Stories - Your favorite stories re pros / legends

[knny187]

In 1971 Ken Waller won the Amateur and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe
In 1967 Arnold Schwarzenegger won the Amateur's and Bill Pearl won the professional Universe

Can't find the picture you want but will keep looking

that is correct

[bigmikecox]

I was at World Gym in Columbus in 1990 training during the Arnold Classic weekend....Tom Platz was there training with Jim Quinn...Platz got on the donkey calf machine and did, what seemed like 30 reps....it was amazing!!!!

[stuntmovie]

Getting interesting again. Thanks!

One summer afternoon about six years ago, I ran into one of the brothers (I always forget who is whom) down at the beach and he gave me that record that you have now, Only,

I told him I'd give it to you so that you could hopefully invite him to one of your events.

But the funny thing was that this was one of those hot summer days when there were thousands of people walking along the Beachwalk.

So I'm standing there talking to David and we're talking about that recording and I asked him what kind of songs were on it.

And without hesitating he says, "Just like this!" ......... and he proceeded to sing one of his songs from the record.

And he sang and he sang and he sang, just like one of those old MGM musicals in the 50's. But this time he sang it directly to me like I was the only one in the audiance.

Everyone stopped to watch what was going on and when he was done, a big crowd gave him a hearty hand. He did a great entertainment job that afternoon.

Can you make me another copy of that disc? It has some great stuff on it!

VINCE, did you ever meet Bill Starr while you were at York? I think he worked there in the 60's.  Boy, did he tell some funny stories about those days and the Hoffman gang. I'll call some mutual friends and see if I can refresh my memory about a few.

I met Hoffman and Grimik a couple of times and I have to admit that they were the grumpiest old farts that I have ever met inside and out of the weight game.

[Joe Roark]

My one visit with Grimek which lasted about four and a half hours, including a lunch to which he treated me, was a very pleasant experience. He was cordial and kind and helpful with details.
On the wall of his office hung an autographed poster of Samir Bannout signed 'To the godfather of bodybuilding'.
The day I was there John offered to introduce me to Hoffman but hedged by adding that Bob might be having one of his off days, which I took to mean that Bob was sliding mentally as he aged.
John and I chatted a few times on the phone and exchanged several letters and he was consistently pleasant.

[onlyme]

Yes that was one thing funny about the twins.  At a moment notice they would perform.

I think I told the bridge story with me, the twins and Pete G.  Well a little added story to that.  This bridge which is located on the Hilo sideof the Big Island is very high. well we drove down to the bottom of where the bridge was over.  it was a well know surf spot there.  There was a little park.  Well when we got down there, there was maybe 20 surfers.  They see the twins and go crazy and is yelling at them from out in the ocean. David gets up on a park bench takes off his shirts and starts posing for them.  He then takes down his pants and he is in a skimpy pair of undies.  We are standing behind him.  One of the things the twins were famous for were for their smaller than their upper body legs. 

They actually had goods like just not like their upper bodies. Well I look at Davids calves.  His left calf was sodifferent from his right calf.  It wppeared that he had implants and that one of them shifted and basically fell and moved over quite a bit.  It looked really off.

David was huge.  he wieghed 275 and Peter weighed abot 260.  They both had 32" waists.  They gave me a couple of their Barbarian wear shirts like the one I wore below.  That is me hiking down to Kalaupapa on Molikai.  The leper colony.  This lady was from Germany I think (or it could have been one of the nurses).  I was hiking down and she was hiking up.  I had a little hint of delts.  That hike is the hardest in the world.  So hard

[619Rules]

David was huge.  he wieghed 275 and Peter weighed abot 260.  They both had 32" waists. 

The last time I was in the Mecca-Gold's Venice-I saw one of the brothers, wearing the rope belt and beret and jeans. He was training in elbow length boat type sweatshirt that was a "shorty", stopping a few inches above the waist. I was shocked when I saw that his waist was tight as can be, I mean no BF at all. I dont know if it was a 32 incher, but it was as tight as it could get.

The Barbarian Brother was big, in a fitness sense, but in no way huge like they were in the early 80's. Man, did he have good conditioning though!

So they take good care of themselfs and are still in great considiton.

[onlyme]

Not sure if people know about the bust the twins went through.  That is the biggest reason they are so trim now.  I have a story but I will tell it if someone doesn't know about what happened.

Akbar, not sure if we met, is that your name.  I live in Hawaii now since 1989.  Their pants were size 34 and they were a little loose.  They have dressed that way for awhile.  They were taken growth way back then.  They ate unreal.  More junk food than I could ever eat, but they could stay trim.  I find it no problem that they ate 10,000 cals a day.  How much does a half gallon of ice cream have, 4 double fudge cakes, 3 jumbo jacks, fries, and other crap have.  They definitely didn't like to diet.

[stuntmovie]

The Hoffman days! WOW! That brings back lots of memories.

I don't have the OK to mention names here and besides it happened a long time ago so the details may not be quite accurate but maybe someone out there may fill in the blanks and post the particulars.

So with that in mind, here goes .........

Bob Hoffman was born in the late 1890's and it was his goal to live to see three centuries. He didn't achieve that goal but he gave it a try. (This was passed on to me by someone who knew him well.)

I first met Bob Hoffman the year that they held the Olympic Lifting Championships on the West Coast in Los Angeles at the Embassy Auditorium in conjunction with the AAU Mr America Contest. (Sometime in the early 60's).

Back in those days it was an uncontested fact that the AAU Olympic Lifters would use a bodybuilding event to draw a crowd for the lifters. In the vast majority of cases, the bodybuilding contest would start after the lifters had received their trophies.

Once the trophies were passed out the stage would be cleared for the bodybuilding competition. That "clearing process" alone took an hour or more so it was not uncommon for the bodybuilding competition to start very late at night or even early in the morning.

At this particular contest, I recall the bodybuilders taking over the stage way after midnight. I think it was about 2:00 am.

I think that is one of the major reasons the bodybuilders back then eventually broke away from the AAU.

Anyway, at one time I knew one of the Editors of Strength and Health. Bob had two magaznes ..... S&H and Muscular Development. And the Hoffman gang disliked the Weider's with a passion. (DemiGods, Young Physique, etc, .... anyone recall those?)

York Barbell equipment was originally made by a York, Pa. company which made cast iron furnaces. In fact, I think that they are still in business.

Way back before I was around, Bob Hoffman had a large quantity of lifting equipment (barbells and dumbells and lifting racks) made for a very low price and somehow it was all placed in a very large warehouse in the York vicinity.

Now let's jump to the late 60's and get back to the Editor I had mentioned earlier .........

More follows ........... Just got a call to be someplace.

[Joe Roark]

The AAU Mr. America was in Los Angeles at least four times: 1943, 1948, 1958, 1965.

I assume it was neither of the first two listed

[onlyme]

Not sure if we have met.  Maybe.  I trained at the Original World Gym in 79'-82'  (maybe 83').  I grew up in Manhattan Beach.  Worked at Tequilla willies for a couple of years which was a popular night spot.  Only really went to Gold's to see my friend Pete G.  Never actually worked out there except once.  I never competed even though Joe Gold kept trying to push me too.  i just couldn't see me in those shorts.

[onlyme]

No I never trained with him but knew of him.  Kaz is a good friend of mine.  I told a good story on here about me and Kaz's brush with the law.

[619Rules]

Onlyme, did you ever train with Rick "Grizzly" Brown ? He was a very strong guy and we remained friends up until his death by heart failure a couple of years ago. Grizzy blaimed his heart failure (which developed over 18 months) on steriod consumption and he spent his last few months preaching against their use. He died in his mid 40's.

AKBAR-ALI-

I had posted earlier in this thread or another one about Grizzly Brown. I used to see him at Gold's Venice almost everytime I popped in their to train in the early/mid/late 80's.

He was very well known at Gold's, was one of the biggest guys there and seemed like a very cool guy.

EVERYONE in the gym talked to him, and he seemed to know everyone there too. It was always weird because I always saw him there. Big Boy.

I was surprised to hear that he died, I think Bossa or someone posted a pic of him responding to my inquiry. Actually I think I asked Onlyme if he knew him because he was so damn big, like Onlyme.

Were you two very good friends?

[619Rules]

619rules, I met Griz in early 80's in Golds Venice when I trained in the USA in preparation for the NABBA Universe and also used to meet up with him at various strongman contests and Highland Games contests in the UK which I used to help organise. I would like to think of him as a friend. He was only in his 20's when he was at his peak and died around 43. It was in his last months that he showed his true strength of character when with a deminishing heart he preached against anyone using anabolic steriods. I last spoke to him 48 hours before he died when he could hardly get a breath.  Sadly missed.

It was obvious from how he knew, and interacted with, just about eveyone at Gold's that he was a cool guy.

I wish I was a regular member at Venice back then, so I could have gotten to know some of the guys like Grizzly. I remember one workout when Grizzly was repping 405 out on the incline bench.

It is too bad a cool guy like that died. He was definitly one of the most popular Gold's members at that time.


Here is the link to earlier comments:

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=30473.25

[onlyme]

I never saw Bill eat goldfish, but he could eat allot of steak.  I was at the Arnold in 2003 when that cop beat Kaz 100 lb Db press record.  I think he did 51 reps and Kaz did 50 some years before.  One thing Kaz did that amzed me was 50 reps with 405 on the bench.  I remeber for a show we did here we tied Bill to the front of my Bronco and he held a rope with the show TV van on the other end.  They proceeded to accelerate while Bill held it in place making the van spin it's tires. 

The thing I like to is that me and Bill share the same birthday and him and his wife Manon always email me to wish me happy birthday.

I had a really neat poster Bill gave me of his greatest feats of Strength".  It was really neat.  It had a montage of different things he did with all his records on the bottom.  Has anyone else seen this poster.  If not I will call him to send me another one and I will scan it.

[619Rules]

One thing Kaz did that amzed me was 50 reps with 405 on the bench. 

I would like to see this.........Platz's 50 reps with 315 on squats is legendary, but that was squatting.....

a 405 bench for 50!-that has to be some sort of record........

[Larzker]

Welcome, Iain Dowe. 

[Joe Roark]

With the clues you offered, I figured out your identity, but had your name spelled as Ian ?

[Vince B]

When I stayed at Ray Mentzer's place in 1991 (he owed me since he and Kathy stayed at my place in Sydney for at least 3 months a few years previously) he drove me to a few places. It took me two days to figure out I needed my own car. Ray spoke to the guy at the desk at Gold's Venice and I got a free membership card for my two week stay in LA. I remember when I first came to Gold's in 1968 in October that Joe let me train for free then, too. All he wanted to know was how long I would be there. I offered to do chores around the gym but he said it was okay.

The next year, 1969, I got married to Roz and guess where I wanted to go for my honeymoon? LA! I went to train at Golds and Joe took Roz to the Beach while I trained. I remember watching Joe play beach volleyball and since I loved most sports asked if I could join in. Nope, they had their group and that was that. While I was there I heard from Seymour Koenig that Joe wanted to sell the gym for $50,000. I was interested and joked with Joe that I would buy it if he financed me. Ah, what a bargain that would have been. However, I was no entrepreneur so who knows what would have happened to that name. I would have let Joe have the name back if he wanted to buy his gym back.

Anyway I visited Golds in 1980 but without Joe there it didn't seem like the same place. The next visit was in 1991.  I saw big Paul Dillette and thought he was a giant. He weighed about 290 then and had the widest shoulders I have ever seen. I think everyone felt he didn't have to pose and should have been Mr Olympia anyway. I introduced myself and was surprised to find out he was from Canada. I got him to pose for a few photos outside and I have one with the two of us in it. I wanted to post it with the caption, "Guess which one won Mr Canada?" Paul was disqualified in the Mr Canada but in my day there were no tests of any kind. Several days later I introduced Ray to Paul. Ray tells it like it is and declared that Paul's physique was ugly. I guess it was all those veins. Paul dwarfed Ray and Ray weighed about 260 then. Ray said I knew more people there than he did and I had been there for only 2 weeks while he had been there for 10 years. He introduced me to big Lou but I wasn't charged anything to shake his hand!. I saw Lou in 2000 and asked where Ray was. He said he hasn't seen him since the last time we met. I told him he still looked good and that made him smile.

While I was there in 91 I noticed this big muscular woman who had arms almost as big as mine. She really impressed me and I thought she either thought I was some ugly ass or she was a bit interested in me. I love the way those LA women aren't afraid of eye contact. Anyway, I noticed her several times during my daily visits to the gym. I thought to myself that I had better not approach her because for all I knew she might be a bloke! When you have been around beaches as long as I have you tend to be a bit more cautious. On my last day at the gym I showed a few people the photos I took of Paul. Achem Albrecht sp? was there training and also weighing about 290 pounds. So I walk up to Achem and show him my photos. The superlady is nearby so I say, "Hey, they say you gals look like fellas but this is what real men look like." She came over to have a look and introduced herself. I cursed myself because I knew her from the magazines. She had dark hair now and used to be a blond. I think she moved from there but she had a business giving nutrition advice.

[Bossa]

Not sure if people know about the bust the twins went through.  That is the biggest reason they are so trim now.  I have a story but I will tell it if someone doesn't know about what happened.

Akbar, not sure if we met, is that your name.  I live in Hawaii now since 1989.  Their pants were size 34 and they were a little loose.  They have dressed that way for awhile.  They were taken growth way back then.  They ate unreal.  More junk food than I could ever eat, but they could stay trim.  I find it no problem that they ate 10,000 cals a day.  How much does a half gallon of ice cream have, 4 double fudge cakes, 3 jumbo jacks, fries, and other crap have.  They definitely didn't like to diet.

Onlyme I am not familiar with the story, could u share it with us

[onlyme]

okay I will try to keep it short.  The twins were busted back in the early 90's not sure what year.  Not even sure if they spent any time in jail.  Almost sure they didn't.  What did happen is that they both had to go through random drug tests and searches.

When I went to see David he and his new wife Kim told me about how the LAPD would call them in the middle of the night to have them come down for a test.  then they would go back home get back in bed and about 4 hours later get another call for them to get tested again.  Sometimes they were tested 4 times a day. 

LAPD would make surprise visits all the time.  For the first few months they said it was unreal how many they were tested.  When I saw David he had already dropped an easy 40 lbs.  I see him now and he is so thin.  but I think he has adjusted really well.

I don't keep in contact like I use too.  I think I talked to David last year a couple of times. 

[onlyme]

Here is a story I put on another board.  It was so long I figured it had to be here too.

Okay kids, endorsements are given to celebrities who generally will increase sales of the product being endorsed through proper marketing and advertising.  Celebrities are chosen when possible because they have a built in fan base, exposure and marketability.  They are CELEBRITIES.  Some celebrities will not endorse products at all or none unless they actually use them or believe in them.  The most notable would probably be Ed McMahon.  But most will do an endorsement as long as the money is there. 

An example would be Chuck Norris.  For month, SCARAB (the boat company, I am pretty sure this is the one) wanted Chuck to shoot a commercial in Japan.  But Mike E. who was Chuck's attorney and does allot of Chuck's business dealings (not sure if still with him) said no.  They wanted $1 million to do it.  Well then SCARAB came up with giving him one of there boats in lieu of payment.  Chuck liked that offer and did it.

Another one involving Chuck, also involved me.  My friend Joe Copelletta who is a well known director was also the person who directed all the United Way commercials  you seeon Tv involving sports stars.  Well he called me one day saying they are ready to shoot their annual corporate short film (15 minutes) which they show during a huge event in Washington D.C. which they show to Fortune 500 companies.  The theme was "You are my hero"  Bette Midler song.

They wanted Chuck Norris to star in it.  Joe knew that I knew Chuck well and asked me if I could set up a meeting.  So i called Chuck and then set up a meeting between them through Cynthia Chuck's assistant.  They met got along and Chuck did the shoot.  For Free! 

This was Chuck's first time he had ever had to use a teleprompter.  It was a long day for this 15 minute shoot.  Joe gave me a tape of outtakes of the shoot.  Chuck was very funny trying to read the teleprompter without making it look like he's reading it.  One othe thing about this short was it was nominated for somebig award and Chuck did win his only acring award ever A Golden Eagle Award.  He had a full page spread on the back of Variety for that.

Later on at my 30 birthday in Vegas, I was eating with Chuck.  Chuck had just started shootng the show Walker.  Joe had been calling Chuck for months to see if he could direct an episode of walker but never got a call back or anythng from Chuck. So I asked him about Joe directing an episode and said that he had been calling him and never got a call back.  Chuck said Keith I'm sorry I never got a call, I didn't know he did action shows.  he then said i will call him first thing when i get back.  Well Chuck did call Joe and it ended up Joe directed I think 14 episodes of Walker. By the way I didn't get a dime.

[619Rules]

Only-as a karate fan, (and I remember when Chuck was US National champ in middleweights before movies) I am curious, how did you meet Chuck?

You seem to know just about everyone who is anyone in the fitness world-Ali, Barbarian Brothers, Chuck Norris, Benny the Jet-it really amazes me how many people you know-especially since virtually everyone was a role model for me-

So what gives-how did you get so connected?

[onlyme]

You know when you think about it, it is kind of strange that I know so many people.  i have a huge list.  The way I met Chuck originally was through my friend who I grew up with and is a very well known Hollywood stuntman and who i have worked for in the past.  We went to Chuck's house in Lemon Heights and I just became friends.  Then, Chuck knew my connection at the Forum and wanted to bring some friends to the boxing match there one day.  So, he called me and asked if I could get him some tickets (actually 15 of them).  So i asked my business partner who was in charge of the Forum Boxing Mike Garrett (Heisman Trophy winner), and of curse he said yes.  Now before the matches Jerry Buss would give his personal guests and VIP a free get-together dinner at the Forum restaurant.  So we all met there.  Now when Chuck called me he said Keith I have a guy who I want to introduce you too, I think you guys will get along and he can get allot of things done.

So anyway we meet at dinner and he introduces me to Joe K.  At the time Joe K was a very very wealthy and successful businessman who actually supported Chuck in dire times and ran his fan club too.  Me and Joe hit it off really good.  He liked to surround himself with celebrities and VIP's.

Another way met so many celebrities is when I volunteered with the Special Olympics.  I met allot of them there.  It just so happens I end up being friends with them. I mean they give their phone numbers and we go out and such.  I mean Susan Anton invites me over for a BBQ.  How's that.  Ellie May Clampett babysat my daughter, Jacklyn Smith cried all over me and was sqeezing the shit out of me (my girlfriend didn't like that one too much),  me and Arnold co-hosted weightlifting.  I armwrestled Patrick Swayze and Ray Coombs.  Gene Wilder kept tickling me (for some reason).  And a ton more stories.  The Special Olympics actually brought me to Hawaii where I ended up staying.  Charo was a big reason for that.

I think my size and the title had allot to do with it.  i got invited to many charity functions around the country.  I played gold and tennis pretty good too.  It jsut seemed that people liked me. not sure why.  At a golf event up in San Fran. they got me good with some fun stuff.

Plus, being in TV I got to meet allot of others.  i have been pretty lucky.  Like you said about meeting idols.  i have met allot of mine and no one more than Ali.  Reggie Jackson, Deacon Jones (who is so funny), mario Andretti and others.  No real polictical figures except the mayor of Vegas Ron Lurie and a couple of Senators. 

I think everyone has their stories.  I don't think mine are anything that special expect they include a few names people recognize.  Other than that I am pretty boring.

What I like allot is that most everyone remembers me.  I guess that is because I stick out a little more than most.  Sometimes this is nice and other times i wish it wasn't so.  My most memorable is when Ali got so excited when he saw me 3 months after our first encounter in Miami and his wife telling me how much he liked me and talked about me.  That is something i feel great about more than anything.

[stuntmovie]

Only mentioned most of the great people he has met , but unfortunately he has met a load of "genuine assholes" too. Not a lot but enough to laugh about and  it makes for interesting conversation and a load of laughs when the subject comes up.

Funny thing about the "assholes" is that they all are little people who have something somewhat similar to a Napoleon complex.

[619Rules]

Cool stuff......... wish I knew all those people, and of course Ali-he is the top of the food chain in sports......