Author Topic: Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends  (Read 548178 times)

crownshep

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #550 on: June 03, 2005, 04:42:43 AM »
Just found an old UK mag from 1981 with your friend Ernie Santiago on the cover.

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #551 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.

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #552 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.

crownshep

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #553 on: June 03, 2005, 10:22:12 AM »
Kevin,are you thinking of Franco Santoriello.

onlyme

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #554 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.

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #555 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!)


stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #556 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

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #557 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.

crownshep

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #558 on: June 04, 2005, 01:01:42 AM »
Kevin the mag is dated January 1981 and the photographer was Joe Valdez.

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #559 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.

onlyme

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #560 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.

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #561 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.

knny187

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #562 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

619Rules

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #563 on: June 07, 2005, 12:49:35 AM »
that looks great

Im with you on this one....looks inviting to say the least......

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #564 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!   :)

knny187

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #565 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.

619Rules

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #566 on: June 08, 2005, 04:23:20 PM »
thanks noodle

Now that is one cool AVATAR ;D ;D ;D

onlyme

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #567 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.

Bossa

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #568 on: June 10, 2005, 05:41:01 AM »
Was it a massage..or a "Massage"? ;D

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #569 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?

serpico

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #570 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.

619Rules

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #571 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).

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #572 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.........

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #573 on: June 11, 2005, 02:43:14 AM »
Two more and I head off ............

stuntmovie

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Re: Tell your favorite stories re pros/legends
« Reply #574 on: June 11, 2005, 02:46:52 AM »
Two more...............