Author Topic: How Many Mr. America's still live? (Read 31692 times)

lax · « **on:** December 14, 2009, 07:27:08 AM »

Anyone know?

The aau A was held from 1939 to about early 1990's?

Tapeworm · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2009, 07:57:57 AM »

Including the black ones and the commies or just the ones you want to acknowledge, moose?

Black commies?

BB · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2009, 08:52:00 AM »

From Joe Roark's wonderful Ironhistory.com is a list of the ones that have passed-

From left to right, year the man won the Mr. America AAU title, year of passing, name:

1939 - 2002 Roland Essmaker age 86
1940/41 - 1998 John Grimek age 88
1942 - 1990 Frank Leight age 78
1943 - 2007 Jules Bacon age 89
1944 - 1978 Steve Stanko age 61
1945 - 2008 Clarence Ross age 84
1946 - 2005 Alan Stephan age 81
1947 - 2000 Steve Reeves age 74
1948 - 2002 George Eiferman age 76
1949 - 1992 Jack Delinger age 66
1950 - 1998 John Farbotnik age 72
1951 - 2008 Roy Hilligenn age 85
1952 - 2007 Jim Park age 79
1954 - 2007 Dick DuBois age 74
1955 - 2005 Steve Klisanin 75
1957 - 2005 Ron Lacy age 75
1958 - 1974 Tom Sansone age 38
1961 - 2008 Ray Routledge age 77
1963 - 1993 Vern Weaver age 56
1974 - 2003 Ron Thompson age 59
1977 - 1986 Dave Johns age 40
1979 - 2001 Ray Mentzer age 47
1984 - 2009 Joe Meeko age 48
1992 - 2003 Mike Scarcella age 39
average age of the above 24 men at passing: 68.6 years.

If this info is used elsewhere please credit ironhistory.com

polychronopolous · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2009, 08:58:40 AM »

Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....

emn1964 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:03:01 AM »

Quote from: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 08:58:40 AM

Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....

interesting...starting in the early 1960's the life expectancy started to decline. Is this coincident with the increased use of anabolics?

Mars · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:03:11 AM »

arnold

BB · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:04:34 AM »

Quite a few suicides on that list also- Weaver, Mentzer, Meeko.

timfogarty · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:20:44 AM »

Quote from: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 08:58:40 AM

Look at the average age of death for the top 6 or 7 guys and compare it to the age of the bottom 6 or 7...The guys winning the titles in the 1940's lived long lives, alot until their 80's and the guys winning in the 1970's and 1980's were dropping off in their 40's....

it's not a complete list of all Mr Americas. Another 30-some are still alive. Of course the more recent Mr Americas who have died died at a younger age. they died because of some illness or accident, not of old age.

timfogarty · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:25:40 AM »

the answer of the original question, how many are still alive:

1953 - Bill Pearl
1956 - Ray Schaefer
1959 - Harry Johnson
1960 - Lloyd Lerille
1962 - Joe Abbenda
1964 - Val Vasilieff
1965 - Jerry Daniels
1966 - Bob Gajda
1967 - Dennis Tinerino
1968 - Jim Haislop
1969 - Boyer Coe
1970 - Chris Dickerson
1971 - Casey Viator
1972 - Steve Michalik
1973 - Jim Morris
1975 - Dale Adrian
1976 - Kalman Szkalak
1978 - Tony Pearson
1980 - Gary Leonard
1981 - Tim Belknap
1982 - Rufus Howard
1983 - Jeff King
1985 - Michael Antorino
1986 - Glenn Knerr
1987 - Richard Barretta
1988 - William Norberg
1989 - Matt DuFresne
1990 - Peter Miller
1991 - Joe DeAngelis
1993 - Billy Nothaft
1994 - Andrew Sivert
1995 - Terence Hairston
1996 - Jaime Rodriguez
1996 - Doug Rieser
1997 - Bill Davey
1998 - Harvey H Campbell
1999 - Tracey Dorsey

credit MuscleMemory

polychronopolous · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:25:59 AM »

Quote from: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:20:44 AM

it's not a complete list of all Mr Americas. Another 30-some are still alive. Of course the more recent Mr Americas who have died died at a younger age. they died because of some illness or accident, not of old age.

Still the average age of the first 20 winners (ALL of which are listed) is well into their 70's....

timfogarty · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:29:47 AM »

Quote from: polychronopolous on December 14, 2009, 09:25:59 AM

Still the average age of the first 20 winners (ALL of which are listed) ...

if you don't count Pearl, Schaefer and Johnson

polychronopolous · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:31:21 AM »

Quote from: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:29:47 AM

if you don't count Pearl, Schaefer and Johnson

Regardless, you have to admit those guys lived WAY healthier lives, that goes without saying....

Even this list alluded to that.

wes · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:32:42 AM »

Besides winning the title,most of the older guys were touted as health nuts/freaks as well as bodybuilders.

lax · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2009, 12:53:12 PM »

Quote from: BB on December 14, 2009, 09:04:34 AM

Quite a few suicides on that list also- Weaver, Mentzer, Meeko.

I don't think Ray was a suicide

#1 Klaus fan · « **Reply #14 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:02:21 PM »

Quote from: wes on December 14, 2009, 09:32:42 AM

Besides winning the title,most of the older guys were touted as health nuts/freaks as well as bodybuilders.

I'm glad bodybuilders now realise health is overrated.

BB · « **Reply #15 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:18:47 PM »

Quote from: lax on December 14, 2009, 12:53:12 PM

I don't think Ray was a suicide

Jerry Brainium, IronMan author and Mentzer's friend mentioned that while it was officially listed as some sort of cardiac malfunction, Mentzer also had lethal levels of some sort of drug.

Edit: here's a c/p of the post from Dave Drapers forum:

"I viewed the offical autopsy report of both Mike and Ray Mentzer, who were long time friends of mine. Mike's offical cause of death was athersclorotic heart disease, and the same for Ray. Yet the toxilogical report listed lethal doses of pain-killing drugs and antidepressants in both men. I asked the coroner who did the autopsy about this apparant discrepancy, and he said that it was difficult to determine which came first, the heart attacks or the overdose. He also said the drugs may have triggered the heart attacks." .

lax · « **Reply #16 on:** December 14, 2009, 01:22:30 PM »

Quote from: BB on December 14, 2009, 01:18:47 PM

Jerry Brainium, IronMan author and Mentzer's friend mentioned that while it was officially listed as some sort of cardiac malfunction, Mentzer also had lethal levels of some sort of drug.

Edit: here's a c/p of the post from Dave Drapers forum:

"I viewed the offical autopsy report of both Mike and Ray Mentzer, who were long time friends of mine. Mike's offical cause of death was athersclorotic heart disease, and the same for Ray. Yet the toxilogical report listed lethal doses of pain-killing drugs and antidepressants in both men. I asked the coroner who did the autopsy about this apparant discrepancy, and he said that it was difficult to determine which came first, the heart attacks or the overdose. He also said the drugs may have triggered the heart attacks." .

either way
both were in profound physical/psychological disrepair

mphgrove · « **Reply #17 on:** December 14, 2009, 03:22:31 PM »

In addition to the three suicides, there was one death on the list from GHB addiction compounded by hospital negligence (Mike Scarcella). It definitely seems to be the case that the earlier bodybuilders tended to be health fanatics. They were into healthy diets, cardiovascular conditioning, etc. - in addition to (or in connection with) building up great muscle mass. We lost much of that spirit along the way.

Hurricane Beef ! · « **Reply #18 on:** December 14, 2009, 08:36:24 PM »

Quote from: timfogarty on December 14, 2009, 09:25:40 AM

the answer of the original question, how many are still alive:

1953 - Bill Pearl
1956 - Ray Schaefer
1959 - Harry Johnson
1960 - Lloyd Lerille
1962 - Joe Abbenda
1964 - Val Vasilieff
1965 - Jerry Daniels
1966 - Bob Gajda
1967 - Dennis Tinerino
1968 - Jim Haislop
1969 - Boyer Coe
1970 - Chris Dickerson
1971 - Casey Viator
1972 - Steve Michalik
1973 - Jim Morris
1975 - Dale Adrian
1976 - Kalman Szkalak
1978 - Tony Pearson
1980 - Gary Leonard
1981 - Tim Belknap
1982 - Rufus Howard
1983 - Jeff King
1985 - Michael Antorino
1986 - Glenn Knerr
1987 - Richard Barretta
1988 - William Norberg
1989 - Matt DuFresne
1990 - Peter Miller
1991 - Joe DeAngelis
1993 - Billy Nothaft
1994 - Andrew Sivert
1995 - Terence Hairston
1996 - Jaime Rodriguez
1996 - Doug Rieser
1997 - Bill Davey
1998 - Harvey H Campbell
1999 - Tracey Dorsey

credit MuscleMemory

Frank Zane is still alive.

The Beef

timfogarty · « **Reply #19 on:** December 14, 2009, 09:20:04 PM »

Quote from: Hurricane Beef ! on December 14, 2009, 08:36:24 PM

Frank Zane is still alive.

So is Arnold. Neither were ever AAU Mr America

ronrico · « **Reply #20 on:** December 14, 2009, 10:38:50 PM »

What happened to Vern Weaver?

lax · « **Reply #21 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:15:53 AM »

Quote from: Hurricane Beef ! on December 14, 2009, 08:36:24 PM

Frank Zane is still alive.

The Beef

IFBB

MuscleMcMannus · « **Reply #22 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:17:37 AM »

Dave Johns died at 40? Wow I never knew that. Anyone know how he died or from what?

Also I always really like Jim Haislop's build.

lax · « **Reply #23 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:20:55 AM »

Quote from: MuscleMcMannus on December 15, 2009, 05:17:37 AM

Dave Johns died at 40? Wow I never knew that. Anyone know how he died or from what?

Also I always really like Jim Haislop's build.

I recall reading it was some kind of respiratory disorder/virus

BB · « **Reply #24 on:** December 15, 2009, 05:44:49 AM »

Dave Johns caught Valley Fever, a fungal infection of the lungs. Vern Weaver was apprently angry and depressive in his later years, which later lead to his suicide.