Sergio's Wedding

[Sergio Rules 77]

I've just started scanning all my old bodybuilding mags which have articles on Sergio and thought I'd share with you this pic from Sergio's first wedding in 1970. Many, many more Sergio articles to come.

SERGIO!!!!

[Slick Vic]

Very cool, Sergio Ruless 77!!! Thanks! 

[Joe Roark]

Strength & Health July 1966 mentions that when Sergio defected from Cuba he left behind a wife and two children. This is the only mention of this I have ever encountered.
So. perhaps he was married in the early sixties?

[slaveboy1980]

yes mr roark I have heard that he left a wife and a couple of kids in cuba when he defected in 1962.

but mr roark did you know that a friend of sergio claims that mr oliva wasnt born in 1941..he claims he was born before that!

[Joe Roark]

yes mr roark I have heard that he left a wife and a couple of kids in cuba when he defected in 1962.

but mr roark did you know that a friend of sergio claims that mr oliva wasnt born in 1941..he claims he was born before that!

What is the other date of birth claimed?

[slaveboy1980]

What is the other date of birth claimed?

its not an exact date..let me find the link: http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=70811.msg1044454#msg1044454

[Joe Roark]

1931? I see the claim, I don't see any substantiation. Sergio has never (to my knowledge) in print claimed to be a decade older than is generally ascribed to him.
The timelines and references (unlike in Beckles case) fit neatly into an early 1940s birthdate.
If born in 1931, he would now be 75. Not likely, but that's only my opinion.

[Sergio Rules 77]

Strength & Health July 1966 mentions that when Sergio defected from Cuba he left behind a wife and two children. This is the only mention of this I have ever encountered.
So. perhaps he was married in the early sixties?

Thanks for that Joe. I didn't know that Sergio had a previous marriage than the one to Elma. I knew he had kids from a previous marriage that he doesn't stay in close contact with, but I assumed it was from his marriage to Elma.

SERGIO!!!!

[alexxx]

Cool. His taylor must have been dumbfounded on the sight of Sergio.

[Figo]

1931? I see the claim, I don't see any substantiation. Sergio has never (to my knowledge) in print claimed to be a decade older than is generally ascribed to him.
The timelines and references (unlike in Beckles case) fit neatly into an early 1940s birthdate.
If born in 1931, he would now be 75. Not likely, but that's only my opinion.

Beckles was born in 1892, wasnt he?

[Iceman1981]

Thanks for the photo my friend.

[Joe Roark]

In the new book on Sergio by Frank Marchante, the birth year for Sergio is now 1939.

However, there are many other factual errors in the book, so who knows!

[donrhummy]

1931? I see the claim, I don't see any substantiation. Sergio has never (to my knowledge) in print claimed to be a decade older than is generally ascribed to him.
The timelines and references (unlike in Beckles case) fit neatly into an early 1940s birthdate.
If born in 1931, he would now be 75. Not likely, but that's only my opinion.

In addition, I find it hard to believe that Cuba would have had a 31 year old guy on their olympic lifting team.

[donrhummy]

In the new book on Sergio by Frank Marchante, the birth year for Sergio is now 1939.

However, there are many other factual errors in the book, so who knows!

Does the book talk at all about the family he left behind?

[Joe Roark]

Does the book talk at all about the family he left behind?

Not in any meaningful depth. He writes a little about his strong brother, but does not name him. Does not name the children by his other marriage here in America, or his ex-wife for that matter. Or any of his siblings.

This is only my opinion, but when I read a biography, I am looking for leads to pursue, specifics to follow up on, facts to compare.

Some of the statements presented as facts, are not facts. In the intro by Kennedy, Sergio is credited with being the first black man to win several titles. In fact, he was only the first black man to win one of those listed titles.

I was left thinking what a missed opportunity to convey some meaty info about Sergio...

Photos are wonderful though

[donrhummy]

Not in any meaningful depth. He writes a little about his strong brother, but does not name him. Does not name the children by his other marriage here in America, or his ex-wife for that matter. Or any of his siblings.

This is only my opinion, but when I read a biography, I am looking for leads to pursue, specifics to follow up on, facts to compare.

Some of the statements presented as facts, are not facts. In the intro by Kennedy, Sergio is credited with being the first black man to win several titles. In fact, he was only the first black man to win one of those listed titles.

I was left thinking what a missed opportunity to convey some meaty info about Sergio...

Photos are wonderful though

It's a shame but I wasn't expecting much more from a bodybuilding biography (in terms of fact checking). But I am dissapointed to hear how little it offers. Sounds like it basically went through magazine articles already wirtten and put them into a book. What a waste.