The Most Muscular Physique In America Contest
YOU were a lucky boy or girl if you were among the 3,000 spectators or participants that jam packed the Philadelphia Turners Hall, Broad St. and Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia last Saturday evening, May 4th, because it was there that we witnessed the greatest muscle show ever staged in this or any other country. In case you are not familiar, this contest was brought about chiefly because of a challenge by one Dan Lurie of Brooklyn issued to John Grimek of York, who won the Mr. America contest in Madison Square Garden May 25th, 1940, and who again won the same title of Mr. America in the Arena Philadelphia, May 26th, 1941, and who might have gone on winning this coveted title again had not the National Committee decided, after the 1941 event, that a man could win the title only once. That was the proper thing to do. The Mr. America contest is now an annual event held in connection with the National A.A.U. Senior Weight Lifting Championships. Just 10 years ago Grimek won the National A.A.U. Senior heavyweight weight lifting championship and 5 years ago this month he won the title of Mr. America, right in the same city where last Saturday night was staged the spectacular contest. Why, after all those years, would Grimek be called the most Muscular Man in America? Certainly we who know him can truthfully say that he never has claimed to be such, but there are thousands who say he is. When he entered the Mr. America Contest in the Garden in 1940, he was like every other contestant, he wanted to win, and win he did, the 10 famous judges chose him for the title. The same thing happened in Philly in 1941. I was invited and served as a judge for the weight lifting, not the Mr. America contest, in the memorable Seniors in the Garden in 1940 and the Arena in 1941, so I saw these contests first hand. They were wonderful meets, but we will have more of them, even bigger and better, because weight lifting is a real sport and a sport of real men. The Juniors in the Goodyear gym at Akron on Sunday, May 19th and the Seniors at the Cass Technical High School, Detroit, June 1st and 2nd are going to be big events with high class lifting, and worth going many miles to see.
And so, nearly five years after the 1941 Mr. America contest Grimek is challenged by Lurie to a contest. Letters and words, some of them rather harsh, went back and forth, printed in the S. & H. and other magazines. Nobody got hurt, unless their feelings were, and many of you who read this article probably read the challenge and reply and formed your own opinion, and those who take their weight lifting and body building real seriously were all "het up" about it. I know the Pittsburgh boys were, because both Grimek and Lurie appeared on the posing platform for an exhibition after the 1945 Junior Nationals, which I had the pleasure of promoting and directing here in Pittsburgh last May 5th, 1945. That audience had a good chance to see both of these athletes give an exhibition on the same platform only about 10 minutes apart. I could tell you which one of the two that our audience thought was the better, but it wouldn't be ethical. I was only a director, not a judge. We all appreciated their coming to Pittsburgh, also the hundreds of other visitors who came for our shows. So this fellow Frank Percival, the Secretary Treasurer of the Middle Atlantic Association A.A.U. and who is also the Managing Director of the Philadelphia Turners got busy and arranged the contest, not just for these two men, but a real open contest, open to any qualified A.A.U. athlete, and it caught on like wildfire. It was no easy job for Percival and his Committee. Later I will give you the details, but first I must state that the contest committee selected five well known and famous former strong men and weight lifting champions for the judges. All 5 were well known for their prowess and integrity and 5 of the finest men I ever met. I was asked to serve as the official to summarize the points awarded by the judges for each height class, which wasn't too hard to do, and I therefore worked with them throughout the contest. I had never met them before, but heard a lot of them many times. They were impartial, fair and square in their judging, and awarded the points on the merits of the contestants. Well, who do you think was the ultimate winner of the title? There were 14 of us from Pittsburgh, most of us stayed Saturday night at the Central Y in rooms that I had reserved .two weeks before, so early Sunday morning we got the Sunday Philadelphia papers and turning to the Sports page of the Philadelphia Record, there were these large" headlines "GRIMEK GRABS MUSCLE TITLE AS 2,000 GASP." The article was very interesting as it went on to say "Sinatra lost his swoon title last night. To the accompaniment of thunderous applause and deeply appreciative feminine sighs, John Grimek's 200 pound mass of muscles won him the title of 'America's Most Muscular Physique.' Grimek, Mr. America of 1940 and 1941 received the judges' nod over 26 other famous muscle men in the Middle Atlantic A. A. U. sanctioned contest at the Turners, Broad and Columbia. The 2,000 spectators (there were 3,000 according to .the officer at the door) cheered a muscle ripple much louder than a Shibe Park crowd does a home run and saw more than the advertised poses per man." The article then went on to say that "Dan Lurie of Brooklyn, the Challenger, who was seated in the audience leaped to the stage to explain why he wasn't competing against Grimek." He asked Bob Hoffman, who was acting as Master of Ceremonies if he could use the "Mike" which Bob turned over to him, and his first words were "I ain't gonna pose unless i got fair officials" which must have been quite a compliment to the 5 judges. Then on second thought he said "I don't mean nothing against those men sitting down there." He then went on to say that the meet wasn't properly sanctioned by the A. A. U. and that Mr. Wortmann didn't know anything about it. It so happened that Mr.. Wortmann did know about it, but it was not a weight lifting contest and Wortmann probably was not concerned. The irate Frank Percival then came to the microphone and told the audience that the contest was sanctioned by the A. A. U. and explained that he was the Secretary of the M. A. District for over 20 years, and that all the contests in his district were run according to the rules of the A. A. U. I know this to be a fact as he wrote me to be sure to furnish Travel Permits for the 4 Pittsburgh boys which I had entered in the Contest. This I did and each boy had his A. A. U. current card. I happen to be the Chairman of the Allegheny Mountain Association A. A. U. Weight Lifting Committee and Vice Chairman of the National A. A. U. Weight Lifting Committee as well as Athletic Commissioner of the Downtown Y.M.C.A., Pittsburgh, and we too try to run our contests according to the rules so that no one can complain about that. I have before me one of the official entry blanks which Frank Percival sent to me weeks before and here is the exact wording at the top.
OFFICIAL ENTRY BLANK FOR THE MOST MUSCULAR PHYSIQUE IN AMERICA CONTEST
Sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic A. A. U. Association
Place: - Philadelphia Turners Hall.
Address: - Broad St. at Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia.
Date: - May 4th, 1946.
Time: - 8 P.M.
Then a space was provided for each contestant to fill in his A. A. U. Registration number. That should settle the question as to whether the meet was or was not sanctioned.
It would take a book to tell all about the great show last Saturday night, but these are the highlights as I saw them sitting in the front row working with the 5 judges. My friend Ray Van Cleef asked me if I would write an article about it. Was glad to oblige Ray and here it is. I am the happiest man in Pittsburgh today because my son, a Corporal in the U. S. Marines, just returned this afternoon to Pittsburgh from Sasebo, Japan, after 3 years in the Marine Service. He took part in the invasion of Japan, then his outfit was sent to Nagasaki, where the second atomic bomb did a neat job, and the Marines were living in the headquarters at Sasebo, a few miles north, the former Japanese Naval and submarine Base. He is in great shape. And a few months ago my daughter's husband, who was a Lt. Commander in the Navy, and whose ship was in the famous Battle of Bougainville, returned also from the Pacific and has resumed' his practice in Harrisburg. Incidentally he and my daughter are both graduates, he a dentist and she a dietician of Temple University, only a few blocks from where the contest was held last Saturday night, so that is familiar territory to me, as I passed .the Turners many times a few years back, while the daughter was attending college. While her husband was in the Pacific she worked with the Consolidated Aircraft Corp. in San Diego helping build B-29 Bombers, which did quite a job on Tokyo and other points. But that is getting off the subject, so back to the show and what a show it was.
The eagerly awaited America's Most Muscular Physique contest proved to be an exciting and outstanding event. Probably no other contest of this nature aroused such widespread interest. The Philadelphia newspapers became aware of the ardent interest attached to this competition and they responded by devoting some publicity to this event. One press notice appropriately referred to the contest as "The Battle of the Bulges." As to be expected, the large main auditorium of the Philadelphia Turners' Hall was crammed with enthusiastic spectators. The audience totaled fully three thousand. A considerable number traveled hundreds of miles to witness this memorable tournament. One zealous fan made a trip from South America in order to witness this contest. The spectators included many prominent personalities in weight lifting and physical culture circles, such as Bill and Walter Good, Mark Berry, Dr. Jesse M. Gehman, Dave Mayor, John Terlazzo, Bob Jones, and John Fritshe.
The show started promptly on schedule and the auditorium was already filled to the brim. The vast majority of the spectators were "early birds."' Many was present several hours in advance of the starting time. Some arrived as early as noon hour.
Bob Hoffman serving as master of ceremonies opened the show with a fitting introduction of the 5 officiating judges. His introduction concisely covered the highlights in the careers of each judge. Never has a contest been honored with a more famous or better qualified group of officials. Each and every one of the judges has attained enduring fame in weight lifting and physical culture circles. They were 1. Harry Hall of Glendora, New Jersey, attained fame as a middleweight lifting champion. Took part in a number of contests 20 or more years ago and succeeded in winning championships and establishing records. 2. Canada was represented by her most famous physical culture instructor, Bill Oliphant. The Oliphant Physical Culture Institute in Toronto has for years contributed much to the advancement of weight lifting and body building under Bill Oliphant's expert direction. 3. Ottley Coulter of Lemont, Penna. was another of the distinguished judges. Besides being a champion professional strongman athlete Coulter is one of the most capable authorities on subjects related to body building and weight lifting. 4. Charles MacMahon of Camden, New Jersey was member of the noted officials. He attained fame as an all around strongman athlete and contributed many educational articles dealing with health and exercise to physical culture publications. 5. The winner of the Strongest Man In America title in 1922, Antony Matysek of Baltimore was another member of the five famous judges. Like his fellow judges, Matysek is a prominent and well qualified authority on all phases of physical culture. Just having the opportunity to see these famous veteran athletes provided the audience with a rare treat which they appreciated.
The first number on the program was a posing and muscle control display given by that world famous strength athlete, Siegmund Klein. Klein's exceptional physique combined with his professional finesse in posing held the spectators spellbound with admiration. Though a great many had witnessed Klein's superb posing act on different occasions in the past it was evident by the reaction of the audience that Klein's exhibition has perennial appeal.
Following Klein's act the contestants in Class A competed. This group consisted of athletes whose height did not exceed 5 feet 3 3/4 inches. Out of a possible maximum total of 50 points Richard Bachtell, representing the York Bar Bell Club, was the winner with a total of 48 points. Joseph Thaler of Brooklyn was second with 37 points and William Goldberg of New York City was third with 30 points. Each contestant in this group, as well as in the other groups, assumed three different poses presenting their physique from different angles so that the judges were enabled to properly examine and evaluate the merits of each contestant.
A novel variety act was presented by Siegmund Klein in the form of a barbell juggling routine. Klein again demonstrated his showmanship and versatile ability. A number of difficult stunts were included in this exhibition and all were accomplished with ease. The act was terminated with an unexpected bit of humor. Klein at the conclusion of his act placed the bar bell on the floor and proceeded to walk off the stage into the wing. As he did the barbell commenced to roll forward on the sloping floor and came to an abrupt halt when it struck the footlights and smashed several of the electric bulbs. The noise and sensation of expecting to see the barbell roll of the stage caused some of the members of the fair sex present to release shrill shrieks. About 20% of the audience were ladies, and they "let down their hair".
At the beginning of the program Bob Hoffman announced that Dan Lurie was invited to participate in this contest. Being aware that Lurie was present in the front portion of the reserved section as a spectator Bob Hoffman urged him to compete in this tournament. Before Class B, which would have been the group Lurie belonged in as a contestant, was judged Bob Hoffman mentioned that Lurie would have been granted what is usually considered the most favorable appearance in a competition of this nature; the opportunity to be the last man to pose in the group. Despite the fact that Lurie is a professional he could have been judged in this contest by allowing a sufficient period of time to elapse between his appearance and that of the amateur contestants. Lurie and the rest of the audience were informed of this by Bob Hoffman. Though it was possible for Lurie to compete in this outstanding physique contest and even though he was publicly urged to participate he refused to compete against the extraordinary physical specimens that were participating in this contest.
Class B, which consisted of athletes whose height ranged from 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 1/2 inches, was won by Sam Loprinzi of Portland, Oregon. Loprinzi was granted a nearly 100% rating by the judges for his total number of points was 49. The audience instantly recognized that Sam Loprinzi possesses one of the finest physiques in the world and a wonderful personality. Photos do not overrate or flatter his truly magnificent physique. Dan Bax, my husky little friend of Niagara Falls, New York was second in this class with a total of 40 points. George Waselinko of Dupont, Pa. was third with 39 points. The rating of the other contestants in this group is as follows:
Elmer Ward of Philadelphia, 37 points; Joseph Nadzier of Marlton, New Jersey, 30 points; Walter Johnson of Chester, Pa., 26 points and Anthony Gobeo of Middletown, New York received 25 points.
The audience was entertained following the judging of the contestants in Class B with a first rate professional hand and head balancing act by Lou Karnes. This performer performed a number of exceptional feats, including some contortion stunts, which the spectators appreciated. The final stunt was a thrilling one. Consisted of doing a free head balance and revolving while maintaining this balance on top of a special perch mounted on his balancing table prop.
One of the contestants, Elmer Ward of Philadelphia, gave Frank Sinatra a bit of competition by rendering a couple of popular selections. Next time, Elmer, bring your own orchestra.
Kimon Voyages of New York City won the Class C division, which was restricted to those whose height ranged from 5 feet 6 3/4 inches to 5 feet 8 1/4 inches, when he received a total of 48 points. Voyages' herculean physique was most impressive. Jules Bacon, representing the York Bar Bell Club, was a close second for the points awarded to him totaled 47. George Lapausky, the speed skating superman, a member of the York Bar Bell Club, placed third with 36 points. The rating of the other contestants in this group is as follows:
Donald Ray of Pittsburgh, 34 points; Russell Green of Wilmington, Del. 30 points and John Stewart of Pittsburgh received 23 points.
A youthful amateur equilibrist, Morris Moritz from new York City, then provided a remarkable exhibition of contortion, hand balancing and tumbling. Morris Moritz is one of the very few hand balancers capable of duplicating Prof. Paulinetti's astounding one hand stand plange balance. He included this extremely difficult stunt in his routine. That after noon in testing the lighting effects on the posing platform Morris Moritz, who is a member of the East Side Bar Bell Club, maintained this one arm plange balance on several occasions for ten or more seconds.
Brenda and Barry, a professional act from Philadelphia, presented their first rate balancing act. A number of difficult stunts were performed with professional finesse. At the conclusion of their routine the understander of this husband and wife team performed a number of balancing feats with his son, David. The stunts accomplished duplicated some of the ones that were previously performed with the boy's mother. Though the stunts were difficult and in some cases hazardous the youthful topmounter, who was only about four years old, performed them with the confidence and ease of a veteran trouper. needless to say, this act was accorded generous applause.
There was particularly keen interest in Class D, chiefly because John Grimek of the York Bar Bell Club was one of the contestants in this division. This group included those whose height varied from 5 feet 8 1/2 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. Grimek was awe inspiring in his impressive posing display. He received a nearly perfect score for his rating was 49 points in winning in this class. Joe Shaw of Toronto, Canada placed second with 35 points. This Canadian athlete represented the Oliphant Academy of Physical Culture. Joseph Masyle of Pittsburgh, co-holder of the title "Mr. Allegheny", was third with a total of 31 points.
At the conclusion of the judging of this Class D group it was announced to the audience that Siegmund Klein was willing to compete with Dan Lurie in a most muscular physique contest. The fact that Klein is also a professional eliminated Lurie from employing the same alibi that he resorted to in evading an active role as a contestant in Ameirca's Most Muscular Physique contest that was taking place. Klein's challenge put Lurie on the spot and many of the spectators began to clamor for action by demanding in no uncertain terms that Lurie should participate in the proposed contest. After enduring a barrage of uncomplimentary comments expressed in a boisterous manner by some of the rabid spectators for a brief duration Lurie came forth. he came up on the stage and proceeded to address the audience. When Bob Hoffman asked the audience whether they wished to hear Lurie talk or see him pose the response from the spectators, of course, strongly indicated that they wished to witness Lurie in action. But Lurie persisted in continuing his vocal outcry. During the course of his rather heated talk, which was amplified by the microphone, he made disparaging remarks about the judges and made several false statements, such as claiming that the America's Most Muscular Physique contest was not sanctioned by the A.A.U. This was not true and was a short while later refuted by Frank N. Percival, for many years Secretary-Treasurer of the Middle-Atlantic Association of the A.A.U., when he made a brief impromptu talk to the spectators to correct this false statement that Lurie issued. This contest was, of course, legitimate and was sanctioned by the Middle-Atlantic Association of the A.A.U. The unscheduled talks terminated with the 49 year old Bill Oliphant of Toronto, Canada, one of the judges, expressing some statements concerning the genuineness of this contest.
After this verbal clash which had the audience in an uproar came to a halt, the regular program continued and Lurie retired to one of the dressing rooms back stage. George Shandor and John Jurgielwicz provided the audience with a heavy poundage demonstration of the three Olympic lifts. Some creditable lifts were performed by these two members of the York Bar Bell team. Incidentally, George Shandor recently won the heavyweight title in the Senior Middle Atlantic Championships. At the Juniors in Pittsburgh last May 5th he snatched 250 and cleaned and jerked 320 but missed his 3 attempts in the Press.
The judging of the final class E group followed this brief lifting demonstration. This group consisted of athletes who were 5 feet 10 1/4 inches in height or taller. In this unlimited tall men's division the "Mr. America" of 1944, Steve Stanko of the York Bar Bell club, was the winner with a total of 49 points. Joe Lauriano, Junior "Mr. America" of 1945, representing the York Bar Bell team placed second with 46 points. Marshall Grenuick of Montreal, Canada came in third with a total of 42 points. The rating of the other contestants in this group is as follows:
Constantine Kosiras of Philadelphia, 36 points; Fred Harmening of Pittsburgh, the other co-holder of the title "Mr. Allegheny", 30 points; Henry Struczewski of Camden, New Jersey also received 30 points and Leonard Heinz of Chicago received 29 points.
Bill Oliphant served in a double capacity, for besides judging he furnished the audience with an impromptu demonstration which was highly entertaining. Showed a novel "cure" for a headache by pounding the seat of a sturdy wooden chair against the top of his head so vigorously that the thumps were heard throughout the auditorium. He also did some advanced contortion feats to show how supple he is. Oliphant is amazing for his years.
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