SOCIALIST WORLD BODYBUILDING HISTORY.
FIRST ARTICLE. LET US START.
We are still working on the “World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia” («Энциклопедия всемирного культуризма»). Until now nobody covered total World Bodybuilding History. There are only some fragmentary stories. For example, some time ago a book about former bodybuilder and President of the National Bodybuilding Federation of Russia VLADIMIR DUBININ (Владимир Дубинин) was published. But after his defeat in 1974 “Georg Tenno Memorial” («Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 - 2024) VLADIMIR DUBININ totally left our sport until 1986. In 1986 DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS (Др. Эдмундас Даубарас) invited him to “Amber Prix International” (“Gintarinis prizas”, «Янтарный приз», 1968 - 2025) and this way brought him back to bodybuilding activities. Anyway until 1987 VLADIMIR DUBININ was a sportsman and trainer and never was among bodybuilding organizers and leaders. So what could be written in the book of VLADIMIR DUBININ when during thirteen years he was out of the game? Similar situation is with other bodybuilding “history writers”.
Through the last century for a long time World was divided into capitalist (Western) and Socialist (Eastern) parts. In sport too. In bodybuilding as well.
From time to time some historic information about the I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) federation appeared in bodybuilding press. At the same time still there is no historic information about the “Eastern” bodybuilding. Everything that is available is nothing serious. Somebody use to name himself a “Great Champion”, some name themselves “Great Organizers”.
Most important bodybuilding events happened through the life of DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. He participated everywhere - on National level, on Socialist and World bodybuilding level as well. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS graduated Vilnius State University with specialties of Philology and Law. Comparing with all U.S.S.R. bodybuilders and Organizers DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was the only one to know languages. This let him to communicate with everybody direct. It is the reason DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was personally in the center of the main International Events in Socialist Countries and in all the World too. He was not only involved in these events - some of them he initiated himself. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS was in friendly contacts with all most important VIP Persons of World bodybuilding - the I.F.B.B. President Canadian BEN WEIDER, the W.A.B.B.A. (World Amateur Body Building Association) President French SERGE NUBRET and the N.A.B.B.A. (National Amateur Body Building Association) Chairman British OSCAR HEIDENSTAM.
Fourty years passed since Socialist system was ruined. Various rumors spread about Socialist bodybuilding. We will make the question clear.
Most often we mention famous bodybuilders and their wins at the competitions. Anyway the sport is developed not by sportsmen. It were sport organizers and bodybuilding leaders that develop our sport. Often those organizers are forgotten. Bodybuilders not appear themselves - to reach the top they need a skilful trainers suggestions and advises. There should be organizers that are making Great Contests for the bodybuilders and then they became great. There should be some persons to advertise and publish the wins of bodybuilders. Without this nobody can be a Great Champion and nobody can have a Great Name.
We will write this article basing on bodybuilding Events in Socialist World and mentioning the “Western” World only in the background. Until Encyclopedia works go on we will do our best to publish a separate book about bodybuilding in the Socialist World.
NOTHING COMES OF NOTHING.
PART TWO. BEGINNING OF BODYBUILDING SPORT.
We will not speak now about the bodybuilding happenings in the very beginning of the twentieth century. At that time bodybuilding was not sport. Just a number of enthusiasts were pending time this way.
When we mean the beginning of bodybuilding as sport we should start with the USA. Until there was no Ministry of Sport in the US all sports were governed by the Amateur Athletic Union (A.A.U.). A.A.U. was established in 1888. Аmong other sports A.A.U. was governing National Weightlifting Federation. On International level weightlifting was governed by a member of I.O.C. International F.I.H. (Federation Internationale Halterophile) Federation. Called as “Father of America Weightlifting” American BOB HOFFMAN (Robert Collins Hoffman, 1898 - 1985) was one of the F.I.H. leaders then. When under initiative of BOB HOFFMAN in 1947 F.I.H. took International bodybuilding under it’s control the name was changed to F.I.H.C. (Federation Internationale Halterophile et Culturisme).
BOB HOFFMAN used to produce an sell supplements, sport equipment and sport magazines. He was selling his products though the members of the F.I.H. that represented various countries. Nobody else could do the same. For example private I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) company owner Canadian BEN WEIDER had nothing to do with F.I.H. and all doors were closed for him. BOB HOFFMAN was seeking official recognition for bodybuilding.
1947. FIRST “MR. UNIVERSE” CONTEST.
The first real “Bodybuilding Empire” was created through the A.A.U. (Amateur Athletic Union) in the USA by American BOBO HOFFMAN. In real A.A.U. united USA National Sport Federations and it was the Ministry of Sport in the USA at that time. They use to call BOBO HOFFMAN “the father of America Weightlifting”. A.A.U. since 1939 was organizing USA bodybuilding “Mr. America” contests. BOB HOFFMAN wanted to make bodybuilding an official recognized sport through A.A.U. and F.I.H.. Through A.A.U. and F.I.H. also he wanted to present bodybuilding sport to the World. USA weightlifting though A.A.U. was a member of the International Weightlifting Federation F.I.H.
In 1947 F.I.H. organized the World Weightlifting Championship and International Congress in Philadelphia (USA). Under the efforts of BOB HOFFMAN the International Congress decided to lead and control World’s bodybuilding on official level. It was immediately decided to organize the first in Sport’s History International Bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” contest alongside with the F.I.H. World Weightlifting Championship in Philadelphia. Then the Over All “Mr. Universe” Champion was a pupil of BOB HOFFMAN a famous America weightlifter STEVE STANKO. That was a Historical Happening and STEVE STANKO became a Historical Person.
1948. SECOND “MR. UNIVERSE’ IN LONDON.
It was a tradition of F.I.H.C. not to organize World Weightlifting Championship in “Olympic” years. What to do with the second F.I.H.C. bodybuilding „Mr. Universe“ competition? Then the idea to organize the F.I.H.C. bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” during the 1948 “Olympic Games” struck BOB HOFFMAN. There were real ways because F.I.H.C. was a member of the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.). BOB HOFFMAN addressed British OSCAR STATE who was the President of B.A.W.L.A. (British Amateur Weight Lifting Association) to assist him. At the same time B.A.W.L.A. asked the Chairmen of the British Bodybuilding “Health and Strength” Magazine to assist them too. Through F.I.H.C. departments in various countries B.A.W.L.A. invited athletes to the contest in London. At the same time BOB HOFFMAN brought USA bodybuilders to compete. There were 1800 spectators at the second F.I.H.C. “Mr. Universe” in London. All money profit of the competition went to B.A.W.L.A.. After several preliminary rounds the finalists were ANDRE DRAPP (France) and Americans JOHN GRIMEK and STEVE REEVES. JOHN GRIMEK was proclaimed the Over All Winner of the second F.I.H.C. “Mr. Universe”. STEVE REEVES spoke on microphone saying that “John Grimek is the greatest bodybuilder who ever lived“.
1950. FIRST N.A.B.B.A. “MR. UNIVERSE”.
In 1950 under the efforts of the Chairmen of “Health and Strength” Magazine N.A.B.B.A. (National Amateur Body Building Association) was created in the Great Britain. As a former N.A.B.B.A. President IVAN DUNBAR told us – N.A.B.B.A. Association was juridically registered as a „Public Club“. In 1950 N.A.B.B.A. organized the first N.A.B.B.A. “Mr. Universe” in London. The Over All Champion was STEVE REEVES (USA). At the same time a member of the International Olympic Committee F.I.H.C. went on organizing it’s own “Mr. Universe” contest. Comparing with N.A.B.B.A. “Mr. Universe” F.I.H.C. competitions were the official ones. For the two decades no one could confront F.I.H.C. as the official Bodybuilding Sport was under F.I.H.C. control. Even the Commercial I.F.B.B. Company of the WEIDER brothers JOE and BEN could not imagine even to think being equal to F.I.H.C..
1959.IMPORTANT TIME FOR SOCIALIST BODYBUILDING.
THIRD ARTICLE. BODYBUILDING COMES TO SOCIALST WORLD.
The thirteenth F.I.H.C. (Federation Internationale Halterophile et Culturisme) bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” contest was organized in 1959 in Warszawa (People’s Republic of Poland). Traditionally this contest was held together with the annual F.I.H.C. World Weightlifting Championship. First time in sport history Socialist audience and athletes saw “live” bodybuilders direct. At the F.I.H.C. World Weightlifting Championship the U.S.S.R. weightlifters were the best. The personal leadership was under Japan origin American multiple Olympic Champion TOMMY KONO (Tamio "Tommy" Kono, 1930 – 2016) and Russian Olympic Champion YURY VLASOV (Юрий Власов, 1935 – 2021). TOMMY KONO was a student of BOB HOFFMAN (Robert Collins Hoffman, 1898 - 1985) and in his life he three times became over all F.I.H.C. bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” Champion (1954, 1955, 1961). In 1987 YURY VLASOV became the first President of the officially recognized “U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Federation” («Федерация культуризма С.С.С.Р.»). Again the biggest popularizer of bodybuilding through the World was BOB HOFFMAN.
The Over All Winner of the 1959 F.I.H.C. bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” in Warszawa was a National French bodybuilding Champion GUY MIERCZUK (born in 1936).
Several USA private companies tried to fight with International leadership of BOB HOFFMAN. That were the owners of private I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) commercial company brothers JOE (Joseph Weider, 1919 - 2013) and BEN (Benjamin Weider, 1923 - 2008) WEIDERS and another American DAN LURIE (1923 - 2013) with his own company W.B.B.G. (World Body Building Guild). Both companies were copying activities of BOB HOFFMAN but they had no chances to succeed as behind BOB HOFFMAN were International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.) members A.A.U. (Amateur Atlete’s Union) and F.I.H.C..
Copying BOB HOFFMAN along with the thirteenth F.I.H.C. bodybuilding “Mr. Universe” contest WEIDER brothers organized their first “Mr. Universe” in Mexico in 1959. That was a sad competition at there were only few competitors in three high categories from USA, Mexico, Canada ant England. Later in 1977 I.F.B.B. changed “Mr. Universe” name to the “World Championship”. I.F.B.B. Category Winners in Mexico were EMILIO KURY (Mexico), ED THERIAULT (Canada) and EDDIE SYLVESTRE (Mexico, 1931 - 2001). The Over All Winner was EDDIE SYLVESTRE and that was the greatest win of his sport life.
AMERICAN BOB HOFFMAN BROUGHT BODYBUILDING TO U.S.S.R..
INTERNATIONAL BODYBUILDING ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED.
In 1963 under direct influence American BOB HOFFMAN (Robert Collins Hoffman, 1898 - 1985) and British OSCAR STATE (Oscar State, Obe
1911 - 1984) and under the initiative of the F.I.H.C. (F.I.H., Federation Internationale Halterophile, later F.I.H.C., Federation Internationale Halterophile et Culturiste, later I.W.F., International Weightlifting Federation) in the U.S.S.R. was established first International Bodybuilding Organization (Общественный комитет атлетической гимнастики С.С.С.Р.). of the Socialist World. The new federation was established at the “U.S.S.R. Weightlifting Federation” («Федерации тяжёлой атлетики С.С.С.Р.»). The U.S.S.R. Sport Ministry (Goskomsport, Госкомспорт С.С.С.Р.) appointed a known Russia weightlifter ROMAN MOROZ (Роман Мороз) as the President of this Organization. Then the U.S.S.R. was not ready to face this innovation and the new organization worked only formally. There were no bodybuilders in the U.S.S.R. then.
We would like to underline that the I.F.B.B. federation (International Federation of Body Builders) was created only in 1970 in Belgrade (Yugoslavia) by the General Secretary F.I.H.C. OSCAR STATE. WEIDER brothers JOE (Joseph Weider, 1919 - 2013) and BEN (Benjamin Weider, 1923 - 2008) had no education, no knowledge and no practice in official sport work. OSCAR STATE had. Until that time I.F.B.B. was only a commercial company of WEIDER brothers.
At the same time working since 1950 British N.A.B.B.A. (National Amateur Body Building Association) has been never connected with official sport.
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