HOW I THINK A MR. AMERICA CONTEST SHOULD BE JUDGED

by Ludwig Schusterich
5th Place Winner In The "Mr. America 1954" Contest

From my own personal experience, I believe that the Mr. America contest is not conducted on the level. Because of this, all value of the title is destroyed. I am offering some rules which I believe will go a long way to ensure that an honest decision in such events is arrived at.

JUSTICE delayed is justice denied. I write this article because I believe that Mr. America contestants have been denied fair play, and because I believe that justice is their right. It is not my intention to create the impression that I am a sore loser or that I lack elementary concepts of sportsmanship. I'll let you be the judges of that. And at the same time, judge too the foul commercial clique who make it their business to sway the opinions of certain officials, who do all they can to ensure that the man of their choice, the one who can be depended on to falsely swear he is a product of their system of training wins, and not the man most entitled to win, the BEST man.

Throughout the years, whispers and rumors have been going around that the Mr. America contest is fixed, the winners picked in advance, individuals promised jobs and sums of money for course endorsements, and all before the event takes place.

Naturally I had no reason to assume that the rumors were true, except the evidence of my own eyes that some of the men who won had no right to take even third or fourth place. The fact that some of the winners were booed however should show that a favorable verdict was not always arrived at. Bodybuilders as a whole are a fair minded bunch and will cheer loudly when the right man wins. But because they love the Game and SPORTSMANSHIP, they'll boo and protest at an injustice when the wrong man is picked, when it is obvious to all who the top man should have been, only to have certain men call them members of "Murder Incorporated" and "hoodlums" for so doing.

Take the 1952 Mr. America contest for instance; the winner was announced to the jeering and booing of a large audience, who vociferously resented the decision and then cheered the winner of their choice, Malcolm Brenner.

A famous colored bodybuilder, I am informed, took part in a contest in Schenectady. Five judges were on the panel of officials, two of them employed by a certain barbell and magazine organisation. A man tied up with this organisation won. Three of the officials told the colored bodybuilder they had voted for him to win. One of them asked an official for the score sheet (he and one of his associates had totaled up the score.) The score sheets were not produced and were not found after the contest. The judge who asked for them was confronted with a threatening attitude.

Don't think such incidents are confined to Physique contests. When Doug Hepburn, World's Strongest Man, competed in the 1953 Junior Nationals, he smashed one world record and three Junior National records, four new records in all. He was, I am informed, presented with the Best Lifter trophy, which was then taken away from him and given to another man who had broken only one record. The excuse? That the other lifter "had a better style", than Doug.

In the 1953 World's Championships, the man responsible for this rotten display of behaviour, approached Doug with these words. "Winning the Team Title is worth a lot to me. How much is it worth to you?" I leave you to judge what he was trying to do.

The above incidents are witnessed incidents and in one case, actually discussed in another magazine. But I have never been in a big contest since taking 3rd place to my friend, John Grimek in the 1940 Mr. America event and had little reason to believe that the rumors and whispers were true. But when I entered the 1954 event, I had a lot at stake. I wanted my interests protected and therefore carefully watched what went on. In this respect I am no different to other entrants who all spend a lot of time, money and effort and are all entitled to a fair deal and a properly conducted contest to ensure that the best man wins.

I decided to go all out to win the 1954 Mr. America event in August 1953. Both my wife, Pat, and I knew we'd have to make sacrifices, but she went right along with me, for which I thank God. First of all, I worked 3½ hours a workout, training 5 days a week. Sometimes I actually performed up to 1600 repetitions for the abdominal muscles, spending up to 90 minutes on this section alone. Two months before the contest, I increased the time of my training periods to 5 hours each, 5 days a week. During the final three weeks before the event, I increased the training sessions to 7 days a week, spending from 3 to 4 hours on each workout.

Then I heard rumors. I was told that six months before a contest, the eventual winner allegedly was telling people in Los Angeles and Santa Monica that "It's in the bag. I'll win. It's all fixed." But somehow, I couldn't take these rumors seriously. I felt sure that if the man had said what was claimed, responsible officials would immediately reject his entry.

On Friday night when the sub divisions took place, everyone was telling me I'd win. Before the announcement of the winner was made, practically every prominent person in our Game came up and told me I'd take the title by a comfortable margin, including former Mr. Americas and other Physique title holders, lifting champions, gym owners, coaches and trainers, and for their good opinions I am deeply grateful.

Just before the announcement of the winners was made, many of the contestants came over to me and offered congratulations, for they felt sure I had won the title. Then they announced me as winning 5th place. At the time I was offering a prayer to God that a 14 year old dream would at last come true. I glanced over to the eventual winner, and even before the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd, place winners were announced, he was jumping up and down, exclaiming "I've got it. I've got it." To say that I was stunned would be an understatement. Then I recalled the rumors, how it was rumored the winner had boasted, six months beforehand, that he would win.

My first impulse was to shake his hand and congratulate him which I did. Then I offered thanks to God because I knew that He did not want me to win. Then I consoled my friends who were all looking as if they had come from the funeral of a dear relative.

The most frequently used statement was "I would have never believed such a thing possible unless I'd seen it for myself. How can such a decision be derived from points?". Another comment was, "Something smells rotten here and it isn't stale fish." Right after the show, everyone I met expressed the opinion that I had been robbed, that the Mr. America contest had been turned into a farce.

Many of the independent gym owners connected with the running of the Mr. America show stated afterwards that they would withdraw all future support of such shows, that when the sport dropped to this level, it was time for them to quit. There was even a move on foot, instigated by a gym owner, well respected for his honesty and popularity, to bar a certain prominent magazine publisher from all future participation in Mr. America events.

One official told me it was the fact that I was too old that went against my winning. I'd like to point out that Gene Bohaty, the man who placed 2nd, tops my age by five years. John Grimek didn't win the Mr. Universe title until he was over 40. Another official employed by the organisation pushing the winner, said that my back showed loose lines of flesh. Yet another judge said my back was too defined. After the event, I did everything I could to find out exactly what had happened. I wanted to see score sheets. They were not to be found. I wrote to Clarence Johnson, National Chairman of the Weightlifting Committee twice, asking for copies of the score sheets. I never received the courtesy of a reply, nor a particle of satisfaction. Imagine, competing in a contest and being unable to find out who voted for you and how many points were voted. Imagine what would happen if this occurred at any other sporting event!

I personally regret that thousands of people had to witness such an affair, had to leave the Greek Theater and spread ill will against the sport of Bodybuilding. There was talk of influence in the past. But this time I saw it happen and was part of it. I'm not saying I should have won. But had either Bohaty, Paine or Koszewski won, there would not have been the accusations of dirty politics. I therefore submit to responsible and fair minded officials the following changes in the rules for the conduct of Mr. America contests. I especially draw the attention of Mr. Dan Ferris to them, and to the conduct of certain men connected with the judging and MC-ing of the contests.

1. No man connected in any way with any magazine or barbell company, or any gym owner, coach, or instructor who has an associate in the contest, should be allowed to judge or act as Master of Ceremonies at any time.
2. Each judge should sign his name to his score sheet. This will eliminate any chance of fraud. A man should not be afraid to make his opinions known.
3. It should be announced to the audience how each judge scored the top 8 contestants. This is done at every other sporting event. The people who pay to see the show have a right to know this. Thus there will be no questions or mysteries.
4. All score sheets should be totalled in full view of the audience, the rest of the judges and the competitors.
5. Score sheets should be made available for inspection to all officials and competitors immediately after the scores have been announced.
6. Score cards should be made in triplicate. Each judge should be required to keep one only, the rest filed with the National AAU Office. This will eliminate any after tampering with the score sheets.
7. Since the Mr. America contest is an All American affair, no non-citizen should be allowed to sit on the panel of judges. (A Mexican official, who incidentally is a York associate, sat on the judges panel at the recent Mr. America contest.)
8. Since the title applies to the choice of America's Best Built Male, it is ironic to have non citizens competing. When Roy Hilligenn was forced to leave the country, the Mr. America title received unfavorable National Publicity. It should therefore be a steadfast rule that only American citizens should be allowed to compete for the Mr. America title.
9. The judges, as a panel, should interview each and every contestant before the contest takes place. This will let them find out what his personality and character are like. Character and background are more important than hair and general poise. It is easily possible to have a Criminal or Godless person selected as a Mr. America.
10. A Mr. America contestant should be prepared to prove that he is honestly and gainfully employed, or that he is supporting himself. He should also be required to list any large sums of money received, or deposited to any bank account in his name. This will eliminate any undesirable individuals without visible means of support, entering the contest, and will also show if the contestant has been "paid off" before or after an event.

My thoughts often return to the long and anxious moments spent on stage before the result was announced. And now I realise more fully that God meant me to enter the contest and lose. If I had not experienced it for myself, perhaps the Mr. America conspiracy would have gone un-noticed for another year. I was one individual who looked on the Mr. America title with esteem and reverence. I had looked forward to winning it since 1940 when I placed third to my good friend John Grimek. I swear here and now that I will do everything in my power to erase this black mark on American Sportsmanship and honor, and make sure that all future contests will be honestly conducted. Thank you for reading my article.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

- Line up of top men in disputed 1955 Mr. America contest. Author Schusterich is on extreme right. We'd like you to act as a Mr. America judge. Who do you think has the best build? Who should have won?

- Jim Park, center, won 1952 Mr. America event and Most Muscular, beating Brenner for title, right, and George Paine left. Crowd loudly protested decision.

- This is the back of Ludwig Schusterich, John Terpak said was too flabby, but it was good enough to win second place in Best Back Sub Division. What do YOU think of the judge's decision?