Getbig Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Forums

Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: lax on December 14, 2009, 07:27:08 AM

Title: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: lax on December 14, 2009, 07:27:08 AM
Anyone know?

The aau A was held from 1939 to about early 1990's?
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: Tapeworm on December 14, 2009, 07:57:57 AM
Including the black ones and the commies or just the ones you want to acknowledge, moose?  ;)

Black commies?
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: BB on December 14, 2009, 08:52:00 AM

From Joe Roark's wonderful Ironhistory.com is a list of the ones that have passed-



From left to right, year the man won the Mr. America AAU title, year of passing, name:

1939 - 2002 Roland Essmaker age 86
1940/41 - 1998 John Grimek age 88
1942 - 1990 Frank Leight age 78
1943 - 2007 Jules Bacon age 89
1944 - 1978 Steve Stanko age 61
1945 - 2008 Clarence Ross age 84
1946 - 2005 Alan Stephan age 81
1947 - 2000 Steve Reeves age 74
1948 - 2002 George Eiferman age 76
1949 - 1992 Jack Delinger age 66
1950 - 1998 John Farbotnik age 72
1951 - 2008 Roy Hilligenn age 85
1952 - 2007 Jim Park age 79
1954 - 2007 Dick DuBois age 74
1955 - 2005 Steve Klisanin 75
1957 - 2005 Ron Lacy age 75
1958 - 1974 Tom Sansone age 38
1961 - 2008 Ray Routledge age 77
1963 - 1993 Vern Weaver age 56
1974 - 2003 Ron Thompson age 59
1977 - 1986 Dave Johns age 40
1979 - 2001 Ray Mentzer age 47
1984 - 2009 Joe Meeko age 48
1992 - 2003 Mike Scarcella age 39
average age of the above 24 men at passing: 68.6 years.

If this info is used elsewhere please credit ironhistory.com
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 08:58:40 AM
Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: emn1964 on December 14, 2009, 09:03:01 AM
Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....

interesting...starting in the early 1960's the life expectancy started to decline.  Is this coincident with the increased use of anabolics?
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: Mars on December 14, 2009, 09:03:11 AM
arnold
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: BB on December 14, 2009, 09:04:34 AM
Quite a few suicides on that list also- Weaver, Mentzer, Meeko.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:20:44 AM
Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....

it's not a complete list of all Mr Americas.  Another 30-some are still alive.  Of course the more recent Mr Americas who have died died at a younger age.  they died because of some illness or accident, not of old age.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:25:40 AM
the answer of the original question, how many are still alive:

1953 - Bill Pearl
1956 - Ray Schaefer
1959 - Harry Johnson
1960 - Lloyd Lerille
1962 - Joe Abbenda
1964 - Val Vasilieff
1965 - Jerry Daniels
1966 - Bob Gajda
1967 - Dennis Tinerino
1968 - Jim Haislop
1969 - Boyer Coe
1970 - Chris Dickerson
1971 - Casey Viator
1972 - Steve Michalik
1973 - Jim Morris
1975 - Dale Adrian
1976 - Kalman Szkalak
1978 - Tony Pearson
1980 - Gary Leonard
1981 - Tim Belknap
1982 - Rufus Howard
1983 - Jeff King
1985 - Michael Antorino
1986 - Glenn Knerr
1987 - Richard Barretta
1988 - William Norberg
1989 - Matt DuFresne
1990 - Peter Miller
1991 - Joe DeAngelis
1993 - Billy Nothaft
1994 - Andrew Sivert
1995 - Terence Hairston
1996 - Jaime Rodriguez
1996 - Doug Rieser
1997 - Bill Davey
1998 - Harvey H Campbell
1999 - Tracey Dorsey

credit MuscleMemory (http://musclememory.com/show.php?o=Mr+America+-+AAU)
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 09:25:59 AM
it's not a complete list of all Mr Americas.  Another 30-some are still alive.  Of course the more recent Mr Americas who have died died at a younger age.  they died because of some illness or accident, not of old age.

Still the average age of the first 20 winners (ALL of which are listed) is well into their 70's....

Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:29:47 AM
Still the average age of the first 20 winners (ALL of which are listed) ...

if you don't count Pearl, Schaefer and Johnson
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 09:31:21 AM
if you don't count Pearl, Schaefer and Johnson


Regardless, you have to admit those guys lived WAY healthier lives, that goes without saying....

Even this list alluded to that.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: wes on December 14, 2009, 09:32:42 AM
Besides winning the title,most of the older guys were touted as health nuts/freaks as well as bodybuilders.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: lax on December 14, 2009, 12:53:12 PM
Quite a few suicides on that list also- Weaver, Mentzer, Meeko.

I don't think Ray was a suicide
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: #1 Klaus fan on December 14, 2009, 01:02:21 PM
Besides winning the title,most of the older guys were touted as health nuts/freaks as well as bodybuilders.

I'm glad bodybuilders now realise health is overrated.  ;D
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: BB on December 14, 2009, 01:18:47 PM
I don't think Ray was a suicide

Jerry Brainium, IronMan author and Mentzer's friend mentioned that while it was officially listed as some sort of cardiac malfunction, Mentzer also had lethal levels of some sort of drug.

Edit: here's a c/p of the post from Dave Drapers forum:

"I viewed the offical autopsy report of both Mike and Ray Mentzer, who were long time friends of mine. Mike's offical cause of death was athersclorotic heart disease, and the same for Ray. Yet the toxilogical report listed lethal doses of pain-killing drugs and antidepressants in both men. I asked the coroner who did the autopsy about this apparant discrepancy, and he said that it was difficult to determine which came first, the heart attacks or the overdose. He also said the drugs may have triggered the heart attacks." .
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: lax on December 14, 2009, 01:22:30 PM
Jerry Brainium, IronMan author and Mentzer's friend mentioned that while it was officially listed as some sort of cardiac malfunction, Mentzer also had lethal levels of some sort of drug.

Edit: here's a c/p of the post from Dave Drapers forum:

"I viewed the offical autopsy report of both Mike and Ray Mentzer, who were long time friends of mine. Mike's offical cause of death was athersclorotic heart disease, and the same for Ray. Yet the toxilogical report listed lethal doses of pain-killing drugs and antidepressants in both men. I asked the coroner who did the autopsy about this apparant discrepancy, and he said that it was difficult to determine which came first, the heart attacks or the overdose. He also said the drugs may have triggered the heart attacks." .


either way
both were in profound physical/psychological disrepair
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: mphgrove on December 14, 2009, 03:22:31 PM
In addition to the three suicides, there was one death on the list from GHB addiction compounded by hospital negligence (Mike Scarcella).  It definitely seems to be the case that the earlier bodybuilders tended to be health fanatics.  They were into healthy diets, cardiovascular conditioning, etc. -  in addition to (or in connection with) building up great muscle mass.  We lost much of that spirit along the way.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: Hurricane Beef ! on December 14, 2009, 08:36:24 PM
the answer of the original question, how many are still alive:

1953 - Bill Pearl
1956 - Ray Schaefer
1959 - Harry Johnson
1960 - Lloyd Lerille
1962 - Joe Abbenda
1964 - Val Vasilieff
1965 - Jerry Daniels
1966 - Bob Gajda
1967 - Dennis Tinerino
1968 - Jim Haislop
1969 - Boyer Coe
1970 - Chris Dickerson
1971 - Casey Viator
1972 - Steve Michalik
1973 - Jim Morris
1975 - Dale Adrian
1976 - Kalman Szkalak
1978 - Tony Pearson
1980 - Gary Leonard
1981 - Tim Belknap
1982 - Rufus Howard
1983 - Jeff King
1985 - Michael Antorino
1986 - Glenn Knerr
1987 - Richard Barretta
1988 - William Norberg
1989 - Matt DuFresne
1990 - Peter Miller
1991 - Joe DeAngelis
1993 - Billy Nothaft
1994 - Andrew Sivert
1995 - Terence Hairston
1996 - Jaime Rodriguez
1996 - Doug Rieser
1997 - Bill Davey
1998 - Harvey H Campbell
1999 - Tracey Dorsey

credit MuscleMemory (http://musclememory.com/show.php?o=Mr+America+-+AAU)

Frank Zane is still alive.

The Beef
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:20:04 PM
Frank Zane is still alive.

So is Arnold.  Neither were ever AAU Mr America
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: ronrico on December 14, 2009, 10:38:50 PM
What happened to Vern Weaver?
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: lax on December 15, 2009, 05:15:53 AM
Frank Zane is still alive.

The Beef

IFBB
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: MuscleMcMannus on December 15, 2009, 05:17:37 AM
Dave Johns died at 40?  Wow I never knew that.  Anyone know how he died or from what? 

Also I always really like Jim Haislop's build. 
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: lax on December 15, 2009, 05:20:55 AM
Dave Johns died at 40?  Wow I never knew that.  Anyone know how he died or from what? 

Also I always really like Jim Haislop's build. 

I recall reading it was some kind of respiratory disorder/virus
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: BB on December 15, 2009, 05:44:49 AM
Dave Johns caught Valley Fever, a fungal infection of the lungs. Vern Weaver was apprently angry and depressive in his later years, which later lead to his suicide.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: MuscleMcMannus on December 15, 2009, 05:52:32 AM
Dave Johns caught Valley Fever, a fungal infection of the lungs. Vern Weaver was apprently angry and depressive in his later years, which later lead to his suicide.

Geez how the fuck did he catch that? 

Vern Weaver had a cool build as well.  All those guys were so impressive even by today's standards.  I love looking through my old Iron Man Magazines from the 60's.  My favorite era of bodybuilding by far. 
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: mphgrove on December 15, 2009, 01:18:02 PM
As far as Dave Johns goes, Valley Fever is an infection that is common in the San Joaquin Valley in California.  My Mom was raised in the "Valley" around Bakersfield and she used to talk about it.  I think you can contract it as a child and then it can hit you later in life.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: polychronopolous on December 15, 2009, 01:26:11 PM
Geez how the fuck did he catch that? 

Vern Weaver had a cool build as well.  All those guys were so impressive even by today's standards.  I love looking through my old Iron Man Magazines from the 60's.  My favorite era of bodybuilding by far. 

Agreed X1000

The guys from the 40's to early 60's had the best builds, IMO.
Title: Re: How Many Mr. America's still live?
Post by: Mr Nobody on December 15, 2009, 05:31:25 PM
There were various Mr America titles awhile back, I believe Chuck Sipes won one in 1959...later to commit suicide I think over a broken marriage.