BIX, Thanks for that Dayton link!
GetBiggers, This is another long post so heed that warning before jumping into it. It is mainly written to PELLIUS and some other GetBiggers who enjoy reading this old time stuff.
For the rest of you ...... Sorry about that!
Pellius, Thanks for the kick to my memory banks and now I do recall outr earlier 'conversation' about a good number of Kamainas whom I knew quite well .... especially Ernie Santiago (and actually his entire family), plus John and Paula (Suzuki) whom I have not seen in a very long time.
The very first and original Nautilus gym was owned by Dan Camp and was located in a small space on Kalakaua that was once the home of Dean's Gym where a very young "The Rock" used to run around while his dad lifted heavy things.
Dean's was a very local heavy duty lifting gym where most of the pro wrestlers trained and I was one of the very few Haoles who was allowed to train there simply because I had a 315 lb bench press and eventually
became good friends with the principal players.
Dan Camp set up his new Nautilus equipment there which was then vacant space for a very short time period with the help of my very good friend Steve Dussia who was the most active individual within all aspects of the weight and bodybuilding world most likely.
Steve competed in Bodybuilding events at the Nuuanu YMCA, and lited in Olympic lifting events at the Nuuanu YMCA, and participated in Powertlifting events at the Nuuanu YMCA and did a lot of contest prep for a good number of local and national contenders.
Steve was one of the most respected individuals when it came to giving lifting and bodybuilding advice to anyone who wanted to perfect heir lifts or physique.
The Nuuanu Y .....That where I met ODDJOB,,, Harold Sakada,Timmy Kono, and Peter George and a good number of older-timers within the game.
When Dan Camp moved his nautilus equipmet in that small school-side building mauka of the U of H, Steve joined him and trained individuals under the Nautilus system.
Then Hank and Valerie opened the big Nautilus place upstairs in that big bank building on Kapiolani(?) and ran a successful business and established the Iron Man which began with about 8 entries that first year.
As far as I can recall Valerie retained the rights to the Iron Man after their divorce while Hank retained ownership of the Nautilus gym
Sad to say that Mits and Dot and Karen have passed away.
Tommy Kono passed away.
Timmy Leong passed away.
Bill Starr has passed way.
Greg Lefcort (spelling?) has passed away just recently. (NPC Promoter)
And you all know that my good friend, Curtis Leffler, left us a few years back.
And his good friend Lyn passed away a few years back.
All of the above is based on long term memory so don't shoot me if I am not precise with the above statements. And if Hank or Valerie are reading this .... I have to apologize for any errors. Ditto for Dan Camp.
Steve Dussia eventually became a close associate with Bill Starr (the UH strength coach) and helped him train the athletes at that small UH campus gym which expanded later on.
We all helped Bill while he was writing ONLY THE STRONG WILL SURVIVE.
Steve recently wrote a long tribute about Bill after his passing and it is posted someplace on the internet. I think I kept a copy on thicker computer thing I got.
Steve spent a lot of time training Allison Brundage (Kahuku Hospital nurse) and she did well within bodybuilding comps but I forget how she placed at one of the nationals held in Las Vegas way back when. Have you ever heard of her?
To make this somewhat related to the topic subject .... As far as I know,
Ernie Santiago was among the first of his kind to go on a pre-contest diet of nothing other than POKE and water.
POKE - the raw fish kind. What the hell! YOU DON'T COOK POKE!
HE won two national titles that year and was among the first of his time to have striated glutes.
More to say but time is of the essence.
OK, thanks, Pellius... Signing off.
