MR. AMERICA

(Continued from page 58)

Tabulating the scores is a timeconsuming and difficult part of any program, even when the man in charge, such as Clarence Johnson our national chairman, is a certified public accountant. The spectators are waiting for the final decisions, anxiously, usually impatiently; it is usually late, everyone wants the quickest possible decision, but a fair

one.

One after another, the contestants are called to the center of the stage. The judges keep marking their scores, and finally the last man has appeared. A teller previously appointed collects the score sheets. Two years ago it was the late Emmit Faris of Cincinnati. Last year it was Bob Hise, a member of the Southern California Weight Lifting Association. The scores are turned over to the national chairman, and all the judges, as the rule specifies, stand around as the tabulation is made. You can judge from my description as to just how the contest is conducted and that the selection of Mr. America is done with absolute fairness, there is no opportunity for juggling of votes. Everything possible is done to see that each athlete receives a square deal.

The judges are men of great experience. In most cases they have spent their adult lives in the game of weight lifting and body building. To become the leader in their districts they have had to prove their knowledge of the sport, their fairness as judges. Each judge signs his score sheet as he turns it in, so the members of the committee can see how each man scores. His record is retained, and if he has not been a good official, he is not asked to serve again.

In spite of the fact that well-qualified judges are selected, there are bound to be differences of opinion. Unfortunately most spectators and too many judges can see only muscles, yet muscles are just six points of the 15. Symmetry counts just as much, and if a man does not have a symmetrical body, he can not win a big contest. In fact, if a man does not have a well-balanced physique to begin, a good skeletal frame work,

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his chances of outstanding success in physique contests are very poor. I have seen some men with bad physical faults win some district contests, but when they get to a big contest and more qualified judges they will trail the man who has everything, or nearly everything.

A certain man won two Strength and Health photo contests, and some other outstanding awards, who was actually so bow-legged a pig could run between his legs. He was able to cover up these defects. But you can't cover up defects when you stand at ease in the big contests. The Mr. Universe contest causes every man to simply stand in a position of attention and a similar policy is used in European contests and of course our Mr. America contests.

A man has to be at least fairly good looking to win a big contest, good looking at least in a manly way. Although skin and face, actually good looks, counts only one point, this fraction of a point multiplied by the five final votes can easily be the difference between winning and losing. In this skin and face division it is hard for an older man to outscore a young man who not only possesses the bloom of youth in his face, but a sparkle, a vivacity that is hard to match, and if he has a good body too, he is hard indeed to beat.

The difference between winning and losing a big contest is often a fraction of a point and that fraction can easily be the difference between the three points for general appearance, posing, and face and skin. Yet in my long experience, and I believe I have had more experience than any other man in officiating at weight lifting and physique contests, very few judges see much but muscles. We try hard to educate the judges, which is the reason for this article. Internationally I served for years as the chairman of the Physical Culture Committee, which means the physique contest committee, as well as the chairman of the board of referees. In Mr. America contests I have served as chairman of the board of judges.

To make sure that judges are not known long in advance, they are appointed hours before the contest. Then we get them together and I

have my little say. I am not influencing or trying to influence the judges. I am merely talking out loud as I am writing now, asking the judges to give serious thought to symmetry, posing, general appearance, skin and face as well as muscles in making their decision.

We try too to select a man who is worthy to be called "Mr. America." A man who has a fine muscular development, but also is a good looking man. If the judges do their work. well the winner will be a man with nice features, healthy looking and a smooth skin and exceptional general appearance. We like to select a winner of pleasing personality, of patience, who will not tire of signing autographs, or answering the small fries' questions, a man who is a real man among men, and who will en-. courage others to try to emulate his success. A Mr. America should be able to use his muscles, to perform credibly in weight lifting or some other recognized athletic sport. It helps if he has an athletic background. We want a man of high moral character, a man of intelligence, and preferably of reasonable education. A man we can be proud to call Mr. America.

The judges this year, as usual, will be men who have paid their own way for considerable distances to take part in the great annual contest. They don't get paid for their work, and unfortunately are often unfairly subjected to censure. Only one man can win. March first of this year the official population of the United States was listed as 164,367,000. Approximately half of this number are males, and a goodly number are of physique contest age. So when a man becomes Mr. America, one man out of many millions, he has to be good, in fact very good. The man that has the "Mostest" will be "Fustest."

An article recently appeared in another magazine "panning" last year's judges for not selecting Ludwig Schusterich as Mr. America. Ludwig is good, one of the best. He has been our friend for 16 years. He and I and Johnny Terpak were the only weight lifters at Dietrich Wortmann's funeral. We have been closely associated with Schusterich for years. He has used more Hi-

STRENGTH AND HEALTH JULY, 1955

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Proteen than any man I know, has helped us sell a lot of it. He was officially representing the York Barbell Club, and it would have done us much good to have him win, but not one of the seven judges who served, Karo Whitfield, Ray Van Cleef, Peary Radar, Jim Messer, Bobby Higgins, George Wilcutt, and the writer of this article, listed him in first place. Four of these judges gave their first place votes to the ultimate winner, Richard DuBois.

The other magazine repeated again that there was some booing when Jim Park became Mr. America. The booing came from only a few EastSide denizens, who were for a big moose of a man with plenty of physical flaws. The vast majority of the crowd was well satisfied with Jim Park's great victory: Mr. America, back, best arms, the greatest triumph ever attained by any Mr. America winner. Jim went on to win Mr. World and Mr. Universe in London, and it is interesting to note that I was not a judge in any of these contests. Jim won on his merits, because he is really good. There will always be some who are dissatisfied, but only one man can win. Every care is taken to see that the best judges are selected, men who are honest, and well qualified, and they will select a Mr. America who is satisfactory to about 99% of the people. We hope you will be present at this year's Mr. America contest and national weight lifting championships. They will be good.

EDITORIAL

(Continued from page 4)

you won't be overweight unless you overeat. Glands do not manufacture food; you have to put it there to cause the overweight.

Your overweight condition is not hereditary. Pa and Ma and sister Sue may also have been fat, but this came about because of the whole family having the habit of overeating.

To avoid being overweight you must balance the calories placed within your body with the calories you need to maintain your body. The larger your size and the more active your life, the more calories you need. While a small, inactive woman of advanced age may find 1000 calories enough, the average man weighing 154 pounds who leads an inactive life needs 2500, and if this man is active he needs as much (Continued on page 62)

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100 lb. Hercules Weight Training Combination. Includes 4 each of 1/4, 21/2. 5 and 71/2 pound Hercules plates, 5 foot polished steel bar with extra heavy duty inside and outside collars, weight 25 pounds. Pair of solid steel, 14 inch, dumbellswingbells with heavy duty collars and revolving hand grips. 3 books of training courses, barbell, dumbell and swingbell training. With this set in addition to the barbell you can make up a pair of 371⁄2 pound dumbells or a 52/2 pound swingbell. Very moderately priced at. $15.95 If you live in Pennsylvania, add one per cent state sales tax YORK BARBELL CO., YORK, "MUSCLETOWN," PA.

YORK MULTI-PURPOSE

BENCH

A good training bench is an essential in any gymnasium. We believe the original, practical, multi-purpose bench pictured here to be the best allaround training bench ever developed. First, it is designed for heavy bench pressing. It is difficult to get a heavy weight in position for pressing when training alone; it is nuisance for others to stop training and hand it to you. All that difficulty is eliminated when you own the York Multi-Purpose Bench. Jim Park, present "Mr. America" and "Mr. World", has handled as much as 405 pounds on this bench.

The York bench serves well for dumbell pressing, pullovers and all chestdeveloping dumbell exercises. It is ideal for leg raising and leg curling with York Health Shoes. With a strap to hold the legs, it serves admirably in performing sit-ups and back strengthening exercises. Designed to last a lifetime, it is made with a heavy oak board, well upholstered, with plenty of padding and attractive leatherette. All the rest of this bench is solid steel, welded strongly. Moderately priced at $29.95. Order from York Barbell Company.

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