Irvin ‘Zabo’ Koszewski passes away – RIP
Sunday afternoon, I received the news from Lonnie Teper that Irvin ‘Zabo’ Koszewski has passed away, at the age of 84. While I didn’t know Irvin, I had heard his name a number of times from the past, as he was considered a great bodybuilder.
Here, from the ifbb.com website, is all about the Bodybuilder Hall of Famer. Irvin ‘Zabo’ Koszewski was born August 20, 1924 in Camden, New Jersey.
In the history of our sport, perhaps no one has been identified with – and applauded for – a particular Bodypart more than Irvin “Zabo” Koszewski; so much so that his nickname is better known and more used than his proper first name. Throw in the fact that he has been a Muscle Beach fixture for more than 50 years, and it is clear why he was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Zabo’s quest for a perfect midsection began at the age of seven, after seeing photographs of Eugen Sandow’s abdominal development. This early determination would serve him well later in life, when he would seldom fail to win best abs in the contests he entered.
While in high school, athletic Zabo lettered in track, swimming and wrestling, and he was also captain of the football team, for which he was selected as an all-state guard. He began weight training outdoors at Roberts Lake in Collingswood, New Jersey, and when the lake was closed for the winter, Zabo brought home the barbells and began a gym in his basement.
In 1943, Zabo enlisted in the army infantry, along with training partner Dino Mazzo; a photo of Zabo from that year appeared in Strength & Health magazine when he was stationed in Utica, New York. During his enlistment, Zabo served in New Zealand and Australia, and he fought in three combat landings. While in Japan, he was stationed near an iron foundry and was able to improvise his training by using odd pieces of iron. However, malaria and dengue fever reduced his 185 pounds to 135.
Zabo continued his training when he returned stateside; he won Mr. New Jersey in 1948, as well as the junior and senior Mr. Middle Atlantic titles in 1950. The following year, he stepped foot on Muscle Beach in California and knew he had found home. Between 1950 and 1954, he would win Mr. Pacific Coast and Mr. California titles and enter the AAU Mr. America contest four times, achieving placings of 13th, 5th, and 3rd (two times) – while always winning best abs.
At the 1965 Mr. America, held in conjunction with the inaugural Mr. Olympia, Zabo placed third in the medium class, he won, of course, best abs. Two years later, he won the Mr. International medium class, as well as the unique title of World’s Best Abs. His bodybuilding successes led to mainstream notoriety, as he landed a part in the TV series Combat for five years, worked in movies and toured with the Mae West Show.
Evidence of Zabo’s longevity can be found in his participation in the 1970 Pro World event in Columbus, Ohio, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Oliva faced off in the tall division, and Zabo landed fourth in the short class. By 1978, he was honored as the Venice Beach Bodybuilding Man of the Year. Zabo is still employed by World Gym in Venice.
I have known zabo for over 40 years. worked out together in the original Golds Gym on Pacific ave. Venice. I also am from New Jersey,and was AAU Mr.New Jersey 1965 and won the Mr Middle Atlantic AAU Senior Title in 1967.Nice to have won the same titles. I am sadend by his passing.
Charlie Fautz
I knew the handsome Zabo for many years from woking out at the old World Gym and new gym in Venice, always watching him work those abs. He was a treasure to know and funny in his own curmudgeon way. I am deeply sorry for his loss.
The passing of Zabo represents another, sad loss, and the fading away of the old Muscle Beach scene. I remember watching him work his abs for a half an hour each day in Joe Gold’s old World Gym on Brooks and Pacific in Venice.
I just got a call from my good Friend Ron Packham “Frenchie” I met Ron working on a Pilot in California many years ago. I also met Zabo when I was standing in on a TV show (1985) called “At Ease” I was getting dressed in a trailer on location and this really tan older guy next to me pulls his pants off and I saw his legs and said what up with the muscles dude (I’m 24 & Zabo is 63) and he said in his very mellow way, ah I work out a bit. I became good Friends with Zabo and Frenchie and would go to Zabo’s pad in Santa Monica and listen to all of his amazing stories about how he traveled with Mae West in a Vaudeville act and I learned how he helped Joe Gold start his Gym. Frenchie was here from Thiland a few months back and we were trying to find Zabo’s address with is daughter in New Jersey so we could take a trip up and see him ( I live in Maryland) but we couldn’t find him and the he went back to Cal. Ron Packham kept asking if we could go up to NJ ans see someone named Charlie, was that you? Zabo was one in a million, He was loved by many. More than i’m sorry that he’s gone I’d rather say that it was great to have known him
When Zabo walked down the Ocean Front Walk along Muscle Beach, tan in a sleeveless white shirt it was an image of self confidence, composed, understated, undiminished greatness of a person. He showed us that a great build can be with out the lats, and what a funny wry sense of humor.
When Ivan walked doing the walk at Muscle Beach wearing a whit e sleeveless under shirt his build was a show stopper. People would look, Zabo was cool, calm and understated with out the need to get huge lats to exude the greatness of being.
I had the pleasure of training with Zabe at the Camden, New Jersey YMCA, along with Joe Berg, Henry Struszewski, Ed Gloway, Jim Leason and others whose names I’ve forgotten. I also enjoyed having an occasional beer and a game of darts with Zabe at a little bar around the corner from the Y.
Noone ever worked harder or deserved success more!
I hope they have a body builders’ gym in Heaven.