Don "The Ripper" Ross T shirt

[619Rules]

I know a bunch of the guys here knew Don Ross personally, or at least knew who he was, and he used to be the manager of my first gym-Clancy Ross's Mr America Club in Walnut Creek, CA in the late 70's.

I had mentioned in the history thread that Don used to sell these flimsy little pamphleats for building arms, legs, back and so forth for a few bucks at the gym. They were real cheap- stapled together at the center- and were about 20-30 pages each. Many Pro's sold their "routines" like this back then b/c it was the only way they could make money outside of guest posing and doing seminars.

The one that program Don sold that we all laughed at was titled "The Secrets to Size, Power and Muscularity". We loved that title. That became our motto at the gym since it was so cheesy sounding. So this guy on EBAY is selling a bunch of Kent Kuehn's old gym stuff and sure enough there is a Don Ross t shirt-and it has our motto on it-check it out:


http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1970s-XL-DON-ROSS-THE-RIPPER-T-SHIRT_W0QQitemZ7187043349QQcategoryZ79757QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This guy has a bunch of old contest shirts that are pretty cool, so if anyone wants a shirt from the old days they should check it out:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZfitness1gymQQhtZ-1

[knny187]

How funny.                 

[619Rules]

You better hurry if you want that Don Ross t shirt-auction ends in 44 hours!

[body88]

619 eva mendez is frekin hot.


what is the cost of living in san d

Boston is second highest in the country and its full of girls these days

thinking about jumping to the left how is it out there?

[619Rules]

San Diego is one of the least affordable places to live in the US. The cost woud be similar to Boston-but the wages are NO WHERE near as good. One bedroom apartment in the worst part of town$750.......good area $1500............I would never move to a high cost place like this unless you have a job lined up-and it pays minimum 50K/year.

We pay for the "Sunshine Tax"..........we get 300 sunny days per year in San Diego (most for any US City)-and it never rains more than 3 days in a row......I love this place. When I was going to school in East Lansing, MI. it was overcast 300 days per year-it sucked.

Yes Eva Mendes is the bomb........

[onlyme]

619, I think Kona Hi has more than 300 days per year of sunshine. 

[tommywishbone]

Don was my good friend for many years. I trained with Don frequently at Clancy's (Walnut Creek) and often at Gold's Venice. We also trained a few times back in Detroit at Armentos Gym.

Don was a hero to a lot of people and a real real pleasure to be around.  It didn't matter if he was being 'Ripper Savage' or 'Cousin Crusher' or just Don, he was a blast. One time, me, The Ripper and the Dabbish Boys (Will & Norm) had lunch at the Firehouse in Venice and those three guys together were a riot. The meal ended in a street brawl. LOL.

Just by chance, on the day Don left, I called his house and Rita (Don's wife) answered the phone (I had no idea what had happened a few hours ago). She was somewhat incoherent and I could not figure out what she was saying. I was calling Don about some of his 'Neck Contest' photos and Rita was just crying. I thought she was laughing really hard and I started laughing as well. She finally said, "Tom, Don's gone." I said, "Well where the hell did he go? And when is he coming home?" She finally explained to me that he died a few hours ago. It hit me like a bolt of lightning when I realized what she was really saying.

Don was a Champion and a Crusader and I'll miss him for the rest of my life.

-Tom

[knny187]

Don was my good friend for many years. I trained with Don frequently at Clancy's (Walnut Creek) and often at Gold's Venice. We also trained a few times back in Detroit at Armentos Gym.

Don was a hero to a lot of people and a real real pleasure to be around.  It didn't matter if he was being 'Ripper Savage' or 'Cousin Crusher' or just Don, he was a blast. One time, me, The Ripper and the Dabbish Boys (Will & Norm) had lunch at the Firehouse in Venice and those three guys together were a riot. The meal ended in a street brawl. LOL.

Just by chance, on the day Don left, I called his house and Rita (Don's wife) answered the phone (I had no idea what had happened a few hours ago). She was somewhat incoherent and I could not figure out what she was saying. I was calling Don about some of his 'Neck Contest' photos and Rita was just crying. I though she was laughing really hard and I started laughing as well. She finally said, "Tom, Don's gone." I said, "Well where the hell did he go? And when is he coming home?" She finally explained to me that he died a few hours ago. It hit me like a bolt of lightning when I realized what she was really saying.

Don was a Champion and a Crusader and I'll miss him for the rest of my life.

-Tom

Great contribution.

I really missed reading Don's articles.

[onlyme]

Man Tommy we must know each other.  I did a commercial for Gillette with Don.  He was crazy as hell.  He later called me after I moved to Hawaii and was going to do an article on me but it never came about.  He also went bezerk in an interview for a Dino De Laurentis movie (I can't remember the name) and he ruined any of our chances of getting it.  Here we are bald

[tommywishbone]

Keith, I'm looking at this pic of you and The Ripper and I was looking at some pics of you and Kaz and for the life of me.... I don't think we crossed paths. That seems impossible. When I see your picture, you look like a bigger and not quite as good looking... Jon Loyd. LOL. I'm sure you know Jon (or is it John?) I trained with him way back at Gold's San Francisco (1982?).

Remember Don's great little office in Gold's Venice 2nd room? It was up above the posing rooms. We would often go out back, smoke a little poo, and then sit around in his office and discuss the insanity of bodybuilding.

-Tom

[Hurricane Beef !]

Tom, I use to hang with Don in the early days ( California Championship Wrestling. ) It was during this time he got injured in the ring and started to use what he needed to to keep in the ring. I lost touch when he began hanging with Lyle A. and that bunch. It was a bit to fast for my liking.

Beef