SCOTT, I think I saw the Super-8 version of that DVD you mentioned above. I saw it when DVD's weren't even thought of yet. Even computers were non-existant.
If that contest coverage included a competitor by the name of Rock Stonewall, I definitely saw it. And Scott was damn impressive.
Years later when Pete G and the partners sponsored the Nationals in Las Vegas, we had a reception party for all the VIPs and I finally had the opportunity to sit and have a short talk with Mr. Stonewall as well as many other of the old time greats whose names I have long forgotten.
And speaking of Mr Hoffman ,,, there's enough of a story there to fill a book and produce a major motion picture unless some of the participants pass away before it's written and put to print, but I was partially involved in an insignificant capacity when all this historical bodybuilding stuff was going on and was a prart at the major meeting when all the big shots got together to make the decision to break away from the AAU and then to accept the invitation from Joe and Ben to become somewhat associated with the IFBB as it was back then.
That meeting was helkd in the Santa Monica CIvic AUditorium the Sunday following Gary Leonard's win of the Mr America title .
Just about eveyone who was anyone was in attendence including the likes of the Hofffmam group led by Mr Terpak (if my memory serves me well), Dan Louri, Joe and Ben Weider, and a large contingent of people who were somehow associated the the Weider's in the past, some of whom did not speak in favor of their former bosses.
One old time weider associate even took the floor to inform one and all that the International IFBB was mainly composed of individual foreign PO Boxes from which small kids would pick up the mail on a continual basis.
But that meeting was run on a formal and very legal basis (Robert's Rules of Order) and it was Ben Weider himself who was hte only individual pereson who showed up in a suit and tie (an Oxford looking blazer) fully prepared and made an offer to the present governing body whose names I have forgotten except for the likes of Jerome weise and Ralph Countryman.
When the proper time arrive, Ben took the follr and make something like the following offer ...
a. The IFBB would recognize the NPC as the sole governing body for all amateur bodybuilding contests that were to be held in the US and its possessions.
b. In return the IFBB would not sanction nor promote amateur bodybuilding contests within the US and/or its possessions.
c, And the NPC would recognize the IFBB as the sole governing bodybuilding organization for professional bodybuilding contests within the US and as the sole governing bodybuilding organization for amateur and professional bodybuilding events outside of the USA.
This resulted in numeeous and very heavy arguments from the floor ... mainly from the Hoffman group and Dan L. ... but a vote was taken and the Weiders won the day.
Ben and a very silent Joe won that day because they made an offer that could not be refused .... while the others came unprepared and left disappointed.
The Weiders has the advantage due to the fact that they had a magazine that was in full support of the bodybuilders and refused to use bodybuilding competitions to draw a crowd for the monotony of many hours of Olympilc lifting competitions in which the bodybuilding comps were held after the lifting trophies were presented which was more than once ... about 2 PM in the morning.
More stuff went on ... but that's enough
