Your Physique, Vol 6, No 1, Page 12, August 1946
THE now historic challenge to determine who has the most muscular physique, Dan Lurie or John Grimek, came to a ribald conclusion in a very crowded and noisy Turners Auditorium in Philadelphia the night of May 4th. The original issue of the challenge seemed to have been purposely confused, to the point of becoming a farce in which Bob Hoffman cast himself as the star. The original issue was completely buried beneath a landslide of B.S. and will probably remain there until someone who is clever enough to hold his nose with one hand and shovel with the other can dig it out.
We believe Dan Lurie's challenge was mad in the spirit of good sportsmanship and feel sure everybody would like to have seen it accepted in the same spirit. But the boys from York planned everything their own way, made a rather puzzling mystery out of the whole affair and talked in riddles about important issues that should have been made clear to everyone.
The Mother of all the little mysteries born of the Turner-Hoffman union in Philadelphia was just this: Why is Dan Lurie classed as a professional and John Grimek as an amateur, making it impossible for them to compete together on common ground? Maybe this is a silly question. maybe there is a simple explanation. But the fact remains that Mr. Hoffman did not clarify this issue. The audience would like to know these things, for what they definitely want to see was Lurie and Grimek on the stage together.
Mystery Number 2: Early in the evening Mr. Hoffman made a defensive statement to the effect that he had nothing to do with the planning of the show; that he came to it as a spectator even as you or I, and that he had been pressed into service as Master of Ceremonies at the last moment, apparently against his will. yet his name appeared on the program as the one who would introduce the judges, and when a famous strong man from a distant city arrived late and applied for entry he was told it would be up to Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Grimek to say whether or not he could enter. This statement should be enough for even a blind man to see who controlled the show.
Mr. Lurie sat in the audience with, I think, no intention of doing anything, since he challenge had not been accepted in a way that he could compete equally with Grimek. His admirers spotted him and set up such a howling din that something had to be done to bring the hall to order. Lurie finally agreed to show himself on the stage and climbed up to where Mr. Hoffman held forth at the microphone, much to Hoffman's obvious annoyance. Lurie wanted to speak. Hoffman didn't want him to. Lurie spoke! Hoffman made a lunge and grabbed Luire, as if to put him off the stage. Lurie clinched both fists and snarled, "Take your hands off me, Hoffman", and for a tense moment we thought fists were going to fly. Lucky they didn't for by this time the audience was enough wrought up to go into a grand free-for-all.
Hoffman took his hand off Lurie and stepped back, and Lurie tried to finish his speech. But by this time he was too mad to either think or speak clearly, and he made a fatal blunder when he blurted out that he had asked for a competition with fair judges. Whether he meant it or not the implication was that the judges officiating were not fair. So Lurie's goose was cooked right there, so far as getting a square deal was concerned. For you can't insult the judges at a contest and expect to come out a winner.
Finally Hoffman announced that Lurie would enter the contest and we were again hopeful of seeing Lurie and Grimek on the stage together. But again up jumps the Mama of all the little mysteries and were are reminded that Lurie is a professional and therefor cannot be seen with amateur Grimek. So Lurie was pushed out with two other "professionals", Sig Klein and Walter Podolok. Klein was given first place, Lurie second, and Podolok third. And that was the end of Lurie for the evening.
Altho Lurie did not acquit himself too well verbally he certainly gained much favor when he displayed his magnificent physique and we thought he made the most of the very awkward situation in which the boys from York placed him. He had plenty of admirers there when the show began, and by the time it had ended we fell he had won many new ones. Technically he lost, but the spoils do not always go to the victor. Maybe Lurie won a victory all his own in the host of new admirers he gained. And it is these new admirers of Lurie's, who went over to his camp through a love of fair play, who will in the future insist that these affairs be conducted with more wholesome ethics and less B.S.
I started out by calling the contest a farce, but so far have dwelt on some very drab melodrama. The farce elements will be brought out as we go along.
Another mystery: Why can't strong man shows be put on with some semblance of professional theatre? We, the audience, are accustomed to showmanship. We have it in radio, the movies, the dramatic and musical comedy stage, and when we pay more than a buck for a seat we resent being steeped in corn. Why can't there be a Master of Ceremonies with a smooth line of talk and a brisk but easy manner to keep the show moving? Why can't there be good music to put a little spirit into the evening? When Turners tin can piano began to beat out the Star Spangle Banner we all knew what we were in for. When that ordeal was over Mr. Hoffman assured us the man at the piano was a very fine musician, but that he hadn't heard him since he played at his mother's funeral! I am still wondering if that was an apology, an attempt at a joke, or just a dull statement of fact. Why can't there be good, professional lighting, in some measure comparable to the perfect bodies it is to illuminate? Mr. Hoffman announced with much pride that he had engaged the famous team of O'Brien-Pyle to come from New York to arrange the lighting and that we were very fortunate to have them. We were expectant. The curtain opened on the first contestant, William Goldberg of new York. "My Gawd!", I cried half aloud, "the man has no legs!" And then slowly, as my eyes became accustomed to the gloom I could see that the beautiful torso was standing on something - yes - maybe legs. A weird beam of yellow light shot down from somewhere in the flies defining beautifully the chest, shoulders and the first two abdominals, leaving the remainder of the body completely in shadow.
Then someone decided that maybe if the model stood farther back on the platform the light might fall on the lower body too, and from then on a strange, un-named creature in blue slack suit led each strong man onto the darken stage by the hand and solemnly pointed to the spot on the platform where he should stand, and then crept silently away as the spotlight flashed on the first pose: There was something grimly baptismal about this procedure and as the evening wore on it became screamingly funny, for we never did find out who this very patronizing creature was who behaved for all the world like the mad sorcerer in Tchaikowsky's ballet of Swan Lake.
The comedy highlight of the evening came after Sig Klein had juggled a huge barbell with super-human strength and really superb showmanship. When he had finished he put the bell down with a terrific thud that might have torn a hole through the floor of the stage. He took his bows amid thunderous applause and ran off. Just then the huge bell began to roll. Right towards the audience it came! We sat with bated breath as it crashed into the footlight trough, breaking some bulbs. Then, trying to be helpful, some little guy in a business suit ran on stage, grabbed up the bell in one small hand and ran off with it!-?-!
But even when he is debunked Mr. Klein is a good showman and a very fine example of his profession. His posing exhibition that opened the show was done with professional assurance and his fine physique and remarkable muscle control, after so many years should be a real source of inspiration to all younger athletes.
What the show lacked in production and management was in a large measure compensated for by the magnificence of the muscular marvels who participated. Practically all the entries were worthy aspirants to the title and all had professional bearing and fine posing ability.
In class "A", (up to 5 feet 3¾ inches) Richard Bactell of the York Barbell Club took first place, and in Class "B" (5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6½ inches) the sensational Sam Loprinzi of Portland, Oregon, with his herculean body and ingrating smile was first with everyone including the judges.
Class "C" (5 feet 6¾ inches to 5 feet 8¼ inches) was full of splendid specimens. Kimon Voyages placed first and his appearance was the cause of a fervent outburst of enthusiasm. We have never seen Voyages look so well. There was the spectacular Russel Green; Donald Ray, handsome and finely muscled; George Lapausky with magnificent legs; and Jules Bacon, handsome; poised and with muscles beautifully defined.
Class "D" (5 feet 8½ inches to 5 feet 10 inches) ushered in the appearance of the idol of all strength enthusiasts, John Grimek. Joe Shaw of Toronto, looked massive and terrific and would have been anybody's favorite had he not been competing with Grimek, who seemed to display himself half-heartedly but with all his native, ineffable charm. The audience went mad as they always do at sight of Grimek, and of course he placed first.
Class "E" (5 feet 10¼ inches upward) had an array of really sensational physique. First came Lou Cheski (I'm guessing at the spelling as his name was not on the program) who displayed a very beautiful and symmetrical body and fine poses. Fred Harmening of Pittsburgh has the perfect proportions of an artist's model, but he chewed gum grimly throughout his poses. Leonard Heinz of Chicago was massive and brutish. Constantine Kosiras of Philly has impressive definition and is classically handsome, Marshall Grenuck (Mr. Montreal) has fine proportions and plenty of bulk, all in the right places. He seems to radiate power, not only of body but of mind as well, and the audience received him enthusiastically. Joe Lauriano is a living masterpiece of sculpturesque beauty and displayed superb poses. But to this writer's opinion the big highlight of the entire evening was Steve Stanko. If we can forget the tape measure and mathematical computations for a moment and allow the human eye to be the judge here is perfection in a God-like degree. Stanko displays bulk and power enough to satisfy the most ardent admirers of massive muscle. And along with it he has a majestic flow of line that the smaller, more compact men can never have. His poses were breath-taking as a muscular display - even more breath-taking judged from a standard of rhythmic symmetry and sheer classic beauty. Need I say he placed first in Class "E"?
The winners of all five classes were brought out together, and that was a very impressive sight. The judges classed them as floows: Grimek first, Stanko second, Loprinzi third, Voyages fourth, Bachtell fifth. Grimek very graciously insisted that Stanko accept the trophy from him, and handed it over.
In my plea for more professional handling of this type of show let me point out that the giving of the awards should be the very peak of the evening's interest and should be built up to a grand climax. it could provide a moment of great emotion for the audience as well as for the winners. But instead, what do we have here ? after half the audience had gone home and the other half were milling around the stage like lost cattle, we find John Grimek scratching around in some cardboard boxes, dragging out the trophies one by one, with the winners scattered. After he unwrapped a trophy he then ad to try and locate the winner by calling through the microphone, "Will Mr. So-and-so please come to the stage and receive his award."
We admire Mr. Grimek for his democratic willingness to see that the winners finally did get their trophies. Somebody had to do it. But it had all the aspects of a grab bag routine at a kiddie party, and was certainly not keyed to the glorification of the Most Muscular Man in all America.
Interspersed thruout the contest were novelty acts worthy of mention:
Lou Karnes did a very fine hand balancing and head balancing act and when he went to the microphone to explain his routine he displayed a remarkable fine speaking voice. There should be a place in radio for a voice with that much quality and charm. I wonder if Lou knows he has it ?
It was announced that Elmer Ward, one of the contestants, would sing a classical number at the conclusion of his class. Elmer came out in the spotlight in a robe and sang "One Alone". While it was well done it seemed a little out-of-place and I imagine took considerable courage on his part to sing to a noisy rough and ribald gathering such as we were.
George Shandor and John Jurgie demonstrated Olympic barbell lifts in various styles, Jurgie doing deep knee bends with 320 pounds on his shoulders.
Bill Oliphant of Toronto did some remarkable contortion stunts at the age of fifty-nine that were received with enthusiasm.
All in all there was plenty of excellent material and talent there to make a really memorable show. All it needed was the controlling hand of someone with a sense of showmanship. We hope, as one of the long-suffering patrons of strength shows, to see the audience, as well as the contestants, get a break in the future. We can't survive on a steady diet of ham and corn.
If you find these articles interesting and useful, please
MuscleMemory