for the history books

[VGalanti]

OK, I have a  2 part question for any NPC history buffs.

I know Paris won the overall nationals in 83, who won it in 82?
AAU was the only game up till the late 80's till the NPC was organized, how long did the NPC take to have shows all over the country?

[NarcissisticDeity]

Wasn't it Haney?

[kilojoule]

lee haney

[VGalanti]

Yeah I think Lee was in 82....but was he the first NPC National champion?

[Dan-O]

Yes, "Awesome" Lee Haney won the NPC Nationals in 1982.

I believe 1982 was also the first year that the NPC Nationals were held.  Before that it was known as the AAU Mr. America.

[VGalanti]

was 82 the first year of the NPC?

[NarcissisticDeity]

was 82 the first year of the NPC?

1982 was the first year of the Nationals and Lee Haney was the first winner .


http://www.getbig.com/articles/npc-hist.htm

[kilojoule]

http://www.musclememory.com/show.php?y=1981         1st NPC  in 81

[jaejonna]

IS there a PDI segue into all this ...

[timfogarty]

go to Musclememory, click on List Contest By Name (male) and then click on Nationals - NPC and you'll get to http://www.musclememory.com/male/contests/nationals_-_npc.html

The AAU was the dominate force in amateur bodybuilding from the 1940s into the 1970s, but the IFBB held their Mr America from 1959 to 1977.   Then they were able to weasle their way onto the AAU board and ran the AAU Mr America contests in 78, 79, perhaps 1980, when they were kicked out.   These promoters then formed the NPC.   Some like to claim that the AAU Mr America became the NPC Nationals, but I don't see it that way.  The AAU continued to run the Mr America contest until 1999 when they washed their hands of bodybuilding.

[njflex]

IT is a shame about the aau america was a very prestigious title to have .most people would have recognized a mr america title before say a national's winner,mr a sound's more like a bbing title.

[timfogarty]

what made the AAU Mr America unique was also the reason it died a slow death.  It was not just a bodybuilding contest.  The winner was suppose to be the best representation of the American male.   Besides physique, you were judged on other characteristics, including athletic ability in other sports, appearance, grooming, the ability to speak in public, etc.   Because of that, the most muscular guy on stage rarely won.

in the 1960s, the IFBB said they are doing it differently, that they will judge only on physique.  (too bad that later became only mass)   The audience responded, and the IFBB took off and the AAU declined.

[VGalanti]

IS there a PDI segue into all this ...

not at all.....i'm also a fan