Moose, Chem, any others interested ....... The animosity between the Weiders, Dan Lurie, and the Hoffman camp was thicker than water.
Sorry for this long winded post but it is a valid piece of BB history as I personally recall it ..... I posted something similar to this previously and received a few objections so there are other sides to this story ..... BUT I was there and witnessed it personally and partook in it as was my right to do so.
Here goes ...... This is how I remember it ........
Back around 1976 era (I think Dave Johns won that year) we had a big meeting at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium with about 120 people in attendance each of whom had voting rights due to their official status with the AAU.
That included all the state AAU bodybuilding reps and the likes of the Hoffman contingent, Dan Lurie himself, and Joe and Ben Weider plus the board members who composed the AAU Bodybuilding Committee.
To the best of my knowledge, that meeting was officially called in an effort to establish a bodybuilding organization that would be distinct and separate from the AAU.
If I remember this correctly, there were numerous objections about the availabiilty of travel funds and how they were not available for the AAU bodybuilding athletes because those funds were spent on other athletic endeavors such as travel support for swimmers and olympic lifters.
AND .... it was also evident to most of us that the York Group (Bob Hoffman) was simply using the bodybuilders to support the olympic lifting events. (I personally attended a contest at the Embassy Auditorium in the early 60's at which a national championship bodybuilding contest was held in conjunction with an olympic lifting event; and the bodybuilders did not get on stage until the lifting was completely over and the awards were made. That was about 2:00 am in the morning. That was the year Jerry Daniels won. A hotly contested decision.)
That event was the first time that I noticed a lot of dissention among the bodybuilders. Just about everyone felt that it was time for a change and the "Bodybuilding Board" picked up the ball and ran with it.
Someone else may be able to name those board members but at present all I can remember was "Jerome Weise". He was the brains behind getting all the legalities and paperwork done when it came time to make some major changes.
I don't know precisely how the Weiders got involved but one of the board members either approached them with a solid plan or they simply invited them to attend an important meeting.
So one Sunday morning of the day following the Mr America contest, we all gathered together at the SMCC for an important meeting. All the "board members", the state reps, many of the athletes, the Weiders, Dan Lurie, and the Hoffman camp ..... Bob Hoffman was't there personally but I kind of recall that he was well represented by Terpak or Grimek and a few others.
I arrived expecting a major battle once I saw who was in attendance, but each group of antagonists were separate from the others and speaking quietly among themselves. The space was set with up an elevated table for the "board members", a speakers podium with microphone, and an amble number of chairs for all in attendance.
I took a seat up front and introduced myself to a guy sitting next to me and he stated that he was one of the first of the Weider employees and knew Ben and Joe better than anyone in the room. And then the meeting started.
I was impressed .... they were following Robert's Rules of Order. This was official function and it was apparent that we were there to get something important accomplished.
At the proper time one of the board members introduced Mr Ben Weider from the floor. He immediately walked up to the podium and ajusted the mic. He was one of a very few in the room dressed in a tie, slacks, and a blue blazer. Very impressive. After a few eloquent words of introduction, he stated that he had an offer to make for all concerned.....
Here is the essence of that offer ........ (as I recall it)
If the present bodybuilding organization were to choose to set up their own governing body, the IFBB would recognize this new governing body as the only amateur governing bodybuilding organization in the United States and its possessions. Furthermore, the IFBB would not promote or sanction any amatuer bodybuilding contest in the US providing that this new governing body would recognize the IFBB as the world governing body for amatuer and professional contests outside of the US and for professional events within the US. This new organization would have the right to promote amatuer bodybuilding contests in the USA without interference or competition from the IFBB.
Now the room started to heat up. Even the guy next to me started to object. There was a major roar from the Hoffman side of the room and Lurie was on his feet with verbose objections. ..... to be continued. Back to work....
