MAMMOTH MR. UNIVERSE - MR. AMERICA CONTEST

TO BE STAGED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF BODYBUILDERS

A report by the editors: The greatest spectacle of muscle and might since the days of the Roman gladiators will take place in Montreal, Canada on October 2, this year.

Famous physique stars from all over the world - outstanding muscle men of screen and TV - renowned bodybuilders and those now approaching greatness will be there to make this a gala and memorable occasion.

A number of world and local titles will be at stake. In this contest a new Mr. Universe, and Mr. America will be chosen. Subdivisions will include awards for the Most Muscular Man in America and The World's Most Muscular Man.

Last year Eddie Silvestre, the incredibly-muscled young Mexican, was crowned Mr. Universe; The ruggedly-built Charles Sipes became our Mr. America, while Germain Godbout was chosen Mr. Canada of 1959. Because of the astounding number of magnificently-built young men who were runners-up or who placed quite high we expect most of them to compete again this year. Who will win? Maybe it will be you!

Think you don't have a chance? Don't believe it! This mammoth physique contest is the best run, most impartially-judged most all-inclusive event in the annals of muscle tournaments and bodybuilders from Tacoma to Timbucktoo and from Tokyo to Toronto all will be clamoring for a chance to prove their excellence of physique! Make sure that you have as good a chance to win as they by sending for your entry from today!

HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT

Send a letter to Ben Weider, President of the International Federation of Bodybuilders, 2875 Bates Road, Montreal, Que., Canada. Ask him for an entry form. When you receive it, fill it out in detail and return it with several snapshots or larger photographs of your physique. You will be notified if you are eligible to compete and the date of the contest will be given.

That's all there is to it. You don't have to prove your athleticism by running the mile - playing a game of tennis - swimming the backstroke. You are not required to throw the javelin - wrestle - you don't have to lift a ton of weights to prove that you're a worthy candidate for championship.

No one will examine your educational background to see if you had a 98.6 average in high school - you'll not be asked to recite a literary selection to prove that you can speak intelligently - no one will examine your mouth to see if you have all 32 teeth!

The contest is to determine who shall win the various titles by reason of his superior physique . . . no other reason is nor should be valid! And that's why the I.F.B.B. was organized . . . to see that fairness, common-sense, and equal opportunity for competition should be the spirit behind the tournament . . . or to say it in capsule form - to see that the best man wins!

THE VALUE OF THIS CONTEST TO Y-O-U!

Within the framework of existing physique contests not sponsored by the I.F.B.B. . . at least as they are now run . . the winner of such events is here today and gone tomorrow! Why?

Because either from lethargy or a desire to soft-pedal the "glamour" aspect of physique competition, adequate publicity coverage is sorely hindered. In most cases, from lesser contests such as the Mr. Southern California event to last year's A.A.U. Mr. America competition, only "authorized" persons were permitted to photograph and to report the proceedings.

When Harry Johnson won the Mr. America title in York, there was but the barest mention of it in one of New York's seven mighty newspapers! In former years reporters and photographers covered these events and blanketed the winners with tremendous publicity which launched most of them on fabulous careers. One need mention only a few such men . . Reeves, Dubois, Ross, Stephan and Delinger to prove how tremendously they succeeded as screen stars, TV performers, outstanding gymnasium owners and operators . . . all by virtue of having the spotlight of publicity turned on them.

Today, a man is chosen as a title-winner. . . he has his day in the sun . . . and tomorrow he is back at his desk or work-bench, forgotten by those who saw him yesterday . . unsung by those who never heard about him.

WHY MUSCLES?

Of what value is it for a man to build peak-condition contest form . . . appear briefly on the posing platform . . . be adjudged the winner . . . then fade into oblivion with the morning sun? This man is not the only one who suffers from public inattention . . . the sport of bodybuilding and the high purpose of such contests are injured too.

Weight-training - as a movement - receives no boost from such "smothered" contests. Mr. America himself has little in the way of tangible reward except a small gilded trophy and a big supply of disillusionment that his several years of concentrated effort have largely gone unnoticed. This "blanketing" . . . "smothering" . . . playing "hide-and-seek" in physique contests is precisely what the I.F.B.B. is dedicated to preventing!

The I.F.B.B. is the only organization especially organized to protect the bodybuilder and sponsor bodybuilding and physique contests throughout the world.

It is international in scope as its name implies.

Ben Weider, the world chairman of the I.F.B.B. has personally traveled to every country in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa setting up branch offices of the I.F.B.B. and obtaining official recognition for it. Each of the foreign offices holds a national contest every year to find the best-developed man in each particular country. Then all these winners are sent to this tremendous Mr. Universe contest held annually in Montreal.

Besides organizing physique contests, I.F.B.B. officials throughout the world spread the healthful gospel of bodybuilding and attempt to interest as many people in it as possible. Representations are made to the various national governments to encourage and sponsor weight-training in the schools. Many countries like Sweden and Japan where bodybuilding was unknown until they were visited by Ben Weider, now have hundreds of gyms, physical clubs and magazines of their own which further extend the bodybuilding movement.

A FAIR SHAKE FOR EVERYONE!

As has been mentioned, entry into this huge Mr. "Everything" contest is easy. All you need is an outstanding physique . . . to send in a filled-out entry form and some pictures of yourself. What happens when you arrive in Montreal for the big event?

You are made warmly welcome by Ben Weider who sees personally to it that each contestant is given three days free board and room during the precontest and actual judging in the various divisions. Remember . . . it's a big, big event with lots of contestants and three days is the absolute minimum required to assure fair, impartial and accurate judging.

Then the many modern Weider-staffed and Weider-equipped gyms in Montreal extend a cordial welcome to every contestant to train when he likes, as often as he likes, and as long as he likes . . . absolutely free. Moreover, in visiting such gyms as Billy Hill's, Leo Robert's, Jimmy Caruso's, Clement Desjardins' . . . you have the wonderful opportunity of meeting all the great physique stars of Canada and of making lifelong friendships!

Always, at the conclusion of this great contest, Ben Weider and the I.F.B.B. fete all the contestants, winners and losers alike, to a gala banquet after which you'll have the opportunity of dancing with some of Canada's loveliest girls. . . and "barbelles".

COMPLETE PUBLICITY COVERAGE

Not only will the winners of the various divisions receive national publicity, but the runners-up will be accorded their day of fame as well. Throughout the year their stories, photographs and exercise routines will be published in these magazines.

The TV coverage alone for these events reaches the absolute saturation point! Make no mistake about it, if you have an outstanding physique, the world is going to know about it and about how you got it! Believe me, the world is not going to forget you because you'll be continually plugged in magazine and newspaper publicity for a full year!

There just isn't any other reason for holding such a contest. Why hide your light under a bushel? If you have spent several years in developing your muscles to a state of peak perfection you certainly would like others to know about it and to "cash in" on your physique if you possibly can, wouldn't you?

The I.F.B.B. contests assure you of this vast publicity that can easily trigger you into a fabulous career in many fields! Your muscles can make you a fortune . . . just look at Steve Reeves! But they'll not be likely to if those who could help you or promote you or use you knows nothing about you! Here's where the I.F.B.B. contests are totally different from any other muscle meets. They invariably turn a "could happen" into a "did happen"! For spectators, tickets are now on sale. The prices are $5.00, $3.50, $2.50 and $1.50. All seats are reserved and the hall is limited to 1500 persons, so first come - first served. Get your ticket order in to Ben Weider, 4466 Colonial Avenue, Montreal, Canada ... NOW!

THE I.F.B.B. IS AN AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATION

Don't let anyone tell you that the I.F.B.B. contests are held "without duly-constituted authority". An I.F.B.B. Mr. Universe or Mr. America is just as valid as one sponsored by any other organization.

By what right does the A.A.U. claim that there is only one Mr. America -- theirs? Do they possess the title by divine decree? Is it sacred . . . and are they? No . . . the A.A.U. has no more legal sanction or right to the title than the I.F.B.B. It is NOT a copyrighted title!

The only claim the A.A.U. has to it is the communal use of it as the description of an athletic show. I.F.B.B. has just as clear, legal, ethical, moral and promotion right to it as the A.A.U. And it does a far better job for the contestants and for bodybuilding itself!

Don't let any words about "duly-authorized" contests deter you from entering the I.F.B.B. contest in Montreal this coming September. Write Ben Weider for your entry form, today. It can mean your start toward fame and fortune. . . something presently impossible in the "smothered" atmosphere of existing contests not under I.F.B.B. supervision.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

- EDDIE SYLVESTRE was last year's winner of the mammoth I.F.B.B. contest. Here's Mr. Universe with the most spectacularly-defined physique ever!

- In this powerful array of physique 'greats' you'll recognize SAM CALHOUN, ED THERIAULT, BOB BURKE, EARL MAYNARD, BILLY HILL, and brothers BEN & JOE WEIDER.

- CHUCK SIPES took the Mr. America title. Chuck's the powerfully-built Modesto gym owner who does parachute-jumping for kicks!

- In the JUNIOR MR. CANADA division of the contest, JEAN-CHARLES ST. MARS was a clearly outstanding winner. He stands on the central podium.

- Flanked by BILLY HILL (left), and mighty TORRE LARSEN, Eddie receives a huge trophy emblematic of his title-victory from JOE WEIDER.