Author Topic: Looking Back - Blasts from the past  (Read 343608 times)

Tony Doherty

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Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« on: September 11, 2013, 05:45:02 AM »
I have been through boxes and boxes of photos that I have taken over the last 25 years of promoting and had them all scanned. Thought I would start a thread where I can share some pics most of you will have never seen. I will tell a few stories as I go, it's funny how a pic can remind you of a time and place and even bring back stuff you may have forgotten.

These are my own photos that I have dug out after many years.

Here we go!

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2013, 05:48:48 AM »
Dorian's first ever USA show, New York Night Of Champions 1990 with Beneziza who won the show. I got to MC the contest which was a big thing for me at the time, I went from a small country town in Australia to the Beacon Theater on Broadway.

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2013, 05:58:52 AM »
Here is a shot from about 1990 with one of my inspirations. Pete Grymkowski. I was just a nobody with a hunger to win and he told me about dreaming big and welcomed me to his world. Gold's Gym Venice. Pete was one of the largest bodybuilders of his era, competing at over 240 pounds. He began his career by winning his hometown title of Mr. Rochester (New York) in 1968. He then went on to win the 1970 AAU Mr. Eastern America, the 1971 AAU Junior Mr. USA and the 1972 AAU Junior Mr. America. In 1977 Grymkowski started competing in the IFBB and took home the Heavy Weight titles at both the Mr. America and Mr. World. After retiring from competition in 1979 Pete was one of a group of partners who bought and then transformed Gold's Gym into the worldwide empire that it is today. He sold the gym chain in 1999 but continues to be active in many areas of sport and business while devoting the majority of time to his family life. Thanks Pete, you will never know how much it meant to me.

OneMoreRep

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2013, 06:14:14 AM »
AnabolicHalo,

Don't bother Tony with nonsense. He is starting a nice thread that everyone will appreciate.

Your posts will be removed to keep the integrity of the thread.

"1"

P.S. Tony, I am making this a sticky.

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2013, 06:15:29 AM »
Phil Hill and Sonny Schmidt backstage at maybe Niagara Falls 1990. Phil Hill was awesome and could really pose, then disappeared from bodybuilding.

Mr. Zimbabwe

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2013, 06:23:35 AM »
Cool pics so far Tony! This will be a great thread! I remember that NOC show and kinda felt Dorian could have even won it despite the freaky conditioning of Benaziza?  Congrats on being MC! I see Beckles, Phil Hill(?), Bob Paris and Robbie Robinson in the back ground.

Had dinner in 1999 with Pete Grymkowski & friends in Venice Beach and he seemed a great guy. He insisted on covering dinner for all 8 of us. I was fresh off the boat from Africa!

Ronnie Rep

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2013, 07:15:09 AM »
Great thread Tony, keep those pics coming! I trained at the first Golds Gym in Florida for years, Golds Gym in Sunrise Florida! The owner Ken Beley was good friends with Grymko! He told me all kinds of stories about him how he loved to party, said he was a great guy! Never got to meet him though! Saw Grymko in the 1980 Pro Florida Show! He got 4th place he was the biggest guy onstage!

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2013, 08:31:35 AM »
You have some GREAT pics....followed your saga on BB.com. Looking for some new pics from you. BTW why do you ride your chopper on the wrong side of the street....mate?

old-school-lifter

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2013, 06:35:54 PM »
Here is a shot from about 1990 with one of my inspirations. Pete Grymkowski. I was just a nobody with a hunger to win and he told me about dreaming big and welcomed me to his world. Gold's Gym Venice. Pete was one of the largest bodybuilders of his era, competing at over 240 pounds. He began his career by winning his hometown title of Mr. Rochester (New York) in 1968. He then went on to win the 1970 AAU Mr. Eastern America, the 1971 AAU Junior Mr. USA and the 1972 AAU Junior Mr. America. In 1977 Grymkowski started competing in the IFBB and took home the Heavy Weight titles at both the Mr. America and Mr. World. After retiring from competition in 1979 Pete was one of a group of partners who bought and then transformed Gold's Gym into the worldwide empire that it is today. He sold the gym chain in 1999 but continues to be active in many areas of sport and business while devoting the majority of time to his family life. Thanks Pete, you will never know how much it meant to me.

great stuff TD

great happy pants

living the dream!  :)

old-school-lifter

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2013, 06:37:11 PM »
Phil Hill and Sonny Schmidt backstage at maybe Niagara Falls 1990. Phil Hill was awesome and could really pose, then disappeared from bodybuilding.

what happened to phil hill

he had some great wheels

look forward to some classic pics from TD!

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2013, 07:05:57 PM »
Dorian's first ever USA show, New York Night Of Champions 1990 with Beneziza who won the show. I got to MC the contest which was a big thing for me at the time, I went from a small country town in Australia to the Beacon Theater on Broadway.

Some mad history in that line up!

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2013, 10:15:13 PM »

great happy pants

living the dream!  :)

How about these for happy pants.

Interviewing Greg "many happypants" Kovaks on stage in Melbourne when he was the biggest unit in the world.

He was close to 400lbs at the time. Got some funny stories about that tour.

old-school-lifter

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2013, 10:32:33 PM »
TD
you looked pretty jacked yourself there in that blue T shirt!  :)

what were you weighing then?

any pics of Vic richards, Ronnie, Nasser would be great

thanks for this thread!

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2013, 10:56:30 PM »
TD
you looked pretty jacked yourself there in that blue T shirt!  :)

what were you weighing then?

any pics of Vic richards, Ronnie, Nasser would be great

thanks for this thread!

I was about 108kg there, more to come

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2013, 11:12:15 PM »
Here I am at about 110kg.

I liked this off season look

old-school-lifter

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2013, 11:40:25 PM »
110kg and hard!

looking very good there , classic 90's BB lumberjack sleeveless muscle shirt  :)

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #16 on: September 12, 2013, 01:17:39 AM »
A shot I took of Flex Wheeler along the way late 90s.
I remember thinking everything is round, there has never been anyone like this.
Dude from another planet.

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2013, 05:57:15 AM »
A shot I took backstage at the Ironman Pro in LA around 2000.

Hurricane Beef !

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #18 on: September 12, 2013, 07:04:01 AM »
Here I am at about 110kg.

I liked this off season look

Looked great. What was your cycle like?

THE BEEF

funk51

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #19 on: September 12, 2013, 10:59:01 AM »
great thread keep pics   coming. 8) 8) 8)
F

DroppingPlates

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #20 on: September 12, 2013, 11:26:22 AM »
AnabolicHalo,

Don't bother Tony with nonsense. He is starting a nice thread that everyone will appreciate.

Your posts will be removed to keep the integrity of the thread.

"1"

P.S. Tony, I am making this a sticky.

Appreciated!

Man of Steel

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #21 on: September 12, 2013, 02:01:09 PM »
Now this is one of the coolest threads in a long time.

Tony Doherty

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #22 on: September 12, 2013, 05:54:51 PM »
This was a really cool day, I had Kevin Levrone in Australia early 90s to guest pose and he didn't know that Sonny would be in Melbourne at the time. So when I bought Sonny up on stage Kevin was genuinely touched and we had a great on stage chat with a few laughs. They knew each other really well from being on the road especially the European Grand Prix circuit. They had a great respect for each other and Sonny had some great Kevin stories.

My favorite one went something like this. They were at a seminar at a gym in Germany doing a Q&A type talk when one of the fans asked Kevin how strong he was, he answered, "pretty strong". They kept asking how many sets and reps etc. He finally answered by suggesting that they set up a bench and weights to find out how strong he was. Sonny said that completely cold, no warm up he benched at 4 plates a side and smashed out an easy 20 reps. Sonny and they fans could not believe their eyes and Kevin just kept on with the seminar like nothing special had happened.

old-school-lifter

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #23 on: September 12, 2013, 05:59:55 PM »
A shot I took of Flex Wheeler along the way late 90s.
I remember thinking everything is round, there has never been anyone like this.
Dude from another planet.


look how small Flex's joints are, esp his wrist joints
great illusion on stage

mong

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Re: Looking Back - Blasts from the past
« Reply #24 on: September 12, 2013, 07:18:56 PM »
Gotta agree with old school TD. That's one rock solid 110kg! Noticed Dex in the background from the 2000 shot and he's still going strong. Here's hoping this thread has a long and happy life. Any funny stories to accompany the pics? I realise talking out of school isn't yr style but maybe some of the more tame ones?