Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends

[dknole]

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.

[Kevin]

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.

[Max_Rep]

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.

[onlyme]

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.

[Kevin]

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!

[Kevin]

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!

[Kevin]

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!

[onlyme]

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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[Max_Rep]

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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[Max_Rep]

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.

 

[onlyme]

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.

[Max_Rep]

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. 

[Kevin]

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.............

[Kevin]

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?

[onlyme]

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

[Kevin]

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!

[onlyme]

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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[Bossa]

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

[Max_Rep]

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.

[onlyme]

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.

[Kevin]

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

[Bossa]

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!

[Kevin]

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

[Kevin]

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.

[Dan-O]

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!