 82. Then he did some guest posing gigs in Hawaii when he was at his absolute peak condition-better than when he won his shows.

Let me know if you remember him.

Before I forget-can I get a copy of ALL of your pics on a cd rom?

Serpico-you came in late in this thread, there is are whole pages discussing Don Ross in the begining and he was from Detroit, and was a manager for Powerhouse Gym (when this was the only Powerhouse). Platz learned how to train very heavy from Ross.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:16:10 PM
OK, next series of photos are of Franco and Sergio when Franco accepted Sergio's challange on behalf of Arnold.

Sergio was mighty disappointed and let eveyone know it but did accept Franco's "acceptance".

I have to admit that Franco was darn impressive and had a lot of guts to get up there on that stage with Sergio without planning for it earlier.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:24:22 PM
THE COMING UP!  - THE MYTH!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 15, 2005, 02:31:01 PM
I still don't wear long pants but i now wear tennis shoes.  I showed up at the Club Industry show in Chicago in October in shorts.  Add the wind and I was freezing walking around that place.  When me and Stunt went to the Arnold in 2003 I got off the place and waiting for the taxi it said 36 degrees.  When I went to China in Feb of 1994 we had a layover in Korea.  I get off the plane which they park on the runway, there is no jetway so we have to walk across the runway outside and it was snowing.  As I was walking towards the little bus to take us to the hotel, the driver got out and took my picture.  He talked english I think cause all he said to me was "YOU CRAZY!'

i didn't even own a pair of long pants for the longest time.  Never needed them.  I remember walking down Michigan Ave in Chicago with some guys and I swear to god I thought I was going to die.

619 that wasn't the World Record Breakers I was getting thrown out of it was my military armwrestling finals I put on at Block Arena at Pearl Harbor.  I emceed the WWB for Gus.  I never competed cause I didn't think I would do very good since Ionly trained for fun.

But I do remember being late for a emcee job I was doing for the Hawaii State held by Francis Silva (who benched 600 weighing under 200).  Well when I finally arrived they had just finsihed the bench.  There was 500 on the bar.  Francis made sure everyone knew I was late and finally arrived.  As I stepped on stage I said I was sorry but he said well you have to bench that then I'll forgive you.  I used to train with Francis.  So now everyone is waiting to see.  I said with no warm up and he said nope!  So I got under the bench with evryone looking and proceeded to lower the bar to my chest.  I then started kicking my feet as it laid on my chest.  A couple guys came over and then you hear Francis yell leave him.  And about 3 seconds laer I put it up.  He liked when I'd do that. 

Not sure if Max Rep ever saw me do this at Ray's gym but I think it is funny.  I did it all the time at Gold's in Vegas on Sahara.  Then everyone got used to it, and no one would run over to help.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:47:27 PM
Yea, Only! SOme of these old time Powerlifting stories are great and a lot are too unblievable to even remember or even to post on such a nice site as this.

ANYWAY ................. Back to Sergio .........

BUT FIRST A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR .............

We all did a hell of a lot helping the MDA and even the WWF joined up with us by inviting the MDA Poster Child to a major event and hosting the young kid back stage where he got go meet all them "monsters". That was quite a night and I never saw a kid in a wheelchair so happy. He passed away shortly after. Thanks to all you good folks who helped out during that very interesting time in this crazy "sport".

Here are a couple of pictures that are available, but there are many others who should be thanked just as well, only I ain't got pictures of them all !

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 02:52:53 PM
Thanks
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 03:00:27 PM
And to this guy with Cory who was always there when we needed help.

Who the hell is this guy anyway!!??
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 03:47:30 PM
Steve O'Brien? Name sounds familiar but I can't place the face. And I don't recall a him back then. Got a picture?

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 15, 2005, 04:01:27 PM
Geeze Eddie Robinson's arms were unreal :o

And Stunt...ur killing me with this wait.... :D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 15, 2005, 05:12:00 PM
Steve O'Brien? Name sounds familiar but I can't place the face. And I don't recall a him back then. Got a picture?

There is a picture on a magazine cover at muscle memory, I will post it...

Found out the guys name that married Debie Dunning of Home Improvement fame-Steve Timmons, worked out at my gym and at 6'6 had some of the best natural delts around.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:41:25 PM
AND NOW FOR SERGIO ....... Sorry for the photo quality.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:47:48 PM
POSEDOWN .....

Even with Joe Weider sitting at the officials' table ......... Sergio won it hands down!

No question in anyone's mind unless you were a future Mrs. Columbo.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 15, 2005, 11:56:14 PM
Champions both .........
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 06:40:19 AM
At one time back in them old years, Ken Sprague owned Gold's Gym and promoted the AAU Mr America Contest in Santa Monica.

It was probably the most extravagant bodybuilding show of all time and started off with a good sized parade including elephants and other animals on two legs.

I managed to find a few of the pics I took that day, so I'll post them here.

If I am not mistaken, I think that this was the same year that the contestants posed to real live music from a real live orchestra and Mae West passed out the trophy to the overall winner...... Dave Johns.  (Someone correct me if I am wrong here!)

OK, on to the parade for Mr America Day !!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 06:45:39 AM
There were floats with bodybuilders on the top and horses with riders ........... but I forgot who rode the elephant.

And Ken Sprague even published a special newspaper for the event.

This was a FIRST CLASS operation.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 06:48:30 AM
It was a real great day and most of the competing bodybuilders participated.

I'll do my best to find the rest.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 06:53:32 AM
Back in them good old days, most of the guys did some heavy powerlifting workouts unless they trained at Vince's Gym.

So let's get some Powerlifters posted here ........ I'll do my best to find a couple.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 06:57:59 AM
Great lifter!

Great Person!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 16, 2005, 07:01:01 AM
I'm sorry Stunt but i don't recognize that guy ???

Any pics of Roger Estep...he trained in Cali and had what I would call the ideal physique, and he was a powerlifter!!! Did u ever go to any of those original world's strongest man competitions...I believe they were in Cali??? I know Gus who u posted pic of earlier competed one year
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jeff Preston on June 16, 2005, 07:18:19 AM
There were floats with bodybuilders on the top and horses with riders ........... but I forgot who rode the elephant.



Unbelievble pics Stunt!!!

Rudy Hermasillo and Ken Waller were the elephant riders

(http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL208/994433/1850393/22785861.jpg)

From Ken Waller:

"We had a big parade one year and that fool (Ken Sprague) had me ridin' an elephant! I burnt the shit out of my legs on that elephant! That skin is like a porcupine. I used a ladder to get up there which was fine but then I decided to just jump off the side and it was like sliding down on a piece of sandpaper."

The full interview
http://ironage.us/articles/preston-waller.html

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jeff Preston on June 16, 2005, 07:26:06 AM
AND NOW FOR SERGIO ....... Sorry for the photo quality.


"Sorry " for the photo quality Stunt?
Do you realize you just might be in possesion of the only pics of the Franco and Sergio posedown in existance!!!

At least I've never seen any before now.
The 1973 Mr. International was an event no doubt.
Bill Grant was there and recalled the event for us at http://www.Ironage.us on one of the threads
we had on that very show.


 "I do remember some of the events at the Mr. International held in Tijuana, Mexico in 1973.  I very clearly remebeing Sergio calling Arnold out, but of course Arnold declined.  Knowing that the Mr. Olympia was coming in just a few weeks.  Arnold did tell Sergio that he wouldn't compete with him there but would be more than happy to except a challenge at the upcoming Mr. Olympia. I have to tell you though that was a very prestigious contest.  T.J. asked if I still had my trophy from that show, unfortunately I don't and it was a very classy trophy and heavy as well.  They had to ship it back to L.A. for me.  I don't know how much politics played in this, but as you all know that in 1974 Arnold held the Mr. International in L.A.at the Embassy Theater. That was the first show Arnold held.  It was a sellout with news coverage and news paper coverage as well. It was the most talked about event in L.A. that night.  People where waiting in line that went around the corner. What a show that night.  I wish all of you IronAgers could have checked this one out.  Does anyone have any photos from this show, it was held in 1974 August to be exact because it was one month before the Olympia." 

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 16, 2005, 08:50:54 AM
Dave Dupre was on the elephant as well.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 09:30:50 AM
Jeff, Bossa,Crown, Thanks!

Back when those Parade photos were taken, I don't recall any bodybuilding tanning agents and I see an awful lot of awful white bods the day before a major contest.

I do recall useing baby oil mixed with a small amount of iodine to get somewhat of a decent tan.

My first recollection of a tanning agent was Dy-O-Derm which was originally used by embalmers to get corpses looking half way decent for open casket wakes.

Jeff E. was the first to bring that to my attention, but I don't think it was available at the time these shots were taken.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 16, 2005, 12:50:56 PM

I do recall useing baby oil mixed with a small amount of iodine to get somewhat of a decent tan.

My first recollection of a tanning agent was Dy-O-Derm which was originally used by embalmers to get corpses looking half way decent for open casket wakes.


Dy O Derm-thats is a product I have not heard of for a while. Do you remember the vitamin/food coloring that you could buy? You take it everyday and it was supposed to give you a tan, but ended up turning your skin a very strange orange color? That stuff is long gone too!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 16, 2005, 01:32:07 PM
Stunt posted this pic and no one made any guesses.  Can anyone name all three guys
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 01:34:16 PM
Ya, Rules, I  do remember that stuff but I forgot its name.  Something like Militonin.

We also used to drink huge quantities of carrott juice to get a healthy glow but I had to quit when my eyeballs turned yellow. And then there was Niacin. ANd a mixture of baby oil and iodine.

And what was that stuff they sold in a little spray bottle that would turn your hair a lighter shade in the sun? "Sun-Up?? Sun-Down??? Sun-In???"

Everyone wanted to look like they had been surfing all day. Even the surfers who actually surfed all day wanted to look like that.

In the days of the  AAU oil was not permitted so we did the following to "cheat" a bit. The best "cheaters" even won back then.

Here was our "cheaters' secret".

About four hours before the prejudging, you would hop in a real hot shower to open the pores on your skin.

Then hope out of the shower and cover yourself with a thick coat of a mixture of baby oil and oil of wintergreen and let it soak in for a few minutes before hopping back into the shower to remove the noticeable excess.

Then hop out of the shower and pat down until your skin appears real dry.

Now the big problem is to avoid breaking a sweat until prejudging.

If you did this all just right, you'd be in that initial lineup looking like you've never seen an oil can. Just a dry bod like the rules called for.

But as soon as you started posing, that oil would come rushing out and make you look twice as ripped as the other dry guys to your right and left.

This little maneuver worked forever until oil was "legalized".

This next photo is a picture we shot of one of the USA contestants back in the days when Alan Ichinose won his class. Actually this guy was pretty damn good and he was years ahead in hair cut styles. The perfect "Sun In" haircut model.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 01:43:44 PM
Can anyone give an update on Rudy Hermasillo and Dave Dupree? And how about Pat Ruhl and Billy Grant?

Last time I saw Rudy was that weekend he took that elephant ride.

And the last time I saw Dave was at one hell of a great party at Caesars Palace after one of the Nationals many many years ago. That was the year I told everyone to follow me because "I know a shortcut!".

So we hopped over a wall and ended up in one of the Caesars Palace fountains.

I had squeekie shoes the rest of that evening but another good story to talk about as I grew years older.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 16, 2005, 05:31:29 PM
Stunt-

Bill Grant has hosted/MC'd the Muscle Beach contest the last 2 years, and I believe he is living back in New Jersey working as a private trainer. He has posted on Ironage regularly and this is a thread from the Muscle Beach contest 2 weeks ago in Venice Beach-

http://ironage.us/yabbse/index.php?board=2.0

That is all the info I have, Dave Dupree is most likely retired and still living in the LA area I would bet though.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on June 16, 2005, 06:03:12 PM
Here's a photo of Dave from just a fews years ago, 2000 I'm thinking.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 16, 2005, 06:39:51 PM
I remember Bill Grant working at LAX when I worked there on the ramp.  Back around 1975
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 16, 2005, 08:52:32 PM
Bix-is that Dave Dupree?

Where was that pic taken, a Masters contest no doubt. He looks like he is doing OK-he must be 60 y/o right now-and no longer using "supplements" ;D

Onlyme-your buddies the Grymko brothers are starting a new gym chain!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 16, 2005, 10:08:58 PM
Well Paul is and Rich.  He told me about it around 4 months ago.  Pete did call me yesterday.  We only talked for about 10 minutes then he had someone at the door.  He said he'll call me back.  I did find out his new wife is 4 months pregnant.  She is doing fine.  he has been down in the Yucatan for the past several months.  I'll try to get a story off him.

Interesting name Paul came up with.  I called him today but left a message.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 16, 2005, 10:28:38 PM
What is the new name?

365 ____?____

Sounds like a play on the "24 Hour Fitness" title/

Only "365" is bigger than "24"!

I bet a lot of thought went in this new name and I think it's a great start!

I'll join if they give me a freebie.

Good luck,guys!

Bring back the days of yor when Men were Men and Women were really Women!

With some exceptions of course!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 17, 2005, 10:09:00 AM
I`m glad you guys talked about the Red Onion,cause that was the club where i met Shawn Ray in 1990,and got to train with him before the Olympia.Now hopefully you might be able to tell me about someone.As these limos were pulling up to the door,the longest stretch limo i have ever seen pulled up,and even the regulars were gob smacked at the size.Then about 12 stunning women got out,and were followed by a guy who i would describe as a big heavy set guy,with a beard,and a rolex watch on each wrist,and they walked straight past the queue to the frony door.Someone did mention that the limo used to belong to Kool and the Gang,but i don`t know if there is any truth in that.So,does anyone know who this guy is.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: SILVERBACK on June 17, 2005, 10:14:46 AM
Do you remember the vitamin/food coloring that you could buy? You take it everyday and it was supposed to give you a tan, but ended up turning your skin a very strange orange color? That stuff is long gone too!

Canthaxin ? Awful - turned even the palms of your hands orange... looked like you'd been wanking a carrot...  ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 17, 2005, 07:48:32 PM
YEA! I was YELLOW once - a lot.

Hey! Whatever happened to Ricky Tubbs?

And if ya have to ask, "Who the hell is Ricky Tubbs, you haven't really gotten out of Bodybuilding 101."

Ricky went to school someplace with Bob Paris and drove out to California with him to become bodybuilders on the West Coast.

But somehow  Ricky continued west and ended up in Hawaii, in a small town on a big island with an active volcano just a lava flow away.

And he trained at Herb Ishibashi's Gym and made amazing progress and eventually fell in love and married Herb's daughter. But still he trained as hard as anyone and made gains that impressed us all.

And he won the state bodybuilding championships and was destained for greater glory.

But then he disappeared from sight only to reappear one day many years later at Wold Gym in Waikiki.

He arrived in an ambulance because he was a ParaMedic. Someone passed out and needed his help.

But not badly enough to stop Ricky from recalling old and great stories about the great days and great times we had in the bodybuilding world.

But now he was taking care of other people's bodies in a much more serious manner.

Some he could save and some he could not! But he did his best just like he did in the days of competition when he never lost.

But eventually reality has to show its dreary head, and he accepted that as best he could.

Rick was one hell of a great man, but we soon lost contact with a great old friend.

Ricky Tubbs! Where the hell are ya?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 17, 2005, 08:13:08 PM
Here's a couple of shots of Phil "minutes" before he disappeared from the Bodybuilding world.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 17, 2005, 08:18:41 PM
Another great competitor back then.

One hell of great person. Now drives for a limo service in Las Vegas. If you need a limo for the USA or for the Oly, this is the man to ask for.

Ask Only and he should be able to tell you how to contact him
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 17, 2005, 08:50:10 PM
Only, I'll let you offer comments on this photo. .. You still in contact?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 17, 2005, 09:55:18 PM
Belive it or not the guy on the right has an amazing world class bicep peak.  Unreal.  He owned the second World Gym on Oahu.  It was closed down because someone lit it on fire.  It was the best gym in all Hawaii.  hardcore and great to lift at.  had DB's to 300.  ALL the big boys trained there as did most of the hot girls.  The guy on the left is a good friend and family man.  Very quiet but had a hell of a body in his day.

The middle guy is my old training partner at that gym.  This is an old pic.  He was a very cut 200 and was one of the strongest in the gym.  He benched 400+ for reps.  I'll dig out some pics of him in shape.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 17, 2005, 10:24:05 PM
Onlyme-

That guy in the middle had a 400 pound bench for reps? Wow, he looks very small to be hanging with such a big weigth-it looks like he is well below 200 Lbs..........

I`m glad you guys talked about the Red Onion,cause that was the club where i met Shawn Ray in 1990,and got to train with him before the Olympia.Now hopefully you might be able to tell me about someone.As these limos were pulling up to the door,the longest stretch limo i have ever seen pulled up,and even the regulars were gob smacked at the size.Then about 12 stunning women got out.....

Crownshep-where are you at? England, Canada?

The Red Onion was by FAR the most wild and crazy club to ever entertain the masses. They had about 6 or 7 of them, with LA and Huntington Beach being the hot ones. They were WILD. LA had a chandelier that they would lower to the dance floor and one time my buddie jumped up and grabbed hold and they started to raise it back up-with my buddie was hanging on for his life! Had those little shot babes running around in their bra's serving shots to everyone while you popped a woodie watching them pour it!. Man they were fun. They opened one in San Diego in about 88, but they started to go under and by 1990 they were all closed down. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 17, 2005, 10:30:13 PM
What is the new name?

365 ____?____

Sounds like a play on the "24 Hour Fitness" title/

Only "365" is bigger than "24"!

I bet a lot of thought went in this new name and I think it's a great start!

Yeah Stunt-

What is with the numbers in the gym name today. A new chain that was just started 2 years ago by the son of the guy that started Family Fitness is called Fitness 19-and they are very well equipped gyms-great equipment.

Family Fitness mostly sold out to 24 Hour Fitness, and now this new Fitness 19 is buying local independant gyms and turnig them into Fitness 19's. They have bought a number of Gold's franchisees and just dropped the Gold's name and all the headaches that went with it. Not to mention the franchising fee which has gone up 10 fold since they first started.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 17, 2005, 10:37:20 PM
619,  Well there looks to be about 3 or 4 years prior to him training hard.  His name is Simpson Bannister.  In the off season he probably weighed around 230.  He competed in the Lightheavy at my show.  Wait till you see the pics and you;ll see a huge difference
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 17, 2005, 10:38:14 PM
Sorta off topic...but do powerhouse gyms still exist ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 17, 2005, 10:43:50 PM
I mentioned on another post. I talked to Paul G. today for about an hour.  He has been working on this for a while.  It sounds like he has allot of interested parties.  He told me he has had over 200 inquiries so far.  And allot of them are multi-club owners. 

Golds has started screwing around with a system that worked.  Now its going to bite them in the ass.  Watch what happens after July.  If anyone is going to the convention (Golds) please tell us about it.  It appears it may be a little slow this year. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 17, 2005, 11:21:37 PM
Sorta off topic...but do powerhouse gyms still exist ???

I am training at Powerhouse right now-they are doing OK. Not great, but they make 5 grand on every licensee-flat rate for everyone. I don't think Powerhouse will ever have the draw of a Gold's or World just because it is an east coast/mid west based gym chain. Powerhouse is HUGE in Michigan, where they started in Highland Park/Detroit area. Over 50 Powerhouse Gym's in Michigan.

You know what is funny-World Gym started here in So Cal, but there are only about 20 World Gyms in CA, has been that way forever-yet in Florida there are over 50 World Gym's-and 50 is a big number. I don't think Gold's has over 50 gyms in ANY state, and they are the biggest gym chain.

Only-Post a pic of your buddy weighing in at 230-he must have made some serious gains!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 18, 2005, 12:35:08 AM
PowerHouse is opening a small 9,000 sq ft gym in Kihei Maui.  Should be open by the end of the year
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: crownshep on June 18, 2005, 12:41:50 AM
I`m from England, 619,and i think the Red Onion was in Orange County,i`m sure thats where shawn was living at the time.I trained at the Golds in Venice and then with Shawn at a Golds that was i think in Orange county,Bill Burney was training there and i was very impressed with his phsyique,and his character.I think he said he worked in Law Enforcement down on the beach.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 18, 2005, 01:17:49 AM
I want to see some pics of bill burney.  I haven;t seen him since high school.  he was very polite, quiet and was an awesome athlete.  A great football player.  I think he became a cop or something.  Kind of a model looking guy.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 18, 2005, 10:54:10 AM
I`m from England, 619,and i think the Red Onion was in Orange County,i`m sure thats where shawn was living at the time.I trained at the Golds in Venice and then with Shawn at a Golds that was i think in Orange county,Bill Burney was training there and i was very impressed with his phsyique,and his character.I think he said he worked in Law Enforcement down on the beach.

Thats is what I thought Crownshep-you are an english lad.

You must have been at the Huntington Beach Red Onion, those were pretty fun-well at least for a while. I think everything gets old sooner or later.

Shawn trained at Gold's Fullerton I think. It is funny b/c Shawn looks real big on magazine covers, but in person he is a little guy.

Have you been to Dorian Yates gym? If so, how big is it and how was it training there?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 18, 2005, 04:20:43 PM
Hey, Shep! How bout Flex? England's Flex, I mean! Is he going to make a big name in this sport or not? We met him at the USA and he appeared to be the guy to watch out for soon. I mean maybe in four or five years or more!

How do you guys feel about him over there across the pond? And who else among the amateurs is coming up?
----------------------------------------

Nother subject ..........

I just read some interesting comments on the Jr Nationals posting and one guy said that one of our members "appeared not to be dark enough and not enough oil".

To me, that is pretty basic and it's difficult to understand how anyone one can get to the point where he can compete on the National level and still not have a complete understanding of the basics.

It's basic to me that you cannot go on stage without a sheen of some kind..... In the old AAU days when oil was not allowed, we'd do our best to work up a sweat or cheat a bit as mentioned earlier.

It's also basic to me that you must have a dark "tan" on stage. And I do mean "dark" as those bright lights will lighten you up a lot so that has to be taken into consideration (especially if the event is being televised or filmed for future use).

And since "black" is the absence of light, it is best to wear dark, dark trunks. Black trunks will make your waist look smaller. You can argue this point but it is the truth. And if you want to argue, next time you are up on stage, wear white posing trunks. That'll convince ya.

And some fans say that their buds did not do too well during the prejudging and they hope he will look much better at night.

Uhh, uhh! Ain't gonna work! Those judges pick the weight class winners and all other placings during the prejudging phase and seldom make a change during the finals. (There are exceptions of course but this is rare!)

Most times the judges are there at the finals to decide the overall winner from the wt class winners. If you don't believe me, take a close look at the official table. The seats could be vacant or the judges who are there are more interested in something else, but still kind enough to keep their eyes up on the stage.

But when it comes to the final posedown of the wt class winners, those seats are full and the judges are working once again.

OK, last comment ...... and this one comes from a world reknown athlete who has won many IFBB titles  ..........

The most important part of any amateur contest is the INITIAL LINEUP.

And the most important part of that INITIAL LINEUP is the first 30 seconds when the judges take their initial overall look.

ANd the most important part of that INITIAL 30 SECOND OVERALL LOOK is your ABS!

Subconsciously, your abs are the first thing the judges see. He went into a long discussion about "looking at the abs first" which I won't broach here but - take my word for it.

And during that INITIAL LINEUP, you are placed by each judge from first to last, and from that point on you got to improve a bit to get your placing moved up a bit.

Sorry to be so basic, but apparently some good people just don't understand.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 18, 2005, 05:25:55 PM
You guys are really gonna date yourselves if you can answer this one ..........

Who was "Pillow"?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 18, 2005, 05:31:31 PM
You guys are really gonna date yourselves if you can answer this one ..........

Who was "Pillow"?

he was that kid in the movie that could move things and make people see how the deer was hurt when shot.  The Fly was in it too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 18, 2005, 09:19:52 PM
he was that kid in the movie that could move things and make people see how the deer was hurt when shot.  The Fly was in it too.

HAHA...Thats "powder"....isn't pillow that female bodybuilder...huge before they got huge? 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 18, 2005, 09:57:53 PM
Opps my bad
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 18, 2005, 10:23:16 PM
HAHA...Thats "powder"....isn't pillow that female bodybuilder...huge before they got huge? 

Pillow-have not heard that name in a while.

Bossa is right, she was one of the bigger female BBer's. Competed in the first 2 or 3 Ms. Olympia's and I think she took 2nd in one of them, I need to check muscle memory on that one.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on June 19, 2005, 09:21:15 AM
Pillow, once overweight, got her nickname from wearing goose-down jackets to hide her size.

She never competed in the Olympia.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 19, 2005, 08:07:17 PM
Thanks for the Pillow info, guys! That's a long ago story that I'll post someday, but for right now here are a couple of old shots that may be of some interest to some of ya.

The first picture was taken at a combined Power/Bodybuilding contest way back when....

And the second shot is of an old friend who I have not seen in guite a while and Only will probably have a few comments about him. He's a great guy and used to be the personal bodyguard for a famous singer when they went on the road .......... I forgot the singer's name though. Maybe Only will straighten this one out...

Tell them about racken those 300's, Only! He didn't even realize that they were heavy.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 19, 2005, 08:20:41 PM
This shot was taken at the Caesars Palace pool the weekend that Tim Belnap won the National Championships.

That was a great weekend and some of us are still talking about it while laffing our asses off.

It all started at a party in one of the Penthouse Suites thrown by one of the National Sponsors. It was the only party so it was packed with everyone  standing asshole to bellybutton and mingling with one and all.

It was such a good party that the Hosts didn't want it to end and we all stayed probably longer than we should have .....  drinking everything in site and chowen down and having a grand old time talking story and raising hell.

I think that the Hotel Security even arrived to quiet us down and ended up joining the runkous when they saw that it was futile.

Eventually that party ended and the the real fun began ............. and that's a story for a later post.

Only, you were probably still shitting in your knickers then.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 19, 2005, 08:30:09 PM
FIrst shot - This is Hannu's better half. A great great lady.

And the second shot is a group of people who I have no idea about. But it was taken at one of the contests and they look like models, so maybe they did some modeling gig during a break or something.

Only? You recognize anyone?  Good looking group, so I thought I'd post it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 19, 2005, 09:58:09 PM
Well that guy with the hat and shaking handswith that kid is Calvin.  Born in Missouri and grew up on a farm.  This guy had the most incredible pulling strength but couldn't push that much.

I mean he could do bent over rows with 365 like it was nothing.  Lat pulldowns with the whole stack even though he only weighed 270.  He had guys holding him down while doing them,

Well during the second opening of Worlds Gym after the fire.  The owner hire Calvin to clean the smoke off the remaining good equipment.  Well when he was done with the 300 lb dumbells, he rolled them over to the rack.  I was doing some cardio on the recumbent bike and was talking to him while he was working.  I watched him with the 300's as he rolled them to the rack.

I asked him "are you going to leave those there"  He said "Should I"  I said rack em if they can't lift then fuck em.  He grabbed one at a time and put it up on the rack like it weighed nothing.  i couldn't believe it.  He made it look so simple.  300 lb DB's weigh allot.

a few years before that he was one of the marines that challeged me.  I knew how strong he was so i had to be serious.  Well it ended up him tearing his pec the next day.  he said his hurt so bad that it cramped up and he dropped the weight on him.  And he used to bodyguard Dolly Parton I think.

P.S.  Ronnie Coleman came in one day and did DB rows with the 300's for 12.  Unreal!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 19, 2005, 10:01:52 PM
Oh Oh I found a pic that Gene Mozee took of me benching at Ray Mentzers gym Muscle Mill.  This thing is small though.  I blew it up to as big as I could without losing all the resolution.  I'm not sure how much I was doing.  It is either 505 or 555 or something around there.  I am scared to post it cause you guys will make fun
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 20, 2005, 06:37:30 AM
Just a feeling, but I don't think very many people are gonna make fun of you for benching over half a grand :o

Throwing around 300 lb DB's and not even realizing there heavy is pure crazyness!!! And you beat this guy in armwrestling? How high did you go with that...were you competing in the world chapionships or anything ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 20, 2005, 11:33:49 AM
Bossa yes I used to compete and was okay.  I thnk that day I took on about 30 or so guys.  here is the pic.  Not that hot but it is the only pic I have of me in the gym.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 20, 2005, 12:04:14 PM
Bossa yes I used to compete and was okay.  I thnk that day I took on about 30 or so guys.  here is the pic.  Not that hot but it is the only pic I have of me in the gym.
Onlyme-that is serious weight there....

You must be crazy going with a thumbless grip though-if that baby slips you are history!

Looks like you have a narrow grip on the bench press, which would make the lift much harder-is this your normal grip width?

PS, dont tell Big G man your secrets or we will never hear the end of it!

Stunt-any pics of Belknap from the Nationals? Poor guy had to do the show 3 times and still never won the Universe/World.

Joe-I cant believe "Pillow" never competed in the Ms O, for some reason I remember her as always pushing the muscle envelope as it related to females back then and that she was just a hair short of winning the big one.....guess I was wrong on that one......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 20, 2005, 12:25:06 PM
Ya 619 I was thinking teh same thing, thats not some superwide "belly-bench" thatsa close grip, thumbless from what I count 545 bench!!! I think Onlyme could very well be the most modest board member

And 619 u better watch out...Inspecter gadget is on your trail HAHAHA :D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 20, 2005, 12:37:59 PM
That is the only way I have ever benched.  It never felt right gripping it with my thumbs.  It takes away strength in your forearms (from having to grip the weight).  And people always say that if the weight slips, well believe me if the weight slips your thumbs aren't going to help.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 20, 2005, 12:44:06 PM
I don't know about modest.  but it is harder to talk or brag about something you can't do anymore.  back then at least if someone question me I could just show them.  Like I said somewhere on here I have a goal to bench 500 by the end of the year.  if i can that then I will be happy.  Right now I highly doubt i could do 405.  Cause I am barely doing 315 for 4 sets of 6.  But who knows
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: an123 on June 20, 2005, 02:46:39 PM
Wow, that kind of weight thumbless and with a closer grip.. That is impressive.

I always bench somewhat close, I find if I do go further I have less control.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 20, 2005, 04:29:23 PM
Belnap pics? I must have some here someplace but it's gonna take a while to get more into the digital format shop because I am under a full load at present.

But I do recall going to the grocery store with Belnap and Jeff and Cory and everyone was buying those puffed rice crackers. ANd there was a funny story about a Hot Dog but Jeff will have to butt in here and tell us that one.

There will be a lull in my photo submissions for a bit so I'd like to suggest that those of you who are interested in arm "bending", ask Only to tell you some Arm Bending stories and various feats of related strength.

I like the story about Sly and his wife and Only's "part" in Over the Top and some other related points of interest.

I hope to be able to soon  post some pretty interesting shots taken when Teufel and Platz and the like were taking center stage.  These are in 35mm format so that means a trip to Sam's and a delay in the processing.

ONLY .......... if you can locate that 505+ behind the neck press by Joe Onisai, could you be able to post the important part of that video on the web for all to see? I do recall when PBN's wrere one of the primary lifts to test one's strength and Bob was doing something like 315+ for reps. I gotta ask around and see what that exact figure was though.

Another name from the past ..... Alison Brundage! Anyone recall Alison? How about Rock Stonewall? I think Rock was one of the guys I met at that party at Caesars I mentioned earleir.

And also names out of the past which may not be familiar but just in case they may be reading this stuff. Kip Narbo? Ked Schoming? Sam Griffith? Rich Rippetoe? Chip English? Bill Starr?  Jimmy Grimes? Ed Holovochik?  Kurt/Curt  Freeman? Mel Knoll? ...........

OK, 'nuff said...... Thanks
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on June 20, 2005, 04:35:27 PM


Stunt-any pics of Belknap from the Nationals? Poor guy had to do the show 3 times and still never won the Universe/World.


What show did he do 3 times ?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 20, 2005, 06:12:25 PM
DOn't ask me, Bix, cause I don't know!

But here's a question that someone may be able to answer right up front without taking a guess or retelling a rumor.

Is anyone 100% definite and without a doubt certain and can guarantee one and all that some of the female bodybuilders are actually guys pretending to be females?

I have heard this on a couple of occasions but I just laffed and put it out of my mind.

Until recently, that is! The subject has come up again.

WITHOUT mentioning names, can anyone state that this is so without the slightest doubt.

Please don't mention a name unless that individual has already "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak.

Thanks! Might be a great idea to make a movie about a female entering the men's nationals or the men's Olympia as a guy and getting away with it for a few years. Anyone know how to draft a movie script?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 20, 2005, 07:58:23 PM

There will be a lull in my photo submissions for a bit so I'd like to suggest that those of you who are interested in arm "bending", ask Only to tell you some Arm Bending stories and various feats of related strength.

I like the story about Sly and his wife and Only's "part" in Over the Top and some other related points of interest.

Definatly interested in these stories...I watched over the top too many times to count...i always wanted to look like the guy that is suppossed to be canadian champ...he was pretty huge as i recall.  My dad was quite a good armwrestler, never competed in tournaments but he worked with a guy that came 2nd in Canada in teh heavyweights and could beat him every time at 175 lbs.  Unfortunatly i shattered a bone in my wirst in highschool and wrist strength has never been great since then.  I did attend provincial championships when i was 16 just to watch...it was pretty cool.  There was this one guy that had been a world champion and he had one HUGE arm, forearm was liek a bowling pin...and the other arm was normal size...it looked pretty rediculous.  Onlyme did u know Rick Zumwaldt? I heard he passed away a few years ago...he was huge...ever armwrestle him?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 20, 2005, 08:45:44 PM
The canadian guy in the movie was Paul Sullivan.  He was huge and very well known at Gold's Venice.  I later saw him about 4 years later and he weighed about 200 (down from the 300 he weighed in Over the Top).

I have told this story so many times but I will try to condense it.  The original Bull Hurley in the movie was Big John Studd.  But because of the shooting schedule and his kids birthday he couldn't do the movie.  Jump to the 2nd Over the Top regional championships in Denver.  I won 1st place.  The IAC (International Armwresting Association) was a huge sponsor of the show and provided the technical support for the movie. 

Now thye are loking for a new Bull.  I go in and read.  I get a call from Paula Gordon of White Eagle Productions to tell me they liked me and it looks like I got the part.  Stallone postponed filming by 3 months as he trained to be an armwrestler.  I am on my way to the Radford Studios (where they pieces of Gone with the Wind).  As I open the door to the office there is a table with allot of pictures on it.  A guy is sitting in front of me stands up and turns to me and says "Hey Keith".  It's Stallone.  All i could say was hi back.  I was there to pick up a copy of the script.  Anyway a couple weeks later I get a call from Paula.  She starts talking to me and such and then says she has something to tell me. 

She says don't take this wrong keith but it looks like they are going to go with another guy.  I said what I thought I had it.  she says you did but Stallones wife Bridgette got involved.  i saod what do you mean.  she says Bridgette said that you were too good looking to play opposite of Sly.  I couldn;t believe it.

Anyway, they got Rick is was awesome as Bull.  And it lead to him doing very well in Holllywood.  I went on and did a bit too.  so anyway they wanted to keep in the film.  Well in Vegas we shot during the actual IAC World Championships.  At that time I was sponsred by Varnet Sunglasses.  they provided me with a full line of clothing to compete in.  Well I had to wear them during competion.  I was a big billboard for them.  They were hoping to get some free mega exposure.  Well Cannon wanted them to pay a fee ($250,000) for product placement.  well Vuarner said no.  So they got another sunglass company (i think it is on the hat Sly wears).

Anyway I ended up on the cutting room floor.  U  have so many stories to tell about this whole ordeal.  By the way Stallone took my gimick of turning the hat around from me. I can't remember her name right now but the V.P. of Marketing at the time told me about this. 

Anyway, I knew Rick well.  He is in fact the guy who talked me into staying in Armwrestling because I was so strong and good,.  We in fact only competed against each other 2 times and I did win both.  I have a pic I will try to scan and post of me beating him.

Oh well theree goes that short story.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 20, 2005, 09:18:35 PM
VERY COOL STORY! Too bad that you didn't get the part though...

Was Sullivan an armwrestler or just playing one due to his size? Any pics of him?

I googled Zumwalt I was correct he passed away in 2003...didn't realize he was so tall 6'4" 299 lbs he is listed at...How tall/weight were u at largest Keith?

as an aside I think armwrestling should be suggested as an olympic sport...i mean it truly is a test of strength and skill...
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 20, 2005, 10:01:57 PM
No Paul wasn't an armwrestler.  he was just one strong dude.  He later took up boxing.  He wanted to follow in his greatgreat grandfathers shoes John L. Sullivan.  He lost over 100 lbs and really looked good.

Yes Rick was a big guy who armwrestled for many years.  At my peak I was 6'1" 300.  I was a little over 62" around my shoulders and I wore my favorite Cavorichi jeans size 36 all the time.  In fact I still have them cause I had them when I first moved here.  But they no longer fit me.  Someday I will get back into them.

And yes they have tried and maybe still are trying to get it as an Olympic Sport.  I traveled around the country doing appearances with the Special Olympics and became friends with Rafer Johnson.  I used to bring my table to them and let the kids play.  they loved it.  So I approached Rafer and he too thought it would be great but the logistics is so hard to introduce a new sport.  You have to have it as a demonstration sport in every chapter.  then every chapter has to appove it.  There are like way over 3,000 chapters worldwide.  it was too costly.

When they introduced weightlifting into the Special Olympics that is when I worked with Arnold.  We both worked it at the Cal State Games which is huge at UCLA,
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 21, 2005, 12:17:14 PM
So you were just a little guy eh :D

Ya its pretty rediculous when you have ballroom dancing in the Olympics but not armwrestling or powerlifting (although they have shot selves in foot with all diff federations/rules/equipment)

Anyways sorry for the sidetrack...continue on with teh stories and pics they are great!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 21, 2005, 01:57:55 PM
What show did he do 3 times ?

Belknap did the Nationals 3 times. He won the first time in 1981, and went to the World/Universe where he placed second-forgot who he lost to.

But back in the 1980's you had to WIN the Universe to go Pro. To go to the Universe you had to win Nationals. Now here was the problem for Americans. If you lost the Universe you had to go back to, and beat, the new Nationals winner in the weight class you compete in for the Universe. The problem is you could not compete in the actual Nationals-only against the weight class winner. After the winner of the weight classes were called, the current Nationals winner would pose off with any previous winner from prior years (Belknap)  that did not win the Universe-which was Belknap.

Belknap did this the 2 years following his 1981 overall win (in 82 they changed the name from Mr. America to Nationals after the IFBB/NPC lost a lawsuit to the AAU over the name rights).

99% of the time the US Nationals winners would also win the Universe. But in Belknaps case he lost. So, after he lost in 81, he tried to win a spot on the Universe team by tryig to beat out the Light Heavy Nationals winner in 82 and 83-he lost both years. Finally he went the NABBA route.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 21, 2005, 03:45:54 PM

Tim Belknap
Born 1958, Rockford, Illinois
Height 5'4"
Weight 200
1981
Mr America - AAU, Overall Winner
Mr America - AAU, Light-HeavyWeight, 1st
World Amateur Championships - IFBB, Light-HeavyWeight, 2nd

1982
Nationals - NPC, HeavyWeight, 3rd

1983
Grand Prix Las Vegas - IFBB, 10th

1984
Mr Universe - NABBA, Short, 1st
World Championships - NABBA, Overall Winner
World Championships - NABBA, Short, 1st

1985
Mr Universe - NABBA, Overall Winner
Mr Universe - NABBA, Short, 1st
World Championships - NABBA, Overall Winner
World Championships - NABBA, Short, 1st

1991
Niagara Falls Pro Invitational - IFBB, 10th
San Jose Pro Invitational - IFBB, 7th

1992
Ironman Pro Invitational - IFBB, 14th
Ironman Pro Invitational - IFBB, did not place

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 21, 2005, 07:23:18 PM
Thanks for that Belnap info guys, I was not aware of that procedure and I thought I knew everything!

Here's a shot taken backstage the year that Sprague (Gold's) promoted the contest in Santa Monica. There was an elaborate amount of pump up equipment back stage that year. I don't think that there has been a more elaborate setup since.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 24KT on June 21, 2005, 07:41:16 PM
DOn't ask me, Bix, cause I don't know!

But here's a question that someone may be able to answer right up front without taking a guess or retelling a rumor.

Is anyone 100% definite and without a doubt certain and can guarantee one and all that some of the female bodybuilders are actually guys pretending to be females?

I have heard this on a couple of occasions but I just laffed and put it out of my mind.

Until recently, that is! The subject has come up again.

WITHOUT mentioning names, can anyone state that this is so without the slightest doubt.

Please don't mention a name unless that individual has already "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak.

Well I don't care what anyone says. I think Chyna is a man. She hasn't come out as a guy or anything, ...but I saw a clip from "A night in Chyna" and I swear that thing looked like a little penis to me.  :o


Quote
Thanks! Might be a great idea to make a movie about a female entering the men's nationals or the men's Olympia as a guy and getting away with it for a few years. Anyone know how to draft a movie script?

Movie Magic or Dramatica. If you need a copy, PM me and I'll hook you up.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 22, 2005, 02:06:15 PM
Thanks,Jag, but I never met Chyna. Maybe someday soon. Only will probably introduce me if she is a Craps player.

OK, let's take a break from this bodybuilding stuff and toss a picture of some other subject in here.

This is a photo of a "boat" that most of the pros have sailed on during their Hawaii visits.

It's a one hour sail off the coast of Waikiki and once you get past the protection of Diamond Head, the wind picks up and the seas get huge and the passangers get seasick, but I never do so I just stroll around and try to be of help. But most just like to be left alone and puke in the provided cups and buckets.

This rough ride usually lasts about ten to fifthteen minutes and the captain turns back with a sinister smile and heads to Waikiki Beach. The last half hour is smooth as sailing on polished glass so everyone manages to forget those rough seas and disembark with smiles  and hopes to go again.

The islands really are more beautiful when seen from a couple miles off-shore.

Don't miss this sail if you spend any time on Waikiki Beach. Tell the guy you are a "repeat" and you'll get a sizeable discount. Just dont tell him you are a Ka'maina if you ain't.

Bodybuilders take this sail a lot, so I figure it's appropriate to post it here and besides, this is the exact location where Armand Tanny and his pro wrestling buds and those old time guys used to hang.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 22, 2005, 02:25:11 PM
One more swift but unrelated item. I'll make this appropriate for this section by stating that Steve Reeves should have auditioned if he was still alive.

They are looking for Tarzan on Broadway!

A new Broadway play about Tarzan is in the production phase and auditions have been underway, but I am not aware if the principal players have yet been cast.

I guess that Tarzan will have to be able to sing in this one or at least know how to do the Tazan yell as well as Carol Burnett.

Any suggestions on who should audition for the role?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 22, 2005, 08:38:06 PM
That boat reminds me of something.  anyone on here ever been on the SS Catalina that used to said to Catalina Island off the coast of CA.  It left from San Pedro.  if so I have a story.  if not then no one can relate.  by the way it was a ship not a boat.  Do you know the difference.  The old saying is ........................ ....?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: man from oz on June 22, 2005, 11:04:49 PM
ship's have to be big enough to carry boats and boats have to be small enough to be carried by ship's
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 22, 2005, 11:47:07 PM
Yes very close.  "Ships can carry a boat, but boats can't carry a ship."  My uncle would get so mad at me because I would always ask him about his boat.  He bought the SS Catalina back in the late 70's or early 80's.  It's now sinking in the Einsenada harbor.  At nearly 330' long and able to carry 1200+ passengers it was a ship
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 23, 2005, 11:13:52 AM
Onlyme, I see that you have mentioned Benny Podda and your falling out on here, as well as on thread about eggs so just incase you were interested this is what he is up to now:


Wild thing: former bodybuilding champ and pro-football trainer Benny Podda lives in a cave, runs through walls, and hangs massive weights from his testicles. But in his eyes, you might be the crazy one

Jeff O'Connell
Benny Podda lives as a modem-day medicine man in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. He sleeps in a spirit-filled cave, using a rock as his pillow. He flagellates his body with a large metal stick that has 180 spokes. He can spurt blood from his nose at will. He swings 220 pounds of weights from his testicles to see how much pain he can endure. And yet, unhinged though he may seem, Benny Podda is saner than you are.

Benny doesn't work nine-to-five. He isn't chained to a cell phone or Palm Pilot. He doesn't have to do anything or be anywhere at any time. But you do.

Before he went off the grid, Benny was a bodybuilding champ and a personal trainer to everyone from Joe Montana to Chuck Norris, and today is a martial-arts bad ass who. at 47, could still knock Mike Tyson into next week.

But in his restless, roller-coaster life, Benny has always felt an intense aversion to conventional notions of success. "Whenever I start making money and getting popular and shit;' he says, "right away 1 have to luck it up and disappear." As self destructive as that seems, Benny actually has a master plan: to save mankind. After years of secluding himself in a cave in the hills among the Cahuilla Nation Indians, Benny has emerged to reveal how he intends to do it.

HIDE AND SEEK

From Los Angeles, getting to Benny and his cave takes the better part of a day. A hundred miles from the coast, you leave the freeway behind and drive up 6,000 feet into the mountains along a desolate road. As you climb, the temperature drops 35 degrees and dark clouds envelop you. You drive up a gravel road called Paradise, and there is Benny standing in front of a small home. "Are you ready to leave the United States?" he asks. "Welcome to the Cahuilla Nation."

The house is a friend's, but this is where medicine man Benny meets patients and visitors. In the back, gnarled manzanita trees guard an herb garden, where he grows his potent potions and medicines. He claims that the brews he concocts from this small patch of earth can heal you, kill you, or reveal the secrets of every religion.

A few yards beyond this garden of truth is the Pacific Crest Trail. The rattlesnake-infested path runs from Mexico to Canada and is well worn by illegals who use it to cross into the States. "I've seen dead bodies out on this trail;' Benny says matter of factly.

To gain admission to Benny's cave, he insists that you first go to a remote waterfall to be purified. If the cave "rejects" you, he warns, "your soul will be rent from your body in a spiritual tear." So you suffer the pain and indignities of purification as the frigid water pours down on you with the shocking force of a spiritual flogging.

The cave's climate is reminiscent of Benny's native Pittsburgh: hotter than hell in the summer, freezing cold in the winter. It has been inhabited for thousands of years, Benny says, and it leads to an outdoor amphitheater. "The opening is a vaginal orifice," he offers. "In initiation ceremonies, they [Native Americans] would pass through it one by one to be 'reborn' as warriors."

Benny prepares dinner, and you're relieved to learn that you're not the entree. "This lamb was 'alive last week," he says, the idea of recent slaughter enlivening him.

Benny's physical training is based on the philosophy of Genghis Khan. "He taught his troops the importance of exterior and interior training," he says. "His warriors learned how to turn themselves inside out to project their inner power like lightning" Perhaps preparing himself to carry the weight of the world--which in his mind he does--Benny grabs his flagellating rod and whips himself as hard as he can a dozen times, striking the acupuncture meridians of the body. The thick muscles of his flesh thud with each strike. "You know that feeling when you're blowing your load?" he asks. "Instead of letting that go out, you reverse that whole thing. It feels like your body is on fucking FIRE! I lift weights with that [energy] coursing through my body and my ticking testosterone a thousand-times normal--'cause I just fucked myself." Then he smiles calmly. "See? That's why I can hang 220 pounds from my fuckin' nuts."

Yeah, you think. Fuckin' nuts.

PITTSBURGH HEALER

Benny was born in 1957 in South Fork, Pa., a coal-mining town east of Pittsburgh. His Sicilian immigrant father, Benjamino, worked the mines; his mother, Prudence, a postal worker, came from bootlegging stock. Benny gravitated to similarly dubious pursuits, shooting dice and playing blackjack on street corners. A dominating fullback and linebacker on his high school football team, Benny was a physically gifted adolescent. But his strength exploded when he started training at the McKeesport YMCA, a hangout for hardcore hoods.

Soon Benny began roaming the back streets of Steel-town with a precociously oversized body and an attitude to match. He hired himself out as muscle to wiseguys and masterminded his own bizarre crimes. Once he even got shot while robbing a pharmacy for painkillers, armed not with a gun like a normal crook but with a bow and arrow.

When Benny wasn't causing trouble he spent hours at the Carnegie Library. He was surely the first Pittsburgh street thug to devour Faust, transfixed by German literary figure Goethe's tale of a man willing to do anything for godlike wisdom and power. He added yin to that yang by studying Eastern religious texts, such ms the Bhagavad Gita and Chinese philosophy, and was soon immersed in herbology.

Benny attended the University of Richmond in Virginia on a football scholarship, intending to study biochemistry, but preferred getting drunk. Expelled for being "insane," he says, he headed back home to become a bodybuilder. He trained at Manion's Gym, a haven for Pittsburgh roughnecks as well as stars of the hometown Steelers. There, Benny stood out from the other gym rats. Once, to psych himself up for a lift, he ran straight through a wall--emerging in the next room in a cloud of plaster and debris. Another time, Steeler lineman Steve Courson was using a pay phone when Benny charged and knocked him and the wall-mounted phone across the room--with his head.

Those were his warm-ups. Fueled by the visualization techniques of Eastern philosophies and herbal concoctions he made and drank from root-filled mayonnaise jars, Benny trained like a human wrecking ball. The gym's owner, Jim Manion, recalls Benny doing reps one day with his head wrapped in a blood-drenched towel as other lifters scattered nearby. "The cable had snapped on a long cable-row machine and the handle had hit him on the head" recalls Manion. "He had to keep replacing the towels when they got soaked with blood. I made a guy take him to the hospital, and it took 12 stitches to close the open wound."

Benny won the National Physique Committee (NPC) USA Bodybuilding's light-heavyweight championship in 1983 and placed in a string of other contests. But unlike most pro posers, Benny's heart was more into training than flexing. "I hated competition," he says. "I loved the discipline of training for it, and I loved partying after it, but I never dug the sport or considered myself a bodybuilder." But that never prevented him from going balls out at each meet.

Benny amazed audiences with the intensity and ferocity of his posing style. More tame performances might find him flexing wildly in a wolfman's mask, or shooting blood from his nose on command, a trick he learned when he was younger from playing with his "fucked up" sinuses.

But his masterpiece crone at the end of a contest in Newark, N.J. He hung himself from the rafters and dangled motionless from the noose with his eyes closed. For five minutes people watched in silence, bewildered. Suddenly, he bugged out his eyes, gave everyone the finger, and walked out the back door. "At that point I knew I could never top my condition," he explains. "I felt I had maxed out. I got a fucking standing ovation, right? So I knew my shit could lift people up." He was through with bodybuilding for good.

GO WEST, MEDICINE MAN

Benny drifted to the West Coast, where he worked as a personal trainer--that is, when he wasn't off on long trips in the wilderness. Despite his zigzagging, he managed to carve out a high-profile rep for himself among celebrities and pro athletes. At a friend's gym, Benny met Chuck Norris. "I didn't know who the fuck he was and didn't give a fuck," says Benny. "They took me to his house and we hit it off because I pounded the guy. I yelled at him, 'Kick me in the fucking chest as hard as you can!' He's like, 'No, I shouldn't.' So I berated the flicker until he did it--and didn't budge when he did."

In 1991, Mary Marinovich asked Benny to train his son Todd--a QB at USC--for the upcoming NFL draft. "[Podda] worked with my son very effectively" recalls Marv, now a sports-conditioning consultant in Orange County. "The pliability of his body and the way he uses his power and speed is earth-shaking for a young athlete."

Benny was also pleased with the results. "He was a skinny sucked-up prick when I first met him," says Benny of Todd. "But he added 50 pounds of muscle before the draft."

Todd impressed scouts enough to become a first-round pick by the Raiders. Word of his transformation spread fast through NFL circles, and soon other star players headed to Benny's gym in San Clemente, Calif.--including All-Pro linebacker Bill Romanowski. Later, when the Kansas City Chiefs were in town, a mutual acquaintance asked Benny to use acupuncture on the ailing hamstring of their QB, Joe Montana. The fellow Pittsburgh native not only played the next day but also brought Benny to Kansas City with him to train.

HIGHER GROUND

Despite his newfound success as a trainer to the pros, Benny chafed at what it cost him in freedom. So he abandoned his lucrative NFL training shop and headed to the mountains, backtracking to civilization only when he needed survival money Using a cabin at the divide of Orange and San Diego counties as a home base, Benny went deep into the wilds for longer stretches of time, mostly over the lands of the Cahuilla, who have roamed from Borrego to Riverside in California for more than 2,000 years.

There he became attuned to the presence of spirits during long treks through ancient burial grounds. On one journey, he found the entrance to "his" cave and chose to spend the night. One day bled into another, and soon Benny was living there, as the Cahuilla had 1,000 years ago. He ate peyote with medicine men and, he says, was visited by the spirits of ancient warriors. "They are there all the time," says Benny. "But peyote lifts the veil that prevents you from perceiving them."

Normally, outsiders would not be allowed to occupy traditional land on an Indian reservation. But Benny received what amounted to free reign after curing the daughter of the tribal police chief using his own herbs and healing skills. Henceforth, the Cahuilla referred to Benny as chula kua--medicine man.

But no one will mistake him for Dr. Quinn. At 5'6", 215 pounds, Benny is as big and thick as ever, with 20-inch arms. He eats buffalo meat, organic eggs, homegrown vegetables, and ingests an herbal concoction every three hours.

LAST STAND

Recently, gambling revenues began flowing to the formerly impoverished Cahullla. Tribesmen who used to roll in broken-down pickups have brand-new luxury rides. Teenagers defile the lands of their ancestors by holding raves on sacred ground, The tribal chief even constructed a garish "mansion" within sight of Benny's cave.

"The world of tradition is dying," Benny laments. "When the last flame goes out, that's when you have apocalypse--like the great flood, the Black Plague, earthquakes, and nuclear war. It'll make World War II and the dropping of the atom bombs look like nothing. But as long as one person keeps the flame alive, a complete cataclysm can be avoided." While these may sound like the ravings of a madman, take heart. If the end of the world concerns you, there's a medicine man with weight plates swinging from his goolies bearing that last torch.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: man from oz on June 23, 2005, 12:47:02 PM
crikey
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 23, 2005, 01:02:59 PM
Bossa, thanks for that amazing Benny Poda story. Where and when was that published? Was Benny a good friend of Ray Mentzer's because I heard that Ray was living a similar life-style for a while, but I don't know those details.

Thanks, Bossa.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 23, 2005, 01:05:51 PM
It was in November 2004 Men's Fitness...I read it online so I don't know if the actual article had pics of him.  Really Ray lived like that as well for a while ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 23, 2005, 01:26:42 PM
Been trying to find a Poda photo to post on here without success.

Can anyone else do it?

Has anyone heard from Les Spendlove lately? Or know what he has been up to? Last I heard, I think was getting involved in po0litics.

And whatever happened to Lynn Lyman  and Jerry Wallace?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 23, 2005, 01:34:09 PM
Ya stunt I have done google and yahoo image search and no luck...I have some old issues of musclemag but no scanner :-\
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 23, 2005, 02:04:14 PM
Ray and Benny were friends.  Benny hung out at his gym.  Not sure about Ray living like benny.  I was very surprised to see Benny on Chuck Norris's film ? USA I think.  I later asked Chuck and he told me benny trained him for awhile.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 23, 2005, 02:16:20 PM
when I did a google search......this small picture popped up

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on June 23, 2005, 03:06:18 PM
Benny had something like an 850-lb. deadlift as I recall.  He was a strong dude.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 23, 2005, 03:14:27 PM
At that show where benny wore the mask.  he just ran up on stage in the middle of the show and started posing with a wolf mask on.  The police and security came and kicked him out.  The crowd went crazy and most said he could have won that show he was the best built.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 23, 2005, 03:46:56 PM
Thanks, Knny. I enlarged the Poda picture but it sure ain't better.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 23, 2005, 04:13:58 PM
I've been reading some adverse remarks about the Weiders and the IFBB on various posts and felt that it might be a good idea to throw in my two-cents.

It is not my intent to defend the Weiders or the IFBB and I present this as my best attempt to offer the facts and then let the shit fall where it may. You guys are good at that!

Back in the 50's, Weider published a series of magazines that were somewhat on the "questionable side/darkside".

But over time they did make some noteworthy changes and literally fought the vast majority of the human population regarding what was beginning to be known as "bodybuilding".

They and they alone struggled through some pretty tough years and eventually pulled ahead and left everyone else involved in this questionable "sport" in the rear picking up the pieces or heading the way of the dinosauers.

But the Weiders alone fought it out and stuck with it and built the IFBB and various magazines up from the "nothingness" that they used to be. And they did this by every means possible and created a number of animosities along the way.

But Ben and Joe banded together and made it happen while everyone else fought them from every possible angle.

Good or bad, they made "bodybuilding" what it is today!

And I guarantee ya that Arnold woudl not be "Arnuld" today if it wasn't for the Weider organization.

Now place yourself in their shoes!

If you fought so hard and for so long a period of time, would you want to give any of that up?  Would you want to pay additional fees if someone was willing to work for less? Would you allow anyone to get organized with the eventuality of getting ostricized? Would you want to lose any power of any sort to anyone who was not supporting you from the very beginning when everyone was against you? (I bet that htey even got rid of them!)

$300,000,000 says they would, but I'd be fighting to the death for any piece of anything left over after that transaction.

If it wasn't for the Weiders, the bodybuilders would still be posing on weekends at Muscle Beach and Arnold would be married to some milkmaid in Austria.

Photo ... Can anyone ID the year of this shot from the buildings in the background?





Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 24, 2005, 02:23:20 AM
Thanks Akbar-Ali,  This NABBA topic could be an interesting subject to discuss and here is my general feeling about it.

To the best of my knowledge, the NABBA is not a well known organization in the States.

Outside of Park and Reeves, I cannot think of one other NABBA Champion unless Nubret was one who I may be presently overlooking. (Did he promote an NABBA event once in which the winners had to be content with the award of tanning beds in lieu of cash.)

From my viewpoint, it seems that the NABBA is lax in promoting its contestants when compared to the Weider/IFBB organization. Do they even publish their own magazine?

Most bodybuilding fans in the US can name 10 or more IFBB affiliated bodybuilders, but would have a heck of a time nameing  even one or two NABBA athletes including the likes of Reeves and Park.

I would assume that this same situation exists in Europe.

The IFBB athletes are better known because they are promoted frequently in a world wide  magazine under the control of IFBB founders and/or associates.

To the best of my knowledge, NABBA has no means of promoting NABBA athletes and therefore they go "undiscovered".

I still insist that it was Joe Weider and the IFBB who promoted Arnold.  If Arnold had relied on the NABBA to promote him, he would be unknown, former bodybuilder in Austria married to the milkmaid.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 24, 2005, 12:30:54 PM
Well stuntmovie, from 1960-80 NABBA Pro Universe overall winners included Bill Pearl, Earl Maynard, Arnold, Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, Chris Dickerson, Tony Emmot,Bertil Fox and Tony Pearson. Nabba Amateur overall winners over same period included Chet Yorton, Arnold, Dennis Tinerino, Boyer Coe, Frank Zane, Ken Waller, Chris Dickerson, Bertil Fox and Dave Johns. Class winners included  Steve Michalik, Paul Grant, Al Beckles, Frank Richard, Jim Haislop, Franco Columbo and Vern Weaver. NABBA were never good at promoting themselves and their magazine Health and Strengh ceased around 1984 after a 40 run. Remember that in 1971 Bill Pearl came out of retirement and challenged everyone at the 1971 Pro Universe and won it beating Frank Zane, Sergio Oliva and Reg Park while Arnold decided not to show up. Also Arnold left Austria to live in Germany before living in England for a year or two before moving to USA.
So at the very least he would have been married to an English milkmaid  ;)

AKBAR-ALI is very right about NABBA having the better known Mr. Universe title-up until the late 70's early 80's. After that the Mr Oympia became the Superbowl of bodybulding. Today NABBA is still a strong organization-in EUROPE, but not in the states, and the US is the king of the fitness industry.

Strength and Health was Hoffman's magazine-and it is well known that Hoffman never promoted BBing except to the extent he had to in order to promote his Olympic lifters/Contests.

NO ONE was into Olympic weight lifting after the late 60's. BBing started to take over. When the fitness craze hit in the late 70's/early 80's it was for BBing.

The perfect storm of Arnold, Weider's Muscle and Fitness, Pumping Iron and Gold's Gym Licensing all combined to send BBing into orbit.

Hoffman could not compete against Weider and Muscle and Fitness because he had a flawed business model-OLYMPIC LIFTING instead of BBing/fitness.

Once the late 70's came around the IFBB was clearly the best organized professional BBing organization going, and the Mr O surpassed the NABBA Universe as the top show.

BTW, Arnold did compete in the 1971 NABBA Universe-he won the Amatuer title while Bill Pearl won the Professional title. I think it is safe to say Arnold would have been beaten by Pearl if he entered the Professional divsion.



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 24, 2005, 12:42:41 PM
Thanks, guys! I'm learning new stuff here!

As you can see, I never have been up to date on the NABBA efforts and outcomes, so hearing this stuff is new to me.

I do recall Mike Mentzer or another bodybuilder of his time, telling me a story about competing in a professional European contest in which a sizeable cash award was being offered, but when it came time to pay off the winner, all that the promoter could produce was one of the tanning beds that one of the exhibitors did not want to pack up and ship back home.

So the tanning bed was presented as the overall award. But no one offered to pick up the shipping expenses from Europe to the west coast of the USA.

Anyone recall the details of that story?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 24, 2005, 01:40:33 PM
I have been checking on the year Arnold competed in the NABBA as an amatuer and Pearl was a pro and 1971 is not checking out.

I have to find Arnold's book where there is a pic of him and Pearl at the NABBA holding their trophies-I thouht it was 1971 but looks like I was wrong.

Whoever has Education of a BB pull it out and find what year that pic was taken.......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: a_joker10 on June 24, 2005, 02:16:51 PM
In 1971 Ken Waller won the Amateur and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe
In 1967 Arnold Schwarzenegger won the Amateur's and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe

Can't find the picture you want but will keep looking
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: a_joker10 on June 24, 2005, 02:29:14 PM
I almost forgot 1971 Arnold won the Olympia unopposed. This has been discussed at length on this site. It is still one of the best screw overs in Bodybuilding.  According to Bill Pearl almost all of the Pro's were convinced by Ben Weider to compete against Bill Pearl at the NABBA Universe and this disqualified them for the Olympia.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 24, 2005, 04:22:42 PM
I almost forgot 1971 Arnold won the Olympia unopposed. This has been discussed at length on this site. It is still one of the best screw overs in Bodybuilding.  According to Bill Pearl almost all of the Pro's were convinced by Ben Weider to compete against Bill Pearl at the NABBA Universe and this disqualified them for the Olympia.

Good job Joker--67 was the year.

I wish Arnold woul dhave competed in the NABA Pro in 1971 and the O- ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 24, 2005, 11:17:32 PM
Reading this thread was like never putting down a book that was interesting!

I think Onlyme should change his name to Allota gas! I love the way some of the guys spell words and so on. Gives the thread a certain local colour.

Now, what perplexes me is why so few others have contributed to this thread? Surely others have great stories to tell? I can tell that there are few old-timers here because most don't know who is in those old photos. Like the one with Ike Berger and Chuck Vincie on the bench. Seems to be the US weightlifting team with a couple of the bodybuilders. Anyway, a good read and some really good laughs. Keith's account of that dinner in the fancy restaurant wins the award for laugh of the year on this site.

I do have some funny stories to tell about some of the guys in the Irongame. Where in the heck does one start? I think I will do a separate post for each story.

I should know "Stunt" but can't place him. Onlyme looks like Ray Mentzer's brother! Wonder if he copied that mo from the Mentzer brothers?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 24, 2005, 11:37:40 PM
I have a story about the Barbarian brothers in 1980. I was visiting LA with my two children, Zorba, 7 and Lani, 9. I dragged them to all my favourite, but to them boring, sites. Ok, I did take them to Disneyland and Universal Studios as well.

Naturally, I had to visit the Mecca which was Gold's Gym on 2nd Avenue in Santa Monica. I don't actually remember being inside the gym but I did talk to one of the Paul brothers in the doorway. Here was this big lumberjack type character in that thick check shirt, rope, jeans and boots. I knew about them in the magazines so I started up a conversation. I asked him what he was trying to do lifting weights. He said they were going to be the biggest and strongest bodybuilders who ever lived. I told him he would never achieve any such thing. He demanded to know why. I simply told him that he didn't have the vocabulary! Mr Barbarian # 1, the bigger of the two, insisted he did have the vocabulary. I told him that others were stronger than him anyway. "Like who?" he wanted to know. I said like Steve Merjanian. He turned around and yelled to the guys in the gym, "Who the hell is Steve Merjanian?" About that time Samir Bannout grabbed hold of me and took me aside. He warned me that he saw those crazy bastards hit people for stirring them up. I smiled to myself. I have been around the Irongame since 1959 and have owned my own gym since 1971. So I wasn't about to be intimidated by some hillbilly looking muscleheads.

As it turns out those guys weren't dumb at all. However, they never did achieve what they claimed they were going to. Matter of fact they weren't the strongest nor the biggest. How did I know they would fail? Well, Reg Park tried to do that in 1950 and soon realised you had to choose between being really strong and really big. You really couldn't be the best in two disciplines.

Some time in the 1970's I was watching a billiard competition on TV and someone asked the then world champ, Ray Readon, if he thought any woman would ever be the snooker world champion?  He replied it was never going to happen. When asked why, he said, "They don't have the vocabulary". Guess I was waiting for an occasion to use that great line.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 24, 2005, 11:59:41 PM
Actually both David and Peter are very smart.  Their biggest problem is they are very dyslegsic (?).  It has hurt them on numerous occassions.

Have you heard these guys sing or perform.  They both callorated on some really good kind of rap and allot of the songs have a weight lifting lyrics.  Like War with the Weights.  They have a great one called Ride my Harley.  I have them somewhere.  i am one of the only people in the world to have them.  They never really got serious about it.  One that they perform is "Whatcha you lookin at".
They perform that one at one ofthe high schools we appeared at.  If I can find them I will put them up.  A few of them are great workout songs.

They made allot of money doing what they did.  They designed their own homes.  David's home won an award from Architecual Digest.  It is awesome.  Kind of like a hansel and gretel theme.  The couches are built into the walls.  The master bathroom is one of the best I have ever seen.  Back in whatever year it was when the Santa Monica pier was partially destroyed, Peter when designing his house had them dredge up some of the timber from the pier and built a stuuning pole house.

Both are very creative.  David now is one of the top BB photgrpaher in the business.  Last I heard Peter still designs toys.  They always wanted to see if they could make it separetly.  It looks like they are doing fine.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 25, 2005, 12:30:38 AM
I have always believed that to succeed in any endeavour you have to do something right. Either you figure that out yourself of you have someone coach you. Most bodybuilders do a bit of both. They learn from others but do some research themselves. It should be obvious to any intelligent person that there are heaps of falsehoods in the gym. It is my belief that most of the champions are a bit smarter than the rest.

The Barbarians were obviously good marketers. They lived the hype they created about themselves and became famous. They remind of the professional wrestlers who, though intelligence, get to the top of that profession. If we want the best example here of what I am saying then we need look no further than Arnold. I laughed when I saw the original Terminator. There was Arnold playing himself in many of those scenes. I bet he even came up with some of those one-liners!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 25, 2005, 12:31:34 AM
So I wasn't about to be intimidated by somehillbilly looking muscleheads.

As it turns out those guys weren't dumb at all. However, they never did achieve what they claimed they were going to. Matter of fact they weren't the strongest nor the biggest. How did I know they would fail?

Hillbillie muscle heads....that is funny....funny because FlexFan see's one of the brothers in Gold's all the time and he still wears jeans with a rope belt-just like Jethro did in the Beverly Hillbillies ;D

I would not say the Barbarian brothers were failures at all-not by a long shot.

They came close to setting a world record in the reverse grip bench press on the Merv Griffin Show, they have appeared in 10, 12, 15 or so  movies that have all made money-Twin Sitters being one of the better movies they made-not to mention the movie The Barbarians that they did in 1986. They were the biggest guys at Gold's Gym in the late 70's-with Jon Loyd being close in size (Loyd took second to Strydom in the 1986 USA-Loyd 245#, Strydom 225#).

No, the Barbarian Brothers have made more money from BBing (without ever doing a show) than probably anyone except Arnold. Even Gary Strydom, who would come in second with a 350K WBF contract and Crazee Wear clothing company in the early 90's.

Besides those are Onlyme's training partners and he won't like them getting bad mouthed, and Onlyme wrestles bears ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 12:39:44 AM
they made allot of money with clothing sales,  and other items they endorsed also.    And it is funny they never competed, yet they made hordes of money in the BB world and appeared in magazines around the world.  I can't remember the name of the movie but it is when david was a cop and peter was a thief.  I liked that movie too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 25, 2005, 01:47:55 AM
On this forum it seems the pen is mightier than the sword.  :o  I am at my keyboard ready to take on any stirrers. I wanted to debate Mike Mentzer in the magazines but that never happened. I did meet Mike in 1991 at Gold's Venice. I was staying with Ray at his flat in Torrence so Mike agreed to see me. We discussed some theories and I was asking the questions but Mike was saying very little. I studied philosophy and wasn't as impressed with Ayn Rand as he was. However, I am still searching for an Ayn Rand superwoman!! However, I still credit Mike Mentzer as being one of the few philosophers in bodybuilding who actually came up with a systematic theory about training.

Mike was with a group of professional bodybuilders who gave a group seminar after a contest in Sydney in 1979, I think. Well, I was sitting at the back and asked, "How do you make muscles grow?" or some such question, expecting a serious reply. Mike quipped, "Are you having trouble growing?" Everyone laughed. I had to be more specific that it was a hypertrophy question. He still didn't give me a good answer. Guess he was keeping that to himself. Or maybe he thought I was another musclehead who deserved what I got for asking a stupid question.

I gave Mike my only copy of the article I wrote about the 1980 Mr Olympia. Several magazines rejected it. I don't think Mike kept that copy. :'(  It should be published now that he is gone. Anyone know how I can contact anyone regarding his estate?

I didn't say the Barbarians were failures. Only that they didn't attain their goal of being the biggest and strongest men on the planet. Kaz and other strongmen were closer to that achievement.

I think the Barbarians proved, like Victor Richards did, that you didn't have to compete to be acknowledged in the Irongame.

I have never heard of Keith until I posted on this forum. Seems to me there might be several unsung guys who lifted amazing weights, built huge physiques, but who remained unknowns in the bodybuilding world. Let's face it, Onlyme is one funny SOB! I guess his size and strength allowed him to get away with pranks that others would have paid dearly for!  ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 25, 2005, 05:18:45 AM
I went to York, Pa, in 1965 with a handfull of articles I had written for Strength & Health and Muscular Development. They had a very nice gym in the York office building and you could train there free while you were visiting. I got an interview with Dr. Terry Todd and I remember he corrected some of the grammar on a couple of pages. He wasn't interested in using any of them in his magazine Strength & Health. Anyway, later I got an interview with John Grimek, who was the editor of Muscular Development. He was a hero of mine because as far as I know he was never defeated in a bodybuilding contest. Plus, John was very strong. Well, I took out my camera to get a photo of John and got turned down. No explanation but as many know he had one bad eye that was damaged by an accident with a spring device many used to use in those days. John always wore sunglasses. He seemed to me to be a bit of a grump and told me my articles would suit the Weider magazines. Well, that was a slap in the face because there is no way I would work for Joe. I couldn't imagine writing one of his editorials for him about how great he was. So that was the end of my quest to be on the staff of a bodybuilding magazine. Later I discovered it wasn't such a great job, anyway.

I was in York when the first Mr Olympia was on. Some of us were discussing that contest with John Grimek and he wasn't too happy with the IFBB. He said that Larry Scott had his name on his trophy. I guess that proved to John that the contest was fixed! However, it is possible to know the results after the judging and have trophies engraved before the presentations.

John had a reputation that he walked like a big cat or something. So I was interested to see how he did walk. He sort of strutted through the gym with fairly long strides. I used to immitate that walk but it sure wasn't like any cat that I recalled.

I saw Bill March standing press 375 pounds. Very impressive. I talked to Bill one day and I doubted that John Grimek still had calves that measured 17 1/2 inches. He bet me that they did. Since he was willing to bet me that was good enough for me. If I had accepted that bet I would have seen how big John's calves were that day.

After I was there a few days I got to hear a few stories from Bob Hoffman, himself. Since I had read his editorials and so on for over a decade I knew that Bob liked to glorify himself. One day when he was walking through the company gym I told him, "Bob, you write all that stuff about yourself but you look fat to me! Well, he stopped right there and called everyone in the gym around him. He always wore a suit. He took the jacket off, then tie and shirt. He was standing there in a white singlet. Well, he took in a deep breath and then sssssslllllllllloooooooo ooowwwwlllllllllyyyyyy let it out. It took at least 30 seconds and maybe longer. We stood there amazed. At the end he inhaled and created a vacuum under his ribcage. While in that state he got a few of us to touch his tummy which seemed firm enough. He then left the room. We all shook our heads and sort of smiled and continued training. The next day a serious John Terpack came up to me and took me aside. He told me that it was a courtesy that they allowed me to use their gym. If I criticized Bob again I would not be welcome in that premises! In other words I was told to keep my mouth shut. Guess you have to kiss butt if you want to work on a magazine, huh?

Bob delighted in telling us young fellas about his sexual prowess when he was much younger. He would say how he competed in weightlifting one day and what he lifted. I think he C & J something like 275 pounds. Well, he said the night before he was with this woman and he came so many times. Goodness me it was a large number. Well, we never could figure out how that affected his lifting one way or other because he seemed to lift the same as he always did! I think the point was that he thought had he desisted maybe he would have lifted more?

Oh, yes, they used to call York, Muscletown USA, well, when I was there it was hardly that. I never saw so many fat people as there were in that little town.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 25, 2005, 05:50:12 AM
Well, since I mentioned Bob Hoffman maybe I should relate my meeting Joe Weider.

After the Mr Olympia in Sydney in 1980 that Arnold won there was a harbour cruise for the competitors, officials and invited guests. All the guys who were upset didn't come on that cruise which was a pity because it was fun. Arnold and Franco and most of the guys were aboard. There was food to eat and what a sight the harbour is at night.

Joe was sitting yapping with some of the guys in the middle of the boat. I went up to him because I took about 360 shots of the contest plus some colour slides. I mentioned that to Joe who replied, "Send me your contact sheets".  I had met Bill Reynolds previously and he had been to my gym. Bill used to collect T-shirts and he was always coaching some hot female bodybuilder but never seemed to score. He complained to me that Joe used to mix him up with Bill Dobbins who worked for him. I mean, he was an editor and Joe would call him by the other guy's name. Bill was right there beside me so I said that I guess I will send the contact sheets to him. I added, if you don't use them...."THEN, REYNOLDS YOU'RE FIRED!!" Bill turned white on the spot and Joe laughed his head off. I said it like the way that boss fired Dagwood Bumstead. Oh, dear, how to make friends and influence people. 

Bill Reynolds had a PhD but did a stupid thing outside the hotel at Bondi where the competitors were staying. He had this medicine ball and said to a young kid nearby, "Watch this!" and threw the ball over his shoulders as high as he could. That thing sailed up and came down right through a windscreen of a car parked there! Bill scooted off but Paul Graham ended up paying for it because someone dobbed the Dobbins lookalike in!

I asked Robert Nailon who to send photos of the Olympia to and he said Musclemag, Ironman and a magazine in Germany. I asked what I should do about splitting the photos and he told me to send them all to everyone. I did that and later got a nasty letter from Bob Kennedy who refused to pay me for any photos because Peary Rader had used the same ones on his cover. I got even with Robert by selling all the negatives and slides to him for $1,000. He was going to do an article on that contest but it never happened. For years afterwards I would see my photos appearing in the magazines with Robert being given the credit. It was funny because I had a tripod set up in the middle of the audience and got the best photos of the Olympia. I got John Balik a seat at the finals beside me by getting a gym member to swap seats with John down at the front. Robert chose to take photos backstage and missed getting all the excitement of that contest. Robert Kennedy has never communicated with me since. Guess Robert fixed me good that day. :-[



 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 25, 2005, 09:25:51 AM
In 1971 Ken Waller won the Amateur and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe
In 1967 Arnold Schwarzenegger won the Amateur's and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe

Can't find the picture you want but will keep looking

that is correct
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: bigmikecox on June 25, 2005, 10:10:28 AM
I was at World Gym in Columbus in 1990 training during the Arnold Classic weekend....Tom Platz was there training with Jim Quinn...Platz got on the donkey calf machine and did, what seemed like 30 reps....it was amazing!!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 25, 2005, 10:11:04 AM
Getting interesting again. Thanks!

One summer afternoon about six years ago, I ran into one of the brothers (I always forget who is whom) down at the beach and he gave me that record that you have now, Only,

I told him I'd give it to you so that you could hopefully invite him to one of your events.

But the funny thing was that this was one of those hot summer days when there were thousands of people walking along the Beachwalk.

So I'm standing there talking to David and we're talking about that recording and I asked him what kind of songs were on it.

And without hesitating he says, "Just like this!" ......... and he proceeded to sing one of his songs from the record.

And he sang and he sang and he sang, just like one of those old MGM musicals in the 50's. But this time he sang it directly to me like I was the only one in the audiance.

Everyone stopped to watch what was going on and when he was done, a big crowd gave him a hearty hand. He did a great entertainment job that afternoon.

Can you make me another copy of that disc? It has some great stuff on it!

VINCE, did you ever meet Bill Starr while you were at York? I think he worked there in the 60's.  Boy, did he tell some funny stories about those days and the Hoffman gang. I'll call some mutual friends and see if I can refresh my memory about a few.

I met Hoffman and Grimik a couple of times and I have to admit that they were the grumpiest old farts that I have ever met inside and out of the weight game.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on June 25, 2005, 10:59:53 AM
My one visit with Grimek which lasted about four and a half hours, including a lunch to which he treated me, was a very pleasant experience. He was cordial and kind and helpful with details.
On the wall of his office hung an autographed poster of Samir Bannout signed 'To the godfather of bodybuilding'.
The day I was there John offered to introduce me to Hoffman but hedged by adding that Bob might be having one of his off days, which I took to mean that Bob was sliding mentally as he aged.
John and I chatted a few times on the phone and exchanged several letters and he was consistently pleasant.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 11:53:51 AM
Yes that was one thing funny about the twins.  At a moment notice they would perform.

I think I told the bridge story with me, the twins and Pete G.  Well a little added story to that.  This bridge which is located on the Hilo sideof the Big Island is very high. well we drove down to the bottom of where the bridge was over.  it was a well know surf spot there.  There was a little park.  Well when we got down there, there was maybe 20 surfers.  They see the twins and go crazy and is yelling at them from out in the ocean. David gets up on a park bench takes off his shirts and starts posing for them.  He then takes down his pants and he is in a skimpy pair of undies.  We are standing behind him.  One of the things the twins were famous for were for their smaller than their upper body legs. 

They actually had goods like just not like their upper bodies. Well I look at Davids calves.  His left calf was sodifferent from his right calf.  It wppeared that he had implants and that one of them shifted and basically fell and moved over quite a bit.  It looked really off.

David was huge.  he wieghed 275 and Peter weighed abot 260.  They both had 32" waists.  They gave me a couple of their Barbarian wear shirts like the one I wore below.  That is me hiking down to Kalaupapa on Molikai.  The leper colony.  This lady was from Germany I think (or it could have been one of the nurses).  I was hiking down and she was hiking up.  I had a little hint of delts.  That hike is the hardest in the world.  So hard
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 25, 2005, 12:12:32 PM
David was huge.  he wieghed 275 and Peter weighed abot 260.  They both had 32" waists

The last time I was in the Mecca-Gold's Venice-I saw one of the brothers, wearing the rope belt and beret and jeans. He was training in elbow length boat type sweatshirt that was a "shorty", stopping a few inches above the waist. I was shocked when I saw that his waist was tight as can be, I mean no BF at all. I dont know if it was a 32 incher, but it was as tight as it could get.

The Barbarian Brother was big, in a fitness sense, but in no way huge like they were in the early 80's. Man, did he have good conditioning though!

So they take good care of themselfs and are still in great considiton.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 12:39:55 PM
Not sure if people know about the bust the twins went through.  That is the biggest reason they are so trim now.  I have a story but I will tell it if someone doesn't know about what happened.

Akbar, not sure if we met, is that your name.  I live in Hawaii now since 1989.  Their pants were size 34 and they were a little loose.  They have dressed that way for awhile.  They were taken growth way back then.  They ate unreal.  More junk food than I could ever eat, but they could stay trim.  I find it no problem that they ate 10,000 cals a day.  How much does a half gallon of ice cream have, 4 double fudge cakes, 3 jumbo jacks, fries, and other crap have.  They definitely didn't like to diet.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 25, 2005, 12:40:19 PM
The Hoffman days! WOW! That brings back lots of memories.

I don't have the OK to mention names here and besides it happened a long time ago so the details may not be quite accurate but maybe someone out there may fill in the blanks and post the particulars.

So with that in mind, here goes .........

Bob Hoffman was born in the late 1890's and it was his goal to live to see three centuries. He didn't achieve that goal but he gave it a try. (This was passed on to me by someone who knew him well.)

I first met Bob Hoffman the year that they held the Olympic Lifting Championships on the West Coast in Los Angeles at the Embassy Auditorium in conjunction with the AAU Mr America Contest. (Sometime in the early 60's).

Back in those days it was an uncontested fact that the AAU Olympic Lifters would use a bodybuilding event to draw a crowd for the lifters. In the vast majority of cases, the bodybuilding contest would start after the lifters had received their trophies.

Once the trophies were passed out the stage would be cleared for the bodybuilding competition. That "clearing process" alone took an hour or more so it was not uncommon for the bodybuilding competition to start very late at night or even early in the morning.

At this particular contest, I recall the bodybuilders taking over the stage way after midnight. I think it was about 2:00 am.

I think that is one of the major reasons the bodybuilders back then eventually broke away from the AAU.

Anyway, at one time I knew one of the Editors of Strength and Health. Bob had two magaznes ..... S&H and Muscular Development. And the Hoffman gang disliked the Weider's with a passion. (DemiGods, Young Physique, etc, .... anyone recall those?)

York Barbell equipment was originally made by a York, Pa. company which made cast iron furnaces. In fact, I think that they are still in business.

Way back before I was around, Bob Hoffman had a large quantity of lifting equipment (barbells and dumbells and lifting racks) made for a very low price and somehow it was all placed in a very large warehouse in the York vicinity.

Now let's jump to the late 60's and get back to the Editor I had mentioned earlier .........

More follows ........... Just got a call to be someplace.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on June 25, 2005, 12:56:26 PM
The AAU Mr. America was in Los Angeles at least four times: 1943, 1948, 1958, 1965.

I assume it was neither of the first two listed ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 01:07:28 PM
Not sure if we have met.  Maybe.  I trained at the Original World Gym in 79'-82'  (maybe 83').  I grew up in Manhattan Beach.  Worked at Tequilla willies for a couple of years which was a popular night spot.  Only really went to Gold's to see my friend Pete G.  Never actually worked out there except once.  I never competed even though Joe Gold kept trying to push me too.  i just couldn't see me in those shorts.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 01:47:21 PM
No I never trained with him but knew of him.  Kaz is a good friend of mine.  I told a good story on here about me and Kaz's brush with the law.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 25, 2005, 02:06:36 PM
Onlyme, did you ever train with Rick "Grizzly" Brown ? He was a very strong guy and we remained friends up until his death by heart failure a couple of years ago. Grizzy blaimed his heart failure (which developed over 18 months) on steriod consumption and he spent his last few months preaching against their use. He died in his mid 40's.

AKBAR-ALI-

I had posted earlier in this thread or another one about Grizzly Brown. I used to see him at Gold's Venice almost everytime I popped in their to train in the early/mid/late 80's.

He was very well known at Gold's, was one of the biggest guys there and seemed like a very cool guy.

EVERYONE in the gym talked to him, and he seemed to know everyone there too. It was always weird because I always saw him there. Big Boy.

I was surprised to hear that he died, I think Bossa or someone posted a pic of him responding to my inquiry. Actually I think I asked Onlyme if he knew him because he was so damn big, like Onlyme.

Were you two very good friends?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 25, 2005, 02:37:02 PM
619rules, I met Griz in early 80's in Golds Venice when I trained in the USA in preparation for the NABBA Universe and also used to meet up with him at various strongman contests and Highland Games contests in the UK which I used to help organise. I would like to think of him as a friend. He was only in his 20's when he was at his peak and died around 43. It was in his last months that he showed his true strength of character when with a deminishing heart he preached against anyone using anabolic steriods. I last spoke to him 48 hours before he died when he could hardly get a breath.  Sadly missed.


It was obvious from how he knew, and interacted with, just about eveyone at Gold's that he was a cool guy.

I wish I was a regular member at Venice back then, so I could have gotten to know some of the guys like Grizzly. I remember one workout when Grizzly was repping 405 out on the incline bench.

It is too bad a cool guy like that died. He was definitly one of the most popular Gold's members at that time.


Here is the link to earlier comments:

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=30473.25
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 03:08:40 PM
I never saw Bill eat goldfish, but he could eat allot of steak.  I was at the Arnold in 2003 when that cop beat Kaz 100 lb Db press record.  I think he did 51 reps and Kaz did 50 some years before.  One thing Kaz did that amzed me was 50 reps with 405 on the bench.  I remeber for a show we did here we tied Bill to the front of my Bronco and he held a rope with the show TV van on the other end.  They proceeded to accelerate while Bill held it in place making the van spin it's tires. 

The thing I like to is that me and Bill share the same birthday and him and his wife Manon always email me to wish me happy birthday.

I had a really neat poster Bill gave me of his greatest feats of Strength".  It was really neat.  It had a montage of different things he did with all his records on the bottom.  Has anyone else seen this poster.  If not I will call him to send me another one and I will scan it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 25, 2005, 03:16:44 PM
One thing Kaz did that amzed me was 50 reps with 405 on the bench. 

I would like to see this.........Platz's 50 reps with 315 on squats is legendary, but that was squatting.....

a 405 bench for 50!-that has to be some sort of record........
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Larzker on June 25, 2005, 06:27:28 PM
Welcome, Iain Dowe.  (http://www.larrymccusker.com/cheers.gif)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on June 25, 2005, 06:50:31 PM
With the clues you offered, I figured out your identity, but had your name spelled as Ian ?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on June 25, 2005, 07:25:48 PM
When I stayed at Ray Mentzer's place in 1991 (he owed me since he and Kathy stayed at my place in Sydney for at least 3 months a few years previously) he drove me to a few places. It took me two days to figure out I needed my own car. Ray spoke to the guy at the desk at Gold's Venice and I got a free membership card for my two week stay in LA. I remember when I first came to Gold's in 1968 in October that Joe let me train for free then, too. All he wanted to know was how long I would be there. I offered to do chores around the gym but he said it was okay.

The next year, 1969, I got married to Roz and guess where I wanted to go for my honeymoon? LA! I went to train at Golds and Joe took Roz to the Beach while I trained. I remember watching Joe play beach volleyball and since I loved most sports asked if I could join in. Nope, they had their group and that was that. While I was there I heard from Seymour Koenig that Joe wanted to sell the gym for $50,000. I was interested and joked with Joe that I would buy it if he financed me. Ah, what a bargain that would have been. However, I was no entrepreneur so who knows what would have happened to that name. I would have let Joe have the name back if he wanted to buy his gym back.

Anyway I visited Golds in 1980 but without Joe there it didn't seem like the same place. The next visit was in 1991.  I saw big Paul Dillette and thought he was a giant. He weighed about 290 then and had the widest shoulders I have ever seen. I think everyone felt he didn't have to pose and should have been Mr Olympia anyway. I introduced myself and was surprised to find out he was from Canada. I got him to pose for a few photos outside and I have one with the two of us in it. I wanted to post it with the caption, "Guess which one won Mr Canada?" Paul was disqualified in the Mr Canada but in my day there were no tests of any kind. Several days later I introduced Ray to Paul. Ray tells it like it is and declared that Paul's physique was ugly. I guess it was all those veins. Paul dwarfed Ray and Ray weighed about 260 then. Ray said I knew more people there than he did and I had been there for only 2 weeks while he had been there for 10 years. He introduced me to big Lou but I wasn't charged anything to shake his hand!. I saw Lou in 2000 and asked where Ray was. He said he hasn't seen him since the last time we met. I told him he still looked good and that made him smile.

While I was there in 91 I noticed this big muscular woman who had arms almost as big as mine. She really impressed me and I thought she either thought I was some ugly ass or she was a bit interested in me. I love the way those LA women aren't afraid of eye contact. Anyway, I noticed her several times during my daily visits to the gym. I thought to myself that I had better not approach her because for all I knew she might be a bloke! When you have been around beaches as long as I have you tend to be a bit more cautious. On my last day at the gym I showed a few people the photos I took of Paul. Achem Albrecht sp? was there training and also weighing about 290 pounds. So I walk up to Achem and show him my photos. The superlady is nearby so I say, "Hey, they say you gals look like fellas but this is what real men look like." She came over to have a look and introduced herself. I cursed myself because I knew her from the magazines. She had dark hair now and used to be a blond. I think she moved from there but she had a business giving nutrition advice.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 25, 2005, 09:31:11 PM
Not sure if people know about the bust the twins went through.  That is the biggest reason they are so trim now.  I have a story but I will tell it if someone doesn't know about what happened.

Akbar, not sure if we met, is that your name.  I live in Hawaii now since 1989.  Their pants were size 34 and they were a little loose.  They have dressed that way for awhile.  They were taken growth way back then.  They ate unreal.  More junk food than I could ever eat, but they could stay trim.  I find it no problem that they ate 10,000 cals a day.  How much does a half gallon of ice cream have, 4 double fudge cakes, 3 jumbo jacks, fries, and other crap have.  They definitely didn't like to diet.

Onlyme I am not familiar with the story, could u share it with us ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 25, 2005, 10:58:26 PM
okay I will try to keep it short.  The twins were busted back in the early 90's not sure what year.  Not even sure if they spent any time in jail.  Almost sure they didn't.  What did happen is that they both had to go through random drug tests and searches.

When I went to see David he and his new wife Kim told me about how the LAPD would call them in the middle of the night to have them come down for a test.  then they would go back home get back in bed and about 4 hours later get another call for them to get tested again.  Sometimes they were tested 4 times a day. 

LAPD would make surprise visits all the time.  For the first few months they said it was unreal how many they were tested.  When I saw David he had already dropped an easy 40 lbs.  I see him now and he is so thin.  but I think he has adjusted really well.

I don't keep in contact like I use too.  I think I talked to David last year a couple of times. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 26, 2005, 12:42:18 PM
Here is a story I put on another board.  It was so long I figured it had to be here too.

Okay kids, endorsements are given to celebrities who generally will increase sales of the product being endorsed through proper marketing and advertising.  Celebrities are chosen when possible because they have a built in fan base, exposure and marketability.  They are CELEBRITIES.  Some celebrities will not endorse products at all or none unless they actually use them or believe in them.  The most notable would probably be Ed McMahon.  But most will do an endorsement as long as the money is there. 

An example would be Chuck Norris.  For month, SCARAB (the boat company, I am pretty sure this is the one) wanted Chuck to shoot a commercial in Japan.  But Mike E. who was Chuck's attorney and does allot of Chuck's business dealings (not sure if still with him) said no.  They wanted $1 million to do it.  Well then SCARAB came up with giving him one of there boats in lieu of payment.  Chuck liked that offer and did it.

Another one involving Chuck, also involved me.  My friend Joe Copelletta who is a well known director was also the person who directed all the United Way commercials  you seeon Tv involving sports stars.  Well he called me one day saying they are ready to shoot their annual corporate short film (15 minutes) which they show during a huge event in Washington D.C. which they show to Fortune 500 companies.  The theme was "You are my hero"  Bette Midler song.

They wanted Chuck Norris to star in it.  Joe knew that I knew Chuck well and asked me if I could set up a meeting.  So i called Chuck and then set up a meeting between them through Cynthia Chuck's assistant.  They met got along and Chuck did the shoot.  For Free! 

This was Chuck's first time he had ever had to use a teleprompter.  It was a long day for this 15 minute shoot.  Joe gave me a tape of outtakes of the shoot.  Chuck was very funny trying to read the teleprompter without making it look like he's reading it.  One othe thing about this short was it was nominated for somebig award and Chuck did win his only acring award ever A Golden Eagle Award.  He had a full page spread on the back of Variety for that.

Later on at my 30 birthday in Vegas, I was eating with Chuck.  Chuck had just started shootng the show Walker.  Joe had been calling Chuck for months to see if he could direct an episode of walker but never got a call back or anythng from Chuck. So I asked him about Joe directing an episode and said that he had been calling him and never got a call back.  Chuck said Keith I'm sorry I never got a call, I didn't know he did action shows.  he then said i will call him first thing when i get back.  Well Chuck did call Joe and it ended up Joe directed I think 14 episodes of Walker. By the way I didn't get a dime.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 26, 2005, 02:55:35 PM
Only-as a karate fan, (and I remember when Chuck was US National champ in middleweights before movies) I am curious, how did you meet Chuck?

You seem to know just about everyone who is anyone in the fitness world-Ali, Barbarian Brothers, Chuck Norris, Benny the Jet-it really amazes me how many people you know-especially since virtually everyone was a role model for me-

So what gives-how did you get so connected?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 26, 2005, 03:27:31 PM
You know when you think about it, it is kind of strange that I know so many people.  i have a huge list.  The way I met Chuck originally was through my friend who I grew up with and is a very well known Hollywood stuntman and who i have worked for in the past.  We went to Chuck's house in Lemon Heights and I just became friends.  Then, Chuck knew my connection at the Forum and wanted to bring some friends to the boxing match there one day.  So, he called me and asked if I could get him some tickets (actually 15 of them).  So i asked my business partner who was in charge of the Forum Boxing Mike Garrett (Heisman Trophy winner), and of curse he said yes.  Now before the matches Jerry Buss would give his personal guests and VIP a free get-together dinner at the Forum restaurant.  So we all met there.  Now when Chuck called me he said Keith I have a guy who I want to introduce you too, I think you guys will get along and he can get allot of things done.

So anyway we meet at dinner and he introduces me to Joe K.  At the time Joe K was a very very wealthy and successful businessman who actually supported Chuck in dire times and ran his fan club too.  Me and Joe hit it off really good.  He liked to surround himself with celebrities and VIP's.

Another way met so many celebrities is when I volunteered with the Special Olympics.  I met allot of them there.  It just so happens I end up being friends with them. I mean they give their phone numbers and we go out and such.  I mean Susan Anton invites me over for a BBQ.  How's that.  Ellie May Clampett babysat my daughter, Jacklyn Smith cried all over me and was sqeezing the shit out of me (my girlfriend didn't like that one too much),  me and Arnold co-hosted weightlifting.  I armwrestled Patrick Swayze and Ray Coombs.  Gene Wilder kept tickling me (for some reason).  And a ton more stories.  The Special Olympics actually brought me to Hawaii where I ended up staying.  Charo was a big reason for that.

I think my size and the title had allot to do with it.  i got invited to many charity functions around the country.  I played gold and tennis pretty good too.  It jsut seemed that people liked me. not sure why.  At a golf event up in San Fran. they got me good with some fun stuff.

Plus, being in TV I got to meet allot of others.  i have been pretty lucky.  Like you said about meeting idols.  i have met allot of mine and no one more than Ali.  Reggie Jackson, Deacon Jones (who is so funny), mario Andretti and others.  No real polictical figures except the mayor of Vegas Ron Lurie and a couple of Senators. 

I think everyone has their stories.  I don't think mine are anything that special expect they include a few names people recognize.  Other than that I am pretty boring.

What I like allot is that most everyone remembers me.  I guess that is because I stick out a little more than most.  Sometimes this is nice and other times i wish it wasn't so.  My most memorable is when Ali got so excited when he saw me 3 months after our first encounter in Miami and his wife telling me how much he liked me and talked about me.  That is something i feel great about more than anything.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 26, 2005, 03:55:10 PM
Only mentioned most of the great people he has met , but unfortunately he has met a load of "genuine assholes" too. Not a lot but enough to laugh about and  it makes for interesting conversation and a load of laughs when the subject comes up.

Funny thing about the "assholes" is that they all are little people who have something somewhat similar to a Napoleon complex.





Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 26, 2005, 03:59:12 PM
Cool stuff......... wish I knew all those people, and of course Ali-he is the top of the food chain in sports...... ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 26, 2005, 04:26:01 PM
Hey, Only! when I was stationed on Okinawa in the mid 1960's we had a young Marine always sneaking off base to train at one of the local Dojo's. A few years later, he gained national recognition and opened some Dojo's in the USA. He could have been a great bodybuilder too but his heart was into Karate and the other martial arts.

Do you recall who I am trying to think of?

AND ...... Here is the only attempt that I can make in an effort to top you and the people you have associated with .......... 

Did you ever meet Bruce Lee? .... I did.
Did ya ever meet Jeff Hunter and Phyllis Thaxter? .... I did.
Did you ever smash into Eddie Fisher's car?........ I did (or almost did).
Did ya ever talk story with Rosilland Russel? .... I did.
Did you ever hang out with Kim Novak? ........ I did.
Did you know Doug McCLure? .... I did.
Did ya ever carry Harry James' trumpet?... I did.
Did ya ever hang with Mike Tyson?  .......... I did.
Did ya ever spend time with Bob Hope without a crowd around? ......... I did.
Did ya ever meet Mickey Dolenz and the Monkees? ...... I did.
Did ya ever drink with Gordon Lightfoot? ........ I did.
DId ya ever have a beer wth Marlon Brando? .... I did.
Did ya ever hold an Academy Award? ........ I did.
Did you ever coach a national winning bodybuilder?.... I did.
DId you ever appear on the Art Linkletter show? .... I did.
DId you ever get loaded at an Italian Embassy and ask for Pizza all nite long? ...... I did.
Did ya ever talk old time bodybuilding story with Steve Reeves? .... I did.
Did you ever ski with the Kennedy's? ......... I did.
Did you ever work with Terry (Telly??) Thomas, Pat Boone, Edward Everette Horton, or Pam Austin? ............  I did.
And did you ever meet the guy who played the voice of Cheshier the Cat in the original Disney production of Alice in Wonderland? .... I did, but I forgot his name.
Were you ever the private guest of M. Frankovich when he owned and ran one of the major Hollywood studios? ........... I was.
Did you ever work as a sunt coordinator on a major Hollywood production? ....  I did. (Major to me at least!)
Did you ever get drunk and puke on ...................... Awe, never mind!!

If you guys can ID any of the above, you're a hell of a lot older than you think your are.

I do gotta admit that hanging with Only in any location always turns out to be an adventure.
And if he ever volunteers to show you around Beverly Hills, ask for the Sonny and Cher Tour and the 90210 producer's house (Spellings?) , and get him to knock on the door of Sly Stallone's. You could get invited inside for a beer or two or chased off the property by a couple of Doberman's. You just won't know until you knock.

When you hang with Keith, you got to be prepared for any eventuality, but laughs are always guaranteed.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 26, 2005, 06:34:15 PM
I just cropped and redid a member's posted photo but forgot when to repost it so it goes here till the owner finds it if he wants it.

Sorry about that, Mr Filosi.

He competed nationally a while back and might be doing some 40+ contests soon. Watch for him on the national level. I got a feeling that this is one man Ernie Santiago will have to beat when and if he does decide to compete.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 26, 2005, 07:16:50 PM
Here are my answers;

Did you ever meet Bruce Lee? .... I did.   NO I WISH (but did see where he grew up, did you do that)Did ya ever meet Jeff Hunter and Phyllis Thaxter? .... I did.  NO?
Did you ever smash into Eddie Fisher's car?........ I did (or almost did).  NO (but daughters mom's house was right below his, and the guy who played Starsky kicked me out of his parking spot one day when i was at the studio picking up a check)
Did ya ever talk story with Rosilland Russel? .... I did. NO
Did you ever hang out with Kim Novak? ........ I did.  NO (does Tony Nowak count)Did you know Doug McCLure? .... I did.  NO
Did ya ever carry Harry James' trumpet?... I did.  NO (but went to a party with Grammy winner Branson Marcilis?)Did ya ever hang with Mike Tyson?  .......... I did.  YES (quite a bit and been to his house)Did ya ever spend time with Bob Hope without a crowd around? ......... I did.  NO (but tried to get to his house in Palm Springs but was turned away)
Did ya ever meet Mickey Dolenz and the Monkees? ...... I did.  NO (he was in England, worked with his daughter Amy and we had a wrap party at his house.  Mickey's mom loved me)Did ya ever drink with Gordon Lightfoot? ........ I did.  NODId ya ever have a beer wth Marlon Brando? .... I did.  NO
Did ya ever hold an Academy Award? ........ I did.  YES AND SOME EMMY'S, AND A GRAMMYDid you ever coach a national winning bodybuilder?.... I did.  NO (but I know you)
DId you ever appear on the Art Linkletter show? .... I did.  NO (but was booked on Johnny Carson, and my Gillette Commercial aired on johnny Carson)DId you ever get loaded at an Italian Embassy and ask for Pizza all nite long? ...... I did.  NO (but I was drunk one night and had 2 large pizzas end up in my toilet)
Did ya ever talk old time bodybuilding story with Steve Reeves? .... I did.  NO (but i talk to you about them)Did you ever ski with the Kennedy's? ......... I did.  NO (but when I first moved to hawaii my agent set me up with a place to live at her friends.  The lady was Blanche Whittaker the wife of Jack Whittaker the 1st American to climb Mt. Everest and owner of REI Sporting Goods.  They were best friends of the Kennedys and the house was filled with items JFK had given them throughout the years.)Did you ever work with Terry (Telly??) Thomas, Pat Boone, Edward Everette Horton, or Pam Austin? ............  I did.  NO (but I like the song Debbie Boone sang, You are the light of my life)
And did you ever meet the guy who played the voice of Cheshier the Cat in the original Disney production of Alice in Wonderland? .... I did, but I forgot his name.  NO (but we had a cat named Alice)Were you ever the private guest of M. Frankovich when he owned and ran one of the major Hollywood studios? ........... I was.  NO (I actually worked in the business)Did you ever work as a sunt coordinator on a major Hollywood production? ....  I did. (Major to me at least!) No (but I did do actual stunts) have you ever had your SAG card...I DID
Did you ever get drunk and puke on ...................... Awe, never mind!!  YES

If you guys can ID any of the above, you're a hell of a lot older than you think your are.

I do gotta admit that hanging with Only in any location always turns out to be an adventure.
And if he ever volunteers to show you around Beverly Hills, ask for the Sonny and Cher Tour and the 90210 producer's house (Spellings?) , and get him to knock on the door of Sly Stallone's. You could get invited inside for a beer or two or chased off the property by a couple of Doberman's. You just won't know until you knock.

When you hang with Keith, you got to be prepared for any eventuality, but laughs are always guaranteed.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 26, 2005, 07:43:54 PM
Dang! You're a hard man to beat, Only!

But I did lead you into a few of those, didn't I?

Here's a last one to top and it is open to all ...............

There is an amateur bodybuilder whose phone is answered  by an English Butler and all his meals are prepared by the family chef.

Name him !
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 26, 2005, 07:47:26 PM
That reminds me.  has anyone called Bill Kazmaier or Ronnie Coleman.  Bill answers the phone This is Bill Kazmaier Worlds Strongest Man. And Ronnies says This is Ronnie Coleman Mr olympia.  I think that is funny.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 28, 2005, 12:07:55 AM
Well since no one else wants to say anything.  me and Stunt were talking the other day and it brought up a couple of people who I met while living here in hawaii.  I think what is so neat about these two people is that they are two people I watched religiously on TV as a kid.  One was on Hawaii Five-O and the other in Gomer Pyle.

jack Lord spent most of his later years staying in his beach house and painting.  but ocassionally he would go to the grocery store with his wife in his beautiful 1960 something convertible pick cadillac.  he would stay by the car while she went in.  Well twice I saw him there and both times I spent some time talking to him.  he was very nice but I could tell he was very senile.  One of the times we would be talking and all of a sudden he would tell me how many episodes they did of Hawaii Five-O.  He did this at least 10 different times right in the middle of a sentance.  Eevryone that saw him would come over and say Hi.

Jim Nabors has an unreal house on the cliffs of Diamond Head.  His favoriteplace to eat is California Pizza Kitchen.  That too is one of my favorties.  I seen him in their maybe 20 times.  We'd say hi to each other but that was about it.  I was doing a photo shoot one day by his house and he came out to say hi to us.  A very nice guy who also drew allot of attention.

Now I know everyone here has stories about someone famous they met.  They might not completely be in relation to BB or lifting but I know they are interesting.  Plus, maybe Gomer lifted in the Marines.  So share your stories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 28, 2005, 09:34:55 AM
Alot of famous people that I've talked to....I never even realized who they were.

Later on someone would tell me that was so & so you were talking with.

I guess it's better that I have no idea otherwise I probably wouldn't even talk to them.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 28, 2005, 09:40:19 AM
Ive seen a few famous people but never talked to them.  There was one time the movie festival was going on (in Toronto) and there was this woman and man walking along the street and they were pretending to be homeless...It was really quite rediculous, especially the woman.  she was wearing sunglasses at night holding a cup and "ragged clothes" I put ragged in quotations because you could tell it was from being altered that way, not worn...and they were walking down the street like this....I never did figure out who it was tho...but it provided me and the gf with quite a chuckle :D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 28, 2005, 02:58:54 PM
Hey Onlyme-

That Jack Lord stuff was pretty funny. You know Jack did so quite a bit of painting over there, and he actually was selling some of it on EBAY.

It would show a picture of Jack painting, and then the painting he was selling!

You know Bill Smith played a regular Five-0 guy the last 2-3 seasons. I wonder if he was living overthere fullltime or just during the shooting season?

Five-0 plays everyday on the Hallmark channel....
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 28, 2005, 05:29:07 PM
Bill Smith - I don't think he resided in Hawaii but came over on occasion to shoot some footage for the series.

Jimy McArthur lived here with his wife and used to stop by when we held some weekend parties up on the rise overlooking Kahala. And Peter Lawford had a place or rented a place in Kahala.

It was common to run into these movie people at the grocery stores and no one (the locals)ever really bothered them. Most of then would hang out at the Outrigger Canoe Club.

OK, back to the bodybuilding stuff................ I just found another ton of old time photos which I will post on here ASAP but I am in the process of moving so it may take a little time.

So stand by to stand by!

Thanks
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 28, 2005, 07:27:05 PM
HEy Onlyme, sorry to beat the armwrestling thing to death...but I was inspired to purchase the over the top DVD  ;D Anyways I was watching the preliminaries scene and I saw a guy I didn't realize was an armwrestler...Cleve Dean (sp?) I remember him from the WSM where Franco busted his leg...HE WAS ENORMOUS like 450 lbs if I remember correctly....was he any good at armwrestling and did you ever go against him ???
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 28, 2005, 08:48:04 PM
Cleve Dean was perhaps the best known armwrestler in the world. he was 9 time world champion.  he made his name in Wristwrestling up in Petaluma.  he weighed over 600 pounds when we were filming Over the Top.  I did beat him during the Over The TOp world championship in Vegas.  The only thing is they disqualified me after I pinned him in 1:27.  He told them my body hit my arm.  The refs didn't see anything but took his word for it.  The place went ballastic cause everyone knew I beat him.  That match was so hard.  he is huge.  On Wide World of Sports to show how big his hand was they took his ring off his finger and put a quarter through it. 

he was so big I remember talking to these girls and they were looking at Cleve sitting across the way.  Then all of a sudden you could see he was pissing in his pants.  He was just to big to get up and piss.  My strategy to for our match was make him go up to the table and have to wait.  This way he was a little more tired from having to stand up there all that time.  i waited till they almost disqualified me before I went up.  he had 29" biceps (if you could call them that).  he was just so big.  earlier in his career his weighed about 450 or so.

One of my best friend is still to this day the youngest competitor in the WSM events.  he too was an armwrestler.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 28, 2005, 09:19:34 PM
great story onlyme

One of these days.....I am gonna have to watch that movie again
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 28, 2005, 11:38:06 PM
Keith, ya probably know this already but that place in Petaluma where it all started is Gilardi's Bar or Tavern.

OK, back to some old time pics......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 28, 2005, 11:48:51 PM
Old time Pics

The first is Porter Cottrell probably in the best shape of his life .........

The second is a young Phil Hernon. I tried to call Phil this past weekend with no success. Will keep on tryen and get an update. Also trying to contact Mendenhall for an update.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 28, 2005, 11:54:49 PM
First shot ....... Name all three guys.

Second shot .............. Name him. Hint... Last name S_ _ _ _

OPPPPSS! Forget that on the last. The name of the shot gives it away.

Let's try the first name.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 12:04:53 AM
I think that this shot of Ron Teufel was taken the year that Tony Pierson won the nationals in Cinn.

That was a big surprise (but deserving) to Tony and a major upset for Ron.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 12:15:58 AM
ONLY, you should be better able to discuss this shot. It was taken at Mike Scott's Power Pit in Pearl City.

The second picture is a shot of the young Air Force E-4 who had great potential about ten years back or more. Anyone recognize him and know what he is up to today? He was just a beginner when he won this contest.

This was around the time of Lance Bennett who competed in Az and won the state title after he got out of the army. I'll try to dig up some Lance shots.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 12:19:59 AM
Second attempt, here is that 2nd shot of the AF winner.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on June 29, 2005, 03:32:23 AM
I think that this shot of Ron Teufel was taken the year that Tony Pierson won the nationals in Cinn.

That was a big surprise (but deserving) to Tony and a major upset for Ron.

Stunt, Pearson won the Mr. America not the Nationals.I think you know that but lets keep it right for those who don't know. ;)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 04:22:33 AM
Thanks, Bix!

Here are some more pics. Remember that they are old prints and have been gathering dust in the haunted attic we got down below.......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 04:27:37 AM
I'm sure you recall those two above, but how about these?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 04:31:32 AM
Great guy! Good stories!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 10:09:28 AM
First shot is Phil Hernon with Mike Mattarazzo in the background. I don't know what contest or year this one was and I also don't know who took the picture.

Second shot is Porter once again ............

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 10:28:18 AM
This is Brett Yokley. We met Brett at the 1990 Nationals in Los Angeles and were very impressed but he took 14th place in the heavies which I guess was a major disappointment.

I am not aware if he continued to compete Nationally after 1990 but he did have a hell of a lot of potential.

He was 6'3" at a competitive wt of 235 and was studying Biology at Arizona State University.

Brett won the Az State title in 1989

2nd photo is the great Larry Scott while training in Utah I believe. This photo goes back a while but it is not dated.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 10:34:07 AM
The first photo is a TV interview at one of the nationals.

ONLY will give more details on this second shot if he recalls.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 10:44:42 AM
For a good number of years we promoted a natural contest on behalf of the MDA and raised a considerable amount of money thanks to Gold's Gym Hawaii and a number of other individuals.

This was out Poster Boy. We took him to see the professional wrestlers and they invited him backstage to talk to all the guys. He was really thrilled by that and talked about it constantly.

He passed away shortly after these photos were taken. I have to thank Greg Gaunt who played a major part in support of the MDA too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 29, 2005, 11:35:08 AM
Stunt that looks like a photo taken at the photo shoot we did for MDA that year.  Remember I was the spoksperson from Gold's Gym for MDA that year.  Remember that girl was a world famous hang glider that worked with us at Gold's and did aireil shoots for National Geographic from her hang glider.  She too died a year or so after this photo.  Remember the poster.  Me, Nuu Faalo (Clevend Browns), Caroyn Sapp (Miss America), and that guy from the San Francisco 49ers Jesses Sapolo.  I had one of those posters and it got lost through all the moving I do.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 29, 2005, 12:29:13 PM
Cleve Dean was perhaps the best known armwrestler in the world. he was 9 time world champion.  he made his name in Wristwrestling up in Petaluma.  he weighed over 600 pounds when we were filming Over the Top.  I did beat him during the Over The TOp world championship in Vegas.  The only thing is they disqualified me after I pinned him in 1:27.  He told them my body hit my arm.  The refs didn't see anything but took his word for it.  The place went ballastic cause everyone knew I beat him.  That match was so hard.  he is huge.  On Wide World of Sports to show how big his hand was they took his ring off his finger and put a quarter through it. 

he was so big I remember talking to these girls and they were looking at Cleve sitting across the way.  Then all of a sudden you could see he was pissing in his pants.  He was just to big to get up and piss.  My strategy to for our match was make him go up to the table and have to wait.  This way he was a little more tired from having to stand up there all that time.  i waited till they almost disqualified me before I went up.  he had 29" biceps (if you could call them that).  he was just so big.  earlier in his career his weighed about 450 or so.

One of my best friend is still to this day the youngest competitor in the WSM events.  he too was an armwrestler.



onlyme.....

is this the guy?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 29, 2005, 12:48:54 PM
Yep that is the smaller version of him
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 29, 2005, 12:53:12 PM
I think I could take that Cleve guy in an arm wrestling contest.........he's not that big.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 29, 2005, 12:55:17 PM
First shot ....... Name all three guys.

Second shot .............. Name him. Hint... Last name S_ _ _ _

OPPPPSS! Forget that on the last. The name of the shot gives it away.

Let's try the first name.

OK
1. Ron Tuefel
2. Tom Platz
3. Bob Birdsong

Second pic-the great Jerry Steele-Muscle and Fitness Cover Boy.

I'm sure you recall those two above, but how about these?

The great Ernie Santiago-Jr. Mr. America, Jr. Mr. USA, Mr. USA....

Only show he didnt win was the Mr. America/Nationals-which was the only show back then that allowed you to go the Universe-and only Universe winners could go pro. A great BBer with incredible lines and shape-one of the best.

Phil Hernon has trained at Gold's San Diego before and he was a huge guy-especially his LEGS. Giant legs. Those pics Stunt posted show his chest is thick as can be also!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 01:47:22 PM
Good going, Rules. You AM smart!

Ok, your next assignmet if you choose to accept it, it to ID everyone in  both these pictures.

I personally believe that is impossilbe. And I don't have the slightest clue no more!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 02:10:40 PM
First photo - Chad Clark (USAF).

Good friend. Chad never placed lower than 1st in his wt class and soon won the overall World Gym Championships which was held a few years back in Las Vegas. He was one of those freaky guys who gained muscle size after each workout.

Good symmetry and a real down to earth athlete. Always looked up to his fellow competitors and had a difficult time understanding why and how he beat them all.

2nd Photo is  Chris Hulse ....... USA Army Swat Team Leader now residing in Reno, Nv.

Chris is one of those exceptional guys who loves to compete and can be ready with two weeks notice. Another guy who has never lost his wt class but cannot go all out to win a national title. Chris is army trained to take care of his men under hazardous conditions  so he is always backstage checking to make sure everyone is doing OK, even when he himself is competing. He's like a "24 hour on duty doctor!". And no matter what posing disk is missing, we can count on him to have the exact copy in his collection which is always in his car. Even crap like "Voodoo Zombies on the Range!". (Sorry for cutting the top of his head off.)



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 02:37:08 PM
I don't know how many of you guys and gals have worked with military bodybuilders before but it can be a real fascinating experience.

We were doing a contest one night when one of the military contestants asked if he could leave some equipment at the officials' desk because it was very important.

So that military bag with "important" stuff in it sat on the officials' desk while he competed on stage.

Most of us were curious as to what what in that bag, but no one looked and it wasn't until much later when I found out what it contained.

This contest was held on a military base and, as some of you may know, military guys are usually "on call" or on a stand-by status

This one guy was well known around the base to be an exceptional bodybuilder so everyone was counting on him to enter and win it.

But that particular night he got placed on stand by status, which meant that he had to be ready to depart at a moment's notice in full combat array.

But since this particular contest was held in the theater ajacent to the airstrip, the decision was made higher up that he could attend the contest and compete as long as he realized that he could have to depart at a moment's notice when and if  the alert came in.

Now this guy was one hell of an advanced trooper ..................! He had a job which most of you never knew existed.

I can't go into details but this is kind of like the work he did ........

With short notice and at any time he could be on a high altitude recon flight to some remote cornor of the world and all rigged up to jump in the night with oxygen mask support.

Once he hit the ground he would complete his assigned mission within hours and make arrangements for extraction which could be by sub, helicopter, or what used to be called the "sling shot" where a low flying aircraft would catch a line and pull him into the aircraft.

He did win the contest that night and would have been a major threat in any national contest but his true love was doing something more exciting.

So he never had to open that bag that nite and the driver on stand-by gave him a ride back to the barracks with a couple of major trophies in the back.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 29, 2005, 04:05:00 PM
I don't know how many of you guys and gals have worked with military bodybuilders before but it can be a real fascinating experience.

We were doing a contest one night when one of the military contestants asked if he could leave some equipment at the officials' desk because it was very important.

So that military bag with "important" stuff in it sat on the officials' desk while he competed on stage.

Most of us were curious as to what what in that bag, but no one looked and it wasn't until much later when I found out what it contained.

This contest was held on a military base and, as some of you may know, military guys are usually "on call" or on a stand-by status

This one guy was well known around the base to be an exceptional bodybuilder so everyone was counting on him to enter and win it.

But that particular night he got placed on stand by status, which meant that he had to be ready to depart at a moment's notice in full combat array.

But since this particular contest was held in the theater ajacent to the airstrip, the decision was made higher up that he could attend the contest and compete as long as he realized that he could have to depart at a moment's notice when and if  the alert came in.

Now this guy was one hell of an advanced trooper ..................! He had a job which most of you never knew existed.

I can't go into details but this is kind of like the work he did ........

With short notice and at any time he could be on a high altitude recon flight to some remote cornor of the world and all rigged up to jump in the night with oxygen mask support.

Once he hit the ground he would complete his assigned mission within hours and make arrangements for extraction which could be by sub, helicopter, or what used to be called the "sling shot" where a low flying aircraft would catch a line and pull him into the aircraft.

He did win the contest that night and would have been a major threat in any national contest but his true love was doing something more exciting.

So he never had to open that bag that nite and the driver on stand-by gave him a ride back to the barracks with a couple of major trophies in the back.



Well....I used to workout with a lot of Military bodybuilders & occasionally still do to some capacity.

When I first started lifting awhile ago, I fell into their click because for a rookie in the gym, they were amazed how much weight I could handle especially just walking in with no lifting experience.

Unfortunately.....what a lot of people don't realize is how difficult these guys have it especially getting ready for a contest.  They still have to work the crazy hours & of course.....still run PT.  As a Marine, they still have to run section PT which includes a run that means a minimum of 3 miles & usually it goes much, much further.  Less not forget how many different sets of uniforms they would have to maintain for the different seasons of competition.  As a Marine, personal appearance was extremely important & uniforms are always inspected for proper fit & appearance.  Then we had a bunch of issues because of the Marine Corps very strict height & weight standards.  Before they allowed bodyfat percentages....you had to meet the Marine Corps height & weight.  If you exceeded your weight, it was up to command discretion whether you had to go on remedial PT.  If you were in a command with a zero tolerance policy.....your life became living hell & unless you know someone....you had to drop the weight.


see how you 'measure' up


inches    min weight     max weight
64               105                 160     
65               106                 165
66               107                 170
67               111                 175
68               115                 181
69               119                 186
70               123                 192
71               127                 197
72               131                 203
73               135                 219
74               139                 214
75               143                 219
76               147                 225
77               151                 230
78               153                 235
 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 29, 2005, 04:54:04 PM
inches          min                 max
67               111                 175


Lets see if I have this right, at 5'7 your max weight is 175#? Min 111#?

If you're 5'7 and only weigh 111 pounds I would have yo say that you are the biggest pussie the world has ever seen. MOST women weigh more than that!

As for me-at 5'7 I am over the max weight by 65#, and I don't care how much running the Marines made me do, I would die from a heart attack before I could ever make it back to 175 pounds-and that is the max weight-even if I got aids I could never get to 111#.

The last time I was trying to compete as a middleweight (176 cutoff) I was 215 and dropped down to 178, and could not go any further-missed the middleweight class cutoff by 2 pounds.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 29, 2005, 05:31:02 PM
I read in a Jeff Everson interview that he got out of getting drafted by getting really fat....I don't remember the details exactly but it was in one of those star profiles in muscle mag
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 29, 2005, 07:24:34 PM
Lets see if I have this right, at 5'7 your max weight is 175#? Min 111#?

If you're 5'7 and only weigh 111 pounds I would have yo say that you are the biggest pussie the world has ever seen. MOST women weigh more than that!

As for me-at 5'7 I am over the max weight by 65#, and I don't care how much running the Marines made me do, I would die from a heart attack before I could ever make it back to 175 pounds-and that is the max weight-even if I got aids I could never get to 111#.

The last time I was trying to compete as a middleweight (176 cutoff) I was 215 and dropped down to 178, and could not go any further-missed the middleweight class cutoff by 2 pounds.

for the majority of the time I was in.....I was consistantly 25-30# over my max & still able to run 5-10 miles at a fairly fast pace.  I never could break under a 19 min 3 mile but i just did my best.  Luckily, I was with a good command where the CO lifted weights & a handful of us were allowed to go "heavier" because we also could keep up in his runs.  By the time bodyfat % was being implemented.....I was able to go heavier between 40-50# over my max & was still very fast maintaing a high first class PFT, although everything hurt so much more.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 29, 2005, 07:56:30 PM
According to those figures I would have to be close to 150" tall.  I guarantte you that I would be in the NBA and the Barnum&Bailey Circus in the off season
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 29, 2005, 10:09:38 PM
Too short or too tall - ya can't get in. Or if your feet are too big.

One well know General had a friend hit him on the head with a hammer and that pump was the contributing factor that got him in. Otherwise he would have been too short.

Check out General Krulak, USMC.

Back in the old days they had no idea what BF% was.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 05:11:53 AM
I've told this one before so I'll make it brief.

In Nam I was part of First Force Recon stationed in the boonies in the Phu Bai area so one of the better scroungers went off in a helicopter one day and came back a couple of days later with enough gear to build a decent gym in the field.

So when we were in camp everyone got a chance to do some serious lifting and under the circumstances everyone was pretty ripped and in great shape.

One early afternoon, three of the guys were standing around the Landing Zone (LZ) waiting for the copter to give them a lift to Danang where they would catch a flight for five days of R&R.

As the bird was approaching we took some heavy mortar fire which hit in the LZ area and the concussion of one of those rounds was enough to knock everyone back a few yards.

No one got hit by any schrapnel but the concussion did some serious damage to each of the guys except for one who was just too solid to get hurt to any great degree. He simply picked himself up, walked to the medics, got checked out, and was back on that LZ within the hour waiting for another hop to Danang city.

The other two got hurt bit not seriously and missed that R&R until they recovered a week or two later.

It pays to be good and solid when standing in Landing Zones under combat conditions.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 30, 2005, 08:19:04 AM
Too short or too tall - ya can't get in. Or if your feet are too big.

One well know General had a friend hit him on the head with a hammer and that pump was the contributing factor that got him in. Otherwise he would have been too short.

Check out General Krulak, USMC.

Back in the old days they had no idea what BF% was.

I've personally met & did work for General Krulak......

he's a decorated warrior & a very humble person.

His father & brother were both high ranking military members & reside here in San Diego.

His father has a great sense of humor & was very old corps.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 11:06:25 AM
Add "Commandant of the Marine Corps" to that Knny. In fact, I think that both the dad and the son filled that post at different times, and the "brother" was a minister if I recall correctly.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 30, 2005, 11:29:54 AM
Add "Commandant of the Marine Corps" to that Knny. In fact, I think that both the dad and the son filled that post at different times, and the "brother" was a minister if I recall correctly.

you are correct again

His brother & father live over in Point Loma (if I am not mistaken)

I had the privilege to work with General Krulak for a few days when he was the Commandant & he told me how he got his Navy Cross in Nam. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 30, 2005, 12:29:08 PM
This is great Knny. you are getting Stunt to tell some of his war stories.  he has great ones.  Stunt tell them the Hamburger Hill thing.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 30, 2005, 02:34:27 PM
Absent of Brains, how does it feel to be on the same level as Mirz.  If you feel suicidal, please follow through with it. You and him/her have allot in common..............NOTH ING is going for you. Howsad it muct be to be so insecure.  I wouldn't want to live like that,I give you credit. 

And, Ron it would be nice not to have these two assholes on here just so they can act big when they are just pussys.  it lessens this board.  you should have an age restriction where no one under 18 can come on here.  Everyone knows how much of a loser these two are.  Might as well do what they have been used totheir whole lives and just kick them out.

Absent, you are from Finland.  Wow what a downer for your country.  Luckily no one knows or gives a shit about you.  I doubt they even include you in their census.  Some of your countries best known celebrities are friends of mine.  to think you live there and know no one.  Weird uh?  that should tell you something, you are not wanted anywhere you go.  Sorry man.....those are just the facts.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on June 30, 2005, 02:56:15 PM
I agree with onlyme...
(http://www.fatwillie.net/cpg/albums/userpics/10006/ban.gif)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 30, 2005, 03:01:49 PM
I never could break under a 19 min 3 mile but i just did my best. 

You gotta be kidding me, a 19 minute 3 mile barrier? Is that the standard?

When I was in high school in 10th grade and weighed about 135# I had broken the 6 minute mile barrier ONCE, came in at 5:50, and let me tell you that was the fastest and hardest I ever ran. I NEVER came close to that again.

I laugh all the time when I hear people who are in their 20's and 30's tell me that a 6 minute mile is no problem. It is a joke. This one joker thought it was easy as pie, until I said 100 bucks said he couldn't do it-then he started to think about it. HE never did take me up on the bet either.

For someone to run 3 miles in under 19 minutes is simply amazing, it really is.

ANYONE that can run 3 miles in under 19 miuntes is in better condition than 99.9% of the American population.

I've personally met & did work for General Krulak......

he's a decorated warrior & a very humble person.


Even I know who this guy is. He was profiled on TV when he stepped down as head of Camp Pendleton. Looks like a pretty tough cookie.

you are correct again

His brother & father live over in Point Loma (if I am not mistaken)


If they are both living on Point Loma they have some serious bucks, that place is bookoo expensive.

Speaking of Point Loma, have you seen the houses that the Rear Admirals get on the base there? If you go up Silvergate you end up at a portion of the base that is sealed off by a cyclone fence and the Admirals have their houses right there. Sometimes the gate is open, and I drove in once to check the houses out. There are three (or four) in a row. They have the best views on the Point, and the yeards are HUGE. Market rate for those houses would be $10 million easy-very easy. The Admirals have their names and rank on name plates that front the houses-no mistaking that these guys are the big cheeses on base!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 30, 2005, 07:03:19 PM
Stunt remember when the base Commander at pearl harbor gave us that private cruise and tour back in 1990 or so.  I rememeber when his boat went by the carriers and other ships everyone had to salute this guy.  We went arounf Ford Island where no one is allowed.  They are ships on that side sticking out of the water too.  This guy some power.  I know Stunt you have some pics don't you.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 30, 2005, 07:06:15 PM
You gotta be kidding me, a 19 minute 3 mile barrier? Is that the standard?

well.... the Corps would like it that way.....but I am going to say the average Marine prolly has a time of 23:00-24:00min 3 mile run.  Marines take pride in their running as well as their physical fitness.  We all strive to get stronger & run faster.  When we think we're fast.....we start putting weight on our backs to show us how "conditioned" we really are. 

Quote
When I was in high school in 10th grade and weighed about 135# I had broken the 6 minute mile barrier ONCE, came in at 5:50, and let me tell you that was the fastest and hardest I ever ran. I NEVER came close to that again.

One of the first PFT's I ran (3 mile timed run) I ran the first mile at 5:40 min & it scared the crap out of me because I had two miles to go & I realized I was going to fast to keep that pace for another two miles.  I slowed down a lot & finished out at 19 minutes.  When I was done........I realized that I could have run faster & even longer & my mind got the best of me.

Quote
I laugh all the time when I hear people who are in their 20's and 30's tell me that a 6 minute mile is no problem. It is a joke. This one joker thought it was easy as pie, until I said 100 bucks said he couldn't do it-then he started to think about it. HE never did take me up on the bet either.

Well......there's alot of people out there that can.....but I am not one anymore.
It's the same thing when some kid will say "Oh I can bench 300lb" & then you see the poor kid choking on a 7ft bar around his neck.

Quote
For someone to run 3 miles in under 19 minutes is simply amazing, it really is.

My best friend was a recon Marine/bodybuilder.  He competed in the San Diego back in 83 if I recall correctly.  He also used to run marathons.  Talk about cross training.  At his heaviest he was 5'7" weighed 225lbs & would run a sub 18 minute 3 mile.  Everytime I think about it....I have no idea how he could do it.

Quote
ANYONE that can run 3 miles in under 19 miuntes is in better condition than 99.9% of the American population.

Even I know who this guy is. He was profiled on TV when he stepped down as head of Camp Pendleton. Looks like a pretty tough cookie.

If they are both living on Point Loma they have some serious bucks, that place is bookoo expensive.

Speaking of Point Loma, have you seen the houses that the Rear Admirals get on the base there? If you go up Silvergate you end up at a portion of the base that is sealed off by a cyclone fence and the Admirals have their houses right there. Sometimes the gate is open, and I drove in once to check the houses out. There are three (or four) in a row. They have the best views on the Point, and the yeards are HUGE. Market rate for those houses would be $10 million easy-very easy. The Admirals have their names and rank on name plates that front the houses-no mistaking that these guys are the big cheeses on base!

I have been there & been inside those locations.  I used to know all of the high brass on MCRD San Diego which ended me up visiting all of these commands for one reason or another.  That's how I ended up meeting & being with the Krulaks for 3 days. 

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 07:15:41 PM
Knny, the Krulaks I knew personally must be in their mid-60's now. One was Chuck who was the Commandant a few years back and his brother who was the USMC Chaplain.

I also knew their dad who retired a long while back and I believe he went to work for one of the newspapers in San Diego as a civilian.

I am not aware if there are any more Krulaks in the Corps at present, but it would not surprise me at all. They are all about as famous as Chesty Puller.

Never had the opportunity to get to Point Loma but I did attend a few functions at the General's quarters at Pendleton.  Are you aware that Camp Pendleton is leased from the Corillo family for approximately $1.00 per year. Leo Corillo was "Pancho" on the Cisco Kid TV series. He came from an old Spanish family that owned a big spread in SoCal.

Would appreciate it if you could email me the Navy Cross story. I sat on the awards board at FMFPac for a brief period during the Viet Nam days. Those were some interesting sessions.

How did you come in contact with General Krulak?

Sorry to be off topic here. Maybe it would be best to answer this via email Knny via that message thing up above.





Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 30, 2005, 07:34:11 PM
No I love these stories.  I don't have any war stories, except when me and my brother would play war with the deck of cards.  My dad was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in WWII and skied all day.  He said it was cold there all the time.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 07:38:34 PM
Great to see that a couple of the members are disbelievers.

But HELL!, I haven't even begun to post the stuff that is anywhere close to unbelievable yet.

But since this is a bodybuilding board, I don't want to get into too much stuff that is unrelated.

And I don't want to say shit that would reflect too badly on any specific individual unless I was personally involved and know the facts.

And while I'm on it, I should say this...........

A lot of us have fought for our right to say whatever we feel like saying but it really hurts a bit to see some of us knocking the shit out of the competing ladies who we feel  are not too attractive.

In one specific incident, some of the guys were knocking the hell out of one female competitor who they felt was "unattractive" so they began making sexual "inuendos"..... "Would you f--k her?" and stuff like that.

If they had known the facts I don't think that they would have treated her so harshly.

That female competitor had recently undergone successful cancer theraphy (right medical term??) and as a "reward to herself" she started lifting weights in earnest and entered a couple of shows to convince herself that she was fully recovered.

No drugs, nothing but hard training and a desire to live life to the fullest and accomplish something that she believed in and and a strong desire  to prove to one and all that she really had beaten the big C.

So some of the ladies may not be as beautiful as you wish, but most of them have a reason to be up there that you may not be aware of.

And believe me, a cancer patient who lives through all those treatments and finally gets to compete against those who have been much healthier than herself, sure ain't thinking about how pretty she looks.

She's just glad to be alive and looking the best she possibly can for her friends and family and anyone else who appreciates what it took to be up there with the best and "prettiest".

I hesitate to post pictures of some of the ladies lifters  I have known because of the possibility of unkind sexual remarks. But the ugly guys could care less unless the lady members start doing likewise.

Sorry, but had to say this.



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 08:02:28 PM
Only! Back to the subject matter. Here is the latest Powerlifing info........
 
Lyn S. just returned from a major powerlifting meet in Cal. She did some phenominal lifts but I was too excited to see her again to keep the figures in my head. I'll email her and see if I can get the details.
 
Did you hear anything about this?
 
Did any members go to that contest this past week and have the details?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 30, 2005, 08:02:30 PM
Actually....I just remebered he told me how he got his silver star and bronze star & his Father got the Navy Cross.  I'll be real honest......he didn't go into great detail about his award or his fathers award.  He really didn't seem like the kind of person that talks about himself.  When somebody had asked him about the Silver Star he earned......he replied it was "it's nothing compared to my Fathers Navy Cross"

He then quickly changed the mood & went into this story about a young marine in his rifle company in nam.  When he told this story.....it just gives people chills.

Attached is the story....if you have time.....it's worth the read:

"I can tell you from personal experience that combat is the most traumatic human event. It strips away an individual's veneer, exposing their true character. If a character flaw exists, it will appear in combat--guaranteed.

This morning, I will tell the story of an American whose true character was tested and exposed in the crucible of war. I will then draw some conclusions that are applicable to how the rest of us should live our lives ... lives where combat will hopefully never play a role. He was a 19 year old Marine-about the same age as most of you in the audience this morning. His name was LCPL Grable. He was a man of courage ...a man of character ... and this is his story ... Vietnam ... It was 0600, the third of June, 1966. I was in command of "G" Company, Second Battalion, First Marine Regiment. I was a First Lieutenant at the time, and had been given this command because the previous commander had been killed about one week earlier. My Company had been given a simple mission that began with a helicopter assault. We would land in a series of dried-up rice paddies about 6 football fields in length, and three football fields in width. These paddies were surrounded by jungle-covered mountains, with a dry stream bed running along one side. We were supposed to land, put on our packs, and do what all Marines do: find the largest mountain, and climb to the top. There we would put ourselves in a defensive perimeter to act as the blocking force for an offensive sweep conducted by two battalions.

The helicopters landed, unloaded my company of Marines, and had just started to leave when the world collapsed. Automatic weapons, mortar fire, artillery--it was hell on earth. Fortunately, a good portion of my Company had managed to move into the dry stream bed where they were protected from most of the fire. However, one platoon had landed too far west to move immediately to the cover of the stream bed. As they tried to move in that direction, the fires on them became so heavy they had no alternative but to hit the deck. One particular squad found itself directly in the line of fire of a North Vietnamese 12.7mm heavy machine gun. In a matter of seconds, two Marines were killed and three were seriously wounded.

As I watched what was happening from my position in the stream bed, I knew that it was just a matter of time before that machine gun would systematically "take out" that whole platoon--squad by squad. If I didn't act immediately, they would be lost in just a matter of minutes. I made a call to the commander of the first platoon that had made its way into the stream bed, directing him to move up the stream bed so he could attack across the flank of the gun position--not having to assault it directly from the front. At the same time, I directed another platoon to provide suppressive fire that might diminish the volume of fire coming from the machine gun position. All this was happening in the midst of smoke, multiple explosions, heavy small arms fire, and people yelling to be heard over the din of battle.

Suddenly, my radio operator grabbed me by the sleeve and pointed toward the middle of the rice paddy where a black Marine--a Lance Corporal by the name of Grable--had gotten to his feet, placed his M-14 rifle on his hip, and charged the machine gun--firing as fast as he could possibly fire. He ran about 40 meters directly toward the machine gun and then cut to the side, much like a running back might do during a football game. Sure enough, the machine gun, which had been delivering heavy fire on his squad, picked up off of the squad and began firing at Grable. Seeing the fire shift away from them, the squad moved immediately to the cover of a small rice paddy dike--thick ground, about a foot high separating each paddy from the other. Both they, and the other two squads were able to drag their casualties and gear to the position of safety behind this dike.

Grable didn't look back. He didn't see what happened. He kept on fighting. He dodged back and forth across these paddies, firing continuously. He would run out of ammunition, reload on the run, and continue forward--dodging back and forth as he ran. BAM! Suddenly he was picked up like a dishrag and thrown backward--hit by at least one round.

The rest of the platoon charged. My radio operator grabbed me again, but saying nothing, he just pointed to the middle of the rice paddy. That young Marine--Lance Corporal Grable--had gotten to his feet. As he stood, he didn't put the rifle to his hip; he locked the weapon into his shoulder...took steady aim--good sight picture, good sight alignment--and walked straight down the line of fire into that machine gun.

About four minutes later, my command group and the rest of the unit finally arrived at the now-silent machine gun position. There were nine dead enemy soldiers around the gun... Lance Corporal Grable was draped over the gun itself. As only Marines can do, these battle-hardened young men tenderly picked up Grable and laid him on the ground. When they opened his "flak jacket" he had five massive wounds from that machine gun. FIVE...

About seven months later, I traveled back to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington and watched the Commandant of the Marine Corps present Lance Corporal Grable's widow with the nation's second highest decoration for valor--the Navy Cross. In this woman's arms was the baby boy that Grable had only seen in a Polaroid picture.

Grable displayed great physical courage. Somewhere in his character was another kind of courage as well--moral courage--the courage to do the right thing. When he had the chance to do something else, he chose to do the right thing. His squad was in mortal danger. He had a choice to make, and he did what was right, at the cost of his life. Let me remind you, this was 1966. Grable was a black Marine from Tennessee, who couldn't even buy a hamburger at the McDonald's in his hometown.

Grable ... moral courage ... personal courage ... character ... So, what of your character? Who are you? No, not the way you look in the mirror or in photographs ... but who are you really? What do you stand for? What is the essence of your character? Where is your moral compass pointing? Which course do you follow?"
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on June 30, 2005, 08:19:36 PM
Knny, the Krulaks I knew personally must be in their mid-60's now. One was Chuck who was the Commandant a few years back and his brother who was the USMC Chaplain.

I also knew their dad who retired a long while back and I believe he went to work for one of the newspapers in San Diego as a civilian.

Now that I did not know

Quote
I am not aware if there are any more Krulaks in the Corps at present, but it would not surprise me at all. They are all about as famous as Chesty Puller.

He has two sons.....I don't know if they went into the military



Quote
Never had the opportunity to get to Point Loma but I did attend a few functions at the General's quarters at Pendleton.  Are you aware that Camp Pendleton is leased from the Corillo family for approximately $1.00 per year. Leo Corillo was "Pancho" on the Cisco Kid TV series. He came from an old Spanish family that owned a big spread in SoCal.

I think every Marine is told this story every couple of years when the lease is up for re-newel.

I didn't know that Leo Corillo was in a tv series.


Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 08:23:56 PM
Thanks, Knny. I appreciate that. It would be interesting if the Review Board considered the possibility of the "Silver Star" in this case.

Thanks again.



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 08:30:25 PM
Hey!!! WHo moved the McDonald's Hamburgers guy??!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jeff Preston on June 30, 2005, 09:25:29 PM
Great guy! Good stories!


Stunt those great pics had to be taken in 77!
I made the fabled trek to train at Gold's in August of 1977 and that's exactly how I remember Pete, with that same off white top that he wore every single day!  I wonder if he was hustling some of his "Mr. World Protein" to the guy he is talking to? ;)

Your pictures and stories are pure gold....keep em coming!

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on June 30, 2005, 09:51:55 PM

 Are you aware that Camp Pendleton is leased from the Corillo family for approximately $1.00 per year. Leo Corillo was "Pancho" on the Cisco Kid TV series. He came from an old Spanish family that owned a big spread in SoCal.


Leo also had a son who lived in San Marcos I think, or O-side, or one of those towns. A few years back he killed someone, or tied to kill someone, might have even been a cop. Cant recall the full story. He was sentenced to a  long stay in the slammer though. But on the news stories they always mentioned he was the son of the Cisco Kid TV show.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on June 30, 2005, 10:48:52 PM
Thanks, Rules, I never heard that one but I never heard much of anything once I got shipped overseas.

Leo Carillo did play the part of Pancho and Duncan Renaldo was the Cisco Kid. I sort of recall seeing the original Corillo home just south a bit from the San Clemente Gate. Over there someplace east of Tressels. If you're a surfer, you might have seen it too.

What was the name of that TV series in the 60's about the Marine lieutenant.

Was it "The Lieutenant"?  And I don't mean the series with Gomer Pyle. 

They were filming "The Lieutenant" one afternoon while we were all in formation in the foreground and the star had a "dresser" who was busy "blousing" the stars boots while some makeup man was applying makeup to make him look like he had been sweating. 

My whole platoon lost control and burst out laughing in unison when they saw that.

I don't think any Marine has ever had his boots "bloused" by anyone other than himself and never had to "fake a sweat" ........ and it was a funny sight to see......   OK, maybe ya had to have been there!

OK, back to the subject ...... Here's a shot of Joe TONG. Yep, last name is TONG and he is not adopted. I have another friend who is 1/2 Chinese but looks like he is 100% pure Irish.

Anyway, Joe is one of those guys who you respect the moment you meet him. Last time I saw Joe was years ago when he worked for Max Muscle at the Venice store. In fact he might have worked there when it originally opened. (Any help here?)

Say hello to Joe.

AND ......... Thanks, Jeff, better to hear that than being called a hamburger. (You are too tough on these guys, Only! You must have been a DI once or in another lifetime!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 12:19:03 AM
Fast story that is kind of out of place here but bear with me a bit and let me tell it.

It did concern a great bodybuilder who was a Drill Instructor in San Diego. He trained with Bill Pearl in Pasadena on a number of occasions.

First .... a definition .... DUTY HUT ,........... a small office for a number of Drill Instructors where they could gather and receive their orders and take a break when heeded. And the place where the DI's would do their best to "break" you. Sometimes they were successful and those who entered were never seen again. I'm sure that they were sent home but we always thought the worse.

This happened towards the end of Boot Camp when we all felt like real Marines and were getting a bit on the cocky side.

Our DI was a full fledged bodybuilder who competed at least once each year just to stay in shape and intimidate the boots. He was not a rocket scientist but he was very good at what the Corp expected of him.

It was an early Saturday morning "Junk on the Bunk" inspection. That meant that everything you owned had to be neatly displayed in a uniform and precise fashion on top of your "rack" on which a quarter had to bounce a certain height under a certain amount of force.

Everything had to be proper in the minutest detail.

There was even a name for a piece of thread that was natural to the toe end of a pair of military socks. If I recall right, that small piece of thread was call a "Maggie's Drawers" and that little piece of string had to be folded in a prescribed manner so it could not be seen by the Inspecting "officer" unless he picked up a sock and took a real close look.

It that happened the Inspecting "officer" would go into a classic example of a controlled epileptic seizure and all hell would break lose. DI's hated Maggies Drawers! Ithink it was a Marine Corps tradition to hate those "Drawers" as much as those DI's did.

Well it was close to graduation so, as I said, we were getting a bit cocky.

So while the Inspecting "officer" was down at the far end of the squad bay, some adventurous fool on my end yells out, "Give me liberty or give me death!"

And our illustrious bodybuilding Inspecting "officer" turned a beet red and yelled, "Who the    F.....K said that?"

And from the squad bay next door, another adventurous fool yelled out, "Patrick Henry said that, Sgt!!"

So now we had two "rebellions" on hand coming from two separate bays.

The DI couldn't let us get away with this insubordination so he immediately marched out of the squad bay leaving us all at rigid attention.

Thirty seconds later our DI is standing outside the barracks on the parade field with a microphone yelling so loud that they probably heard him in downtown San Diego........

...... "Patrick Henry, REPORT TO THE DUTY HUT IMMEDIATELY!"

That's when we all broke up and came to Parade Rest at least.

Patrick Henry never did report to that Duty Hut, but I sure saw it way too many times.

Our DI turned out to be one hell of a great Marine on and off the drill field. A few years later he was assigned to Recon Battalion and tore out his complete bicep in a static line accident while making a jump. But within a year he had recovered enough to stay in the Corps and lifted just as good as the rest of us and sometimes even better.

To this day, he still insists that there was a Patrick Henry in Boot Camp that year. And that was the only Marine in Boot Camp that got away with shit.





"
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 01, 2005, 07:39:19 AM
Stunt......

There's been many names for those silly little strings that gets everyone in trouble.

When I was in the Corps....they were always referred to Irish pennants.

That was the most common of names....but I have heard many different things they were called.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 11:04:45 AM
Ya,Knny, you're right on "Irish Pennants". "Maggies" must have been something on the rifle range. What was that red flag called that used to be waved when the target was completely missed?

This first picture is Mike Scott.  A great man and a great Olympic Lifter and a great power lifter and a national powerlifting judge at one time. He and Gary Watanabe used to own the Power Pit in Pearl City, Hawaii. This shot was taken of Mike when he ran the front door of the Maharaja, one of Hawaii's fancier nightclubs. Mike is now living somewhere by Martha's Vinyard on the northeast coast.

Second shot is a series of Teufel shots taken at one of the Nationals a long time back. Can someone ID the guy who is helping him tan up?

I think it's Larry Gordon.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 11:23:55 AM
Here are a couple of shots we took during Gary Leonard's visit to Brett's Gym in Kaneohe and KMCAS gym. This is about one year before he won the last Mr America title.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 01, 2005, 11:31:02 AM
Ya,Knny, you're right on "Irish Pennants". "Maggies" must have been something on the rifle range. What was that red flag called that used to be waved when the target was completely missed?

This first picture is Mike Scott.  A great man and a great Olympic Lifter and a great power lifter and a national powerlifting judge at one time. He and Gary Watanabe used to own the Power Pit in Pearl City, Hawaii. This shot was taken of Mike when he ran the front door of the Maharaja, one of Hawaii's fancier nightclubs. Mike is now living somewhere by Martha's Vinyard on the northeast coast.

Second shot is a series of Teufel shots taken at one of the Nationals a long time back. Can someone ID the guy who is helping him tan up?

I think it's Larry Gordon.

When you completely missed a target you were waved "Maggie's Drawers"
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 01, 2005, 11:39:10 AM
A young Gary Leonard at the MC base, very young.

I am going to say the guy oiling Ron up is either Grymko or Mentzer?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 11:43:20 AM
It's Larry Gordon, Rules!

This first shot is Wayne Anderson, USMC,born and raised in Fremont, California. Trained with Eddie Corney and turned out to be a hell of a good bodybuilder in his own right. Now residing in LV, married and driving a truck all over the west coast. Plans to get back into shape and start competing with the older guys again.

Second shot was taken at the very edge of Los Angeles when Rory Leidelmeyer was still a teenager. That's Rory and Rob Johnson (USN) during a Saturday morning workout. Rob was a good friend of Bill Pearl's and trained at Bill's gym in Pasadena until he got seriously hurt and had to return home in the midwest where he went to work for Remington Arms. Retired, fat and happy now with no plans to compete again.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 12:00:16 PM
First shot is a photo of Rory giving ROb a haircut behind the gym. One of the GetBig members recalls this gym but I forget the name or even where it was located. I just remember that the city and county of Los Angeles ended there and the desert took over all the way to LV.

Second shot is Ken Sprague and Bill Grant. This was when Ken owned Gold's Gym and had to sue Joe Gold who figured he could use his own name for his new location down the road in Venice. It went to court and Joe lost. He had given up the rights to his own name when he sold the business to Ken. Ken promoted the best bodybuilding contest of all time in Santa Monica. He even used a real live orchestra to play the posing music, Mae West presented the trophyy to Dave Johns, and the parade with elephants mentioned earlier.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 01, 2005, 12:08:39 PM
You know when Pete and the gang started to franchise the gyms out they had to go through allot of paperwork and legal stuff throughout the US and world to do so.  Do you know why Arizona was so difficult to have a Gold's Gym.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 12:15:29 PM
NO! Why was it tuff in Arizona? I just came from Arizona. Spent some in Sedona which is one spectacular place to see. They got big red rocks there. And then we went to Jerome. Anyone here ever live in Jerome? Hope not. Jerome or Seligman, Arizona ..... Check 'em out on a map or plan a quick "look see" on your next vacation. .......... Oh yea, and check out Tuba City too.

OK, back to the subject matter ...........Can't overlook the Olympic lifters. Don't have all the names at present but AL Wykoff is one.

Most of these guys were coached by Tommy Kono. And it you don't recognize that name, you know nothing about Olympic Lifting.

And the next shot is a picture of the horse who trains every day and is pretty proud of himself and asked it I'd post him pic on GetBig dot Com. He's been taken Equapoise which is still legal in the horsey world.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 12:52:13 PM
This one's for my good friend - Absent. Let him figure out if it's true or false.

Actually it is a TRUE story that really happened.

BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, there was a Saturday afternoon TV show for the Bay Area kids about physical activity and fair sportsmenship.

The star of the show was a local bodybuilder (a TV competitor of Jack Lalanne's) and his young son and they would do various exercises for kids and grownups too.

One week someone on the show cams up with a great idea. They would find a calf and every Saturday on live TV, the star of the show would place that calf on his shoulders and do some squats. And they would use that same calf each and every week until it was just too heavy to lift no more!

So every Saturday it was going pretty smoothly. The calf would remain docile acorss the star's shoulders and go along with the program. The kids loved it too.

And then around the fifth Saturday into this calf lifting routine, all shit broke loose.

Everything was fine up until about the 3rd rep, but then the calf decided to fertilize the studio and everyone and everything in it.

He must have been scared shitless cause the shit started flying  and the cameraman just kept on rolling while the start kept on squatting thinking that the cameraman was wise enough to focus on anything other than what was actually happening.

TV screens all over the SF Bay Area where receiving shakey pictures  because the cameraman was laughing too damn hard to hold the camera steady.

And like good lifters everywhere, the lifter stayed with the lift.

And like good cameramen everywhere, the guy behind the camera  filmed the entire story.

The next week they returned to the tried and true method of weight lifting with a York Olympic bar.  And to this day no one knows how heavy a cow would have to get in order to be unliftable.

It was a good experiment but it went astray!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on July 01, 2005, 01:05:47 PM
Legend has it, an ancient Greek strongman named Milo of Crotona did that very thing--lifted a calf every day until it became a full-grown cow.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 01, 2005, 01:49:56 PM
Thats some funny shit (literally) about the calf. Who were the guys doing the show stunt? Winn Paris was around then, as was Norman Marks, any of them maybe?

Great picture of Golds and Ken, that was Gold's II, which looked like a better location than both Venice locations because of the nice big windows that lets the sun shine in. If there is one major problem I have with the current Gold's, is that it is in a concrete tilt up industrial builiding with NOW WINDOWS and no natural light. Man do I hate that.

Today I can't join a gym which is in a building with no windows, no matter how good the equipment is. It is like working out in a cave-just cant get motivated like that, it saps my energy. When Wolrd moved into their Venice location I really loved it, the place was all bright and open-and easy to train in.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 10:38:30 PM
Thanks, Dan-O. I forgot about that until you brought it to my attention.

I'm not sure about this but it could have been Norman Marks. I think that the show was televised from the Oakland side of the bay.

I don't think it was Paris.

Only, we ain't told no Winn stories yet!

Since he actually played a major part in the gym game, let me start with some Paris background.

I first met Win (Winn? Win? Wynn?) when he was in the process of starting a multi level marketing program peddleing protein as the product.

He had rented one of the penthouse units at the Hyatt that came with a butler who popped in and out to make sure all was well. There was about ten of us there to kick off this program including Tommy and Timmy and myself and possibly even Duke.

Win broke the ice with a pushup contest and gave a hundred dollar bill to the winner. Then he proceeded to pitch the product and explain the program. Lunch followed and the majority of us signed up to get involved.

I don't recall it lasting too long and none of us made any money as far as I can recall.

WIn left and I never saw him again until he showed up at yoru event,Only. Older but none the wiser.

I was told that Win was the main man getting the Lalanne Health Studios set up and making sizeable profits and he made a lot of money in the process. How true that is, I don't know.

OK, Only, I'll let you jump in here and carry on.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 10:49:54 PM
Rules, you must really like the Manhatten Beach Gold's with the big windows looking out over the bay (or is that the ocean?)

Who were the original owners of that one and what is the gym in the center of the main street going through that beach town a little further north?

Only should know this stuff.  He haunted that area for a good number of years.

Rules, can you name the original owners of each Gold's Gym along the coast from San Diego up to Santa Monica and the present owners now? I do reacall Rick Stephenson and his two partners had the original Gold's at Mission Beach. Am I correct?

And Paul Edney owned the Gold's in Oceanside and Bob Janus had that small health club up there off the freeway but it wasn't a Gold's by any means.

And I knew the original owner of Gold's in Venice (Joe) and all those owners ever since, but no knowledge of any of the  original/present owners in between those two areas.

Might be an interesting list to develop. How many other Gold's are along that coast up to the San Fran Bay area?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 01, 2005, 11:07:30 PM
Stunt, that Gold's is in Redondo.  That is a great Gold's and they expanded so it must be huge.  i will tell the Win Paris story tommorow I am working on the Business Plan and layout tonight
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 11:29:06 PM
OK, understood. Thanks for the Redondo correction. I still get those beach towns mixed up.

Hey, Rules! Can you recall American Health Studios? They tried to go bigtime and were successful for a while.

I was one of the original members because one of the facilities way by my worksite so I usually got to train and get a shower before punching the payclock.

Reeves came in and trained along side of us one afternoon. Very polite young guy at the time.

I forgot who set that business up and who owned it but it was the major place to train for a year or so even though it was entrely chromed.

Then one saturday morning all of us regulars stood around waiting for the place to open up, but it was closed for good.

Anyone got the real history on that place? I believe Clancy Ross was one of the principals.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 01, 2005, 11:30:39 PM
Stunt-

I cant name all the Gold's Owners. I can tell you that Gold's San Diego was the third Gold's, and the first that was owned outside of Gold's Venice (Ed C. opened San Francisco- #2, the came San Diego, and then Ed C opened San Jose- #4).

Paul Edney was the original owner of San Diego Gold's. Rick Stephenson along with about 6 other guys and Ed C bought San Diego Gold's from Paul in 1986 for 100K and put another 27K in new equipment for a 127K total. Pacific Beach Gold's was going under because Edney had no idea how to run a gym. He was gay, and he used to shut the shades after closing and workout naked with the giys...lol....swear to god........Ed Connors put the deal together and had the most money in it. The gym was way over priced and was going to be shut down by the IRS for tax evasion and Edney and Conners did a deal the day before the IRS was going come in and shut it down. Rick Stephenson didn't have jack shit to buy in (except Ed liked Rick to pose for him so that helped Rick a great deal)-Rick was given a 10K loan by the #2 investor who was a major steroid dealer who moved down from Venice. Paul Edney then opened up Oceanside Gold's in late 1986, and promptly ran it into the ground and was trying to sell it in 1987-which is when I was going to buy that gym with Ed Connors. Matt Mendenhall came down to see if he was going to buy in, but the place was a joke and Matt said no way. Long story short, just like Pacific Beach Gold's, Oceanside was failing and Edney wanted way more than it was worth and it folded.

Rick and a few others from PB Gold's opened a gym in O-side after Edney folded and it did awful, and eventually merged with another gym in Vista. George Jackson, a yahoo accountant who did the books for Venice (and screwed them up bigtime) ended up running that gym until it was bought- by Bally I think.

Paul Edney was doing so bad in Oceanside he could not afford the licensing fee and renamed the gym "Goals Gym"...too fuc.king funny........After Edney's Gold's/Goals Gym Oceanside folded he trid to sue Ed Connors and Gold's corporate and lost his ass off. He was then sued by all the banks that lent him money to buy the equipment.

Within 2 years of PB Golds being taken over by Ed Conners PB Gold's was grossing over a million dollars/year and were the top Gold's Gym in the chain (next to Venice).....the steroid dealer story gets pretty weird, but he was indicted right sfter they bought PB Gold's and made a serious mistake of letting Ed talk him into selling his shares in PB Gold's back to him until the criminal shit was over. That is how Rick ended up getting control. Jim Quinn was given some of the gym shares from Ed and Rick did what is known in the corporate world as a "freeze out" on Jim and every other minority shareholder......Rick paid himself any and all profits as a "bonus" at the end of the year so that there was no money for the other shareholders and then those minority shareholders evetually had to sell their shares to Rick. Rick was paying himself 150K a year as manager. Jim Quinn was going to kill Rick-swear to god.

Anyway-Rick Stephenson in 1986 drove a motorcycle out to San Diego from Arizona with everything he owned on his back, was flat broke, and became a millionaire. Stabbed a few people in the back along the way and did some dirty shit-but he is a millionaire.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 01, 2005, 11:46:10 PM
Thanks, Rules! That's a start!

Rules, I think Rick was in the Air Force before he got into the Gold's Gym business.

I trained there once or twice and all I can remember is that there was neon lights running around some of the walls and Rick's partner was training for a major contest and it was laid out pretty well.

OK, here is another guy I've lost contact with. He or his wife was related to John Wayne which impressed me as I was a "Duke" fan since the "Sands of Iwo Jima" (even drove over 400 miles to sit on the beach where the landings were filmed and ended up landing at that same spot during some amphibious training sessions a few years later).

He was Conan with a couple of other guys at Universal Studios. If I recall correctly, he had a bad bicep as a result of some serious accident but he was able to hide it well when he competed.

You recall his name, Rules? He was very similar to Stephenson.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on July 02, 2005, 02:12:45 AM
You know when Pete and the gang started to franchise the gyms out they had to go through allot of paperwork and legal stuff throughout the US and world to do so.  Do you know why Arizona was so difficult to have a Gold's Gym.

Some guy owned a gym called Gold Gym. It had nothing to do with Gold's Gym but there was some legal issues that help that guy.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Max_Rep on July 02, 2005, 02:15:07 AM
First shot is a photo of Rory giving ROb a haircut behind the gym. One of the GetBig members recalls this gym but I forget the name or even where it was located. I just remember that the city and county of Los Angeles ended there and the desert took over all the way to LV.


Up-town Gym in Whittier.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 02, 2005, 02:29:46 AM
Very good Max.  Pete told me the story one day.  That guy could have been a pretty bad thorn in their side if he knew it.  They made a deal with the guy to not go into Arizona after a certain time period.  And I think they said it cost them a little cash too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Lord Humungous on July 02, 2005, 08:12:47 AM
Legend has it, an ancient Greek strongman named Milo of Crotona did that very thing--lifted a calf every day until it became a full-grown cow.

We Croatians are known for our strength Dan   ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 02, 2005, 08:14:14 AM
Thanks, Max. So it was Whittier that was on the edge of the desert back then? I do recall driving from Pearl's in Pasadena to go and meet Rory with Rob so that Rob could get a haircut and Rob telling me that he was a new kid from Holland who was gonna be a great bodybuilder someday.

Is the gm in the same location?

Here's another question that could be intereresting ...........

What is the oldest gym in California that is still doing business in its original location?

And .............

What is the oldest gym in California that is still in business?

YMCA's don't count, but the YMCA in San Francisco on Golden Gate Avenue (downtown) did produce a number of great lifters and bodybuilders ..... Bill Stathis and Doc Northrup for example. And as an aside, Jack Lalanes original "gym" was down around the 300 block of Market Street in San Francisco on (or about on the) the fifth floor of an old building with one of those old elevators that had the metal gate sliding back and forth. Anyone ever train there?

OK,if you can ID any two of the three guys in the following photo, you know this business pretty darn well .............. Name the movie that one of them played in and the principal star.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 02, 2005, 08:18:50 AM
I have no idea when these were taken but one guy in the second shot should be familiar to some of you.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 02, 2005, 10:49:28 AM
Well the first photo has Gilad in it.  I know the second guy but forgot his name.  He was a trainer at Gold's Honolulu.  Oh Guy Camileria(?) is his name.  Gil has the #1 selling exercise video(s) in the world and shoots his show in Hawaii.  Was a great athlete and decathlon competitor.  I might named 2 of 3 but I doubt I know that much about this sport.  I have a feeling I should know the guy on the right.

In the third photo the guy on the right end almst looks like a young Ron Gibson
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 02, 2005, 11:20:05 AM
Thanks, Rules! That's a start!

Rules, I think Rick was in the Air Force before he got into the Gold's Gym business.



I believe he was an Army Ranger
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 02, 2005, 11:28:39 AM

Rick and a few others from PB Gold's opened a gym in O-side after Edney folded and it did awful, and eventually merged with another gym in Vista. George Jackson, a yahoo accountant who did the books for Venice (and screwed them up bigtime) ended up running that gym until it was bought- by Bally I think.



619....you seem to have it pretty correct from what I know.

George is still in the fitness industry from what I understand.  If I am not mistaken....he's doing something with 24hr Fitness.....but this was a year or so ago.  One of my best friends was one of the partners that bought into that interesting venture.  They put that Golds off the 78 which was a terrible Idea.  The parking sucked & from the freeway, it was hard to get to.  My friend ended up running the Gold's in Mira Mesa.  He was there from the build-out up until it was sold to Bally's a number of years ago.  If you really want more of the story.... I can find it out.  From what I can tell.....you seem to have it pretty much correct as it is.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 02, 2005, 11:53:22 AM
619....you seem to have it pretty correct from what I know.

George is still in the fitness industry from what I understand.  If I am not mistaken....he's doing something with 24hr Fitness.....but this was a year or so ago.  One of my best friends was one of the partners that bought into that interesting venture.  They put that Golds off the 78 which was a terrible Idea.  The parking sucked & from the freeway, it was hard to get to.  My friend ended up running the Gold's in Mira Mesa.  He was there from the build-out up until it was sold to Bally's a number of years ago.  If you really want more of the story.... I can find it out.  From what I can tell.....you seem to have it pretty much correct as it is.

George Jackson didn't even train, he was a pencil pusher but knew Ed from doing the Venice books, which was his in with Gold's. If you think that Vista location off the 78 is bad, you should have seen the location that Rick and Co. opened on Hill Street (now Coast Hyway)! PATHETIC!

I forgot the name of the gym on 78 before they merged, but it was there before Gold's merged in with them.

Rick was an Army Ranger. He has the Ranger tattoo on his delt.

Rick, contary to his big talk, is no Donald Trump when it comes to business. In fact, from what I hear the PB gym is not doing nearly as good as it did in the 80's. And yes stunt-they had neon light all over the ceiling at Gold's PB. That was Ed'd deal, he did that at all the gyms he was running/involed in, and there were quite a few of them. Today when Ed buys a Gold's he keeps control of the ownership-no more of the stuff he used to do- which was buy the gyms about to fold and nurse them back to health with his guys managing, and eventually  buying out Ed. Last I heard Ed's portfolio had about 20 Gold's Gyms in it.


What is the oldest gym in California that is still doing business in its original location?

And .............

What is the oldest gym in California that is still in business?


Stunt....Stern's Gym is not only the oldest gym in CA, it is the oldest in the nation. Stern opened his gym in 1946, and it is still in operation today. It has been at it's present location on Granada Street in the Northpark section of San Diego since 1948 I think.

No other gym else even comes close!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 02, 2005, 12:09:37 PM
George Jackson didn't even train, he was a pencil pusher but knew Ed from doing the Venice nooks, which was his in with Gold's. If you think that Vista location off the 78 is bad, you should have seen the location that Rick and Co. opened on Hill Street (now Coast Hyway)! PATHETIC!

I forgot the name of the gym on 78 vefore they merged, but it was there before Gold's merged in with them.

Rick was an Army Ranger. He has the Ranger tattoo on his delt.

Rick, contary to his big talk, is no Donald Trump when it comes to business. In fact, from what I hear the PB gym is not doing nearly as good as it did in the 80's. And yes stunt-they had neon light all over the ceiling at Gold's PB. That was Ed'd deal, he did that at all the gyms he was running/involed in, and there were quite a few of them.Today when Ed buys a Gold's he keeps copntrol of the ownership-no more of the stuff he used to do which was buy the gyms about to fod and nruse them back to health with hs guys managing and eventually  buying out Ed. ast I heard Ed's portfolio had about 20 Gold's Gyms in it.

Stunt....Stern's Gym is not only the oldest gym in CA, it is the oldest in the nation. Stern opened his gym in 1946, and it is still in operation today. It has been at it's present location on Granada Street in the Northpark section of San Diego since 1948 I think.

No other gym else even comes close!

I know George doesn't train....he looks like your typical accountant.  He's still dabbles in the industry, thats what I meant.

The Gold's on hill street was a real pit.  The Mc Neils used to train there on occasion.  If I am not mistaken.....I think there was a leasing issue & that was the main reason they moved the location other than it's poor location.  Heck Hill Street had it all.....drug's, prostitution, & the beach.  It was a perfect atmosphere.

 :)

Rick is not the "greatest" business man out there.....but he did make his money eventhough it was kind of shady.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 02, 2005, 12:40:14 PM
Only, I am surprised you did not pick up on the third guy in that Gilad/Camellari picture. You used to talk to him on the phone a lot.

It's Terry Howell !

Now name the movie and the star~!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 02, 2005, 01:05:32 PM
Someone just emailed a question about the most elaborately produced bodybuilding contest and the best stage set up.

Well, based on my limited experience I have to come up with two answers, and I don't think these two have been, or ever will be, beat.

The most elaborately produced bodybuilding contest of all time was the year that Ken Sprague produced the Mr America/Nationals (was it AAU or NPC at that time?) in Santa Monica. That event included a specially published newspaper, a good sized parade, a live orchestra for each contestant's posing, and the appearance of Mae West escorted by Bert Goodrich to present the overall trophy to Dave Johns.

(According to a GREAT SOURCE - MUSCLE MEMORY- It was the  1977 AAU Mr America title that Dave Johns won when he recieved the trophy from Mae West.)

It was an unreal weekend.

The most elaborate stage setting was produced by "Doc" Neely (if I recall correctly). The posing platform was placed directly in front of huge block letters (8 feet tall?) of the words "Mr Ameica". Each letter looked like it was carved from a ton of granite.

Anyone got photos of either of these events?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 02, 2005, 04:35:00 PM
Stunt how about that show in Hawaii at the convention center, Aloha Muscle?????  That was done nice.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 02, 2005, 10:02:07 PM
Yes, Only,I got to admt that that was the most impressive EXPO arena set up  have seen and the show was damn good too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 03, 2005, 12:10:57 AM
Jeez, you could brag a little more can't you.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 12:08:28 PM
OK, it was DAMN impressive! Nothing like it has ever been attempted within the bodybuilding world.

More photos ............. Gary Leonard before winning the Mr America.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 12:25:28 PM
First shot ........... four guys in this photo ended up competing on the national level many years after this photo was taken.

Second shot .......... Ron Teufel on stage at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 12:39:15 PM
When TOm Platz first began competing on the national level, he didn't have legs that were too impressive.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 12:55:39 PM
Gold's Preopening Party - First workout

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 03, 2005, 03:42:40 PM
Stunt that Blond was the stripper one of the strip clubs brought in to headline.  I remember going to the club and meeting her and telling her about the party.  We gave her the Gold's Gym shirt to wear.  I have a pic of her I will scan she gave me.  Her name was like Busty something or whatever.  When I scan the pic it says her name.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 04:37:51 PM
Ya, Only, I remember that and she played the role all night long! Was Pete there that nite or was that later. Bill Pearl too? Were you there when we brought in Reeves? That was a trip.

Here's Bob Birdsong. Took him snorkeling to see the tropical fish in Haunama Bay and only realized he was a non swimmer when we got beyond the reef. Took him back to the beach, got him squeezed into a wet suit  top and threw him back in. He loved it.

2nd shot is Gary Leonard before he won the Mr A.

Never drive a Volkswagon through a tropical storm with someone who has a restricted license stating that the "bearer of this license is not allowed to drive a vehicle without his  glasses" when the driver of that VW cannot find his glasses and needs to drive through one of the worst tropical storms Hawaii ever had in recorded history.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 04:45:36 PM
Great shots of a great guy so I'll post each of the better ones ........

Competitive bodybuilding was a completely different thing back then.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 05:01:10 PM
But some guys still keep it under control.......;
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 05:15:55 PM
Rules, refresh my memory here if ya will ..............

I recall going into Leo Stern's gym in the early to mid 60's in downtown San Diego. At that time it was smack dab in the middle of the section of downtown main street which seemed to be pretty popular with Navy guys ..... bars, tattoo parlors, pawn shops, barber shops, etc.

And I recall going up a narrow flight of steps to a second floor where the gym was located. Not too much in the way of looks or equipment but Bill Pearl had trained there so it was sort of popular for anyone who wanted to get "musclebound" off base.

The major idea about lifting weights back then was that it would make you "musclebound" and you would'nt be able to function properly. I guess you recall that period pretty well.

Is Stern's still there?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 03, 2005, 05:37:14 PM
I let Rules fill you in since I really haven't been there.

Here's the link if you haven't checked it out.

www.sternsgym.com

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 03, 2005, 06:05:05 PM
Stern's Gym has never been downtown, but it is off a Universirty Ave, a major east west thoroughfare.

It is still upstairs, still an old school hardcore gym with not too much newer equipment-has new leg presses and leg equipment-but that is about it, Arnold sent the a letter when they had their, like 55th anniversary.

Sterns is cool.  I am not on their web site as someone else has posted the pics and said they were me ;D

There are so many good gyms in San Diego today that you can literally workout at 30 different gyms and always get in a good workout. 15 years ago there were only about 5 that were good.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 03, 2005, 06:55:39 PM
Rules.....I don't know if you heard...but the Powerhouse in Poway went "tits-up" & sold.

A trainer that I know just bought it & he's going to make it a personal training studio/gym.

He's laughed at the thought about taking on the Powerhouse franchise.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 03, 2005, 08:31:14 PM
I believe he was an Army Ranger

rick was'nt in the army

air force for one tour
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 03, 2005, 09:23:51 PM
rick was'nt in the army

air force for one tour

Rick told me Army, and he said the tattoo he has on his left delt is a Ranger tattoo, which is Army special forces.

If you were in the service with him give us the scoop.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 03, 2005, 09:38:50 PM
literally just spent over 2 hours on the phones with Pete G.  Told him about the site and he will see if you can get on.  I told him some of the stories and people on here on and he loved it.  It's just that he is not very computer savvy.

They invited him to go the Gold's Convention next week in Vegas.  Not sure if he is going he said.  He'l  will be at the Olympia since I told him I will probably be there.  he is trying to get to the USA at the end of the month.

I was going through this board and just emntioning names and he knew everyone one of them and had other stories about them.  he had a really good Waller story about Ken choking a girl with her ostrich boa. 

I was telling him how some people bugging me about my lifts and that they think I do it now.  he laughed.  he has seen me lift quite a bit.  That pic of him and the twins doing the BNP he said they could easily do 6 reps and more with it.

He has a really memory for that stuff.So hopefully he'll come on here.  he will be a blast to read.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 03, 2005, 10:26:17 PM
Rick told me Army, and he said the tattoo he has on his left delt is a Ranger tattoo, which is Army special forces.

If you were in the service with him give us the scoop.

I was with rick the night before he went to boot camp (in the army)  and his aim was to join the a rangers and we got totally hammered here in oceanside,well the next day he reported to boot camp whick at the time was being held in solana beach and they told him the made and error on some of his paper work (appeantly the corrected his ASVAB wrong or something.......

well.......

long story short he changed his mind about actually jumping out of planes  so elected to go into the air force so that he could fix them (the Air Force) instead...

I hav'nt talked to rick in close to a year but I hear he's doing well in Northern California growing garlic up in Gilroy or somewhere
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on July 03, 2005, 11:12:31 PM
Are you guys sure you're talking about the same guy?  Because Rick Stephenson does have "Ranger" tattooed on his left delt and I remember him telling a story about taunting "propheads" in a restaurant one time.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 03, 2005, 11:16:51 PM
who the hell's rick stephanson ?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 03, 2005, 11:18:29 PM
Thanks, Geo, Rules, and Knny. Interesting to see what some of the guys are doing after the bodybuilding bug fades away.

I've just managed to get in contact with two Marines who ran base gyms (El Toro and Camp Pendleton) back in the 60's to see how their lives turned out.

Both were great bodybuilders who could have made names for themselves. I'll finish this one up after a couple more emails to each of them.

Thanks for the Sterns Gym link, Knny.

Only, I just had a couple of beers with an old friend of Curtis' and he says that Curtis did PBN's with 550 for three on a routine basis.  Possible?????
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 03, 2005, 11:23:35 PM
Thanks, Geo, Rules, and Knny.


you're welcome stuntmovie and if there's anything else you ever want to know about bodybuilders that lived in San Diego just give me a shout out because I love talking about bodybuilders from the years gone past
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on July 03, 2005, 11:31:51 PM
I've met and/or trained with all the great amateurs out of the great state of Utah (a veritable bodybuilding hotbed) who have been featured in FLEX magazine.

That would be a whopping two people, D'Marko Blewett and Samantha Madsen. :-\

Sam and I trained at the same gym for a while, sometime between '97-99.  That gym has been closed for a few years now.  She was very nice and even sorta pretty for a female BB and taught me a tip or two that were taught to her by Larry Scott, whom I consider a bodybuilding genius.  But I've never met Larry personally (yet). :)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 12:10:38 AM
Dan-O. here's a bad photo of Larry. Got some good ones but they are packed away till I arrive at my next destination.

Second pic is someone whom I should remember because he was among the top guys at some of the nationals in the 70's. Any help?
-------------------------------------
Geo, how far back can you go? Here's a BB I've been looking for for many years. I think his name was Von Lamon and he was great in his day as an amateur. I heard that he cut his leg pretty seriously with a chainsaw but eventually recovered and got back into shape.

This all occured in the early 60's and I haven't heard anything since. Funny how his name just popped up when you mentioned San Diego.

Way back around that same time someone had a small shack of a gym along the broadwalk at Mission Beach within a block or two from the roller coaster. You could walk out the beachside door and walk four or five feet, hop over a small wall and you were on the beach.

One day the gym owner promoted a fitness shin-dig on the beach in front of his place and we entered one of our Marines who had some of the best shaped arms in the universe. We placed him in the chin-up contest and he kept going and going and going.

He won it easily and then they asked him to enter the BB contest but he was too darn shy to hop into a pair of posing trunks. He would have won that easily too.

DO you recall that little gym?

And there was one notable bodybuilder in San Diego who everyone was praising way back then and even later into the 70's, but I forgot his name too. Any help?

And another name I should remember because I posted something about him a few months back ............. but he had that gym along the PCH south of Oceanside by the racetrack. It looked more like a shack than a structure and it was no further than 10 feet from the main highway with a nice sandy beach in the rear. Haaaaaaaaaaaa  ...... Ralph Kroger! That's his name. Just popped up! Do you recall Ralph?

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 12:17:02 AM
Dan-O, there was a young guy from Sandy Utah a while back who got a lot of publicity in some of the national magazines for a short while but suddently dropped out of sight.

Got any idea who I may be talking about?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 04, 2005, 08:14:12 AM
who the hell's rick stephanson ?

I guess Rick commutes from Delmar to Gilroy all the time  ::)

& Rules.....you're correct.

I've even heard him telling some "Ranger" stories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 04, 2005, 10:07:57 AM
it's Del Mar....... einstien

welcome to Southern California

p.s. only chicks eat california burritos


 ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 04, 2005, 11:33:40 AM
Geo....this board is not for you.....

you can never be taken seriously.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 04, 2005, 12:46:57 PM
one of the gyms I used to train at in toronto is owned by a guy named Mark kehr who used to be part of that whole Venice scene, there were alot of pics of him on the walls doing weider endorsements etc and he was a top heavyweight in the us.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 04, 2005, 12:48:59 PM
one of the gyms I used to train at in toronto is owned by a guy named Mark kehr who used to be part of that whole Venice scene, there were alot of pics of him on the walls doing weider endorsements etc and he was a top heavyweight in the us.

What gym was this? It still around?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 04, 2005, 12:50:39 PM
the training room at carlaw and lakeshore

you from toronto Bossa

I worked for a brief period at alfies on the danforth in 1999
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 04, 2005, 01:10:29 PM
Yes I am.  Just north of the city now.  I used to go to the danforth all the time (gf wanted to be with her people lol).  Weer you a trainer there? I used to work for Can-Fit
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 04, 2005, 01:30:53 PM
Geo....this board is not for you.....

you can never be taken seriously.

ok........


now you're pissin me off !!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 01:48:43 PM
It's the 4th so how about a little credit for our guys in Uniform out of uniform .........

These shots were taken of friends competing in a recent Armed Forces contest ........

A few of these guys are presently overseas fighting the war.

One thing about a military contest, whomever wins , everyone claps.

And the losers never complain.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 01:53:46 PM
Army SWAT.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 04, 2005, 02:27:50 PM
I was with rick the night before he went to boot camp (in the army)  and his aim was to join the a rangers and we got totally hammered here in oceanside,well the next day he reported to boot camp whick at the time was being held in solana beach and they told him the made and error on some of his paper work (appeantly the corrected his ASVAB wrong or something.......

well.......

long story short he changed his mind about actually jumping out of planes  so elected to go into the air force so that he could fix them (the Air Force) instead...

I hav'nt talked to rick in close to a year but I hear he's doing well in Northern California growing garlic up in Gilroy or somewhere

Thanks GEO, now I know you are bullshitting........Boot Camp in Solana Beach???? Or did you mean Bel Air/Beverly Hills ;D ;D

I am also sure Rick is growing garlic...lol... ;D ;D

That is a good one...you obviously know Gilroy is the Garlic Capitol of the World...but do you know which city is the artichoke capitol of the world?....Hint-it is in CA...maybe Rick goes there on the weekends ;D

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 04, 2005, 02:32:28 PM
Thanks GEO, now I know you are bullshitting........Boot Camp in Solana Beach???? Or did you mean Bel Air/Beverly Hills ;D ;D

I am also sure Rick is growing garlic...lol... ;D ;D

That is a good one...you obviously know Gilroy is the Garlic Capitol of the World...but do you know which city is the artichoke capitol of the world?....Hint-it is in CA...maybe Rick goes there on the weekends ;D



Geo is always bullshitting.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Geo on July 04, 2005, 03:17:31 PM


That is a good one...you obviously know Gilroy is the Garlic Capitol of the World...but do you know which city is the artichoke capitol of the world?....Hint-it is in CA...maybe Rick goes there on the weekends ;D



I used to live in hollister

castroville
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 04, 2005, 05:34:07 PM
I used to live in hollister

castroville

We have a winner! ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 07:34:34 PM
More military shots..... Chris and Jolene are good friends of mine living in Reno now and most of the other guys this military contest have gotten out or are overseas.

It's kind of cool posting these pictures and recalling the good times when we all got together to down some beers and good food on the weekends while other friends were getting shipped out or returning from very strange places where camels were the preferred mode of transportation.

A combat zone on the 4th of July is kind of interesting. The word goes out that no one is to fire their weapons, but somehow the sky always gets filled up with luminaries once it gets dark on the 4th of July. It's kind of like the American thing to do I guess.

I don't know if you guys overseas read this shit, but if ya do.......... Happy 4th of July to all of ya! And come home safe!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 04, 2005, 07:43:33 PM
You know I have been to a few Bb contest at Pearl Harbor and the excitement and support they sho every single competitor is unmatched anywhere.  It is awesome.  It is so neat when a Navy guy comes up evrery navy person yelling.  when an Army comes up all the Army starts yelling.  They compete to see who yells louder.  It is really great.  Most shows the audience just sits there. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 07:46:19 PM
Semper Fi...... 4th of July.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 04, 2005, 09:49:59 PM
Great to report that Dan Decker (bodybydecker.com) won the Venice Beach Contest today.

He hit the scale at 205 and competed against about 30 other contestants (I was not there so this is based on his estimate) and won the overall and the best poser.

After all was over and the photos were shot, he and his friends went to the Firehouse for a decent meal (chicken and rice I bet) and then back home in that Sunday LA holiday traffic.

Did anyone attend and take photos?

Here are a couple I took last April when he was initially thinking about entering.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Dan-O on July 04, 2005, 10:26:51 PM
Dan-O, there was a young guy from Sandy Utah a while back who got a lot of publicity in some of the national magazines for a short while but suddently dropped out of sight.

Got any idea who I may be talking about?

I have no idea!  I was sorta out of the loop for a few years.  Who was it?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 05, 2005, 04:26:10 AM
Yes I am.  Just north of the city now.  I used to go to the danforth all the time (gf wanted to be with her people lol).  Weer you a trainer there? I used to work for Can-Fit


no not at all, just worked the front desk part time 30hrs a week on top of my reg job, took care of the people sold memberships(not the bs hard sell way)

that gym alfies opened in 1949
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 05, 2005, 08:44:40 AM
No idea, Dan-O, that's why I asked.

Taking off for a month or so. Enjoy the summer.

Check out Graphicmuscle.com for some new shots of Dan Decker who just won the Venice Beach contest this past weekend.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 05, 2005, 08:47:58 AM
hey Stunt do you have any Bertil Fox stories? he was one of my favorites from back in the day.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 05, 2005, 09:47:02 AM

no not at all, just worked the front desk part time 30hrs a week on top of my reg job, took care of the people sold memberships(not the bs hard sell way)

that gym alfies opened in 1949
I've never been to Alphies...There is one gym (name escapes me) and I knew girl that worked front desk right in greektown...
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 05, 2005, 09:49:17 AM
Hey Onlyme, I was on another site and they had a thread about the Barbarian brotehrs.  One guy posted that Lyle Alzado beat up both of them at the same time...do you know anything about this? You ever see Alzado in the gym? Basicaly he said that Barbarians were house sitting for him and had parties and things got stolen so he confronted them and asked them to come into parking lot and one endedup knocked out
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 05, 2005, 10:56:13 AM
hey Stunt do you have any Bertil Fox stories? he was one of my favorites from back in the day.

I'm not Stunt but I have my Bertil story I told here before.  It had to have been either 79' or 80'  I was training at the original World Gym.  I was with Kal Skylak(?), Tony Nowak and several others.  This huge black guy comes in and everyone looks at him walking across the gym floor towards the street side where the windows were.  Kal starts to go crazy telling everyone that is Bertil Fox.

This guy is HUGE!  So he stands there and is kind of strectching while looking out the window,  Kal is continuing to tell everyone it's Bertil Fox.  The bench presses were over in front of the windows.  Back then the mindset was, if you can't lift what is on the bar then take it off yourself.  Unlike today, where they like you to take the weight off the bar when you are done.

Well not sure who had just finished but there was 500 lbs on the bar even.  Bertil sits on the end of the bench and starts to stretch more.  Now I would say 90% of the gym is looking at him.  Well he lays down on the bench and does a little more stretching and then grabs the bar.

He pulls himself up a couple times and then hangs his arms down to stretch some more.  Now just about everyone is looking. He grabs the bar and lifts it off the rack then lets it down.  I'm sure everyone was thinking like me, no way is he going to do that with no warm-up.  Then he does it again.  But this time he lowers and I swear to god he did 4 or 5 reps and racked it like it was nothing!

You how people stare at you at the gym when you are lifting allot of weight but when you turn around everyone looks away like they weren't looking at you.  This was so funny cause that what happened.  But, now I am thinking (cause I have done this)  I think he saw us all looking at him in the reflection of the window.  Anyway, that is my only Bertil srory.  He trained there several times I'm sure but only remember this time.

Hey Onlyme, I was on another site and they had a thread about the Barbarian brotehrs. One guy posted that Lyle Alzado beat up both of them at the same time...do you know anything about this? You ever see Alzado in the gym? Basicaly he said that Barbarians were house sitting for him and had parties and things got stolen so he confronted them and asked them to come into parking lot and one endedup knocked out

Now with this Lyle story.  But first is is another. I grew up in Manhattan Beach where Lyle lived two blocks down from me.  The Raider camp was in El Segundo, the next town over.  He bought a Rolls Royce identical to a friend of mine.  Max Rep you know who I am talking about.  He came into Tequillie Willies almost everyday.  Always wore bermuda shorts with sandles and a nice dinner jacket.  he was filthy rich.  he lived in Manhattan but I saw his house in Camelback, AZ and it was huge!  Anyway, the Rolls was special color blue convertible.  Lyle used to like to go to Rolling Hills by the haunted church and hike the hills and go down to the ocean.  Well one day he came back to his car after his walk and his Rolls was gone.  I remember in the interview he said he would go their to hike cause he felt no one would bother his car since everyone there had a Rolls.

It was all over the news and in the papers.  A long story short (if that's possible for me).  After the incident, My friend used to get pulled over, he told me, sometimes 5 or more times by the police thinking it was Lyle's car.  ANyway, that was that story. 

Remember Max all the Raiders would come into the club all the time.  Matt Millen was huge.  I also got to be kind of friends with Howie Long.  Howie used to hang with this guy who was the husband to Lindsay Wagner the six million dollar girl.  he was a famous stuntman.  Howie used to tell me I was the craziest guy he had ever met.  I felt good about that compliment.

About the twins story.  I was not there.  But the story I heard from Bob Sear or Ron Gibson or Jim Flarety (I can't remember, maybe all three).  They told me the twins were mistreating the equipment at the gym (Gold's).  Lyle was very close to Pete G.  I guess Lyle got pissed off and they said something to him and he went ballastic and knocked out on e of them.  I heard the other just stood there, then left.  He didn't want no part of Lyle.  This is what I heard, so I don't know if true or not.  Bob was the twins best friend back then.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 05, 2005, 11:07:15 AM
Ya I would say ALzado was not someone you would want to mess with.  If you have ever seen that movie destroyer with anthony Perkins he was ENORMOUS in that.  Had to have been 300 lbs.  Plus he was notorious for being a little off his rocker (quotes like "I never met a man I didn't want to fight) and he had an amateur boxing background.  I believe he went something like 8-10 rounds in an exhibition in the late 70's with Ali.  I would love to know what kinda weight he tossed around in the gym.  Somewhere I have the muscle and fitness issue with him being trained by Fred Hatfield for his comeback which never really happened. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 05, 2005, 11:11:32 AM
I've never been to Alphies...There is one gym (name escapes me) and I knew girl that worked front desk right in greektown...


what was her first name(might be my ex gf lol)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 05, 2005, 11:17:49 AM
what was her first name(might be my ex gf lol)

Josianne (sp?) I think she would be 25 or 26...I used to work with her and knew her brother
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 05, 2005, 12:23:27 PM
hey onlyme you may have heard this story about Alzado but in an old issue of MD, John Romano said that he was training at Golds with Lyle when he was making his Raiders comeback and they were training legs and doing a bunch of supersets, well leg extensions was one of the exercises they were doing and Lyle came to the leg extension and some real little guy was sitting on it repping with like 40 or 50 pounds and Lyle says to the guy i was using that and the dude gives him a dirty look and says wait till i'm finished, so :yle waits for a minute and the guy stays on the machine and says something like, what are you going to do about it and Alzado picks the guy off of the machine and throws him like 10 feet, it turns out that the guy was a lawyer and ended up sueing Lyle and the gym.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: BB on July 05, 2005, 12:27:14 PM
Re: Alzado's Strength.

Apparently, Alzado for many years was'nt all that strong relative to his size. There use to be a "strongest man" contest for NFL players, I believe Alzado bowed out of a few events at the last minute during the 1982 event rather than take last place.

From a few accounts, this hurt his ego, and caused him to really bust his hump in the gym in the years after that contest.

For what it's worth, the late 70's-early 80's Steelers were probably the players in the league.
 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 05, 2005, 12:29:53 PM
ESPN Classic did a Sportscentury piece on him that was kind of sad, his dad was an alcoholic who beat his mom and him, i think that's where a lot of the temper came from.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 05, 2005, 12:38:09 PM
I don't think Lyle had weightlifting strength as much as he had physical strength.  Like many football players.  As strong as Coleman is I bet that Lyle would have killed him on the field.  He moved guys bigger than him pretty easy.  When football players grab you they literally can throw you around.  Like Akebono.  As fat as he is he grabs you and you won't get away.  He can through his weight aruond.  I remeber me and him going tothe Governors office here to meet with him for some stupid pubilicty thing for him.  We were walking down the hall and I bump him. he bumps me back and it goes back and forth a few times but everytime he did it to me I went flying.  And i weighed 310.  Allot people are strong physically but can't lift worth shit.

I haven't heard that story about Lyle but I am sure it could be true. I will ask Pete next time I talk to him if I can remember.  He was a little off.  he had a pretty wife and was really nice.  i met her once.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 05, 2005, 12:46:43 PM
Josianne (sp?) I think she would be 25 or 26...I used to work with her and knew her brother


I looked for alfies in google

its now called riverdale fitness

dont know a josianne though
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 05, 2005, 01:20:01 PM
Re: Alzado's Strength.

Apparently, Alzado for many years was'nt all that strong relative to his size. There use to be a "strongest man" contest for NFL players, I believe Alzado bowed out of a few events at the last minute during the 1982 event rather than take last place.

From a few accounts, this hurt his ego, and caused him to really bust his hump in the gym in the years after that contest.

For what it's worth, the late 70's-early 80's Steelers were probably the players in the league.
 

There was a few NFL guys in the first WSM competitions.  I remeber John Kolb of the steelers and some O-Lineman from the cardinals who was pretty huge (he cam in third I think), guy from the Bronos I don't remember names but some faired pretty well
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 05, 2005, 04:01:58 PM
the OL from the Cardinals was Bob Young, he was an 800 plus squatter, his brother Doug was one of the few legitimate 600 benchers in the 1970's, him and his brother used to pull huge two man deadlifts. Matuszak also competed in WSM, not sure how he did, a few others were Ross Browner, Craig Wolfsley, Jon Kolb. I remember seeing Reggie White overhead push press 385 at one of the superstar competitions on TV.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 06, 2005, 12:08:57 AM
Re: Alzado's Strength.

Apparently, Alzado for many years was'nt all that strong relative to his size.

You have to be fuc.king kidding me. Lyle Alzado not STRONG for his size. You are nuts, and I can tell you that from first hand experience.

Only, as for the Twins smacking around the equipment at Gold's and Lyle getting pissed-no way. Alzado had NO RESPECT for the Gold's equipment-NONE.

LYLE ALZADO TRUE STORY.

Sunday afternoon 1982 or 1983-Gold's Gym Venice. Back then it was just the main room- and that was it. I am near the bay roll up door in back, where they had a set of stairs going up to a little landing over looking the gym with 5-6 stationary bikes. Gym is quite-except for ALZADO and two training partners. Next to me is Rick Valente (sp?) and his babe on the bikes. Lyle is doing dead lifts. Looks like he is in the 260-270# range. Little chunky, but big.

Lyle loads the bar EIGHT  PLATES per side with change. 800 Pounds +/-. Never in a million years thought he would lift it. BAM-Lyle takes it straight up........

OK Only-here comes the good part.....after Lyle gets the deadlift he holds it for a few seconds and then BOOM, just flat out lets go of the bar and drops the 800 pounds on the floor. Made the biggest noise you could imagine. I have never seen anyone in a gym treat the place/equipment so badly. Probably cracked the concrete floor. If you trained at Golds Venice back then you already know the green carpet had a hole running from the front door all the way to the back bay door.

The Twins story is very well known, my version was that the Twins made a bet on a Raider game and wouldn't pay up, and asked Lyle what he was going to do about it. Then Lyle knocked him silly and the other Twin ran across the gym to get away from Lyle.

Only-one last question. Those benches at World Gym in front of the windows overlooking Main Street-they had the support/bar holders about 12-16 inches apart, so if you had an extra 5 pounds on one side the bar tipped over-how in the hell could you leave 500# loaded on it? Thats was one of the only things I didn't like about World Gym-those stupid benches.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: STREETS on July 06, 2005, 10:01:13 AM
 Since we are talkin about Lyle, ive always been fan. Did he die of AIDS and his Raiders coach covered it up as ive heard before?  Did he have some "sexual issues" as some have stated, supposedly his ex wife? I mean I have read before alot people he knew were pissed about him blaming the roids when he was dying on TV, as they feel he made a big impact on making steroids illegal.  Anybody know, onlyme, max rep, anybody?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 06, 2005, 10:15:38 AM
There has always been the AIDS rumour....

didn't Matuszak (sp?) die of AIDS?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 06, 2005, 10:59:51 AM
Not sure about the aids things.  I will ask Pete G that one too.  I think he was one of Lyle pall bearers.

I remember when I first joined the World's Gym.  I thought Tony Nowak was John Matusak.  I went home and was telling everyone he worked out there.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: BB on July 06, 2005, 11:31:39 AM
You have to be fuc.king kidding me. Lyle Alzado not STRONG for his size. You are nuts,


Well, what you saw and what he did in competition are two different things.

Here are a couple of articles on Alzado's performance at the 1982 event:

http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol6no03strongmen.html .

www.dolfzine.com/page609.htm .

(P.S. Sorry, but both artices a have an anti-steroid tinge to them).
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: BB on July 06, 2005, 11:46:03 AM
Since we are talkin about Lyle, ive always been fan. Did he die of AIDS and his Raiders coach covered it up as ive heard before?  Did he have some "sexual issues" as some have stated, supposedly his ex wife? I mean I have read before alot people he knew were pissed about him blaming the roids when he was dying on TV, as they feel he made a big impact on making steroids illegal. 



There were two rumors that made the rounds.

Damage done by cadaver HGH, of which Alzado was apparently a big user.

AIDS- Dan Duchaine and a bunch of other guys that were around Gold's when Alzado was there mentioned that used to chat up guys every once and awhile. Also, the type of cancer he died from is found quite a bit in those suffering from AIDS.

Matuszak died of a heart attack.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 06, 2005, 12:40:24 PM
another football player/actor who was supposed to be very strong was Pete Koch who played Swede in Heartbreak Ridge, anybody have any stories about him/
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 06, 2005, 01:15:29 PM


There were two rumors that made the rounds.

Damage done by cadaver HGH, of which Alzado was apparently a big user.

AIDS- Dan Duchaine and a bunch of other guys that were around Gold's when Alzado was there mentioned that used to chat up guys every once and awhile. Also, the type of cancer he died from is found quite a bit in those suffering from AIDS.

Matuszak died of a heart attack.

What did Dan Duchaine die from?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: BB on July 06, 2005, 01:47:44 PM
Duchaine had a genetic defect called Poly-Cysistic Kidney Disease. He was adopted and didn't find out about it till he was in prison.

From what I understand most people pass from it in middle age.

He passed the first week in Jan. of 2000. He was 48.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 06, 2005, 02:03:10 PM
another football player/actor who was supposed to be very strong was Pete Koch who played Swede in Heartbreak Ridge, anybody have any stories about him/

Wow I can't believe you know who Pete Koch is.  Me and Pete had the same Agent.  He beat me out for numerous commercials and TV Shows.  he was a very big guy. He isnow about 50 punds lighter. He played a fireman in Mel Gibson's Conspirecy Therory.  We finnaly worked together on an Old El Paso Salsa commercial.  we read for the same parts allot.  I did beat him out for a South Western Bell and Apple Computer Commercial (even though they had me play an armwrestler when I went in for a football player).  In regards to that commercial the were looking for a football player and when I showed up for the reading (which ended up only being a slate), I think every Raider was there.  Lyle, Matt Millen, Howie, and others.

I remember I thought I had a good spot on the TV show 9 to 5.  Even the casting director thought I had it in the bag.  Then Pete came in last of the day.  There were allot of lines so I figured at that time I could read better and he was more for his big looks.  Well it ended up he got it (beat me again).  I couldn't believe that they would pick him over me since I read so much better.  Well when the show aired I had to see how he did.  well the literally took every line out and all he had to do was grunt.

On another quick note.  I read for a movie with Kim Basinger (forgot name).  Well it paid great and it was 14 lines.  I rmemeber after the casting director met me she loved me and said it looks great. Well the next day came and she called me.  She said you won't belive the guy who came in this morning he washuge and the director loved his look.  So they gave the part to him. It was my old friend Big John Studd who I did a talk show in Miami with a couple years earlier.  In that business you really learn to be humble and learn to take rejection.  Oh well.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 06, 2005, 02:14:41 PM

Well when the show aired I had to see how he did.  well the literally took every line out and all he had to do was grunt.


I think I said this before in this thread, but Steve Henneberry, AKA "Tower" from American Gladiator fame, had  part in  WB network sitcom called "Muscle". This was the first year the WB had any series on the air and they only had 3 nights of programing.

Anyway, Henneberry had the part of the stereotypical BBer who was a complete IDIOT. If you want to end your movie/film career-take a part like this-you will never get hired again.

No speaking lines at all. He just would stand there looking stupid with a Mr Muscle Beach banner strapped over his shoulder, like they have in the beauty pagents, and a pair of psoing trunks and GRUNT.

Steve was a minority partner in Golds Gym San Diego, with Rick Stephenson, when they took over in 1986. He also got caught up in the big steriod bust and had to relinquish his share of the gym back to Ed Connors.

Dan Duchaine, since he is dead and can't sue me, was one of the main players in this steroid ring.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 06, 2005, 02:18:55 PM

Dan Duchaine, since he is dead and can't sue me, was one of the main players in this steroid ring.

Dont be so sure

 ;)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 06, 2005, 02:22:02 PM
George Jackson didn't even train, he was a pencil pusher but knew Ed from doing the Venice books, which was his in with Gold's. If you think that Vista location off the 78 is bad, you should have seen the location that Rick and Co. opened on Hill Street (now Coast Hyway)! PATHETIC!



Rules....I talked with my friend yesterday & he says George has bought the Ken Norton's Gym off the 5 in Orange County & he believes it's now a World's Gym.

He says George is still buying & selling gyms.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 06, 2005, 02:26:55 PM
Ken Norton had a gym in Inglewood back in the 70's
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 06, 2005, 03:47:46 PM
Ken Norton had a gym in Inglewood back in the 70's

I believe that's what it was called.....

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 06, 2005, 04:52:54 PM
Rules....I talked with my friend yesterday & he says George has bought the Ken Norton's Gym off the 5 in Orange County & he believes it's now a World's Gym.

He says George is still buying & selling gyms.

"Ken Norton's Gold's Gym"......had great freeway signage. I used to have to go to LA every Friday and would always see that gym. I think it has changed hands several times now.

Ken Norton was a big Gold's fan in the early 80's. He was in many of their print ads. He looked like a BBer if you ever saw him in his prime. He was extremely buffed. Looked like Apollo Creed from Rocky!

Good for George Jackson-he is doing OK then.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 06, 2005, 04:56:23 PM
"Ken Norton's Gold's Gym"......had great freeway signage. I used to have to go to LA every Friday and would always see that gym. I think it has changed hands several times now.

Ken Norton was a big Gold's fan in the early 80's. He was in many of their print ads. He looked like a BBer if you ever saw him in his prime. He was extremely buffed. Looked like Apollo Creed from Rocky!

Good for George Jackson-he is doing OK then.

I guess so....

I know he's making some good money
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 06, 2005, 05:29:05 PM
I met Ken Norton at Hall of Fame banquet with Muhammed Ali.  in fact just about every single name in boxing was there.  His son sure does good for himself.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Vince B on July 10, 2005, 08:57:54 PM
Onlyme you were going to show us a photo of that Han-D-Gas fart device that you treasure. Where does one get that device? That restaurant story of yours is the best in this series.

Vince
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 11, 2005, 12:08:49 AM
I will take it tommorrow.  I just got a brand new laptop.  It is a Gateway M680.  It has 17" screen.  It is awesome.  1 gig ram.  I just loaded all my software.  The nachine is in my car.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly on July 11, 2005, 09:36:05 AM
I have to say thanks to this thread you guys put a smile on the bald mans face

I just quit my job of 14 years(well I refused to quit I told them to f-king fire me). any ways I have been a bit cranky lately and things like this thread can cheer a man up
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 12, 2005, 10:24:51 AM
"NACHINE"??

Milly, good to see that this works for you.

With "Only" in possession of his new and only computer, we should be hearing more great stuff. But he builds great web sites for a living sometimes, so it  could be on a part time basis until he gets them done.

I'm planning to attend the NPC Central Valley(NoCal) contest this weekend and hope to have some amateur pictures to post here soon. I have a feeling that the teen winner will have the initials WF and will fill in those details once it is over.

And speaking of Superheros, I got dragged off to see Fantastic Four last nite and all except one of those fantastic characters is boreing as hell.  I'll leave it to you to guess which one would not put you to sleep within a two minute conversation.

Only, you could have played "The Thing" real well.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 12, 2005, 10:36:42 AM
I would love to sleep with Invisible Woman Jessica Alba..........and make invisible and musclular little babies ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Milly2Pac on July 14, 2005, 10:23:05 AM
I screwed up my milly account the other day when I entered the wrong email by mistake(it was an old one trying to change from my work one)

so here is my new name for now at least

I recall I think Only me mantion Don Muraco the original Rock

He was a pretty big dude and I was a huge fan back in the early to mid 80

whatever happened to him and is he doing well
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 14, 2005, 11:20:02 AM
I used to see Don all the time but haven't in a few years.  I do see him on TV here promoting Hawaii Wrestling.  It is really bad.  From being at the very top of that world to do what he does now must really be humbling to him.  He looks kind of old and lost allot of weight.  He lives on the North Shore.  He was always really nice to me.  He had incredible traps and shoulder width and thickness when he wrestled.  I will try to find a pic of him.  He was huge.

I forgot something.  Remember that huge vein he had going across his upper chest.  I loved that.  And when I got big I was so proud I had that vein.  Also, I had allot of veins in my forearms even in high school.  I thought you had to have veins to be strong.  I remember one day my mom looking at me looking at my forearms and veins.  She said you know that doesn't make you strong.  You know Paul down at the bank.  He has no viens and doesn't even look like he works out but he is strong.  He can do 2 finger pushups.

I remeber too my mom had one of those square boards that would spin around when you stood on it and twisted.  She would watch Jack Lalanne and workout with him every morning before leaving for her kick back job.  Too bad she was ugly.  But she was small.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 17, 2005, 02:24:38 PM
Had a short talk with Ed Corney yesterday while attending the Central Valley Bodybuilding Championships in Plesanton, California. He looks great and is doing well.

As I expected, Will Furner (19) won the Teen Age Class and has a hell of a great bodybuilding career ahead of him. He entered yesterday at 193 after a big wt drop from a previous 250 lbs. He was a high school heavyweight wrestler who was told to drop his bodyweight and then found out that he could be a great bodybuilder, so that is his main intertest as of now.

Greg Tucks won the Masters Class and was definitely the  best competitor in the whole contest.

Both of them are heading off to the Teen and Masters Nationals this week and should be doing well.

Congrats, Will and Greg!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 17, 2005, 02:42:18 PM
Here is a pic of Muraco.  I love the vein,  And it is bigger is other pics.  I liked it most when I did any shrugs or highpulls. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 17, 2005, 06:10:24 PM
he was thick, hey onlyme did you ever meet Tony Atlas back in the day, he was also a thick dude.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 17, 2005, 08:22:42 PM
No I never met Tony Atlas but I sure remember him.  He was the best built wrestler back then.  Ivan Putski,  Paul Orndorf, even Jimmy Snuka had great builds.  I was built allot like DOn though.  I always described myself as looking like an off season BB.  I only had 4 abs at the most but my upper body always looked good.  I always had a kind of bubble butt according to the girls.  Looked okay in Calvin's and Cavaricchi's.  Nig John was built but in person he was just huge.  A great guy too.  He taught me how to eat lobster in Miami.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 18, 2005, 09:00:49 AM
How bout Pepe Gomez? (Spelling may not be accurate.)

I used to train beside Don "Hot Pants" Moraco when he was a kid and first starting to train seriously. He could have been one hell of a great bodybuilder but he went the more profitable wrestling route instead.

The place was called Dean's Gym on the  cornor of John Ena Road and Kalakaua in Waikiki  and you wern't allowed to train there unless you could bench 300+.

It's now a vacant lot where they do car detailing and occasional sales.

Dean's was a very small, primative place but it was hard core all the way. A lot of the pro wrestlers trained there.

After those wrestling matches at the "civic", we'd all head over to Hot Dog Annie's which was a little hot dog counter in one of the store fronts on Kalakaua a bit Mauka of Kapiolani Blvd. and some of us "local" guys would get in verbal arguments with the pro wrestlers that would make good story for the local newspapers. It was all a "fix" to get that free publicity and a lot of fun.

"Hot Dog Annie" loved it too. SHe was a colorful character and would keep that little hot dog stand open from 8 PM till midnight and all the other local characters would make an appearence and buy a dog and keep her in business. It was Showtime every night.

Annie was a far out  and famous lady for a number of years and would show up at every opening in Waikiki. She always dressed "classy" but wierd as hell.

I heard that she passed away in some Hollywood hotel back in the 80's.

God bless Hot Dog Annie and Pepe Gomez and all those other old time characters who made life real interesting way back then. They all lived it to the hilt.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 18, 2005, 02:18:04 PM
No I never met Tony Atlas...He was the best built wrestler back then...  Paul Orndorf, even Jimmy Snuka had great builds. 

"Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorf had a great build.

Back in the 80's there were really only a few of the wrasslers that had the BBer look. Paul and Tony Atlas both did.

Lex Luger of WBF fame also looked good. Today it is almost madatory that you have a good build with low BF%.

The wrassler Warlock.Warlord? was big, about 6'6 and 300 and he came into Gold's San Diego in the mid 80's and put 315 on th ebench and slammed it 20 times for a warm up-which was impressive, but he did not have a BBer look-just big like Lyle Alzado.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 18, 2005, 05:13:05 PM
Ultimate Warrior .....that guy was very vascular

Scott Steiner is another
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 18, 2005, 07:54:05 PM
I met Lex Luger when he came to Honolulu when we did the MDA thing.  I was the spokesperson.  I have a pic of us.  I have to scan some more pics and put them up. And yes in his day he was built as was the Ultimate Warrior who was awesome.  I forgot the "Rocks" dad Rockky Johnson was built too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bossa on July 18, 2005, 08:09:25 PM
the L.O.D./Road warriors both had powerful builds as well...I always thought Animal looked like a tank.  I hear Jim "the anvil" Neidhart was strong as an ox in his day as well
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 19, 2005, 03:33:17 PM
hey onlyme did you ever meet any of the Von Erics i heard those guys were strong as well.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 19, 2005, 04:34:00 PM
I knew Kevin Von Eric for a short time while he was starting off in Hawaii many years ago. He could have also been a great bodybuilder. I do recall taking my young nephews out to have lunch with Kevin once or twice. They were thrilled.

Can anyone post the story about the Von Eric tragedies that happened more than once?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 19, 2005, 04:43:53 PM
Coming up this weekend is the NPC Teen / Masters National Championships.

I "call on" Greg Tuck of Marin County to win the masters and Will Furner to do exceptionally well in the Teens.

Other than that, I know not of what I speak.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on July 19, 2005, 05:46:50 PM
Hey Stunt,

any more cool pictures?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: reichsfuehrer SS on July 19, 2005, 07:56:08 PM
hey stunt, Greg Tuck used to run a gym i used to train at, i've heard he's a pretty wild dude.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on July 19, 2005, 07:56:50 PM
No never met the Von Erics.  Remember JOhn Tolles(?) Met him quite a few times while in the valley training at Powerhouse.  He is so funny and some great stories.  Remember when he threw the powder in Freddie Blassies eyes
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 20, 2005, 03:44:39 PM
Kay, great to see you posting on here.

Yes, Knny, I got tons more photos but I will not be at home for a while so I am using the State's computer. Only ratted on me and I am in the State Penal System for a couple of days, (Kidden!!)

But I will post more pics once I get back home. I am presently climbing mountain peaks ...
Small mountain peaks to be exact. We were planning a trip to Katmandu but that fell through due to some political adversities, so we have to settle with Mt Tamalpias and KT-22 and Desolation Valley up by Lake Tahoe (Pyramid Peak?).

Once off the heights we plan a gold panning expidition for a few days and then a drive to Las Vegas to support some friends in the USA.

I'll have photos of all this stuff and will post those that are appropriate for the subject matter as soon as I return.

Anyone going to the Masters/Teens this coming weekend?

Mirz, Greg is definitely a fanatic when it comes to training and is definitely the best built 50 year old bodybuilder that I have ever seen . It is really gonna be interesting to see how he places this weekend. I shot him two days after his Central Valley win and he was unbelievable for a Centurion divided by 2.

He is presently training at World's in Marin County (Tiburon) at one of the best equipped gyms I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot). It used to belong to Dr John Gargot. And that's makes this post appropriate for this page.  Did I spell that right??? (Gargaut???)

Some good history there but I forgot that part of the game. Any help??
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on July 21, 2005, 01:22:12 AM

Mirz, Greg is definitely a fanatic when it comes to training and is definitely the best built 50 year old bodybuilder that I have ever seen . It is really gonna be interesting to see how he places this weekend. I shot him two days after his Central Valley win and he was unbelievable for a Centurion divided by 2.

He is presently training at World's in Marin County (Tiburon) at one of the best equipped gyms I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot). It used to belong to Dr John Gargot. And that's makes this post appropriate for this page.  Did I spell that right??? (Gargaut???)

Stunt, are you sure the World Gym is in Tiburon? In San Anselmo there is a gym that was one of the very first World Gyms, like the 3rd or 4th. It is on Sir Francis Drake Blvd directly across the street from College of Marin. But they changed the name of it some time ago to I think MegaFlex Gym.

Find out if this is the gym your buddie is trainign at!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Joe Roark on July 21, 2005, 04:05:29 AM
Stunt, I suspect you mean Dr. John Gourgott. :)

Unfortunately he passed away at age 62, and thethird anniversary of his death will be on the 28th of this month.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: bigragu on July 21, 2005, 07:58:11 AM
Yes, his name was Dr. John Gourgott, otherwise known as Dr. John to all the members. He was a great guy and tough as nails. His gym was the first gym I ever worked out in 20 years ago. He has alot of history behind him with the iron ( Teen Mr. America 1958). He even beat the great Sergio Oliva in the 1964 Mr. America ( He placed 2nd and Sergio placed 7th! ). He was the only guy I ever saw do complete on-handed chin-ups like they were nothing ( truly only with one hand ). He ruled that gym with an iron fist - his motto was "No music - just pure sweat!" He kept that gym running with the best equipment and atmosphere. He truly was missed, however his spirit still permeates throughout his gym and will always be there guiding others as they travel down the iron path. It was first located on Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Kentfield for many years and has since re-located to Corte Madera alongside Hwy 101. Stop by if you ever get a chance as the experience will be one you will not forget.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on July 24, 2005, 07:59:00 PM
Thanks, Joe and Big Ragu, for the Dr John correction.

Rules, the World Gym that I am told was his is now located on Paradise Drive in a relatively small shopping center. It is located between Highway 101 and the San Francisco Bay. I think it is in the Tiburon area because a friend of mine trains there and lives in Tiburon on the Bay roughly two miles from the gym. But it could be San Anselmo or Corte Madera as I don't know where one ends and the other begins.

Regardless, it is one of the most impressive gyms that I have ever seen with a shitload of impressive equipment with an impressive aerobics area in the upstairs loft area.

Greg Tuck called and told me that he won his wt class in the Seniors' Nationals. I believe that possibly makes him eligible to turn Pro but I am not completely up to date on the Masters' events. Any help?

Will Furner entered the teens but failed to place in the top five but that only made him more determined to train harder and make improvements. You'll be hearing that name often in the next few years.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on August 20, 2005, 03:19:26 PM
Stunt- I need a CD with all of your muscle beach/Gold's Gym/Santa Monica pictures on it. How can we set that up? :-*
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 20, 2005, 08:25:23 PM
A quick note on the Alzado/Paul Bros. incident.  Just got off the phone with Pete G.  He was there when this happened.  For a time the twins were licing at Lyles house n Brentwood.  At some time David through Peter through a wall in the house.  He apparently broke allot of stuff and nearly took out a huge mirrored wall or something.  Anyway, in the meantime after that Lyle kept askng them to pay for it and they woudln't.  Well Lyle ended up borrowing money from the twins ($50,000).  Well they kept asking him for the money and he wouldn't pay them saying it was payment for the damage.

Well one day the twins were talking shit about Lyle.  Lyle heard it and grabbed David and just pushed him towards the wall.  But actually grabbed him before he hit the wall.  So it wasn't anything big.

Also no wooden plates Pete knew about.  He said there was 3 sets of plastic 45's.  If fact he has a pic of his dad holding them over his head with one hand
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 20, 2005, 08:39:00 PM
A quick note on the Alzado/Paul Bros. incident.  Just got off the phone with Pete G.  He was there when this happened.  For a time the twins were licing at Lyles house n Brentwood.  At some time David through Peter through a wall in the house.  He apparently broke allot of stuff and nearly took out a huge mirrored wall or something.  Anyway, in the meantime after that Lyle kept askng them to pay for it and they woudln't.  Well Lyle ended up borrowing money from the twins ($50,000).  Well they kept asking him for the money and he wouldn't pay them saying it was payment for the damage.

Well one day the twins were talking shit about Lyle.  Lyle heard it and grabbed David and just pushed him towards the wall.  But actually grabbed him before he hit the wall.  So it wasn't anything big.

Also no wooden plates Pete knew about.  He said there was 3 sets of plastic 45's.  If fact he has a pic of his dad holding them over his head with one hand


cool onlyme.

I wish stunt was back already

 >:( 

I heard they were plastic too.  I knew they were fake....& I didn't think they were made from wood.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 21, 2005, 01:57:18 AM
Stunt should be back in two he said.  Supposed to meet up with Pete at  the Olympia and I am going to get him on Getbig.  He has some unreal stories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 21, 2005, 12:16:40 PM
very cool

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on August 21, 2005, 04:29:10 PM
A quick note on the Alzado/Paul Bros. incident.  Just got off the phone with Pete G.  He was there when this happened.  For a time the twins were licing at Lyles house n Brentwood.  At some time David through Peter through a wall in the house.  He apparently broke allot of stuff and nearly took out a huge mirrored wall or something.  Anyway, in the meantime after that Lyle kept askng them to pay for it and they woudln't.  Well Lyle ended up borrowing money from the twins ($50,000).  Well they kept asking him for the money and he wouldn't pay them saying it was payment for the damage.

Well one day the twins were talking shit about Lyle.  Lyle heard it and grabbed David and just pushed him towards the wall.  But actually grabbed him before he hit the wall.  So it wasn't anything big.

Also no wooden plates Pete knew about.  He said there was 3 sets of plastic 45's.  If fact he has a pic of his dad holding them over his head with one hand

Wow-interesting story, and funny how the story morhed into a bet gone bad over a Raider game.

Why would the brothers lend anyone 50 grand? Thats a lot of dough-and even more to write off as a bad loan....
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 23, 2005, 01:06:20 AM
Yea I am surprised they had that kind of money too.  Because whenever they got money they spent it.  They got $360,000 for Twin Sitters.  I know that.  They also got paid for a movie they were scheduled to shoot in Iran or somwhere like that.  They got paid up front.  The film ended up never getting shot cause of the was.  The they canned it.  But the twins got to keep the money.  So they made out on that one.

Does anyone remember when the twins had their jeep.  They drove it off the side of the San Diego Freeway and got out and pushed it up the hill back onto the freeway.  The drove that thing like it was an indestructable tank.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on August 23, 2005, 11:25:28 PM
Twin Sitters is pretty funny actually.

I really liked their original movie "The Barbarians" though. That show is pretty funny too. They moved to LA in 79 I think and just a few years later they have a big movie deal-not bad!

I am really sort of surprised at how many movies that have put out. I would say at least 10 or more..... :'(
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 24, 2005, 12:06:32 AM
I like the one where David is a cop and Peter is a thief.  That and Twin Sisters are their best.  Of course the original Barbarians is good.  They made their debut in DC Cab I think.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 24, 2005, 08:40:48 AM
I like the one where David is a cop and Peter is a thief.  That and Twin Sisters are their best.  Of course the original Barbarians is good.  They made their debut in DC Cab I think.

DC Cab....I think you're right.

Barbarians....that movie was so poorly done.....I thinks thats what makes it funny
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on August 24, 2005, 02:26:42 PM
I like the one where David is a cop and Peter is a thief. 

  They made their debut in DC Cab I think.

David is a cop and Peter is a thief= Double Trouble (decent show-both looking very big in that show-especially their chests-massive).

DC Cab was good, they had small parts, but it was cool. They were really just playing themselfs in DC Cab.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 26, 2005, 02:42:37 PM
right
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 27, 2005, 12:08:09 PM
Mr. T became famous when he appeared on an old shwo they had.  It was a "bouncer" competition.  He crashed through the doors and rand the bell the fastest.  He looked really mean too.  Sly saw him and like his look and  attitude for Rocky.  I have met Mr. T a few times on interviews.  He is nice but arrogant at times.  I again saw him at the Hearns/Leonard fight at Caesars Palace.  We were wearing the same jean jacket covered with Austrain Crystals.  When he sees me, he says :nice jacket, copy cat".  I look at him and I say "I got mine first and it was made for me"  He walked away laughing.  That was the last I ever saw him.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 27, 2005, 12:27:45 PM
Mr. T became famous when he appeared on an old shwo they had.  It was a "bouncer" competition.  He crashed through the doors and rand the bell the fastest.  He looked really mean too.  Sly saw him and like his look and  attitude for Rocky.  I have met Mr. T a few times on interviews.  He is nice but arrogant at times.  I again saw him at the Hearns/Leonard fight at Caesars Palace.  We were wearing the same jean jacket covered with Austrain Crystals.  When he sees me, he says :nice jacket, copy cat".  I look at him and I say "I got mine first and it was made for me"  He walked away laughing.  That was the last I ever saw him.

You should have told him to...

"Shuttup Sucka"
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on August 27, 2005, 11:12:34 PM
Mr. T's show where he ran thru the door and rang thebell was the first Owrld's Toughest Man competition. Mr was from Cicago and was one bad mother f'er.

You have to admit though that he is a cartoon type charchter.

he was on Howard Stern a few times recently andhe looks good-almost llike he did 25 years ago-has hardly aged. Still tries to play the tough guy too.

I wonder if teh Barbarian Brothers could take him?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 28, 2005, 11:06:47 AM
Mr. T's show where he ran thru the door and rang thebell was the first Owrld's Toughest Man competition. Mr was from Cicago and was one bad mother f'er.

You have to admit though that he is a cartoon type charchter.

he was on Howard Stern a few times recently andhe looks good-almost llike he did 25 years ago-has hardly aged. Still tries to play the tough guy too.

I wonder if teh Barbarian Brothers could take him?

you drinking dude?

every other word is terribly misspelled
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on August 28, 2005, 11:22:53 AM
Mr. T had a good attitude to be bad.  It's to bad he went through the hard times he did.  He was very loose with his money buying things for everyone.  Then when he needed money no one was there.  That was too bad.  Glad he is doing better
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on August 28, 2005, 11:40:50 AM
sucka
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 03:16:34 PM
Howdy, all! Getting settled back down a bit so I got some free time to spend on this illustrious site.

I was gonna start a new subject but "Only" convinced me to continue on right here and GO FOR IT!

He is a pretty knowledgeable guy so I decided to take his advice. (Knowledgeable because he convinced me that the only problem I had with my non-functioning computer was that it wasn't plugged in)! And sho'nuff, he was right.

When it comes to stuff like that, I ain't too very smart so I always rely on "Only" to solve my basic but stupid problems.

OK, back to business. Had a great trip to various places and saw some sights that are rarely seen by anyone. But most of that is secret shit so if I told ya, I'd have to kill ya, so I gotta limit this to bodybuilding stuff which is more interesting anyway (sometimes).

Tp get myself kicked in the ass again, I read through some of the recent posts on this here site and have come to the conclusion that many of us like to make adverse comments about the state of this "sport" today and adverse comments about some of our foremost pros pertaining to such things as "roid gut", dishonest officials and questionable judging, and questionable personalities.

And let me add "low pay for pros".

We all seem to offer some interesting insights into each of the above, but most of our feelings and comments come from the sidelines. Kind of like looking into the fishbowl and knowing exactly what the fish is thinking and what is best for his welfare.

But the only "guy" who really understands, is the "fish" who is inside that fishbowl 24/7.


Ya gotta really live the lifestyle to fully comprehend the total picture and abide by it or "take arms against a sea of troubles". (Thanks, William)

I recently left that fishbowl so now I can only speak as the guy watching the Kissing Guamis, but I figure I know the fish well enough to offer some intelligent comments every so often and plan to do so until my stupidity takes over.

With that said, I'd like to offer some photos I took (or found elsewhere on the net) of impressive athletes who are currently competing within various amateur levels within the US.

These photos will all have one thing in common ...... and that is a "lack of" what we have come to know as "roid deficiencies" such as extented stomachs, and what some of us refer to as "Palumboism". (One hell of a great person by the way!)

My neice calls most of the Pros .... Bulky Blunders ....... once they reach a certain size, so I will do my best to avoid posting photos of BB's as she so affectionately calls them.

Starten off with the Wonder Kid of the early 90's who made an international name for himself while still a teenager...... Jorge Betancourt. (Photos taken at the 2005 USA Championships in Las Vegas, Nv.)








Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 03:28:17 PM
Jorge, front and back from less than optimistic angles.

Had a great talk with Jorge and his training partner whose name I presently forget. That conversation took place immediately following the prejudging and he was a bit worried that he would not place high enough to appear on stage at  the finals.

A very humble, well spoken guy with a heavy Cuban accent. 

Jorge gave me his website so I could send him these pictures and many others but that card was misplace on some mountain top east of Katmandu, so if anyone has Jorge's website address, please pass it on.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 03:47:41 PM
One interesting sideline of any bodybuilding contest is to watch how the guys who don't get "called out" accept the calls. These three athletes gave up a major part of the year to be up there on that stage only for a few brief moments before they were asked to leave.

I know for a fact that the majority of these guys who wait in the sidelines will leave that stage mightily disappointed but with even more determination to do better the next time out.

I can recall many occasions watching the faces of guys like Bob Chic and many other pros and see them "deflate" from the top of their head to the bottom of their toes while they stood on the side hoping to be included in the next group .... or the next ..... or the next.

Only they can tell you what that felt like.

I think this picuture captures a bit of that in the faces of these three athletes waiting on the sidelines who never did get that call that they worked so hard for.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 03:57:03 PM
An impressive USA contender whose name I don't recall. Any help? (Or is this an L.A. contender the week earlier?)

Sad to say that I have seen many BB athletes with this man's potential leave the "sport" because they feel that they just can't face up to the task of competing against the Pros of today.

Might be a good idea to simply devise "levels of competition" that would allow athletes to compete on different levels of competition other than amateur/pro/and various wt. classes.

Anyone want to help me think on this and come up with a possible solution? Does this make any sense to anyone? No time to clarify.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 04:24:38 PM
Hey, Only! Pete introduced me to Mr T. at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas when he promoted the USA there a long while back. (Did he actually promote that contest?)

I recall Pete's daughter was there too and must have been about 12 or 13.

Mr T wore a ton of gold chains around his neck and on his wrists and had some darn impressive rings if I recall right.

I hope he's doing well. Any way you know of where we can email him and send him our best regards? He did a great job making himself a STAR!

Pete kept on telling me to keep an eye on him and watch how he WORKS THE ROOM. That was the first time I heard that expression. Must be a Hollywood thang.

He worked it good!

I got photos of all of us in a group so I'll have to conduct a search in an attempt to get them posted here. Stand by to Stand by.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 05:00:07 PM
Rumor about the Rumors .............. !

While listening to some pretty important people within the bodybuilding scene, it appears that something major in the way of "reorganization" will happen soon.

Any substance to this? Any facts?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 05:48:53 PM
How many guys have been around as long as Chic?

Great guy to talk with and a good friend.

Here is Bob with the Ladies at the USA. SOrry that I don't have all the names but maybe someone out there can match 'em up.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 05:57:41 PM
The WINNERS!  Who do you think will be winning the major Pro shows five years from now?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on September 05, 2005, 08:37:34 PM
The WINNERS!  Who do you think will be winning the major Pro shows five years from now?


To words for those babes-TASTY Morsels!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on September 05, 2005, 08:42:48 PM
good to see you back Stunt!

Thanks for keeping it real...yo
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 05, 2005, 10:15:44 PM
Looks to me to have great pro potential.

In both cases.

Any objections?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on September 10, 2005, 01:39:49 PM
This pic shows me that BB was very popular back in the 50's and 60's and that it spread out into the mainstream.  I mean there are families, wives, children and everything watching this show.  And there are many other pics around that shows the same support from "regular" people.  I really think Weider screwed up Bodybuilding for the future. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on September 10, 2005, 03:09:58 PM
talk about an old picture
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: hickman on September 12, 2005, 05:54:53 PM
I found this forum the outher day read every one .I have to say thy were great i have been reading about all most every pro/legend everyone has been posting. often wonder what happen to them but not any more.thanks everyone for the great stories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on September 12, 2005, 09:19:46 PM
This pic shows me that BB was very popular back in the 50's and 60's and that it spread out into the mainstream.  I mean there are families, wives, children and everything watching this show.  And there are many other pics around that shows the same support from "regular" people.  I really think Weider screwed up Bodybuilding for the future. 

Onlyme-nice muscle beach shot from the 40's or 50's......and did you catch the Navy ship in the background? Man that thing looks real close to shore.

I wonder if this was during the WW II period-41-45? I bet you this pic was taken during the war, crazy shit man.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 12, 2005, 10:20:28 PM
Rules, I agree on that picture. Looks like it was taken during WWII with that ship in the background. Is it a carrier?

Rules, I need your mailing address to send ya some photos.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 24, 2005, 04:30:10 AM
Let's see if I can still do this.......

Here is a shot of Ernie Santiago and Maria (no longer together). I have no idea what year this was taken.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 24, 2005, 04:32:51 AM
Pax Beal. Great guy. I'll let Only elaborate more on Pax.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 24, 2005, 04:36:08 AM
Pax and the ladies who di the presentation.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 24, 2005, 09:39:43 PM
I'll let you guys/gals state who is who and the approximate period of time that the pics were taken/
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 25, 2005, 02:27:10 AM
How bout these guys (above photo) could be a group of foreign circus performers or acrobats. But definitely not sure about that. I don't recognize anyone else in those photos but I'm sure someone on here will come up with some correct names or decent guesses.

One bodybuilder in the group pictured below has been doing well recently. Anyone up to identifying the correct individual and his name?

And in the second shot, one individual made an appearence in a relatively major Hollywood movie with a major old time star. Name the individual, the star, and the movie!

Pretty tough! Good luck!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Gord on September 26, 2005, 01:52:42 AM
How bout these guys (above photo) could be a group of foreign circus performers or acrobats. But definitely not sure about that. I don't recognize anyone else in those photos but I'm sure someone on here will come up with some correct names or decent guesses.

One bodybuilder in the group pictured below has been doing well recently. Anyone up to identifying the correct individual and his name?

And in the second shot, one individual made an appearence in a relatively major Hollywood movie with a major old time star. Name the individual, the star, and the movie!

Pretty tough! Good luck!

In the first pic, is that Kris Dim on the left?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 27, 2005, 12:58:40 AM
No, sorry but that is not Dim.

Here's a group you can definitely name. Taken a while back though.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 27, 2005, 01:07:50 AM
What's it all about?

About 10% of you should recognize her.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 27, 2005, 03:17:42 PM
UNRELATED QUESTION - A while back (within the last year or so) a young bodybuilder in Florida passed away.

I think his name was something like Robert Beneventura or something like that (only saw his photo once).

He appeared to be an up and coming competitor in the state of Florida and might have been nationally qualified.

Does anyone have the correct name of this young athlete and his competitive history and details on how he passed away?

Thanks, Stunt
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on September 29, 2005, 05:21:50 PM
Photo shoot - On location- Name the spot.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Bix on September 29, 2005, 06:04:49 PM
What's it all about?

About 10% of you should recognize her.

Alphie Newman
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 15, 2005, 12:10:32 AM
Well if you rememebr awhile back I was talked about a friend and former trainer partner here is Hawaii.  I found some pics of him after he won my first show.  I remember someone couldn't believe the weight he could lift from the pic (the first one).  Well the next pics shows him in contest shape.  At about 185 lbs.  He was more like 220 in the off season and strong as hell.  Simpson Bannister is his name. He is in the middle.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 15, 2005, 12:15:31 AM
Here is a pic of the Novice winner Rog Sager.  Great body this guy had and a crowd favorite.

The second pic is of a competitor who enters every BB show in Hawaii for the past 15 years.  He flies in from Molokai too. He is 61 years old there.  Looks great and has a great attitude.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 15, 2005, 12:19:22 AM
The first pic is during our "Massive Posedown"  That is Palumbo and Chris Bennett

The second shows Flex.  He announced at our show he was coming out of retirement and compete in the Olympia that year.  The Massive Posedown was fun for all the competitors because it gave them the chance to be on stage with their heroes.  The flash bulbs were going crazy
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 15, 2005, 12:21:42 AM
The first pic of from our bikini contest.  The judges had alot of fun and it was a sellout.  We gave away $18,000 and the winner got $5,000.  The second pic is the winner Natasha
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 15, 2005, 12:23:31 AM
Man when I bring in the pros I make sure they have fun.  Here is one of the boats with some of pros and celebs deep sea fishing

Here are a few at the expo

Then on the USS Missouri
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 21, 2005, 12:03:16 PM
Okay a couple of entertanment stories.  I was just watching Jay Leno and Debra Messing just reminded me.

I was on the TV show Dynasty back in 1988 or so,  I was a football player.  I had 5 lines if I remember right and it was also the first show I did where I got my own trailer all by myself and didn't have to share.  I remember arriving on location looking to where I go and a PA came up to me and siad Mr. Jones your trailer is around the corner.  I go and see my own trailer.  I had to run back to my car and get a camera so I could take a pic.  I had a pic and would post it but I lost it.

Anyway, we are on the field getting ready to shoot a scene.  We are all talking and one of the other players ask Jack Ford(?) if he was really gay.  He played a gay guy on the show and was the owner of the team.  He said no.  The guy said man why would you play a gay on TV.  Everyone is going to think you are a fag.  Jakc replies, for $35,000 a week I play anything.  Everyone just couldn't believe how much money that was and all agreed we'd play fags for that to.

As the scene is going it's my turn to talk and I make a mistake.  So we go again,  Then another guys makes a mistake we go again.  Well this happened about 4 or 5 times in a row.  Well now Jack is getting a little pissed.  Then we start again and he makes a mistake. He gets so embarrased he starts to laugh and blames me for starting the trend and we all started laughing uncontrollably.  You knw the kind where you just can;t stop. After several minutes we all decided to get this scene shot.  So now we are all very serious and Jakc looks at me and just start cracking up.  He ended up going to his trailer and we all went to craft services had a bite to eat and about 15 minutes later we came back and finished.

On a side note: when I went in to read for this part I met went the Shapiros who were the producers.  I go into their office and they ask me a few questions.  They asked me if I played football and I said no I armwrestle.  Mr. Shapiro says, I know where I heard your name before.  He picks up a Time Miagazine that wass on the table and turned the pages to a featured article they did on me and a show I did in Ft. Lauderdale.  It was really neat and they hired me. 

I'll tell the other story tommorrow if I remember.  It's about me getting busted for joyriding.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 29, 2005, 03:11:35 AM
Okay, back around 78' or so I used to train at a club that used to be a Vic tanny's Gym in Hawthorne but changed its name to Renassaise Health Spa.  When I went there it was owned by a very thick guy by the name of Bill Stuges.  He was about 6'3" 260 but had a huge barrell chest and reall skinny legs with no ass.  You know the kind where the pants barely hang on.  Gene Mozee worked there too.  Anyway, I used to help around the club so I never had to pay dues.  It was the typical 70's health club.  Allot of chrome equipment and even a pool.  Where giving private swimming lessons always turned into some kind of kinky sex romp.

Anyway, I was pretty strong back then as was Bill.  But we both couldn't bench 405 yet.  He was really close as was I.  I weighed around 230 at that time.  We used to go to Dinah's for chicken every Tuesday night for their great chicken feast.    Anyway one night we were all eating and we were talking about benching and Bill bet me he would bench 405 before I could.  I said okay.

So we did it.  I trained so hard for this.  IN short I did beat him to 405.  But for the longest time I could only bench 405 with 315 then adding all 10's and 5's.  If I tried it with 4 45's, I would just dump it on my chest.
I don't what would happen.  I wuld even have guys load the bar without even looking at it.  But I still would dump it.  Finally I got over that when I started to train at World Gym in 79'

Later on I talked to Bill and he was benching 500.  He looked exactly the same just stronger.  I actually saw him running down the street.  He told me he wanted to be the first man to bench 500 lbs. and finish the LA Marathon.

Jump ahead to 1993 or so.  I am on Kauai.  I am driving to Waimea Canyon (nickname Grand Canyon of the Pacific).  Anyway I am gong down this road that had nothing anywhere around it.  When all of a sudden I see one of those small trailers that serve food.  SO I turned in to get something to eat and drink.  I am the only one there.  This old man was working inside and he told me he owned it.  Anyway, we start talking and he asks me where I am from.  I tell him Manhattan Beach and Hawthorne, Ca.  He then tells me he is from Torrance but he owned a gym in Hawthorne.  Well I thought I knew every gym in the area, so I ask him the name of it.  He said it was called Renassaise Health Club.  I said no way my friend owns that place.  He said no I owned it first when he bought it frm Vic Tanny and then changed the name and later sold it to Bill Sturges.  I said no way he said yes way and we could'nt believe it.  What a small world we said.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on October 29, 2005, 08:34:34 AM
Onlyme....

If you couldn't bench 405 with (4) 45's on each side, but could do it by using 10's & 5's it may have been in your mind like you thought.  Using the idea of not looking at the weight sometimes helps but you said you still had problems with it.


Did you ever think of weighing those 45's?


Throughout time, I have found that 45lb plates can have a huge inconsistency of accuracy.

I have seen it very common for a 45lb plate being plus or minus 2-3 lbs if it's a standard cast steel using cheaper manufacturing process.  In very rare circumstances 4-5 lbs plus or minus. 

With 4 45's on each side...that can be plus or minus anywhere between 8-15lbs on each side.

When you're attempting a max lift...this can make you miss easily.
 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on October 29, 2005, 10:38:36 AM
Yes that could have been it.  They were those old thick plates.  Sometimes there would be a mix of plates on there.  I know it was mental.  I remeber when  first did 550 they guys told me it was 525 which was my previous best.  They all laughed and went crazy when I did it.  I asked them what they were doing and they said it was 550 and to count the weight.  So Idid and it was.  They all said they knew I could do it.  Ray was laughing the whole time.  The mental state got involved with me allot.  I would try 500 and not do it, but then say to the guys no no I was breathing wrong, then get uder the bar right after dumping it, then lift it after concentrating more on my breathing.  I was really weird that way.

Now the reason why I am not lifting as often is mental.  I need to get back into that "I can't wait to get to the gym mode".  It's all mental to me.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on October 29, 2005, 11:06:39 AM
At Clancy Ross's Mr America gym we  weighed every single 45 pound plate-and they were all off-anywhere from 43-49 pounds each. Then we painted a number on the plate-a 3 if it was 43 and a 6 if 46# and so forth so you have a calibrated set. At Golds San Diego we had a Russian made olympic set that had calibrated chrome weights-Ivanko sells similar plates-but they are expensive but you know they are on the money. Calibrated to witin a few grams of the stated weight-and the way they were machined was cool b/c everytime you touched your chest or extended all the way out the plates would hit together and make a cool chiming sound. Dip shit Rick Stephenson gave that set away b/c the plates did not fit American bars......

When ever we went heavy at Clancy's club we would find all the light 45#-the 43's and 44's so we always made the max lifts with lighter than stated weight-but hey-it looks good slamming 45$ plates around......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on October 29, 2005, 11:19:22 AM
At Clancy Ross's Mr America gym we  weighed every single 45 pound plate-and they were all off-anywhere from 43-49 pounds each. Then we painted a number on the plate-a 3 if it was 43 and a 6 if 46# and so forth so you have a calibrated set. At Golds San Diego we had a Russian made olympic set that had calibrated chrome weights-Ivanko sells similar plates-but they are expensive but you know they are on the money. Calibrated to witin a few grams of the stated weight-and the way they were machined was cool b/c everytime you touched your chest or extended all the way out the plates would hit together and make a cool chiming sound. Dip shit Rick Stephenson gave that set away b/c the plates did not fit American bars......

When ever we went heavy at Clancy's club we would find all the light 45#-the 43's and 44's so we always made the max lifts with lighter than stated weight-but hey-it looks good slamming 45$ plates around......

I could see Rick doing that.

Hey 619....I've been meaning to ask you a question.

Back in the 90's there was a guy that trained & lived in San Diego.  He was in quite a few magazines & although he wasn't a mass monster, he had great conditioning & calves.  He had long brown hair always in a pony tail.

What's his name?

For the life of me...I can't remember.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on October 29, 2005, 12:11:59 PM
His name was Roger Stewart-won a few shows in Florida-had great wheels/calves but no upper body........I have wheels and calves that are better.....I was gone from Gold's when he started training there-moved up to Frog's Solana Beach, best move I ever made.......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on October 29, 2005, 12:22:24 PM
His name was Roger Stewart-won a few shows in Florida-had great wheels/calves but no upper body........I have wheels and calves that are better.....I was gone from Gold's when he started training there-moved up to Frog's Solana Beach, best move I ever made.......

Yup....Thats his guy Stewart.

What was weird, there was a time in the 90's when he was in a lot of magazines then "poof".....he disappeared.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: tony b on October 30, 2005, 09:57:18 PM
Seriously Keith if you were to write a book i would purchase it. I love the stories
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on November 14, 2005, 01:57:57 PM
Seriously Keith if you were to write a book i would purchase it. I love the stories

I am going to be editor-I need to have a piece of this book b/c it is going to make serious $$$$$    ;D ;D
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on November 15, 2005, 10:22:31 AM
You guys are funny.  I don't have any different stories than any of you.  I just tell mine.  If you guys told your stories they would be great too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: 619Rules on November 18, 2005, 08:20:26 PM
You guys are funny.  I don't have any different stories than any of you.  I just tell mine.  If you guys told your stories they would be great too.


Onlyme-

Did you ever run into a guy named Steve Guri at World Gym/SM in the early 80's?

He was a BBer who got kicked out of Gold's for almost getting into a fight with Ray Mentzer, and he ended up at World. Matt Mendenhall was also training at World then.

Did you ever know Steve? He was a dancer for Chippendales.......
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on November 19, 2005, 12:08:01 AM
No I don't know him.  But I did know a guy named Sam who danced at Chipendales.  He was the biggest and most muscular guy they had.  Really popular back in the early 80's.  I had a couple other friends who worked as servers there.  They told me one time they talked to their boss and that if I wanted to be a server I could.  I didn't think so.  I liked the idea of having the girls all grab me but not the idea of walking around with just a tie on and some pants.  Sam was really popular.  Appeared in allot things and he benched 500.  Had blond hair and a mustache if I remember right. 

The other two guys were friends of mine.  Shane Redmond and Kenny Halbert.  These two guys were better looking than any male model anywhere.  Shane weightlifted allot and he was a high 400 bencher.  Chisled look with a great look.  Kenny was Robert Redfords twin.  He used to get picked up on everyhwre he went.  It was really sad.  Back then stewardesses were hot.  He would get off the flight with their phone numbers.  I was with him numerous times when girls would literally get out of their car and give him their phone number.  In Palm Springs we had allot of fun. 
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: bmacsys on November 26, 2005, 12:58:53 PM
I`m sure you guys know most of these people.............Dave Mastorakis is a good friend of mine.


That guy to the right or Ron Tuefel. I think his name is Mike Torchia or something like that. He competed in the New Haven, CT area regional contests when I was just starting to go to shows in 1978/1979. By the way I remember that photo in I think Muscle and Fitness around 1981 or 1982. Would that be correct? Thank you.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: bmacsys on November 26, 2005, 01:30:39 PM
Here's some pics I took of Ron Magnum after one of his wins at Mt. park.


Where and when was that photo of Ron Mangum take? He is from Hamden, CT. I played football against him in high school.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: joelbrandw on December 28, 2005, 03:20:11 PM
My meeting with Ed Corney . . .  I've been training since I was 14 years old . . . I'm now 40.  I've always followed the sport but have never been interested in competing myself.  I have a few personal training clients and I still do some body modeling work (Men’s Health Magazine, etc.) but doing a show was just not appealing to me.  A few “comrades” at the gym continued to urge me to walk on stage “just once”, and so I finally gave in and entered the San Francisco NPC show this past October.  Knowing it was going to be my first (and last) contest, I chose not to enter as a Novice or Masters but just go for it and jump into the Open class.  I was three pounds too heavy to be a middleweight so I wound up in the light-heavyweight division with guys that were 15 to 18 pounds heavier than me.  I walked outside that morning, after the weigh-in and registration, feeling foolish for even choosing to do the show and like a small skinny “kid” among the bigger guys I was to walk on stage with that day . . . and then I ran right into Ed Corney sitting and talking with my girlfriend.  He had been a childhood hero of mine, but honestly, I had no idea who he was that day.  I told them both that I hadn’t made middleweight and that the guys in there looked “big” and I felt like an idiot for competing.  Ed said, “Well, I used to walk in and see all these guys that were so much bigger than me and then I’d go on stage and I'd beat them all”.  I still had no idea who the hell he was . . . but then it sort of started to hit . . . and the rest, as they say, is history.  He and I are now working on his website and a few other projects together and I speak with him about four or five times a week.  I guess that’s the reason I did the show . . . I just couldn’t have predicted it.  You can see Ed's new official website at http://www.EdCorney.net . . . you can see some vintage style physique images that my friend shot of me a week before that show at http://www.jbarts.com/bodyshotsmall/

I won third place in the light-heavyweight division, got an ugly trophy and made a new friend for life.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on December 28, 2005, 07:57:31 PM
Joe glad to have you here.  It's been awhile since anyone posted n this thread.  It was getting a little lonely.  I'll have to come up with another story to tell.  I now you guys out there have more stories where are they!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on December 29, 2005, 12:54:46 PM
Thanks for the Ed story and photo, Joel.

I've known Ed since the days when he was still an amateur training at Bob's Gym in Fremont, California.

A few of us went with Ed to see him win his pro card but I don't recall where and when that occured.

I had breakfast with Ed many years ago at THE GERMAN's (anyone remember that place?) and he was giving serious consideration about leaving the competitive side of the sport, but I don't recall if he ever did compete again after that discussion.

This all happened a long while back.

But recently I've been running into Ed at various contests in California and have had some enjoyable moments talking about the old times. 
 

He's looking good and doing well and is still one of the greats in my mind.

Going to the bigger contests today is like going back to a High School Reunion.

Great going in that SF contest, Joel. I strongly suggest that you continue competing for as long as possible. A few more pounds and you could be a major contenda.  Good going!

Yes, Only, that is Torchia.

Here is a photo of someone with great guns. I have no idea who he is but this is the kind of build I recall winning the trophies in most of the amateur shows back in the 60's.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: joelbrandw on December 29, 2005, 03:20:56 PM
Thanks for the Ed story and photo, Joel.

I've known Ed since the days when he was still an amateur training at Bob's Gym in Fremont, California.

A few of us went with Ed to see him win his pro card but I don't recall where and when that occurred.

I had breakfast with Ed many years ago at THE German's (anyone remember that place?) and he was giving serious consideration about leaving the competitive side of the sport, but I don't recall if he ever did compete again after that discussion.

This all happened a long while back.

But recently I've been running into Ed at various contests in California and have had some enjoyable moments talking about the old times. 
 

He's looking good and doing well and is still one of the greats in my mind.

Going to the bigger contests today is like going back to a High School Reunion.

Great going in that SF contest, Joel. I strongly suggest that you continue competing for as long as possible. A few more pounds and you could be a major contenda.  Good going!

Yes, Only, that is Torchia.

Here is a photo of someone with great guns. I have no idea who he is but this is the kind of build I recall winning the trophies in most of the amateur shows back in the 60's.

Thanks for sharing your memories of hanging out with Ed . . . He reads his guestbook on his website with some regularity . . .

http://www.a-free-guestbook.com/guestbook.php?username=joelbrandw

If you have the time, you should go post a message to him there, I'm sure he'll remember you . . . and that's one of things that's been so great about this new website for him . . . all of the old friends who have recontacted him in just the past few months.

Thanks - Joel
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on December 30, 2005, 11:15:08 AM
I am just cut and pasting this from another thread I just put it in.  I thought it would be okay here too.

My very first weightlifting mentor was Doc Duran.  He was a trainer at Vince's Gym back in the 50's and early 60's.  He was something else.  Every kid in the neighborhood went to his house where he had a gym (complete with boxing ring) built in his converted garage.  Everyone had a workout book that Doc would look at everyone every night and see what you did in your workout then write your next days workout.  It was really something when I look back at that.  I started training the summer between my freshman and sophmore year in high school.  That was in 1973. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: BigBlack on December 30, 2005, 04:19:56 PM
  Living in Toronto Canada my only real pro story would be the time I meet Mohammed Makawy. His pics were all over the Vince Gironda book I had just bought called "unleashing the wild physique." The guy looked like somone had peeled the skin right off him he was so cut. One day I saw an ad in a muscle mag about his muscle store which happened to be about 5kms from my place.

  Driving down I actually pumped up before seeing the guy. I'd been only working out for 4 years but had a good physique with 17 inch arms. So I walk into the store and the place looked near bankruptcy. Three quaters of shelves were empty and Mohamed was there with his wife behind the counter.  He was smaller and very short (he looked about 5 '1' or so), but quite defined and muscular. So I'm there, introduce myself and tell him he still looks fantasic. His wife gets all excited, hearing a fan being so enthusiastic. Then the shocker, I hear Makawy call me a rasist term (no mistake here the dreaded N word, lol). I couldn't bellieve it! Here is a man I looked up to from the glossy pages of the magazines, and I was about to punch his lights out! Luck for him when my head cleared after a few seconds. He began to lighten up at the mention of Vince Gironda refering to him as "a nice old man."

His old pro trophies were behind the counter. One was the Night of Champions win I believe.  I asked him if any masters contests were in his future. He seemed quite anti bodybuilding as far as competition went calling it "sillines." By the end of the conversation he was beeming at my recounts of how great he was. I even bought 2 tubs of protein powder from him and got them autographed. They are still in my basement today.

  A few minutes later I left feeling mixed about the whole thing. Live and let live. Somewhat of a let down, but things were tough for him. The store went belly up 2 months later. Oddly enough, about 2 years later he ended up competing on the pro circuit in the European circuit after the Olympia, placing near last in a  couple of contests. Gone was the ultra shreded definition. 



 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on December 30, 2005, 04:35:43 PM
  Living in Toronto Canada my only real pro story would be the time I meet Mohammed Makawy. His pics were all over the Vince Gironda book I had just bought called "unleashing the wild physique." The guy looked like somone had peeled the skin right off him he was so cut. One day I saw an ad in a muscle mag about his muscle store which happened to be about 5kms from my place.

  Driving down I actually pumped up before seeing the guy. I'd been only working out for 4 years but had a good physique with 17 inch arms. So I walk into the store and the place looked near bankruptcy. Three quaters of shelves were empty and Mohamed was there with his wife behind the counter.  He was smaller and very short (he looked about 5 '1' or so), but quite defined and muscular. So I'm there, introduce myself and tell him he still looks fantasic. His wife gets all excited, hearing a fan being so enthusiastic. Then the shocker, I hear Makawy call me a rasist term (no mistake here the dreaded N word, lol). I couldn't bellieve it! Here is a man I looked up to from the glossy pages of the magazines, and I was about to punch his lights out! Luck for him when my head cleared after a few seconds. He began to lighten up at the mention of Vince Gironda refering to him as "a nice old man."

His old pro trophies were behind the counter. One was the Night of Champions win I believe.  I asked him if any masters contests were in his future. He seemed quite anti bodybuilding as far as competition went calling it "sillines." By the end of the conversation he was beeming at my recounts of how great he was. I even bought 2 tubs of protein powder from him and got them autographed. They are still in my basement today.

  A few minutes later I left feeling mixed about the whole thing. Live and let live. Somewhat of a let down, but things were tough for him. The store went belly up 2 months later. Oddly enough, about 2 years later he ended up competing on the pro circuit in the European circuit after the Olympia, placing near last in a  couple of contests. Gone was the ultra shreded definition. 



 

If you said his attitude was off & he called you the "n" word....I am not surprised by the store closing.

I guess it could've been anything though.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: tommywishbone on December 31, 2005, 01:50:36 AM
Stories re Pros & Legends? I may just have a few. In brief, my first contest was the 1978 Teenage Mr. Tarhill. My friend Arron Baker won (no, I didn't get 2nd, but I did make the evening show..... barely), did some powerlifting and worked/trained at Gold's Gym Venice for many years, so I have some exposure to the sport. LOL.  I'll post some stuff ASAP.

Great stuff so far! Thanks.

-Tom
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: unknownBB on January 05, 2006, 10:19:16 PM
Wes, you got three right. Good going! I won't tell you which ones yet cause I might mess it up for the others who may want to give it a try.

WAS ANYONE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENT?

Back in the early 70's, there was an IFBB contest promoted in Tiajuana. Since it was right across the boarder in one of TJ.'s finer hotels, a lot of California fans drove down to watch.

It must have been an amateur event because Bob Birdsong won the overall that year, and deservedly so. He was in the best shape of his short career in that contest.

But Bob is not the subject of this story, so let's skip over to the back of the room where Sergio Oliva is sitting on a table yelling at Joe Weider who was right up front sitting with the officials and Arnold and Franco flanking both his sides.

Whenever there was a lull in the contest, Sergio would break the silence with an odd sounding voice ........ "I'm here in the back challenging Arnold to get up there on that stage with me today!"

He was all business and dead serious and the front table did their best to ignore the voice coming from the back.

So this went on for an hour or so ........ strange voice from a bodybuilder already well known in the back and complete avoidance from the table up front.

Finally something had to be done to shut him up so Joe Weider stood up and addressed the crowd but not directly to the strange voice in the back.

"Arnold is not going to accept a challenge today!" followed by some flimsey excuse of some sort or another.

So, as any crowd usually does whenever Joe Weider takes the floor to speak, the fans started booing and hissing and making Joe take his seat more quickly than he usually does.

So, what happens next??!

Franco hops up to quiet the crowd and announces that he will accept Sergio;s challange, but that didn't seem to satisfy too many people and definitely not Sergio.

But when everyone saw that Arnold was not going to give in, the crown offered one more major "booooooo" and gradually quieted down to see if this would be agreeable with Sergio.

Sergio was pissed but with a few unkind words directed at Joe and Arnold he eventually agreed to meet Franco up there on that stage whenever Franco  felt he was ready, Sergio would just stay where he was and would go on stage whenever Franco was willing to be annihilated by The Myth.

So the crowd settled back and waited.  while the rest of the show went on.

About an hour later, Franco and Arnold went backstage to pump up while Sergio waited patiently.

And then Franco was ready and came on stage looking far less than his best but ready to give his best for his faithful sidekick.

From the back Sergio yelled something like, "Are you ready"" and slowly walked up the aisle while removing his shirt revealing a contest ready form prepared  to do battle against  anyone willing to accept the challenge. Today it would be Franco, Second best would have to do!

All eyes stayed on Sergio those next few minutes. He was definitely unbelieveable and unbeatable even if  Franco had been  his best.

And many felt that Arnold and Joe had made a wise decision. Sergio would have made him look damn bad as well!

I don't recall seeing Arnold in the room after that humbling experience.

In fact I think Weider took a short-cut too.

After that contest we headed into town to visit the local pharmacies to load up on gear but everyone was out of everything they had because "There must be some major bodybuilding contest in town! Come back next week, Come back next week!

So we crossed the boarder empty handed but with a pretty good story to tell the guys in the gym who didn't come to TJ town that weekend.

That is the best damn story I've read yet on this thing!! I wish I could have been there! Was anyone else?

Any chance anyone has pics from it?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 16, 2006, 07:30:37 PM
Another Marine has landed!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 16, 2006, 08:43:47 PM
After reading Get Big's history, stories, and memories for the past several weeks--and then seeing myself (in upper right hand corner of Cleve Dean photo on page thirty-three)--I had to join the crowd, and add my two cents of fabric to the thread.

There's so much and so many people I can relate to topic-wise, I decided to sign up and contribute some of my own memories. First, Semper Fi Stuntmovie,
619Rules, Knn187 and onlyme. I absolutely loved all the Marine & Vietnam stuff, bringing back my stint in the Corps from 1965-69 (Vietnam, 1966-67, Chu Lai).

I also can relate to numerous bodybuilding figures and especially wristwrestling, or arm-wrestling if you prefer. I covered the Petaluma world event for Grimek and MD magazine from 1972-1979, as well as the Nationals in Las Vegas (for Billie Jean King's Womensports magazine) in 1974. All of these
events were televised by ABC's Wide World of Sports and had some of the highest ratings ever. I also did other features for Grimek/MD before taking the
helm at MUSCLE DIGEST in 1980, serving as editor. And so-on and so-on.

So, I enjoyed this thread so much I convinced myself to jump in. Here I am
floating on the waters of wonderment...willing to share if there is an audience.
Since I already claimed my landing as another Marine, I could share some
memories about that 18-minute run expected of us Jarheads.

And then some...
ratings 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 16, 2006, 09:04:56 PM
Semper Fidelis

&

welcome aboard
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 17, 2006, 02:29:40 AM
I hate to take this thread back a little, but I will. This little military tidbit goes
back about 7 pages or so to the discussion about Marine Corps training and
the 3-mile run. Prior to going to Vietnam I took special amphibious training
at Camp Del Mar, right across the freeway (5) and Camp Pendelton in San
Diego. It was fall, 1965 and I had just turned 19. Our physical training and
requirements weren't much different from Boot Camp, except we weren't
boots any longer and things were laxed and we were treated half-ass human
(no complaints mind you, I was a fairly gung-ho ground pounder...).

If my memory serves me right, the requirement for the 3-mile run with FULL
field marching pack and rifle was 18 minutes. During my stint at Del Mar over
three months I had to do it once. The PT test, as it was called, took place on
a Monday, first thing. The prior weekend I pulled my liberty in TJ and ate and
drank my young guts out. A demanding PT test was the last thing this just-
out-of-boot-camp greenhorn needed, especially first thing in the week.

After completing the rest of the PT course, the 3-mile run was slated. We
saddled up with our heavy gear. When I put that pack on, with cartridge belt,
canteen, and helmet my stomach started telling me things I didn't want to
hear. I felt a major bowel movement moving from my upper intestine. God, not
now...PLEASE! I did anus squeezes so to discourage further movement. It
seemed to work...for awhile. Anyway, I started out fast so I wouldn't have to
challenge nature more than necessary. I was in the front third of the group
when I felt my functions of eliminating screaming for relief. I felt a genuine
panic, still tatooed by boot camp rigors, so I put the gas (literally) down and
took off, passing everyone and running faster than anyone else in the pack
of apx. 50 Marines. I left them literally in my dust and gas and finished in
record time for the event at the time of around 13 minutes. No one could be-
lieve it, much less me. But I knew in my twisted, painful guts that I had to
run the race of a lifetime...and did.

Believe it or not, when I crossed that finish line looking for that head I had
envisioned in my mind, I suddently realized I didn't have to go. The dump
that drove me was no more. Out of sheer disbelief I kinda looked back and
wondered if I left my remants on the pavement. No, I didn't.

But I did run like one crazy sob. And got an early pass for the next weekend
...so I could go back to TJ. Ahhh, what a 19-year-old can do...and get away with.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 17, 2006, 10:12:45 AM
I hate to take this thread back a little, but I will. This little military tidbit goes
back about 7 pages or so to the discussion about Marine Corps training and
the 3-mile run. Prior to going to Vietnam I took special amphibious training
at Camp Del Mar, right across the freeway (5) and Camp Pendelton in San
Diego. It was fall, 1965 and I had just turned 19. Our physical training and
requirements weren't much different from Boot Camp, except we weren't
boots any longer and things were laxed and we were treated half-ass human
(no complaints mind you, I was a fairly gung-ho ground pounder...).

If my memory serves me right, the requirement for the 3-mile run with FULL
field marching pack and rifle was 18 minutes. During my stint at Del Mar over
three months I had to do it once. The PT test, as it was called, took place on
a Monday, first thing. The prior weekend I pulled my liberty in TJ and ate and
drank my young guts out. A demanding PT test was the last thing this just-
out-of-boot-camp greenhorn needed, especially first thing in the week.

After completing the rest of the PT course, the 3-mile run was slated. We
saddled up with our heavy gear. When I put that pack on, with cartridge belt,
canteen, and helmet my stomach started telling me things I didn't want to
hear. I felt a major bowel movement moving from my upper intestine. God, not
now...PLEASE! I did anus squeezes so to discourage further movement. It
seemed to work...for awhile. Anyway, I started out fast so I wouldn't have to
challenge nature more than necessary. I was in the front third of the group
when I felt my functions of eliminating screaming for relief. I felt a genuine
panic, still tatooed by boot camp rigors, so I put the gas (literally) down and
took off, passing everyone and running faster than anyone else in the pack
of apx. 50 Marines. I left them literally in my dust and gas and finished in
record time for the event at the time of around 13 minutes. No one could be-
lieve it, much less me. But I knew in my twisted, painful guts that I had to
run the race of a lifetime...and did.

Believe it or not, when I crossed that finish line looking for that head I had
envisioned in my mind, I suddently realized I didn't have to go. The dump
that drove me was no more. Out of sheer disbelief I kinda looked back and
wondered if I left my remants on the pavement. No, I didn't.

But I did run like one crazy sob. And got an early pass for the next weekend
...so I could go back to TJ. Ahhh, what a 19-year-old can do...and get away with.

The timed 3 mile for PFT is scored between 18 - 30 minutes.  If you ran 30 mins in 3 miles you had to max your pull-ups & sit-ups to have a passing score.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: despo on January 17, 2006, 12:04:27 PM
 Awesome thread! I've been reading for a couple of hours getting caught up on it. Great to see my buddy Billy Smith way back on page 25.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 17, 2006, 12:47:28 PM
What do I remember about that photo back on page 33?

Cleve Dean, a hog farmer from Georgia, won the Heavyweight (!!)
Wristwrestling Championship that night, rather handily. His strength
he said came from much hard farm work, sloppin' hogs. But he did
admit to swingin' a few weights around, too. Huge guy with huge
strength. Just a good 'ol boy who was greatly entertained by the
whole notion of bendin' some boys arm over. Nice guy, though, and wouldn't
hurt a ton of flies unless they got up on the wrist table.

In this photo it looked like he was in-between sucks of a gigantic lollipop
with that tongue popped out of the corner of his mouth like that. He had
hands like giant hams. And he could really smoke his opponents.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 17, 2006, 01:55:28 PM
Hey, Jay, Semper Fi! I was stationed at Del Mar just about that time and ran the beach on a daily basis.

First Force Recon was stationed there and those were some of the best times of my life, but I was one of those guys who avoided Tiajuana like the plague after a couple of my troops got locked up down there for inappropriate behavior in some side street bar that catered to donkey lovers.

The Del Mar gym was a half assed gym, but you might recall a Recon Marine who trained there on a daily basis. During a jump he got his bicep ripped out on some static line (I forget the details), but they sewed him back up and he worked that bicep on a daily basis until he was just about as complete as any other Recon Marine.

I got some good memories of training in the Corps and was instrumental in setting up a couple of fairly decent facilities (even under combat conditions) when the old "musclebound theory" was still pretty prevalent.

Will get back to you on this subject as time allows ......

Are you familiar with Gilardi's Bar and the history behind it?

Hey UnknownBB, I posted these International shots earlier, but here they are again ..... thanks for asking...



Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 17, 2006, 02:13:34 PM
Here's Sergio and Franco. I spent a lot of time in the back talking with Sergio that day. He didn't have too much respect for Weider and Arnold and could care less about Franco.

Bob Birdsong won this contest and deservedly so. I think Bill Grant was in it too.

We went to a party thrown by one of the doctors on behalf of Birdsong the day before this contest and there was an unvailing of a oil painting of Bob done by a very well know artist whose name I forgot.

Just around that same time my best Recon Bud was cast in some casting material that would eventually be used to build a major body statue to be placed along side the Hollywood sign up thar in the hills. That eventually fell through but we were all special guests at the artist's grand opening of some of his other works. Met a lot of major players at that event as well as some real strange individuals. Back then Marines always had standing invites to attend some of the major Hollywood functions and parties. Good times.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 17, 2006, 02:25:11 PM
Hey TOmmyWishbone, You were around in the days when this sport hit its peak and I know you have a hell of a lot more stories to tell than I do.

I'll try to submit stuff here that may jar your memory and maybe you can fill in the details or correct my memory of the way things actually were.

Here's my first question for ya ....... What single individual has been training at Gold's Venice more than any other?
My guess would be Kent Kuhn but I could be wrong.

Were you training at the old Gold's on 2nd?

Did you ever train in the original Gold's? I recall that yearly membership being around $34 a year or less.

How many BB shows did you attend at that old outdoor theater on Venice Beach? Who was the competitor who lived on tuna fish all year long?

Do ya recall the German's? ANd how about that Swedish Smorgasboard around the cornor from the old Santa Monica Golds?

Did you know Joe Nazario? Tuefel? etc. Lots more to ask ya about but gotta get back to work . Thanks Tommy and all....

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 17, 2006, 06:00:45 PM
Stuntmovie, great hearing from you (I wrote you a personal, too...).

Boy, I bet we could swap some serious stories about the Corps and Del Mar, huh? I have a story about TJ--related to what you mentioned--that could have cost my life...but didn't. So, you were there about the same timeframe, huh? 1965.

Gilardi's Bar? You mean the one in Petaluma, home of Wristwrestling?

It's funny, but we found ways to workout even in Vietnam, above and beyond
the call of duty. When I brushed my teeth, which I did every chance I got while
in camp, I did one-leg calf raises...just a way to moniter something and help pass the time. The guys in my tent nicknamed me..."The Incredible Hulk" because of some heavy benches I did without a warm-up and some other im-
prompt strength feats (but honestly, I hated it...).

At Del Mar, I remember Forced Recon; remember 'em well. In Vietnam, after
some personal shit hit the fan, I was a whisker away from being transferred to
Forced Recon. I had this guilt thing, actually carried it with (malaria during
college) me for quite some time still do, honestly. In my platoon from boot, some forty-plus young men were killed out of apx. 57 recruits within one week
of hitting the sand of Vietnam. I made one of those WWII, John Wayne landings. Shortly thereafter, most all arrivees to Nam were flew in. Anyway...

I have so many stories regarding my experience with Corps, boxing, bodybuild-
ing, powerlifting, early sports nutrition (as writer, researcher), John Grimek,
Muscular Development, Strength & Health, WomenSports, Wristwrestling, ABC,
Reeves, Sergio, Weider, Arnold, Franco, Muscle Digest, Lou Ferrigno (Carla),
Ken Patera, Superstar Billy Graham, Nubret, Wong brothers, the '80 Olympia,
and so much more. Thinking about all this again after being dormet for some
time, gets my creative and writing juices flowing again. Hey, I even have a few
Hollywood tidbits.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 17, 2006, 07:21:54 PM
good stuff
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 17, 2006, 08:45:42 PM
Yes, Jay, Gelardi's in Petaluma. That's where it all started I've been told. I was raised in that vicinity on the Russian River and first met Reeves there  in the early 50's. He wasn't much more than a kid himself back then.

Did you used to go to the old time bodybuilding contests at the Embassy Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles?

A bunch of us Marines used to go up and ddown the coast between LA and San Diego and enter any beach contest that was available from chinup contests to lifting events to bodybuilding shows always bringing a trophy or two back to base with a bad case of sunburn.

Do you recall Gunny Sam Griffith? The base gym at El Toro? Crazy parties in Beverly Hills mansions? Airline stewardesses in Santa Monica?

Jay, were you one of the original Marines to make that amphibious landing in Vietnam?

Things were so much simpler back then. I remember driving to Disneyland through miles and miles of orange orchards and acres of strawberry fields surrounding the Park. And driving up the coast route from LA to Malibu where you could actually see the ocean along the entire route once you passed Santa Monica Beach and parking any place you wanted to walk down the slight slant to the beach. Playing vollyball with Ozzie and Harriet's kids on the beach in Laguna and inviting major TV stars to our weekend parties which usually lasted from late Friday to late Sunday. Wishing Doug McClure a lot of luck making it as a major star and checking out all the action at Universal Studios as a special guess way before the public was invited in to ride the trolly cars. Just wait till the red light was off and enter the soundstage and make yourself comfortable watching them make major movies.

Do you recall The Dungeon and Zuvers and Bill West and George Frenn and Pat Casey and some of the others who really started this muscle frenzy?

How about Von Lamon? That name just popped up but he was a major player around that area back then. I think it was Von who suffered a major injury with a buzzsaw. Been a long while back so I could be mistaken.

Bring some more old time stuff up and I'll see if it refreshes my memory. I was around most of the time when something crazy happened. SOme not even repeatable in an effort to protect the guilty.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 17, 2006, 11:09:53 PM
I certainly knew and read about Gunny Griffins, but he was before my time, I
think. I'm 59 so a lot of that stuff you mentioned was years before my arrival in
California in '65 (from Minnesota). Wow, that musta been cool to meet Steve
Reeves back then? I meet him too in 1980 in Long Beach at the WABBA World
when I was editor of Muscle Digest. Pretty uneventful though. I barely got a
whimper out of him.

Yea, Gilardi's played the stage a few times for me and my hunt for characters,
quotes and stories. And Petaluma was full of them. After covering the event for
so long, the city's media let me go and do anything. I'd always drop by the local radio and tv stations to get inside color. But after eight years, I could virtually not come up with any new slant and my creative flair was spent, so I told Grimek that it was all over. And he agreed. But we had a great run.

I'll always miss driving across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County and
Petaluma for the Championships. I lived in Los Altos, maybe 10 minutes from
Stanford University. I absolutely loved the Bay Area. But since I left I'm afraid
it's become, as Michael Savage says, "San Franfreako." Memories!

Yes, Stunt, I remember Orange County when they actually had orange groves
all over then, too. I pulled liberty from Pendelton to visit this chick in OC and
I can't get over how that place was changed and grown...for the worse. Back
when I visited it in '65 the place was still mainly orange groves. And there was
very little growth around Disneyland, which I visited as a hot shot young leatherneck on liberty once. Four of us rented a room for $8. and split the cost.
I think with your uniform on they let you in free, or half, something like that.
Remember, out of boot camp as a PFC I was pulling in nearly $90. a month.

I don't know about stewardesses in Santa Monica, but I ended up marrying one who flew for Western Airlines; stayed together for eighteen years and had
four kids.

About your beach landing comment. No, I definately WAS NOT the first wave of
Marines to make the amph landing, just one of any number at the time. There
were landings like the Duke made before me for sure, but probably not many.
There may have been one or two waves hit the beaches of Chu Lai before me.
Mainly however, the jest of any landings before us took place at Danang or
above. I don't know about the Saigon areas. Iwould never take one smidgeon
of credit (if you want to call it that) for anything I didn't do as a Marine or in
Vietnam. I have to much respect for those who paid the ultimate price...'nuff
said.

I did go to Santa Monica once on liberty in early '66 to see what was left of
Muscle Beach. Oh well. But I heard about this guy who owned a local watering
hole/eatery that was pretty famous. This guy was an old fight manager or
some shit. I was under age and drinking beer but he let it slide by, saying,
hell if you are old enough to defend our country and go to war and risk your
life, you're old enough to drink in my place...but don't tell anyone. After we had
a few he took me in the back room and wanted to see me move since I had
told him I had done some prior boxing. Damn, for an older guy, about my age
now, he could move! Anyway, he complimented me and told me to drop by
and look him up when I returned from across the pond. If I did, he said. I
never did know exactly how to take that. But a revisit never materialized.

Lastly, Stunt, did you ever hear of the famous Marine Captain around that
time named Walker, one of the heirs to the whiskey family? I took his infamous
30-day training before Vietnam at Pendelton. Funny, it was called The Regimental School. The focus of the school was how to kill and avoid not being
killed. I think he himself later was. But when I took it, he had won purple hearts and one Silver Star, I believe...had just returned. On his birthday, he
would put on dress blues and jump out of a plane singing the Marine Corps
hymn. When he landed, he would do 100 push ups PLUS his age (30ish) PLUS
one more for the Corps. The training was so severe and controversial--even by
Marine standards--that the Corps choose to forget it happened and exsisted,
I think. His idol was Gen. Chesty Puller and you can just imagine what he put us through. But darn, I'm proud of that. Not many Marines went through Walker's school. For example, in that 30-day span, we went through the gas
chamber three--3--times. At the end it was worse in some ways than boot; I
had bruises, cuts, burns and had lost maybe 8-10 pounds just from all the
demanding exercise. It took me several weeks for my muscles to lose the
soreness. Now, that, my friends...is

INTENSITY.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 17, 2006, 11:16:31 PM
Man Stunt knows how much I love to hear his war stories.  I am pretty sure Jay knows Stunt but I will leave that up to them.  Stunt likes his privacy. It's great to have you on here Jay.  I armwrestled Cleve twice beat him once.  He killed me the first time in Beverly Hills.  He weighed 550 then.  About 4 months or so later at the IAC Worlds he was weighing around 660.  Our match was over a minute and I won.  The refs called me the winner and everything.  About a few minutes later they they declared him the winner.  He had complained about me using my shoulder to block him.  The place went crazy.  I beat him fair and square and everyone knew it and voiced there opinon.  But, ultimately the promoter stepped in and made the decision.  It was more for the publicity than anythng.  He later came up (the promoter tosay sorry)  I got third in that Worlds.  It was the biggest armwrestling event in history.  I think 30 countries were represented and more than 700 entrants.  I should have taken at least 2nd if not 1st in that one.  Oh well.  Yes Cleve was huge.  He also pissed his pants after out match.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 17, 2006, 11:19:27 PM
Oh, Iwas always asked why I didn't compete in Petaluma since I beat regualry everyone who did.  Basically it was money.  I think 1st place paid $400.  I lived in LA.  Just to travel spend a night food and such I would have lost money.  When they lost their TV contract it went downhill.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 17, 2006, 11:28:34 PM
I believe you, On. Cleve may have been a country bumpkin...but a pretty crafty
one at that. Man, if you could beat that dude, you are one strong guy and
wristwrestler, as we termed it. I've got more wrist stories than I have veins.
In that picture of Cleve (where I'm up in right hand corner), his hat is turned
around for a reason...and it wasn't what you may think...to give his giant head
more room. No sir. It was because Dean had lead a charge of warrior complaints that they demanded more this, more that, from the promotion and ABC. ABC got pissed and told Cleve he had to turn his hat around--away from the cameras--because...

It was a Miller beer hat...and Budweiser had been the event's long time sponsor.

Miller (case) closed.

Say, On, I hope Stunt reads my last (Marine memory & question) post. And thanks for the welcome. I appreciate it.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 18, 2006, 06:49:48 AM
Jay,.........  HOCKADAY WALKER, Major, USMC!

Sure as hell do remember Hockaday! I was his XO in 1st Force before Jay Sullivan took over. Jay was another hard charger that brings some great war stories to mind. I served with both of them.

Hockaday drove around Pendleton in his Marine Corps Green Cadillac and had a haircut every day. I lost touch with him after he left 1st Force and had no idea that he passed away. You got the details?

I did meet Chesty one time at the old Marine's Memoriali in San Francisco. That was immediately after I signed up on the dotted line and the recruiter made it a command performance to show up. Until then I had never heard of him.

Correct me if I am wrong here but I believe I served with his son in Vietnam who lost his arms and legs in a land mine accident. Am I correct here? I recall that was Chesty's son.

My best friend in Nam took my jeep one morning off of Hill 34 just south of DaNang to go check on some minor schirmish and stepped on a mine as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle. Died immediately.

If you were ever on Hill 34, I built that Officer's CLub there with some assistance from the local SeeBees in exchange for a couple of pairs of combat boots I had. They poured the concrete foundation and we built that club out of local crates adn palm fonds when we had the time. That was the only place I ever built that has an actual thatched roof that actually kept out the rain. Maybe not so good during the Monsoons though.

I used to get a shave every week from a Vietnamese guy who was phenominal with a straight edge razor. Clean your beard like a baby's ass. We got hit one nite and he was one of the guys we found dead in the wire trying to take the hill.

Give me some time and I'll get those stories out to ya that are more related to lifting weights in Vietnam.

Our supply Corporal was a scrounger and colorful as hell so he would often hop on a helicopter and come back days later with some amazing stuff. I think we called that the Midnight Requisition. He knew we liked to lift heavy stuff so one time he arrived with two helicopters loaded with more weight lifting equipment than any base gym I ever saw back then.

THat's the time we built a pretty decent gym between incoming rocket attacks on our setup just south of Hue Phu Bai.

Got more so Stand By to Stand By.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 18, 2006, 07:00:52 AM
MAN YOU KNOW I LOVE THE WAR STORIES
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 18, 2006, 03:02:36 PM
Thanks, Only, but on this site it's more appropriate to tell those war stories that are related to bodybuilding and the lifting game. I got a few of those as perviously mentioned but the most interesting stuff happened outside of the rhelm of bodybuilding and lifting weights.

I'll do my best to work some of those in somehow.

Jay and Knny realize that a great Supply Sgt in the USMC is usually a former "bandit" from the east coast who pulled midnight requisitions at an early age from the airports and the wharfs in and about NY city and other major supply centers.

The Marine Corps has/had this bad habit of requesting funds from Congress that would actually never meet their needs or simply resulted in purchasing equipment such as rain gear that did more to keep the rain in than out and weapons that failed to fire in adverse conditions such as outdoors. We always suspected that we got the gear that the other services never wanted.

So, a great Supply Sgt in the Corps was a very valuable asset and the best of the best were very aggressive in getting equipment that the Marine Corps supply guys back in Washington felt we had no need of.

My Supply Sgt was a young "bandit" from Brooklyn. He was the best among the best.  One day he heard one of us mention that it sure would be great to start some lifting in the field between our missions and various skirmishes around the hilltop.

So one day, he requested permission to "..... hop in that helicopter over thar. I need three days away from camp!"

In order to avoid possible criminal charges as specified by the UCMJ it was always best to not ask why a Supply Sgt was taking off, so usually it was a simple nod of someone's and off he'd go for a day or two in "that helicopter over thar".

Needless to say, he was back in a couple of days with enough gym equipment to outfit a regiment. And all delivered to us personally by the US Army (the 101st Airborne if I recall correctly - not really sure about the delivery system).

Years later in a column about mysterious shit in Vietnam, I found out that one of the Army's best equipped gyms suddenly disappeared overnight down by Saigon someplace. But those in the know but the blame on the Viet Cong or the local gangs in the neighborhood who used the weights to hold their tarp-topped roofs down during the Monsoon season.

So thanks to the Army, the 101st Airborne (great guys who saved my ass on one particular occasion - story later)
and those gosh-darn VC bodybuilders, we got our gym in the field. It lasted quite a while until a 155 mm rocket hit it dead center one busy night.

I'd also give the biggest thanks to our Supply Sgt., but I'd hate to imcriminate him. A "Thanks, Sarge!" is good enough. And you all know who you are!

Goes to prove, that if you really want to train, you'll always find ways to get it done and a great Supply Sgt will make it possible.

That next week he flew off and came back with a dozen mini refrigerators, but it was up to me to get the beer. So my CO cut me orders to visit the closest Army base as liason for a day or two. Just enough time to find the beer and get it on its way to those empty minis.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 18, 2006, 04:04:45 PM
Stunt, your memory is nothing short of amazing, every detail. I love it! Love it! And thanks. I personally cherish every word and wll print out those posts to keep so that has to tell you something. People are usually amazed at my memory mind for detail. But I do believe I have met my match, and then some. Do you know that recalling facts with such detail, going back so many years, actually helps build the neurons of the brain transmitters, those paths that messages take and travel across the super highways of the grey matter. And it all helps to keep us oldtimers sharp; it's the "deep thinking" that builds and strengthens the, as Major (he was a Captain when I took his training) Walker called, THE BRAIN HOUSING GROUP. Speaking of which, I didn't know Walker's first name, but since you refreshed my memory, I believe you are right. What confirms that was your comment that Walker got a haircut every day. And drove a Marine Corps green Caddie. Yes, my friend, that is him. Rumor (fact) has it that the Hiriam Walker Whiskey founder and old man had two sons and
told them they both must accomplish great and unsual things in life to inherit
the family fortune. I believe the one brother became some bigshot attorney or
surgeon down in the south, while the other, our Marine hero, became, perhaps, the most colorful character the Corps has ever produced, and that's
saying something cause the Corps has produced some genuine ones, including
Walker's idol and role model, Chesty Puller. And Stunt, you met him?! Wow!?
In that training I formerly wrote about, we awoke at 4:30 in the a.m. and had
to leap out of our racks and hit for floor for a quick 20 pushups. Even the slightest blimp in our actions (or inactions) would cause an immediate saddle up for a quick 2-5 mile run, in yellow Marine Corps sweatshirt. And as we ran
down the old barracks stairway, a 10x10 foot picture of Chesty with those
steely blues were staring you in the eyes.

And yes, Chesty's son who got those horrible wounds, wrote  book, something
like...Unforgetable (forgetable) son, which I have in storage. That  poor soul
shot himself in the head. Dead. BY the way, regarding Major Walker. Maybe 10
to 12 years ago upon a visit to Camp Pendelton, some Marine told me that he
believed he was killed in 'Nam, in one of his subsequent tours. I would like to
think the crusty 'ol bastard (he'd probably love the reference...) was still alive.
I'd be there for him to help if he needed it.

Yea, I apologize to anyone for these extensive Marine Corps memories. LIke
Stunt says, we want to try and keep references to physical training, exercise,
weights, what have you...and the Corps had plenty of ALL. So, sorry, I'll always try to keep our relative subject matter at hand, which won't be hard @USMC.

Usually, I said. Damn it, the Corps deserves more. Just a little sidecar first. Stunt, you mentioned building that Officer's Club. I certainly couldn't claim that
kind of construction however, what I did helped change the course of SMELL,
ODOR, in our company. While on shit detail--even the gooks wouldn't burn our
shit for money--I got creative. I made and painted two signs for the shitters.
One was...The Honey Hut; the other...The Sugar Shack, both in red and yellow
Marine colors, of course. The shit sergeant was livid, ready to write me up. But
our company commander and his officers loved it, laughed and used the shitters with a renewed zest, so to speak.

And yes, Stunt, I know exactly what you mean about supply sergeants. True,
true, true. What many did would have got them arrested as civilians. But in
the Corps, and under the circumstances, everyone--well, most--loved them.
In 'Nam, our supply sergeant & team buried a $8,000 generator because our
company did not have it allocated to us. We had a big I.G. (inspection). But,
the I.G. never bothered with supply. Ruined generator, pissed Marines.

 
 

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 18, 2006, 04:28:02 PM
Oh, Stunt, and regarding allocations and war and what the Corps got, or didn't
get, you probably well know that the Marine Corps since WWII has gotten LESS equipment, goods, gear, (and has done MORE with it--by far--than any other service). This was offically noted by Congress and Truman. So henceforth, because Truman wanted to END the Marine Corps, he justified, as did Congress, the Corps continuation...but with less (actual) allocation than any other service branch.

In 'Nam, we had second hand supply trucks, most with floors rusted out and
supported with wooden blanks. These comments are in NO disrespect to any
other service, by the way. We're all in this formation of the brotherhood. But
facts are facts. Very few people realize this stuff. It deserves to be revealed.

So, for Marines to never complain (well, not entirely, but you know what I mean), suck-it-up and survive and thrive with PRIDE is incredible!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 19, 2006, 12:05:26 AM
Ya, Jay, one thing about Hockaday ... he never lifted weights but he was always running around the camp and doing typical Marine Corps fitness things. And we were all expected to go to Church on Sundays if we were not in combat mode. I do recall that he called us all into formation one Sunday and we all marched through the mud to CHurch.

Once there he told all that wanted to go to Church could go and the rest were to march back in formation. I recall that everyone went to CHurch that Sunday.

Back then I knew that he came from a wealthy family but he never mentioned what his family did for a living. But he was well aware of all the officers and troops who came from wealthy families and informed me as XO that so and so would not be with us on the next planned mission into some God forsaken valley because various family members would have their sons removed from out unit before we were actually committed.

In fact one congressman's son did disappeared one moonless nite without an explanation to anyone except Hockaday.

OK, to make this pertenant to this Board ....... One of my troops was a musclebound solid critter who was always training while he was back in camp. And he was solid as shit. Hit him with an M1 and he would simply laugh. He would usually walk around with his medals pinned into his chest until repremanded for bleeding on Marine Corps property - mainly his chest.

I told this before but one day he was at the LZ waiting for the helicopter pickup to get some R&R out of country someplace. While waiting for the bird, we got hit by 155mm rockets and one so happened to hit the LZ and the concussion knocked the shit out of everyone in the vicinity and shrapnel took a couple of guys out.

Others suffered some concussion injuries that put them in the hospital for a few days, but the musclebound kid just picked himself up and dusted himself off and shook his head a few times and was well enough to get on the next ride to Danang and out of Vietnam for a few days of R and R.

When he returned he admitted that it took a week of R and R to get the ringing out of his head and his hearing back to normal but he was well enough to head back out on recon patrols and lift weights upon his return. But if anyone ever whistled loud enough, he was the first one to hit the deck.

One last thing about supply sgts and midnight requisitions ........ We were getting ready for a major size operation and the Associated Press somehow got the word and surrounded our position in force just waiting for something to happen. They were prepared to write the story of the year about Marines in combat in Viet Nam.

Associated Press guys are great but they do like to be comfortable in the field and travel with all the accomodations of a home back in the states. And that included the best mattresses in Viet Nam.

Well, my Supply Sgt knew all about that and when the press returned to their camp that nite, every mattress in their camp was gone.

And my Marines were enjoying one of the soundest sleeps they had all year long.

More later, Heading off. Thanks.......

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 19, 2006, 12:42:16 PM
About 2:00 am after the liquor plank closed, about 12 members of AP came knocking on my helmet to ask what happened to their mattresses.

I told them to come back in the morning and I would conduct a thorough investigation.

By that time we were gone off into the bush hunting for crocadiles and landmines.

When we got back the mattresses were still there with a couple of decent notes from the donors who headed back to Danang once they realized we were gone.

I got a hell of a lot of respect for those guys.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 19, 2006, 01:21:34 PM
Stunt, I just travelled back to page 35, I believe and read your post about The
American Health Studios, and Steve Reeves working out there. That's where I
started, at the American Health Studio (formerly Alan Stephan Studio) in 1959/60. But in Minneapolis, Minnesota, my hometown. Boy, do I have some stories about that place, especially since during the entire time I worked out there, it was the workout home away from home for any and all professional wrestlers...and a few pro fighters, Duane Bobick's elder brother--a club fighter but with great power--whose name I forget. It was a large, close-up picture of Reeves in a window in  the lobby of that gym that convinced me that the Iron Bug was a worthy bite. I remember that picture in my mind to this day. I've never seen that same Reeves shot anywhere else, including any magazine. I think I remember someone telling me that it was a special gift to Alan Stephan from Steve when he opened his new establishment. But I rubbed elbows with the biggest thespians of the mat world, including Verne Gagne, Harley Race,
Eddie Sharkey, The Crusher, The Brusier, Igor, the Polish Strongman, George
"Catalina" Drake, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Frank Townsend, Eddie Gilbert and a
host of others. It also was the home of many world-class powerlifters, includ-
ing Don Cundy, Mike Carroll, and Ed Ammerman. Ahhh, what memories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 19, 2006, 01:40:27 PM
Jay, were you a member when American Health Studios closed down? Do you recall who the original partners of AHS where?

My mom used to be a close friend of the Masked Convict when she was in her 70's. She was 4'10' and he was way over 6 and close to 350 pounds and was one hell of a mean guy in the ring, but the nicest guy you ever met outside of it.

My mom used to hit him with her umbrella when he beat up the smaller wrestlers. She actully thought it was real and he played along.

I did meet Hard Boiled once or twice but that was so long back that I forget the circumstances.

Did you ever meet Pepe Gomez? Or a great bodybuilder from the Oakland area by the name of Curt (Kurt) Freeman who wrestled for a brief moment of time in the 50's.

I wish I had taken more pictures back then. I think I posted some photos of Arnold and a group of Marines when I took him over to KMCAS many years ago. They are someplace on this board.

Did you ever train at the El Toro Base Gym? It was run by a good bodybuilder by the name of Ked Schoming and that is where I met Gunny Griffith. He took me up to meet Joe Gold and we talked to him while he was doing some welding in the back.

Did you ever meet Reverend Zuver and his son Rhino?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 19, 2006, 03:09:24 PM
Other than Alan Stephan, the original active partner of early times, which evolved
into AHS I don't know. No, I never met Pepper Gomez, the wrestler who's build
far exceeded the times. And I never visited the El Toro base until early 80s with
an old Viet pal, who went back into the Corps to become an officer. I heard that
they always had incredible workout facilities, but never visited myself. Now it's
long gone, the base that is. Progress! You know, a lot of progress sucks, it just
seems to take certain things...backward. Besides, I'm a sentimental slob.

And I never visited any other American Health Studio in Ameica other than that one I mentioned. That was my old-time favorite gym of all time, with Vince's 2nd,
and this 2nd story hardcore one where wristwrestlers and my buddies worked
out in Palo Alto, 2 minutes from Stanford.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 19, 2006, 04:44:21 PM
I used to get a shave every week from a Vietnamese guy who was phenominal with a straight edge razor. Clean your beard like a baby's ass. We got hit one nite and he was one of the guys we found dead in the wire trying to take the hill.

That’s messed up.  Must make you think a lot.

Jay and Knny realize that a great Supply Sgt in the USMC is usually a former "bandit" from the east coast who pulled midnight requisitions at an early age from the airports and the wharfs in and about NY city and other major supply centers.

Marines don’t steal…we acquire things.   A good friend of mine was killed in Iraq last year during an ambush.  A buddy from his company was telling the rest of us a story & it really hit home because this is how we were when we served together.

Anyways…they were in shortage of Constantine Wire & He was the Operations Officer for his company.  They were in short supply & they couldn't find any extra anywhere & it was going to be weeks before more came in. So he borrowed a Hummv & 5 ton truck & went over to some of the Allied forces & would walk up to the supply & said  “Your Battalion XO said you have some extra wire that you could spare & he sent me over to pick it up”.  They not only fell for it....he even included to it..... "Your XO said that you could call a forklift over here to give us a hand as well".  It was hysterical.  They said in a matter of a couple hours they had more than enough wire to set up for defense.  They couldn’t believe it when they saw the truck come back full of wire.

Stunt called them “bandits”….I like to use the word “scrounger”.



I would like to
think the crusty 'ol bastard (he'd probably love the reference...) was still alive.
I'd be there for him to help if he needed it.

He’s still alive & always will be because he's in your memories.

Quote
While on shit detail--even the gooks wouldn't burn our
shit for money--I got creative. I made and painted two signs for the shitters.
One was...The Honey Hut; the other...The Sugar Shack, both in red and yellow
Marine colors, of course. The shit sergeant was livid, ready to write me up. But
our company commander and his officers loved it, laughed and used the shitters with a renewed zest, so to speak.


I have burned my fair share of shit.  Although I am not as old corps as you guys….I remember the first time I lit the gas/diesel  concoction & stirring it in the shit thinking…"damn….I can’t believe I am on shit detail” - lol

Oh, Stunt, and regarding allocations and war and what the Corps got, or didn't
get, you probably well know that the Marine Corps since WWII has gotten LESS equipment, goods, gear, (and has done MORE with it--by far--than any other service). This was offically noted by Congress and Truman. So henceforth, because Truman wanted to END the Marine Corps, he justified, as did Congress, the Corps continuation...but with less (actual) allocation than any other service branch.

In 'Nam, we had second hand supply trucks, most with floors rusted out and
supported with wooden blanks. These comments are in NO disrespect to any
other service, by the way. We're all in this formation of the brotherhood. But
facts are facts. Very few people realize this stuff. It deserves to be revealed.

So, for Marines to never complain (well, not entirely, but you know what I mean), suck-it-up and survive and thrive with PRIDE is incredible!!

& it’s still the same thing even today.  I’m not in anymore but I still have friends that are.  I remember how it feels when we get some brand new equipment.  Then we would run into some Rangers or something & they would laugh and say  “you guys are still using that stuff, thats stuff is ancient”….& walk away laughing.

USMC

Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 19, 2006, 06:21:35 PM
Knny187...Thanks for picking up on all that stuff. Sometimes a person wonders if the memories are wasted, ya know. And also to have other Marines recall certain things helps to confirm questions and events deep in the brain housing group (you know, like the trigger housing group, M-1 & M-14, both of which I qualified for). These memories we dig up in the love/hate/love relationship with the Corps, are in additional defense of the training, testing, physical, mental, emotional, and regimental rigors. The equipment/supply thing, while seemingly insignificant, tells reams about what Marines have accomplished...with so little, relatively speaking. No matter how tough certain other (elite) divisions within the services are reported to be, the Marines accomplish MORE w/ LESS, in many cases, far, far less. It's just one of those little biG somethings that falls through the cracks. Also, despite outward confidance and Espirit de Corps, etc., that Marines are noted and famous for, the Corps and countless leathernecks are quite modest, reserved...considering all things. But I give
endless respect and support to ALL servicemen and VETS. Period.

Now, Stunt (&Knny187): Stunt, earlier on you mentioned that Major Hockaday
(what a name, what a guy, what a Marine) was not a lifter, per se. Just out of
curiosity, did you ever see him without his shirt on? (All your little memoirs
brought back this for me.) First, Walker was in his 30s, about, what 5'9"-5'91/2", weighed probably 150-160 pounds, tops. And he had a rather
poor posture, sloped shoulders, bent upper back and caved (literally) chest.
This rather less than textbook body was matched with close-set, keen-like
eyes, high cheek bones, a Roman hook nose and thin lips, all layed upon a
chauky-like skin color. Not exactly your picture-perfect Mack Marine look, to
say the least.

Again, worth repeating, Stunt, did you ever see Hockaday without his shirt,
bare upper body? As another point of reference, it was believed that Major
Walker had received wounds in 'Nam that affected his upper structure (posture
and spine, etc.), especially the mid to lower back. Anyway, one time, away
from Corps structure and the school's routine that he lead, a bunch of us
noticed him with PT outfit on, little green shorts, tennis shoes, minus t-shirt,
cover. He was over in one of his sandpits doing the very exercises he made us
do...by himself, off duty, if there was such a thing for him, and just before sun-
set.

Remember an old time strongman, lifter named Alan P. Mead, a famous physical
culturist? He was often referred to as a human anatomy chart ( as was Sandow...). Hockaday was built much like Mead, no kidding. He was solid bone
and muscle. Not one centimeter of fat anywhere. (We all know about his
famous running, which he had us doing right with him). He had not huge but
highly defined, hard, shapely muscles everywhere. His abs were like ridges of
stones. His chest carved around the pecs as if he took a knife to them. He
truly was built. We just stared, making comments back and forth to each other.
We stood in awe of him from that point forward. Everything--and then some--
he demanded of us, he did himself. He lead by example. And he was quite
famous as well to defend his troops. He was once reported to take some
Marines down into Mexico to help some of his boys?? If a trooper had a real
challenge and you went to The Man, he would be there for you.

So, with a sincere sense of Semper Fi and without sounding corny, if he were
alive and needed help, in whatever way, I would be there for him. He was also
called 'ol blood n' guts. And I would put my guts on the line for him, just like
he did for so many Marines.   
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 19, 2006, 06:29:28 PM
I don't know how many cases of beer I "stold" from the 101 Airborne basecamp in Nam but I have a strong suspicion that they were well aware of our "scrounging" and just looked the other way when they saw us coming.

It was always too damn easy. They knew what we needed and they let us have it. I'm sure of that.

The 101st flew in and saved my ass once and it was the tradition to throw a party for any outfit that saved another.

We held that party in a makeshift O club just south of Hue and it was definitely the best party I even attended even though I had to pay for the whole damn thing.

SOme of the guys getting messed up at my expense couldn't even speak English so it was evident that the word had gotten around pretty fast. And someone was delivering highballs to the local villagers who came over to see what all the excitemet was about.

That was the first time I ever met Australian Marines and they were definitely a kick in the ass and some damn wild critters. AP guys were there having one hell of a time listening to all the stories of shit that happened the week before.

I had the honor of going through a wing pinning ceremony by the 101st. I'll tell you about that later.

The last thing I remember that night was hopping on a Army helicopter in the pitch blackness to go on a recon patroll but the CO pulled my ass  out and set me on my butt on the LZ and there I waited till they came back after sunrise.

Then we all went back to the O club to finish up until the saner officers closed us down.
 
It took me a couple of pay days to pay that bill and the 101st kept on checking to see if they could be of further assistance.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 19, 2006, 06:56:16 PM

That was the first time I ever met Australian Marines and they were definitely a kick in the ass and some damn wild critters. AP guys were there having one hell of a time listening to all the stories of shit that happened the week before.


I worked with some Aussies in Somalia & they were an "interesting" bunch.... calling us "Yanks" & so on.  Basically...it's interesting watching two different cultures trying to communicate "English" back & forth & either side has no idea what the other is trying to say.  I remember all the Marines from the southern states getting all pissy being called yanks & it cause a few verbal altercations.

One of them brought a rugby ball & teached us the "rules" per say.  Needless to say....the game seem more like a hitting match - lol.

The other thing we tried to teach those guys was keeping their damn finger off the trigger until ready to fire.  They kept have negligent discharges from tripping on a rock, falling down, & squeezing off a round.

I have to say the Royal Marines were extremely professional & the French Foreign Legionnaires are good to go.  I always wanted to work with the Roc Marines.  I heard those guys were nuts.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 19, 2006, 07:09:36 PM
Those Korean Marines were nuts! And they loved to impress American Marines,
whom they so admired, by acting even crazier.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 20, 2006, 12:02:18 AM
FUCK! I LOVE THIS STUFF!   Keep it up guys.  I am so happy that Stunt has some guys he can story tell with.  I love when Stunt tells me his war stories.  You guys are all heroes to me man.  By the way I am working on a website wihh some military interest.  My friend who Stunt knows is a loyal military man to thecore.  He asked me to put together a website to honor war heroes.  The site is at www.americanwarheroes.org (http://www.americanwarheroes.org)  Go take a look and if you have any suggestions by all means tell me.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: knny187 on January 20, 2006, 12:05:19 PM
I am surprised that no one has talked about Camp Talega yet.  I’ve stayed there a few times a few years ago & the Quanson Huts are still there.  The bar/club is there too, nut I can’t remember for the life of me the name of it.

On that note, I’ve always felt the Marine Corps mad a mistake getting away from open squad bays & Quanson huts type of living for the platoons.  Barracks quarters is too much like a college dorm.  Marines are not as tight as a unit unless they eat, sleep, & train together all the time.


What I miss the most about the Corps is the comradeship & closeness.  You just don’t get that in civilian life.  I still can remember many days playing Spades on ammo cans.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Jay Em on January 20, 2006, 01:36:31 PM
Knny187; words spoken as if coming from my own mind and mouth.
Hey, where's Stunt, he never responded to my last Hockaday post about his
physique? C'mon, Marine, get back in formation (sir...).
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 20, 2006, 04:16:54 PM
Hey, Jay, somehow I missed that post but your description of Hockaday is perfect. I worked with him for about 8 months in Nam and was with him constantly.

With all due respect, he sort of reminded me of Disney's Ichibod Crane from the Headless Horseman with a lean but muscular build. He was 100% Marine and totally loyal and absolutely nothing phoney about his total dedication to the Corps.

I don't recall him owning anything that wasn't Marine Corps Issue. He once told me that if he needed anything, the Corps would issue it to him. That didn't hold true for his Olive drab Cad of course.

Gotta head off but will be back with you on this shortly. One of my favorite sayings in the Corps was "Hurry up and wait."
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: brock125 on January 20, 2006, 04:56:20 PM
Onlyme you have some great stories. The gym in Hawaii with 300 lb dumbells you talked about did the dumbells go up in ten pound increments like 240,250,280,290 and so on. If so what was the most you ever saw someone press with the dumbells? Just curious, Im new here.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 20, 2006, 08:03:53 PM
Yes the DB's went up in10 lb. increments.  The name of theplace was The Gym later changed to World Gym then it close down and the Db's went over to Gold's in Honolulu.  I personally only saw a couple guys do the 240's.  I think I did the 200's but I had to have a guy hand meeach DB anditgot towhere no one wanted to help me.  I was fine and could easily do 8 reps but getting them there was hard.  Plus they were just to big to use.  Coleman came in and did 12 one arm rows with them.  And there were other guys who could do that in there.  Other than benching and rowing the DB's that weighed over 200 no one else used them.  What was neat about the gym too was at the entrance in front of the front desk, thye always had on a bench press whatever the World record was for the benchpress.  It looked neat with all 45's on there
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: brock125 on January 20, 2006, 08:21:20 PM
That's impressive. I read on here Greg Kovacs inclined 300 lb dumbells for 9 reps thought maybe you saw it done.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: flexfan on February 16, 2006, 09:57:14 PM
That's impressive. I read on here Greg Kovacs inclined 300 lb dumbells for 9 reps thought maybe you saw it done.

I highly doubt that really happened. Fucking Kovacs  ::)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on February 17, 2006, 01:43:33 AM
As big as Kovacs is I doubt he is as strong as some of the guys at the gym I am talking about and no one there did 300 lb inclines with db's.  And we had several 600+ benchers and a couple 700lb benchers who live here.  Unless it is the typical way these guys do that kind of weight with a guy spotting each arm and doing half the weight.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: benchthis on February 24, 2006, 07:54:52 PM
i once saw a  police tribal officer in a power lifting meet do 250 pound dumbell presses for 8 good reps the amazing thing was he weighed 250 himself
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on February 27, 2006, 01:28:57 PM
I should be finding some more olden day pictures soon and will take them to the photo shop to get them on a disc so I can forward them to one and all. I'm relying on a good friend to go through some old boxes in a former attic of mine and when he does that and sends them to me it should be pretty interesting for most of us.

So - Stand by to stand by.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: brock125 on March 02, 2006, 08:45:31 PM
benchthis- did you really see that police officer press 250 lb dumbells? that is freaking awesome.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on March 03, 2006, 04:29:00 PM
That might be the samecopwho beat Kaz. record with the 150's at the Arnold a few years ago.  I was standing with Kaz and Mark Henry when the guy broke his record.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: brock125 on March 03, 2006, 05:44:54 PM
Was his name Bob Thomas by any chance? I just did some research on him and it said he also shoulder pressed 100 lb dumbells for 44 reps.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: ramazon on March 04, 2006, 08:18:34 PM
Yes they did get married later on.  In fact I think I saw a few of the wedding pics.  Okay let me tell you my Benny Podda story.
At Muscle Mill I used to provide quite a few people with those body enhancing supplements you usually get in Mexico.  Spme of them we talk about on these boards.  But nothing will come from these lips on that.  Anyway, Benny told me about a really good supplement that is given to race horses.  It was milky white.  Now for awhile everything was great.  Until one day one of my friends told me nothing is happening and it's been 2 months.  He took it to a pharmacist friend of his and it was actually milk.  So I approached Benny to ask him what's up. He said they are joking with me and left.  So I cehcked again with my friend and he showed me some kind of letter from his friend stating the facts.  So he gave me a copy and I showed Benny.  Benny then says well what the you gonna do.  Give him back his money.  I said no problem you give me back my money.  Then he erupted.  I was pretty surprised because Benny was allot smaller than me and especially shorter.  I looked at him and said what the f**k you talking about you fucking scumbag.  Now Ray comes over and asks what is happening.  I told him everything.  Then benny buts in and says. Hey asshole what are you going to do about it.  I said I'm going to kick your ass.  He says f**k you while Ray is between us.I then told the girl behind the counter to call 911.  benny says what the f**k you calling the cops for pussy.  I say not the cops...an ambulance casue I'm going to beat the shit out of you and I want them here so you don't die.  Ray loved that line and told us to knock it off.  Benny walked away cussing at me.  Ray turns to me ands says.  What the f**k is going on here I don't want to be in the middle of you two guys goinng at it.  From then on me and Benny never said another word to each other.  The guy who bought the stuff from me I made up to with some other supplements.  That is why i say that about Benny.  He was a tough little guy but at that time not to many people bothered me.  Max remember Ron Gibson from work.
I know--have TRAINED, ATE and DRANK and STANK with almost everyone you've mentioned.  (Who ARE you guys?  I certainly must know you, too.)  For the record, I didn't marry Mr. Ross.  Instead, I brought him to Venice, which eventually led to his early death. Indeed, Ross was disruptive but hardly insane.  He was a entertaining genius who keeled over at age 48 from his first heart attack.  (While training for the Master's Olympia at the personal request of Joe Weider, he thought he had the flu.  He was breathing hard on the stationary bike that day, but "had to finish" his cardio, he said.)  Although they didn't know how to receive him at Gold's when he debuted in the early 80's, by the time of his passing, he had EVERYONE training purposefully, loving their bodies,
understanding each other better, feeling like they belonged to a Great
Society--and LAUGHING at things like pictures of ugly pussies (the Schmev-Meter, he called it, a photo he took from a page in Hustler and actually had laminated) and come-ons from horny homos.  "Differences aren't defects, pal," he'd
tell ya with an exagerated snarl.  When he passed, even Arnold S. called my home to provide a quote for his eulogy.  Don's memorial service was unbelievably well-attended (as you can imagine, I've attended them all, and there's WAY TOO many of them).  BB's and pencilnecks alike stood shoulder to shoulder, pressing their bodies in order to grieve with one another.  Nobody but nobody ate that day.  Today, whenever we try to "talk like the Ripper", most of us bust up crying. 
Don Ross was The Great Spirit of bodybuilding.  We were SO lucky to have him.     
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on March 04, 2006, 11:12:53 PM
Don was a character.  He wanted to do an article on me the last time I saw him.  Here we are for the Gillette commercial.  Ramazon are Teagan
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: ramazon on March 05, 2006, 07:36:13 AM
LOVELY photo, sir!  But I don't recognize you without your hair.
I can DEFINITELY see what Don supported in you.  You
two must've made quite a tag team.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: dodger on June 02, 2006, 12:43:39 PM
Here`s a screencap of one of the Barbarians,taken from Shawn Rays video Lifestyles of the fit and famous.
Check out the neck.!!
hey crownshep,is there anyway u can post that entire clip of DAVID PAUL from lifestles video,do u have more pics of david
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: sarcasm on June 02, 2006, 05:25:41 PM
hey Keith speaking of Ray Mentzer do you remember hearing about him and Rick Valente almost getting into it over a girl, i remember reading about it in Greg Valentino's column in MD?
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: dseiler on June 06, 2006, 10:26:36 AM
hey Keith speaking of Ray Mentzer do you remember hearing about him and Rick Valente almost getting into it over a girl, i remember reading about it in Greg Valentino's column in MD?

I think Keith spoke of it in this thread somewhere. After going through the ENTIRE thing yesterday (and loving everyone minute of it) I am just too lazy to find it.

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on June 06, 2006, 12:09:41 PM
I don't remember if it was Rick or not.  Ray had a few girls problems.  The one I heard the most about was when he held Rachael over his head and was going to throw her off the balcony at some hotel. 
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: sarcasm on June 06, 2006, 12:25:58 PM
I don't remember if it was Rick or not.  Ray had a few girls problems.  The one I heard the most about was when he held Rachael over his head and was going to throw her off the balcony at some hotel. 
damn Keith, tell us that one.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: pumpster on June 06, 2006, 03:55:00 PM
Quote
damn Keith, tell us that one.
Ya, that would be worth hearing. I'll forgo sarcasm's clumsy attempts at sincerity, by leaving  Keith's name out of each sentence. ;)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: bicepsforyou on September 12, 2006, 11:37:16 AM
When I was swimming naked with my girl and the cops told us to get out and he was laughing his ass off.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Figo on December 15, 2006, 07:00:57 AM
I just finished reading this entire thread, and its AWESOME!

Onlyme, Stuntmovie, Maxrep, Bix, 619rules, knny187, and others, many thanks for educational, insightful, entertaining, and respectful(diplomatic) posts, pics and comments you guys put up with the modesty of true experienced iron veterans.

But, please, dont stop now!
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Iceman1981 on December 23, 2006, 10:36:45 AM
Wes, you got three right. Good going! I won't tell you which ones yet cause I might mess it up for the others who may want to give it a try.

WAS ANYONE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENT?

Back in the early 70's, there was an IFBB contest promoted in Tiajuana. Since it was right across the boarder in one of TJ.'s finer hotels, a lot of California fans drove down to watch.

It must have been an amateur event because Bob Birdsong won the overall that year, and deservedly so. He was in the best shape of his short career in that contest.

But Bob is not the subject of this story, so let's skip over to the back of the room where Sergio Oliva is sitting on a table yelling at Joe Weider who was right up front sitting with the officials and Arnold and Franco flanking both his sides.

Whenever there was a lull in the contest, Sergio would break the silence with an odd sounding voice ........ "I'm here in the back challenging Arnold to get up there on that stage with me today!"

He was all business and dead serious and the front table did their best to ignore the voice coming from the back.

So this went on for an hour or so ........ strange voice from a bodybuilder already well known in the back and complete avoidance from the table up front.

Finally something had to be done to shut him up so Joe Weider stood up and addressed the crowd but not directly to the strange voice in the back.

"Arnold is not going to accept a challenge today!" followed by some flimsey excuse of some sort or another.

So, as any crowd usually does whenever Joe Weider takes the floor to speak, the fans started booing and hissing and making Joe take his seat more quickly than he usually does.

So, what happens next??!

Franco hops up to quiet the crowd and announces that he will accept Sergio;s challange, but that didn't seem to satisfy too many people and definitely not Sergio.

But when everyone saw that Arnold was not going to give in, the crown offered one more major "booooooo" and gradually quieted down to see if this would be agreeable with Sergio.

Sergio was pissed but with a few unkind words directed at Joe and Arnold he eventually agreed to meet Franco up there on that stage whenever Franco  felt he was ready, Sergio would just stay where he was and would go on stage whenever Franco was willing to be annihilated by The Myth.

So the crowd settled back and waited.  while the rest of the show went on.

About an hour later, Franco and Arnold went backstage to pump up while Sergio waited patiently.

And then Franco was ready and came on stage looking far less than his best but ready to give his best for his faithful sidekick.

From the back Sergio yelled something like, "Are you ready"" and slowly walked up the aisle while removing his shirt revealing a contest ready form prepared  to do battle against  anyone willing to accept the challenge. Today it would be Franco, Second best would have to do!

All eyes stayed on Sergio those next few minutes. He was definitely unbelieveable and unbeatable even if  Franco had been  his best.

And many felt that Arnold and Joe had made a wise decision. Sergio would have made him look damn bad as well!

I don't recall seeing Arnold in the room after that humbling experience.

In fact I think Weider took a short-cut too.

After that contest we headed into town to visit the local pharmacies to load up on gear but everyone was out of everything they had because "There must be some major bodybuilding contest in town! Come back next week, Come back next week!

So we crossed the boarder empty handed but with a pretty good story to tell the guys in the gym who didn't come to TJ town that weekend.

Man, that was a classic. Sergio was the man. You don't hear about things like that these days. The bodybuilders need to get some balls and make things exciting. From what I hear, the old days were the best.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: ramazon on January 15, 2007, 12:32:14 AM
I cant believe you guys know Don Ross......and that shevick shit-he was doing that when I met the guy in 1979. I cant believe Onlyme did a commercial with Ross. The first gym I joined was Clancy Ross's Mr America gym in Walnut Creek. Clancy had Don as manager (no relation). Clancy is one of the pioneers of BBing, having won the 1945 Mr. America, and Clancy beat Steve Reeves twice in competition.

Now Don, I dont know if he was an idiot or it was all just an act-but he was such a goof ball everyone got tired of him at the gym and Clancy fired him. Arnold would not let Don compete in the 1979 Mr Olympia contest (IFBB, Show /Arnold as promoter and Don was from Dan Luries WBBG), and Don was pissed off about that. Don was able to go in a few IFBB shows, but his career was winding down and he did poorly. He was always calling gay guys the  shevick line.

Don then went over to a huge hardcore gym that had just opened in Oakland in 1980 called the Olympia Gym and was manager there until it was closed by the IRS in 1981-now it is a Gold's Gym. But Don Ross was a charachter to say the least. His line used to be "I have to take 3 dbol a day b/c I compete against the best BBers in the world". Don was from Detroit and started training at the orginal Powerhouse Gym in Highland Park, Detroit-run by the Dabish brothers.....Tom Platz was also from Detroit and reallly looked up to Don Ross, Tom said his training heavy and with super intensity came from Ross.

I have to say I was very surprised when Don had the big heart attack-about 10 years ago and died-he was in his 50's and in decent shape........
He died while training for the Master's O. Weider had extended a special invitation to him to compete, so Don went at it in his typical Ripper mode: savage INTENSITY.  He was NOT crazy; he was expressive, comedic and FUN, kind and courageous.  He conversed in the gym the way y'all do on these boards.  No topic was off limitis, and there was always a crowd around him egging him on, enjoying his imitations, stories and insights. At age 8 he was reading and quoting Shakespeare. There was no one more devoted to BB, nor anyone who extracted more pleasure from the craft.  When he died, Arnold even called me to share his sorrow. He enjoyed Don.  Although his energy might have you running for cover in the beginning, Don would eventually seduce you, most often with humour.  Within a week, you'd be talking--and training--JUST like the Ripper. ("That's right, baby", I can hear him say from the Other Side.)  Regardless if you WERE a Schmevik.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stilltrainin on January 17, 2007, 12:22:59 PM
Talking about Ben Poda,if thats the same Ben that trained at Golds San Diego in the 80's,he truly was a nut.One time he freaked out at his house and the police were called,Ben ended up running through a plate glass window and was very -cut up- for awhile.He was definitly a little different.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 17, 2007, 01:36:38 PM
Been awhile since a good story was here.  Thanks Teagan for the Don story, I just read it can't believe I missed it.  The few times I met Don and worked with him on the Gillette commercial was so much fun.  I'll never forget us shaving our heads so we looked like physco's and at lunch him demanding steak and if we didn't get it we would not finish the commercial.  The director came up to me to tell me to talk to Don and settle him down.  He was so funny.  I wish I could have seen him again and wish we could have got together for that article.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stilltrainin on January 24, 2007, 10:49:02 AM
Hey Onlyme, I lived and trained in honolulu in 73,74 and 75 and 79.the y.m.c.a. across from Ala Moana shopping center.Had some big boys there,a big tongan powerlifter named Philips, I believe.Also, a guy with 20.5 inch arms named Gil Bayless, super nice guy.All the pro wrestlers would train there while in town,super star Billy Graham and others.John Matuzack was training there one day, kind of a jerk.We were arguing about who could beat George Foreman and he says,me.Saw him walking down Kalakaua later that night with his shirt tied up under his pecs to show his abs,looked kind of swishy.Most of the heavy lifters trained at Nuuanu Y,but we had our share.Is Tommy Kono still around?there was another gym in a strip mall type place,I think it was Deans,also,a former Mr. America named Leong had a tiny gym downtown.Boy,sure brings back memories,in 1980 I ended up at Golds S.D.I knew all the principals involved in that gym,from Edney to Rick Stephenson,Steve Henneberry,Pat Dillon e.t.c. Hey 619,you described that Russian olypic set in the gym.I set the gym record with that set in the incline,45 degree angle,I did 348,srict,weighing 198,drug free.Remember the board on the wall with all the gym records?God,im starting to feel old.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: ramazon on January 25, 2007, 01:27:12 PM
Been awhile since a good story was here.  Thanks Teagan for the Don story, I just read it can't believe I missed it.  The few times I met Don and worked with him on the Gillette commercial was so much fun.  I'll never forget us shaving our heads so we looked like physco's and at lunch him demanding steak and if we didn't get it we would not finish the commercial.  The director came up to me to tell me to talk to Don and settle him down.  He was so funny.  I wish I could have seen him again and wish we could have got together for that article.
My pleasure, Mr. O.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 25, 2007, 09:11:34 PM
Hey Onlyme, I lived and trained in honolulu in 73,74 and 75 and 79.the y.m.c.a. across from Ala Moana shopping center.Had some big boys there,a big tongan powerlifter named Philips, I believe.Also, a guy with 20.5 inch arms named Gil Bayless, super nice guy.All the pro wrestlers would train there while in town,super star Billy Graham and others.John Matuzack was training there one day, kind of a jerk.We were arguing about who could beat George Foreman and he says,me.Saw him walking down Kalakaua later that night with his shirt tied up under his pecs to show his abs,looked kind of swishy.Most of the heavy lifters trained at Nuuanu Y,but we had our share.Is Tommy Kono still around?there was another gym in a strip mall type place,I think it was Deans,also,a former Mr. America named Leong had a tiny gym downtown.Boy,sure brings back memories,in 1980 I ended up at Golds S.D.I knew all the principals involved in that gym,from Edney to Rick Stephenson,Steve Henneberry,Pat Dillon e.t.c. Hey 619,you described that Russian olypic set in the gym.I set the gym record with that set in the incline,45 degree angle,I did 348,srict,weighing 198,drug free.Remember the board on the wall with all the gym records?God,im starting to feel old.

Those years were before I got there.  I arrived in Honolulu in 89'.  1st day there went to World Gym on the Ala Wai.  I trained at the same Y you did too.  It is on Atkinson.  I redesigned there gym.  It is actually very nice.  Tommy Kono is still around at the Nuuanu Y.  He is still training guys in Olympic lifting.  Timmy Leongs gym is long gone.  I know the tongan guy you are talking about but can't remember his name but I will.  Stuntmovie will know everyone and anyone you mention from back then.  Wait till he reads this.  Just a shot in the dark.  DId you knw a girl at the Golds in SD named Kim Grady.  Very pretty and blind who liked the gym.  SHe was very friendly and nice to everyone.  I filmed a movie down in Mission Bay back in 1987 or so, which is where I met her.  Jsut checking.  Thansk
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stilltrainin on January 27, 2007, 09:16:25 AM
Thanks for the reply,onlyme.No, I don't remember a Kim Brady,sometimes I would train at another gym in Kearney Mesa,(world or powerhouse), although I pretty much was at gold's P.B. from the beginning to about 92.Speaking of the Ala Wai canal,I lived in a big apartment building on the corner of Kaiulani and the Ala Wai,cars had to be off of the canal by 6:00 a.m. or be towed.I remember running out in my underwear in the morning trying to move my car,ahh, the memories.I used to go out to U.H.to train occasionally,Bill Starr was the strenth coach, he was  big and chisleled then,he bounced at a club on Kaiulani,near where I worked at the Marine Surf.The pro wrestlers stayed there and we would get complaints that they were making too much noise so I would have to go up and tell them to quiet down, they would just open the door and glare at me.Walt chamberlin used to hang out all over Wakiki,I remember him sitting on a barstool in Matteo's resteraunt surounded by young girls,he was always surounded by women and sitting on the barstool he was about six foot five.There was a powerlifter named Joe Mayo who used to go around town telling everyone he was the strongest guy in Honolulu,he was about five eight with a belly and when people didn't believe him he would pull out some article from the paper and show them.Well,i'm rambling, I'd better shut-up.Take care.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 27, 2007, 10:23:47 AM
Thanks for the reply,onlyme.No, I don't remember a Kim Brady,sometimes I would train at another gym in Kearney Mesa,(world or powerhouse), although I pretty much was at gold's P.B. from the beginning to about 92.Speaking of the Ala Wai canal,I lived in a big apartment building on the corner of Kaiulani and the Ala Wai,cars had to be off of the canal by 6:00 a.m. or be towed.I remember running out in my underwear in the morning trying to move my car,ahh, the memories.I used to go out to U.H.to train occasionally,Bill Starr was the strenth coach, he was  big and chisleled then,he bounced at a club on Kaiulani,near where I worked at the Marine Surf.The pro wrestlers stayed there and we would get complaints that they were making too much noise so I would have to go up and tell them to quiet down, they would just open the door and glare at me.Walt chamberlin used to hang out all over Wakiki,I remember him sitting on a barstool in Matteo's resteraunt surounded by young girls,he was always surounded by women and sitting on the barstool he was about six foot five.There was a powerlifter named Joe Mayo who used to go around town telling everyone he was the strongest guy in Honolulu,he was about five eight with a belly and when people didn't believe him he would pull out some article from the paper and show them.Well,i'm rambling, I'd better shut-up.Take care.

I used to see a girl who worked at Matteos.  ANd I know Joe Mayo as does Stunt.  He used to write I think for a magazine.  I met him sevral times.  Stunt knows all the people you mention.  ANd I am pretty sure you know stunt.  I've heard him mention Bill Starr before.  Man the gym at UH is unreal now.  One of the best college weight rooms in the country I heard.  I lived for awhile right behind World Gym in the apartments at Eaton Square.  And yes the cops still make a bundle from towing the cars off the Ala Wai.  I miss Oahu.  I have been in Kona for 3 years.  Starting next weekI will be going to Hilo and staying there for 3 days a week helping to get our gymover there going good while we wait on the gym in Kona.  I love talkig about Hawaii.  I love it here
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 27, 2007, 11:07:14 AM
Got some catching up to do here it looks like. Haven't taken a look at this site for a long time and I've also had the opportunity to meet many of the individuals mentioned in these recent posts ...... notably Don Ross and John Phillips and Mike and Ray.

But before posting anything, I'm gonna go back and get myself up to date and make a determination if I can add any constructive or destructive comments that might be of interest.

I also notice that I used to post under the name of KEVIN and changed that becasue I had difficulty getting back on line (screen-name/password or whatever) useing "Kevin" and since I was working as a Stunt Coordinator in La La Land, I renewed my account as "Stuntmovie".

I'll bring myself up to date with the most recent posts and see if there is anything I might be able to add that would be of interest without repeating anything.

Thanks, Stunt

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 27, 2007, 12:23:28 PM
Stilltraining ...... As Keith stated, I do know each and every person you mentioned above and I bet I know you too. And I know to the exact detail each and every spot you mentioned except for one.

Let me start this off with Bill Starr .... one of the most colorful characters I've ever met in the lifting sports.

You probably know most of this stuff already so it's mainly written for the rest of the GetBiggers, but please feel fine about correcting me in the places where my memory fails to serve me correctly.

Bill was the strength coach at UH when the weight room was in a small room at the southern end of the basketball court. The gym was full of crap but due to Bill's involvement, it was always full of hard training athletes and all the guys on the football team.

One great freind of Bill's and mine was a phenominal lifter by the name of Steve Dussia (remember him?) who was genius at improving one's overall olympic or powerlifting performance . He is/was the kind of guy who would recommend that you turn your toes inward or outward just a little bit and enable the lifter to set new records. Steve and Bill were great buds and did great things for the UH lifting program. And I can tell you a 1001 Bill Starr stories and Steve Dussia stories that would peak your interest, but that will have to wait for a later time because I have to call Steve and have him set my memory correctly.

Steve was also a good friend of Joe Mayo's and Joe Mayo is a classic story in himself. Joe was the head doorman at a number of Waikiki drinking joints and a real character when it came to self promotion. More Joe Mayo stories to follow shortly.

John Phillip ..... The strongest Samoan in Hawaii and a good friend at that time. Steve worked with John a lot to improve his powerlifting as did fellow powerlifter - Gus Reithwisch - another classic character in this wild world of lifting heavy stuff.

Tommy Kono and Harold Sakada (Oddjob) and Peter George and all the rest of the best of the best ........ I've known them all and am proud to say that to one and all. Each a classic in his own right. And let's not forget Dr Richard You who gave more than he ever received from the lifting sports. And Timmy Leong - my good friend Timmy ..... one of the nicest guys you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting.

And there are so many others whose names you've probably never heard who have contributed to the lifting sports just as much or more than the famous names that are well known today ......  Bob Myers of the Nuuanu YMCA who was ALWAYS and ENTIRELY supportive of all the athletes whether they lifted or did Tai Chi and eveything else that falls somewhere in between.

And Jake Aio who ran Dean's Gym on Kalakaua so many years ago and still today looks like he is in his 20's. And Don "Hot Pants" Moraco and all those professional wrestlers of the day who used to gather at Hot Dog Annies after every event and continue to be the charaters they developed inside the square circle so we the fans could continue to abuse them verbally in the hopes that some newspaper writer would have some kind of story to write that next day  to fill the seats the following week. I'll go into those details later if there is any interest.

If you could bench over 300 you were welcome to train at Dean's Gym along with the Rock's dad and other local lifting greats, and that will be another story for a later post.

And I recall Armand Tanny talking to wrestling friends every weekend on Waikiki Beach directly behind the Outrigger. We'd sometimes join in those conversations and talk about what was gonna happen to whom the following weekend. I knew nothing was real in that ring but they sure worked hard at makeing it a reality.

And I did meet Wilt Chamberlin a couple of times at Ft Durussy and do recall that he purchased the Penthouse across from Ft Durussey because it was the only Waikiki apartment that had a ceiling high enough to clear his head. Also had the pleasure of meeting Joe Louis and Arnuld and Bruce Lee and just about every pro bodybuilder from the 60's to  the present. And of course that included Don Ross who was another colorful character in the lifting world.

Don once told me that he traveled to Hawaii for free whenever he felt like taking a vacation. He would somehow get government assistance and use it to spend time in Paradise. He often stated that " if they are stupid enough to give it to me, I'll be smart enough to take it." I've know Don during his ups and  during his downs, and I have to admit that he was always interesting regardless of the circumstances.

I've know Rick Stephenson and Paul Edney and recently seen Paul acting as a guard in the most recent Mission Impossible movie. His next on screen appearence will be in The Good German unless it ends up on the cutting room floor. The last time I saw Rick was at his gym in Mission Beach (Gold's) but I beleive hs is out of that business now.

And lastly because this is getting too long, I know the Marine Surf but I don't recall that Bill Starr worked at a 2nd floor place near there. Bill did work at Hula's Bar and Lei Stand on Saratoga and Kuhio for a while when it first opened. It was then a major hangout for the UH football team and UH students and everyone who lived in Waikiki and wanted to get together over a beer or two or just too many. Shortly after, it became a gay nightclub that would draw in just about anyone - gay or straight.

I did some minor work for Bill while he was writing Only the Strong Shall Survive and he thanked me inside  which I greatly appreciated. The last time I enquired, Bill was the Strength Coach at John Hopkins University.

And Gil Bayliss from 3M - another great idividual.

How about Rex Ravelle, Mike Scott and Gary Watanabe and Jimmy Grimes, Bob Mathews,  and Norm Marks, the lifetime college student? Last time I saw Norm, he was studying earthquakes and volcanos.

And Chad, the AF athlete, who saw a picture of pro bodybuilder and started lifting the very next day and won his first contest the following month and the next month won a major NPC contest in Las Vegas. From my point of view it was the fastest transformation in the history of the sport.

And the military athlete who could enter contests only if there was a jeep outside ready to take him and all his gear to an undisclosed airport to hop on an undisclosed aircraft and jump form an undisclosed elevation into some undisclosed country to gather facts that some undisclosed government official needed within 48 hours.  A phenominal story that will probably never be told in greater detail than I've already stated.

And the Marine who took 2,100 of various roids a day (yes! - a Day and each was picked so that his cycle always remained at a peak) as an experiment, won his first contest after his second cycle, and was invited to compete against IFBB pros that same evening - AND beat them all! He won so many trophies that he had to spread them around his friends so that he could get them home.

And the guy who could rip quarters in half with his bear hands and remove lug nuts from heavy equipment without useing any tools.

What's with this "sport" that attracts so many colorful charatcters/participants and a lot of crazed up fans?

For the life of me, I find it very difficult for any of us to show any form of disrespect for any of these guys with a few exceptions such as those who cause injury or death to an innocent party! I suppose that most of the disrespect seen on Bodybuilding Boards such as this is mainly due to the fact that no one is held accountable for their actions and it's impossible to make contact with a fist coming through your computer screen.

OK, enuff said.

Thanks for allowing me to relive my memories, Still adn Only and Ram. Those were some great days and great times. I wonder what happened to them?

If there is any interest in this stuff, I'll be glad to carry on.

Thanks, Stunt (formerly KEVIN who was too stupid to figure it out.)

Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stilltrainin on January 28, 2007, 10:41:15 AM
Good hearing from you Stunt.You were right about that club that Bill Starr worked at,it was Hula's on Kuhio.I worked at the Marine Surf where the wrestlers had a condo on the upper floors.I landed in Waikiki in late 73,after training a short time at the original Gold's in Venice.Me and a friend decided to go over and try out for the World Football League,we abanded the car at the airport and jumped on a plane for Honolulu.Got a studio apt. on the Ala Wai for 165.00 mo. and joined Central Y.We would train in the morning and hang out at the beach (publics) during the afternoon. There was on old,blond haired surfer guy that was kind of the guru there at the foot of Kaiulani,he would do handstands and stuff on the beach,can't remember his name.I remember hearing about the guy who ripped quarters and removed lug nuts with his hands.Gil Bayless was state armwrestling champ at the time and the rumor was that this guy was going to enter the competition,Gil said that if the guy got up to armwrestle him,he was going to just walk away from the table and forfit.I think I remember Gary Watanabe,small muscular,drug free guy who used to work at the Y occasionally?He was a good guy,and Chad, was he the blond haired,fairly tall bodybuilder, doorman, who supposidly one night beat the crap out of a bunch of guy's at the club he worked at?Anyway,its been a long time.Hey, Only,that girl you asked me about,Kim,did she date Rick stephenson?You said she was blind,I reread it and was wondering if you meant blond.The Kim that dated Rick was a competitive bodybuilder and was a nice person.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 28, 2007, 12:03:42 PM
No Kimwas blond not blind.  She was so energetic and everyone just loved her.  She was actually married (I didn't know that) and her husbands name was Chet.  Whenever I hear someone trained at those gyms in San Diego I always ask them if they knew Kim.  I woudl love to see her again.  Lost touch.  I told you Stunt would knwo them.  He has great stories.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on January 28, 2007, 09:09:33 PM
Still, Those wrestlers you are talking about were good friends of my mom and she used to give them hell for being such big bullies. They used to all gather at one of the hotel pools and talk about recipes and who cooked the best dinners. She was especially fond of the Masked Destroyer or the Masked Convict who was a very kind and educated guy outside of the ring.

Were you at the Central Y before or after they painted the weight room that glow green color and extended it into the back room where they used to have the wrestling/boxing mats?

The last time I was there was with Keith, but I forget why we were there. I think it had something to do with Ultimate Nutrition.

That little cafe out front used to be one of the best places to eat on Oahu but it changed hands a number of times.

ANd the Central Y owns the land next door where the Yacht Harbor Towers sits so they are pulling in sizeable coin on lease rents each month. Used to be a nice open park on that site.

Gary Watanable never did work there so you are thinking of another guy and Tommy Kono and his Olympic lifters only trained at the Nuuanu Y.

I hung around with the World Football league guys. Lem Burnham was a very close friend and I sold him a house out in Pearl City above the stadium. Lem had a party up there one weekend and asked me to open up the house because he had some business to take care of before he was able to get home. So I kind of served as the Host for all the pro football and baseball and news guys players who were in town that week. Had a good time doing that.

I was there for those WFL tryouts and Steve Dussia showed up and did some kicking under the watchful eyes of some of the coaches.

That older blond haired surfer you mentioned was probably Bob Oldt. He was a Doctor at Kaiser and never touched a weight but could do damn well in any bodybuiding contest. His sister had that same unreal muscle tone. Bob got a good part in Hawaii 5-0 because he looked good doing pushups on the beach, but some bad guys end up shooting him to death as he is out at sea rowing a kiyak.

ANd in reference to "Chad" - No , that is not the same Chad I mentioned earlier.

What is Rick Stephenson doing now? One of his partners in the Mission Beach GOlds was going to start competing and had some damn good potential. Do you recall who that was?

OK, signing off till later. Thanks
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stilltrainin on January 29, 2007, 09:40:13 AM
hey stunt,how's it brah,I can't remember the color of the Y,but it was two rooms.The back room had the squat racks and the lat machine.The lat pulldown was the old kind where you stacked wieghts on it.We used to be back there squatting heavy wearing our flip-flops,kinda hairy backing up with a big weight on your back while youre wearing flip-flops.I don't think I wore a pair of shoes for 2 years.I never saw Tommy Kono at the central Y, just would see him around town at different events.Do you rember a big Samoan named Malo?My friend and training partner was named Jim Williams(not that one),he worked at Pearl Harbor and is probably still around.I haven't seen Rick Stephenson since about 92,the last I heard he still had the gym,although it's now world gym.The guy you asked about might be John Dipolo who owned Gold's Escondido,he did compete and looked great.I ran into him in Gold's Temecula about three years ago,he's a good guy.I left Hawaii in 75,started training at Bud Mucci's Olympic Health Club on Olympic blvd. in L.A.Bud sponsered the world champian powerlifting team,(Bud Ravenscroft,Enrique Hernandez etc) and by 76 I was training outside of Philly at McCormacks gym.We all went up to York to see the 76 worlds powerlifting championship's, a teenage Joe Bucci was part of our group,he trained at the gym.I remember Doug Young coming up with a big squat and his lifting belt ripping off and flying into the audience.I was looking around the crowd and realized Bertil Fox was sitting behind me,also saw a big but old John Grimek in the crowd.Anyway,by 79 I  was back in Hawaii at the Central Y.Stayed about 9 mo. and left for S.D. with just the clothes on my back.Started training at Bob Clarks old gym on Cass str. Pacific Beach,when Bob was still there.Then Paul's Pacific Gym,then Golds' P.B., Fitness and Muscle,Valley Barbell,Gold's La Mesa,Gold's Sarasota Florida,Golds'Oceanside,Gold's Vista, Gold's Temecula.I'm a gypsy but wherever I go there has to be a gym in town.Aloha Brah.i'm going to hele on.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on January 29, 2007, 03:43:50 PM
I took out the wall in the Central Y and made it one big room.  I redesign the gm forthem back in 97 or so.  Still have a few cardio machines in the little room just before going up the few steps into the main gym area.  SOme more cardio in the main hall and even some more in the main gym.  We made that gym really nice and I liked training there.  To bad we couldn't have bought it and made it into a nice club.  Used to play racquetball all the time.  Never used the pool.  Mostly kids in there.  And the restaurant out front had okay food but not as good as years before.  Stunt we used to go there for the MetRx stuff whenI was the distributor.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on February 01, 2007, 10:43:56 AM
Keith, who was the Cheerleading Coach that worked there and decided to jump into the bodybuiling world and start competing? I do recall that he reached pro level caliber but then we lost contact. Hard working, good guy who coached a couple of the national champion cheer leading teams. I believe he approached you about promoting a national cheerleading convention or contest on Oahu. First name was ROBERT.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on February 01, 2007, 11:06:35 PM
Keith, who was the Cheerleading Coach that worked there and decided to jump into the bodybuiling world and start competing? I do recall that he reached pro level caliber but then we lost contact. Hard working, good guy who coached a couple of the national champion cheer leading teams. I believe he approached you about promoting a national cheerleading convention or contest on Oahu. First name was ROBERT.

Yes I remember him but forgot his last name.  Yes he and a few others on the mainland thought a national competiton here would be awesome.  The money those competitons being in is unreal.  He was a national champion too.  And yes he was a very good BB.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: stuntmovie on February 02, 2007, 10:46:33 AM
Oh, yea, now I remember ..... That was Robert Daniel, Keith. One hell of a good man and before you ever met him he could have done well among the pros but for some reason he but it all aside. Do me a favor and check the telephone book and see if he still owns a Cheerleading Acadamy. I got a feelig that he will be back in competition one day soon. Just too damn much potential to waste.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on February 02, 2007, 11:49:02 AM
Oh, yea, now I remember ..... That was Robert Daniel, Keith. One hell of a good man and before you ever met him he could have done well among the pros but for some reason he but it all aside. Do me a favor and check the telephone book and see if he still owns a Cheerleading Acadamy. I got a feelig that he will be back in competition one day soon. Just too damn much potential to waste.

Yes he had a great body and size but his passion is gymnastics.  He came from money and really didn;t need to put his body through all the shit, so he quite.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: dknole on March 25, 2007, 06:49:15 AM
Hey Onlyme, I lived and trained in honolulu in 73,74 and 75 and 79.the y.m.c.a. across from Ala Moana shopping center.Had some big boys there,a big tongan powerlifter named Philips, I believe.Also, a guy with 20.5 inch arms named Gil Bayless, super nice guy.All the pro wrestlers would train there while in town,super star Billy Graham and others.John Matuzack was training there one day, kind of a jerk.We were arguing about who could beat George Foreman and he says,me.Saw him walking down Kalakaua later that night with his shirt tied up under his pecs to show his abs,looked kind of swishy.Most of the heavy lifters trained at Nuuanu Y,but we had our share.Is Tommy Kono still around?there was another gym in a strip mall type place,I think it was Deans,also,a former Mr. America named Leong had a tiny gym downtown.Boy,sure brings back memories,in 1980 I ended up at Golds S.D.I knew all the principals involved in that gym,from Edney to Rick Stephenson,Steve Henneberry,Pat Dillon e.t.c. Hey 619,you described that Russian olypic set in the gym.I set the gym record with that set in the incline,45 degree angle,I did 348,srict,weighing 198,drug free.Remember the board on the wall with all the gym records?God,im starting to feel old.

Tommy Kono is still around, was sponsoring some on the Olympic Weightlifters at the contest at the Arnold this year. he usually goes to the O too.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: JohnnyVegas on April 01, 2008, 11:14:52 PM
We need a bump here!  ::)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: longhorn1rob on July 03, 2008, 03:07:21 PM
Fellas, thanks so much for this thread. It's one of, if not the, best thread I've ever seen on bodybuilding. This is fantastic. At 18 years old, I have dessicated liver tabs in my middle console, and have tried the tuna shakes numerous times. I chew those liver tabs up all the time. Ha. Again, thanks guys, and I really appreciate all of these posts. I'd kill to have been around back then.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Moosejay on July 07, 2008, 06:35:49 PM
Fellas, thanks so much for this thread. It's one of, if not the, best thread I've ever seen on bodybuilding. This is fantastic. At 18 years old, I have dessicated liver tabs in my middle console, and have tried the tuna shakes numerous times. I chew those liver tabs up all the time. Ha. Again, thanks guys, and I really appreciate all of these posts. I'd kill to have been around back then.

You CHEW the d-liver tabs?

Well, I guess I had such youthful passion, years ago..... :-\
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: longhorn1rob on July 10, 2008, 09:06:55 PM
Haha, well, if I don't have a drink with me, anyway. I think they're great for my energy levels. Honestly. Thanks again for an awesome thread.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Figo on October 15, 2008, 04:22:43 AM
Haha, well, if I don't have a drink with me, anyway. I think they're great for my energy levels. Honestly. Thanks again for an awesome thread.

Inexpensive and effective protein source.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: curtjames on February 25, 2009, 04:31:47 PM
I cant believe you guys know Don Ross......
(snip)
Don was from Dan Luries WBBG)
(snip)
Don was from Detroit and started training at the orginal Powerhouse Gym in Highland Park, Detroit-run by the Dabish brothers.....
(snip)
I have to say I was very surprised when Don had the big heart attack-about 10 years ago and died-he was in his 50's and in decent shape........

Those bits bring back memories. Forgot about Don competing in the WBBG. And the Dabish Bros totally slipped my mind as well. And, yes, I also forgot what finally got the Ripper. I do remember he died too young.

John Romano noted respectfully in one of his articles that the Ripper's death opened a door for him at MD.

I remember sending a fan letter to Don Ross and mentioning that a woman at an early Arnold Class "shushed" me. I guess I was cheering too loudly for her.

The Ripper sent a postcard reply, directing me to yell as loud as I like at the shows.

"It ain't golf!" he wrote. :D

R.I.P. Ripper.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: curtjames on February 25, 2009, 04:38:58 PM
Memories, eh?

I may have already posted this, but I remember seeing Mike Mentzer training triceps at the old Lancaster Health Spa, a gym that had been located in the lower level of the Park City Mall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Walked in to the one area of the gym and saw what I initially perceived as a hugely fat person doing triceps pushdowns. He was faced away from me and all I could see was a wiiiiide back and inhumanly HYOoOoOMONGUS arms.

I mean there was no way anyone would have thought they were solid, muscular arms from their size, but they certainly were.

Looked twice and realized it was Mike Mentzer and that they weren't huge fat arms, but huge SOLID arms.

I graduated from the same high school as Mike and his brother Ray, Ephrata High School. Ray was a member of the school's 30 Pin Club.

Attended a signing at the Ephrata Rec Center. Ray Mentzer was appearing and signing autographs. I drew a picture of him, made photocopies for Mentzer to autograph, and Ray signed the original for me. That was more than 30 years ago. Have no idea what ever happened to that drawing.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: onlyme on February 25, 2009, 10:41:39 PM
Memories, eh?

I may have already posted this, but I remember seeing Mike Mentzer training triceps at the old Lancaster Health Spa, a gym that had been located in the lower level of the Park City Mall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Walked in to the one area of the gym and saw what I initially perceived as a hugely fat person doing triceps pushdowns. He was faced away from me and all I could see was a wiiiiide back and inhumanly HYOoOoOMONGUS arms.

I mean there was no way anyone would have thought they were solid, muscular arms from their size, but they certainly were.

Looked twice and realized it was Mike Mentzer and that they weren't huge fat arms, but huge SOLID arms.

I graduated from the same high school as Mike and his brother Ray, Ephrata High School. Ray was a member of the school's 30 Pin Club.

Attended a signing at the Ephrata Rec Center. Ray Mentzer was appearing and signing autographs. I drew a picture of him, made photocopies for Mentzer to autograph, and Ray signed the original for me. That was more than 30 years ago. Have no idea what ever happened to that drawing.

Good stuff.  ray was my trainer for the World Championships in 1986.  And I did a commercial with Don Ross (Gillette)
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: wild willie on March 03, 2009, 11:59:48 AM
Talking about Ben Poda,if thats the same Ben that trained at Golds San Diego in the 80's,he truly was a nut.One time he freaked out at his house and the police were called,Ben ended up running through a plate glass window and was very -cut up- for awhile.He was definitly a little different.
Yes indeed,

Benny Podda was truly a nut...... I also heard that MENTZER was as big as a house.... over 250lbs and was in the midst of severe depression and ran naked down the santa monica pier. the cops were called and it was just bizarre. I talked to mike on the phone once(back in 1994) he did those phone consultations back then and he was quite the interesting cat. I wish I would have just gone through a training session with him at Gold's instead of getting advice over the telephone.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: wild willie on March 11, 2009, 12:17:43 PM
I always get a kick out of the story involving Vince Gironda, sitting down on his training partner's face, while the guy is warming up on bench and Vince has his pants pulled down. LOL!!!!! Don't know how true the story is but I am sure some guys around the iron game have heard this tale before. If it is true, that is way too funny. Imagine how irate the guy benching must have been!!!!
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: lax on June 30, 2009, 05:19:27 AM
I always get a kick out of the story involving Vince Gironda, sitting down on his training partner's face, while the guy is warming up on bench and Vince has his pants pulled down. LOL!!!!! Don't know how true the story is but I am sure some guys around the iron game have heard this tale before. If it is true, that is way too funny. Imagine how irate the guy benching must have been!!!!

well
it is only gay if you want it to be
'wild willie'
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: noworries on August 24, 2009, 07:27:53 AM
Yes indeed,

Benny Podda was truly a nut...... I also heard that MENTZER was as big as a house.... over 250lbs and was in the midst of severe depression and ran naked down the santa monica pier. the cops were called and it was just bizarre. I talked to mike on the phone once(back in 1994) he did those phone consultations back then and he was quite the interesting cat. I wish I would have just gone through a training session with him at Gold's instead of getting advice over the telephone.

Ray was 295 in 1986.  He was HUGE.  HIs legs and arms were just unreal.  And, Podda was a nut and an asshole at the same time
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Morizz on September 19, 2009, 07:08:28 AM
Is there any funny stories about Franco? I've heard that Arnold tried to trick him as often as he could...
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: mcluvin on January 05, 2010, 11:22:54 AM
Ray was 295 in 1986.  He was HUGE.  HIs legs and arms were just unreal.  And, Podda was a nut and an asshole at the same time

This has been a fantastic thread to read. Took me a few days to read it from begining to end and I enjoyed every page.

     I always thought Ray sort of took a back seat to Mike's popularity. From a lot of things I read later on, I am led to believe Ray was bigger than Mike and one of the strongest bodybuilders at Golds. 296 lbs back in 1986 was unbelievable. I started competing in 84 (midwest) and we had just gone through all the smaller Olympia winner years.... Zane, Dickerson, Columbo, Samir (but ripped) and leading into the mass years of Haney.
 
      Somewhere in the begining someone asked about a low budget movie made about a bodybuilder who travels to the Mecca, lives in his van, and meets a girl. For some reason I remember that damn movie and I think the bodybuilder was Tim Kimber (or something like that)? Wasn't he also an owner/employee of  Golds in the early 80's?
      I only made 2 treks to Golds. The first was with my dad when I was 15 (77' 78'?)and he took a photo of me in front of the windows. It's the same windows of the photo of Ron Tueful and girlfriend. I think that was the 2nd Golds gym location? I met Charles Glass (thought he was Robbie, he laughed), Mike Menzer was there with those sick viens and huge arms. About 3 years later I made the trip with friends and Golds was at the 3rd location. All I remember was big overhead garage doors in the back. This time (80' or 81') I met Bill Grant (he signed my Pumping Iron book) and a ton of HUGE guys I didn't know. Some of them sent me over to World Gym and told me the champs often train at both. Remember, we didn't have computers back then and the only info we got was from muscle mags!!  I walked down to World and got Ferrigno's autograph after he finished. This was the World Gym that was upstairs and the windows looked out onto the street. Tiny parking garage under it where Ferrigno parked. All we ever dreamed about was getting big and moving to the Mecca to train. Only one guy ever left our humble midwest gym. He packed up his crap and his wife one day and said I'm gone there is nothing for me here. He went west to Golds and we only got letters or phone calls from him on occasion. His name was Bob Sears and until this thread I never knew what happened to him. I'm glad to hear he lived his dream and someone even compared him to Arnold. I'm also sad to hear he fell on hard times, I thought he and his wife would be together til the end. I've been trying to get ahold of our old training partners to update them on Bob and any further would be appreciated. Sorry to ramble on needlessly but I really want to thank the guys that started and kept this thread going.....Only, Sunt, 619 and all the others. Bodybuilding was A small family compared to some sports and full of unique people in the 70's and 80's.
         Thanks again !
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: dj181 on May 20, 2010, 01:38:14 PM
Does anybody have any stories about Arthur Jones? From some of the things I've read about him, mainly from one of Ellington Darden's writings, he was a very interesting and brillant guy.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: Howard on June 03, 2010, 12:42:38 PM
Does anybody have any stories about Arthur Jones? From some of the things I've read about him, mainly from one of Ellington Darden's writings, he was a very interesting and brillant guy.
I actually went to his gym, back in the early 80's in Deland FL. It was run by El Darden and I got put thru an orginal full body naut workout. Unreal, and as hardcore as you want to be. Dr Draden was pretty adament about straying for the original Naut ideals.
Place was clean but sparse and no AC on or available expcet his lil' office as I remember.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: dj181 on November 23, 2010, 08:58:59 AM
Yeah, those full-body circut routines of the nautilus training program are a great conditioning tool, but one can basically get the same conditioning effect by performing interval training on a stationary bike.
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Powerlift66 on October 04, 2014, 04:42:04 AM
Here`s a story I was reminded about because of the talk about wrestlers............... ...I had just started one of my zillionth comebacks to the gym after having some personal problems,must have been late 1980`s.......not too sure.

All the WWF wrestlers were in town at the Civic Center, and a lot of them stopped in to train at the gym I worked out at................Mr. America and Mr. Universe winners Jeff King,and Matt Dufresne trained there, along with Mr. World Richard Roy, and a host of other animals that competed on a regional,local,or national level in bodybuilding,powerlifting,and arm-wrestling.

Well I went in one night to train, and I saw "Black Jack" Mulligan who was huge,as well as Virgil who was billed as the bodyguard, for I beleive his name was Ted Dibiasi the "Million Dollar Man" or some shit like that !!  LOL

These guys were huge like Mulligan, but Virgil and a few of the others looked like kids standing next to King or Dufresne.........now for the highlite of the story........Ted Arcidi was also present, and the gym owner who was a pretty good powerlifter, knew him from some contests or something........anyway,I saw Arcidi doing skullcrushers with a curling bar and three 45 pound plates perside, plus a few smaller plates to boot..........incredibly strong, and did reps with this weight with ease.

After he got done training, he asked some young kid who was there, if he would go get him a milkshake and a hero sandwich...........he gave the kid a $100.00 bill and the kid went up the block to get Ted his food...........he came back with the food and Arcidi tells him to keep the change..........I couldn`t beleive it..........I woulda` went if I knew I could have made about 90 bucks doing it!!  LOL  :)

Great story. I hang around with Ted, and I tell you, he really is that generous. A great guy and friend...
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: MorganSA on December 11, 2014, 03:15:04 AM
Thank you very much to all the contributors to this thread - without a doubt the most interesting and informative BBing thread I've ever read, and a source of dismay to my manager here at work :-) Love the history of the sport, got to find some good books.
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: funk51 on March 24, 2016, 06:53:09 AM
is max rep on here anymore????
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: Slik on March 24, 2016, 08:32:20 AM
Dammit. I trained at Venice all those years and have to say was quite big and strong for not taking drugs. The best compliment I had ever gotten was from big Jim Quinn that he was impressed with my strict squats. Worked out with 5 plates and squatted like I could be reading the comix at the same time. I honesty have to say tho I sucked at bench. Anyway, I wish I paid more attention back in those days but I was more mission driven get ti the gym, get my work done then get out and don't socialize too much at the gym. Im sure I missed out on a ton of fun stuff. Judging by some of the things that ended up happening to people though maybe it was the right move.

Dammit I'm getting old n miss those days.

I remember never wanting to work out at worlds even though we saw Arnold there a couple times. It was just a stones throw down the street and now I wish I would have at least experienced some workouts there. But wow, those were the days. Anyone who was anyone was at the Mecca. It was packed to the gills with pros, people who looked like pros, hottest fitness babes and celebs in n out all day long.

I'm gonna go cry now....
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: Slik on March 27, 2016, 09:34:54 PM
Funk. Was onlyme the getbigger that passed away a few years ago.
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: funk51 on March 30, 2016, 11:12:33 AM
Funk. Was onlyme the getbigger that passed away a few years ago.
yup, real name keith jones see below for a long thread on keith.
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: Slik on March 30, 2016, 09:56:12 PM
thanks!  I'm only half way through this hilarious thread.  Too bad he's gone
Title: Re: onlyme, Max_rep, others: tell your favorite stories
Post by: Slik on March 31, 2016, 06:02:54 PM
Rules, thanks for the Kerr book info

Speaking of "dungeon" type gyms, I bet there are less than 10 people still living who have actually trained at the Dungeon in Santa Monica. Dave Draper happens to be one of those ten. And me too, but it was so long ago, that I can hardly remember it

I do recall steps right off the street leading down to a dark hole underneath a building on 2nd or 3rd street in Santa Monica and most of the weights all over the floor. And it was very dark. Could that have possibly been the first hard core gym in the Santa Monica/Venice area?

I worked out at Pearl's many times but his place was in Pasadena. I knew nothing about the gym he had in Inglewood. I don't even know where Inglewood is. A guy name Solo was in charge during Bill's absense and an up and comer by the name of Rob Johnson was close friends with Bill and Judy. He was heading to be one of the best in California until he got under a too heavy bench and got injured and shortly thereafter returned to the midwest someplace. Can you refresh my mind on the Easton Brothers? They must have entered the scene after 1970.

Didn't Kevin Hall used to date Dianna Dennis?

I never read Tyler's book but I will check it out.

I do think Wally Boykos show was the Superbowl of Bodybuilding as someone mentioned earlier. But I am surprised that Arnold showed up for his events cause he was not an NPC or IFBB promoter and Weider obliged to stand by the NPC only as agreed upon at a meeting we had years earlier.

I knew Barry Clothier when he trained at Gold's on 2nd street in Santa Monica. Soon thereafter I think he ran a gym owned by Ed in the SF Bay area someplace. I have not see Barry since then.

I also knew  Rick Stephenson pretty well back then and had a short visit with him and his partners when they opened the Pacific Beach Golds. I forgot his partner's name but he was a good looken kid who had some great potential and planned to compete. But I never heard of him aften that. I reall some neon lights in that Gold's. Does Rick still own it or what?

I gotta say that  Joe Valdez is one of the nicest guys I've met in this sport ..... Bar none! We manage to carry on pretty long conversations when we run into each other. Joe is a collector of birthdays and remembers them all. Joe is presently in a home and not feeling too well on occasion.

The 80's might have been great but the "earliers" were better, I've seen em all so you'll have to take my word on that. This may hurt a few but the biggest disappointment in this sport has been the Personal Training Business which I won't go into right now, but I do think I casually mentioned it earlier.

Thanks, all..........  Kev
not that anyone cares cuz this thread is so old. Ricks young partner was Johnny from Cannonsburgh Pa. Johnny was my good friend and college room mates cousin. We all competed back in the day. Johnny looked really good. He and the third partner eventually split with Rick and opened the San Marcos ca  golds gym. I remember as my roommate and I were preparing for the Pittsburgh bodybuilding championships we were freezing out asses off in Pitt and Johnny sent a vhs tape of him competing. That fired us up. His trainer in San Diego had hi ripping up newspapers or magazines as I recall to help build his forearms. I eventually ended up in Cali and did become a casual aquaintance I wouldn't say friend of Johnny but he was always really nice to me. I remembet me trying to buy some spandex tights with vertical stripes lol and Rick or Johnny wouldn't let me pay. I did run in to Johnny at the Olympia at universal studios I think it's the one where Haney retired. Johnny and I were both floored at how big Vic Richards was hanging out in the lobby.

Not sure what johnnys doing today.
Title: Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
Post by: doison on April 01, 2016, 09:57:44 AM
Kevin again,,,,,

And before I take a break, here's a photo of an upcoming guy who visited Cal last year and enjoyed it a lot. He and his girlfriend showed up in LV to watch the USA. He was in great shape when he first showed up but someone took him to a LV buffet and he got addicted and blew up within a few days of "fine grazing".

Great kid to talk to and loads of potential. They both loved their So Cal visit and all that food in Las Vegas.

Ha--a young flex Lewis making an appearance
Title: Re: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends
Post by: Nether Animal on April 03, 2016, 06:33:47 AM
This thread rules