Author Topic: Golds Gym - "The Mecca", when it really was "The Mecca" (Read 465731 times)

Hazbin brought up an interesting subject about judging. He said that even guys who look great often get overlooked because it is their first time in front of the judges. If they come back the next year they often get placed more accurately. This sort of thing shouldn't happen but goodness knows how judges were and are selected. In the old days various gym owners were invited to judge and that was supposed to even out the biases if competitors came from all the gyms. The gym owners would promote the contest, sell tickets and help bring competitors and fans. Those days seem to be long gone in big cities. There are perhaps 3 to 5 times as many gyms today yet contests don't have more spectators.

To make sure you get a fair go with the judges make sure you help select them!

wild willie · « **Reply #483 on:** November 24, 2011, 08:06:32 PM »

How about Mo Makkawy??

or

Ali Mala???

Please and Thank you!

wild willie · « **Reply #484 on:** November 24, 2011, 08:43:58 PM »

Quote from: wes on November 24, 2011, 05:06:09 PM

These guys are far better than todays guys..........I`m being really nice and very generous here.

Spot on!

hazbin · « **Reply #485 on:** November 24, 2011, 09:54:08 PM »

Quote from: wild willie on November 24, 2011, 08:06:32 PM

How about Mo Makkawy??

or

Ali Mala???

Please and Thank you!

the first pic i saw of Ali Malla was the mr. international contest, 3/4 back pose. i couldn't believe it. looked amazing for an unknown (at the time) amateur.

a couple years later as a pro he was livid backstage because there was a woman on the judging panel.

Coach is Back! · « **Reply #486 on:** November 24, 2011, 10:02:12 PM »

Quote from: wild willie on November 24, 2011, 08:06:32 PM

How about Mo Makkawy??

or

Ali Mala???

Please and Thank you!

Makkawy was also at Pearls the same time we were. He was training there for I think the 1977 or 78 Universe.

hazbin · « **Reply #487 on:** November 24, 2011, 10:22:39 PM »

Quote from: The Coach on November 24, 2011, 10:02:12 PM

Makkawy was also at Pearls the same time we were. He was training there for I think the 1977 or 78 Universe.

dammit, these guys were like on another planet to me. and you guys were training with them. i did everything wrong, not having a clue how to train. i wonder how i coulda looked with a mentor

hazbin · « **Reply #488 on:** November 24, 2011, 10:37:09 PM »

if anyone is looking for any 80's 90's muscle magazines i have a bunch of doubles. (people drop them off at my gym all the time).

this is where some kid that has never worked out replies 'outed'.

stuntmovie · « **Reply #489 on:** November 25, 2011, 12:07:34 AM »

COACH. Help me out here and correct me when I'm wrong but back in the day when you trained at Bill's in Pasadena, CF trained with Clinton and they both planned to enter the Mr A which was being promoted by Gold's which only existed in Santa Monica under the ownership of Ken Sprague before Pete and Tim and Ed bought the place.

And both CF and Clinton asked Bill if he'd mimd if the both of them would leave Bill's gym and prep for the America at Gold's believing that it would be adventageous to do so in order to win or place high in the contest.

I recall the above as being pretty accurate but I forget the date and who won the A that year.

Was it Dave John's? And exactly where did Dave train? I never saw him at Bill's nor Gold's.

And I sort of recall a pretty bad incident the following year when CF competed in the A when it was held back east and started yelling at the judges while doing his solo routine during the prejudging or the finals. Has that incident ever been documented or simply overlooked?

We might have discussed this earlier but I gotta assume you knew Rob Johnson. Solo, and Wayne Bouvier from Bill's back then or were you there when Harry(?) ran the place?

Might have discussed this earlier also but ..... Rory L. was a teenager back then who traied in a gym a few miles further east and Rob would drive out there to get a haircut from Rory in back of the gym. The gym was located at the very eastern edge of the LA basin before it turned into the desert wasteland. Do you recall the name of that gym and who owned it? And did you know Rory back then?

stuntmovie · « **Reply #490 on:** November 25, 2011, 12:34:47 AM »

COACH, Couple more questions. (Actually ... a memory refresher.)

Were you one of the BB's who helped close down the Swedish Smorgasboard Buffet in Santa Monica when the Gold's Gym guys would pay the $8 and then proceed to eat everything on the buffet line and then demand more?

Also did you ever have a meal at The German's when it was located in Venice close to the beach ... a 12 egg omlete anf a huge bowl of fresh strawberrys for about $3 and Gold's and World's members packed the place.

How about a meal or two at Zucky's across from Weider's first west coast office run by Draper? Arnold's dining spot back then.

And were you present at that afternoon get together the Doc threw on behalf of Birdsong's participation in the following day's IFBB International contest in Mexico?

Bob won that one but the highlite of that event was Sergio loudly and repeatedly challenging Arnold to a posedown until Weider stood up and asked him to stop as Arnold refused to step on stage against him .... and the house booeed until Franco stood up and accepted the challenge.

More to follow .... Nazario, D Adrian, M. Gentle, J. Corvello, Embassy Auditorium, Kimber, Jeff/Cory, yada, yada, yada

Max_Rep · « **Reply #491 on:** November 25, 2011, 01:17:49 AM »

Quote from: hazbin on November 24, 2011, 10:22:39 PM

dammit, these guys were like on another planet to me. and you guys were training with them. i did everything wrong, not having a clue how to train. i wonder how i coulda looked with a mentor

From the few pics I've seen, it doesn't look like you did everything wrong. Maybe you should have mentored some guys. This is where some white punk on the board all of 160 pounds calls you the N word or says "no homo".

Figo · « **Reply #492 on:** November 25, 2011, 01:26:03 AM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on November 25, 2011, 01:17:49 AM

From the few pics I've seen, it doesn't look like you did everything wrong. Maybe you should have mentored some guys. This is where some white punk on the board all of 160 pounds calls you the N word or says "no homo".

x2

Figo · « **Reply #493 on:** November 25, 2011, 01:28:16 AM »

Quote from: Max_Rep on November 25, 2011, 01:17:49 AM

From the few pics I've seen, it doesn't look like you did everything wrong. Maybe you should have mentored some guys. This is where some white punk on the board all of 160 pounds calls you the N word or says "no homo".

maxrep

Thanks for the background on grimko

So he's the guy you alluded to being on megadoses? Please share!

stuntmovie · « **Reply #494 on:** November 25, 2011, 01:30:40 AM »

MAX, HAZ, WES, and all you other BB history buffs! I've been skimming through this stuff pretty fast and have yet to read or digest it all but,..... MAX, your post regarding Pete and company's initial involvement with GOLDs is pretty damn accurate, BUT missing some damn interesting details .... and I am planning to talk with Pete and others to ask for permission to paint an accurate picture of what we have been discussing and will also ask Pete if I can post shit (good shit) that has never been mentioned as far as I know.

As of this precise moment I have forgotten who Pete and Ed and ____?____ (Tim came in later??) purchasred Gold's from, but I do recall that Ken Sprague bought it from Joe Gold and had a legal 'problem' when Joe wanted to use his name once again to open his new gym a mile or so south of the Santa Monica location.

When Ken owned the gym I was off to join in a war someplace and when I returned Pete and Ed and ___?____ were the new owners, but I was recently told that some other party had purchased it from Ken before Pete and crew got involved.

I sort of recall that Ken had retained all Gold's Gym publishig rights and I ran inro him several times while he was shooting in the 2nd street location before publishing a Gold's Gym book of some kind.

While Ken owned Gold's, he promoted the A at the SM Civic Auditorium using a live orchestra and Mae West (escorted by Bert Goodrich) awarded the overall to Dave Johns.

Ken had a special newspaper published for the contest and organized a parade through town.

More to follow if there's any interest

wes · « **Reply #495 on:** November 25, 2011, 04:02:34 AM »

Quote from: hazbin on November 24, 2011, 07:25:44 PM

dammit i worked out for twenty minutes today. thanx alot guys, this thread is inspiring me.

All right Haz,this could put you right back on the comeback trail................... ..keep it up bud!!

wes · « **Reply #496 on:** November 25, 2011, 04:07:56 AM »

Quote from: wild willie on November 24, 2011, 08:06:32 PM

How about Mo Makkawy??

or

Ali Mala???

Please and Thank you!

No problem,once I wake up and train and all that happy horseshit.

Right now,it`s just me and Mr. Coffee!

wes · « **Reply #497 on:** November 25, 2011, 04:15:45 AM »

I hate posting pics and waking up and seeing a Tripod or Image Shack emblem.........those fuckers!!

wild willie · « **Reply #498 on:** November 25, 2011, 05:24:58 AM »

Quote from: wes on November 25, 2011, 04:15:45 AM

I hate posting pics and waking up and seeing a Tripod or Image Shack emblem.........those fuckers!!

LOL

Coach is Back! · « **Reply #499 on:** November 25, 2011, 08:43:24 AM »

Quote from: stuntmovie on November 25, 2011, 12:07:34 AM

COACH. Help me out here and correct me when I'm wrong but back in the day when you trained at Bill's in Pasadena, CF trained with Clinton and they both planned to enter the Mr A which was being promoted by Gold's which only existed in Santa Monica under the ownership of Ken Sprague before Pete and Tim and Ed bought the place.

And both CF and Clinton asked Bill if he'd mimd if the both of them would leave Bill's gym and prep for the America at Gold's believing that it would be adventageous to do so in order to win or place high in the contest.

I recall the above as being pretty accurate but I forget the date and who won the A that year.

Was it Dave John's? And exactly where did Dave train? I never saw him at Bill's nor Gold's.

And I sort of recall a pretty bad incident the following year when CF competed in the A when it was held back east and started yelling at the judges while doing his solo routine during the prejudging or the finals. Has that incident ever been documented or simply overlooked?

We might have discussed this earlier but I gotta assume you knew Rob Johnson. Solo, and Wayne Bouvier from Bill's back then or were you there when Harry(?) ran the place?

Might have discussed this earlier also but ..... Rory L. was a teenager back then who traied in a gym a few miles further east and Rob would drive out there to get a haircut from Rory in back of the gym. The gym was located at the very eastern edge of the LA basin before it turned into the desert wasteland. Do you recall the name of that gym and who owned it? And did you know Rory back then?

From what I remember Tony Pearson won the America that year. I think that was also the same year that CF pulled down his trunks and mooned the judges after his placement was announced. Pretty sure that was also the last year he ever competed.

The gym I think you're referring to that Rory trained at was Olympus Gym in Montebello (E.LA) Rory was there first and then I was there in the early 80's as well. I didn't know Rory as a teenager, we met in 1980 when I was 17.

And yes, I knew all of those guys, Wayne, Solo, Rob, Bill's son Phil and of course Harry (loved his weed).