Strength & Health, Page 9 January 1952

Congratulations, Joe Weider

On Your MANLY COURAGE!

It Really Takes A Lot Of Old-Fashioned "Guts" For A Man To Challenge Someone More Than 20 Years His Senior To A Physique and Lifting Contest! But - Oh, What To Do If He Accepts?

Joe Weider, who claims to be "trainer of the champions", admits his own unpopularity, and the stigma he places on those associated with him, in the following words: "...insisted on announcing Marvin Eder as coming from Jersey City, knowing full well Marvin is from New York, after he had made it obvious to the audience where I was located with his slanderous assertions, and in my opinion, deliberately placing Eder's chances of winning the contest in jeopardy..." (Quoted from a mud slinging article in a Weider publication.)

THIS "Johnny-come-lately" to the world of weights (whose all-embracing "clinic" seems to have invented every exercise known to man) is once again trying to blacken the reputation of American weightlifting's greatest benefactor - Bob Hoffman. Even as this is written, Bob is enroute to Europe with the American team, spending thousands of dollars and hours of his precious time trying to bring this country another team title.

Weider says, with the typical distortion and "yellow journalism" employed in his "picture books": "Hoffman avoids important issues of weightlifting and physique contest attempting to engage me in an illegal fight. I give Hoffman three months to accept original challenge or concede event." But is this true? Like so many of Weider's allegations about this organization, it is not!

For the record, this quote is from the July, 1951 issue of Strength & Health : (Under the heading "I Accept The Challenge", by Bob Hoffman) "Despite the fact that my time for training has been limited, I am not only willing to accept Weider's challenge, but anxious to compete against him. All through history the man who is challenged has had the privilege of choosing the weapons. I want this to be a complete contest, a good all-'round one. It must be a three way contest. There will be a lifting contest confined to standard lifts. Then there will be a physique contest...they will give the public a chance to see if Weider can perform the lifts he claims and has the muscularity depicted in studio photos. The third part of the competition will give him the chance to show what he can do with his muscles, and also what sort of a man he is...

"I have been insulted and my reputation has been unfairly and maliciously blackened by Weider. I want and demand satisfaction. Therefore, I insist that the third part of this three way contest be a boxing bout. This requires...the physical qualities the York courses have been designed to produce: speed, strength, stamina and durability."

But Joe Weider objects to showing "what sort of a man he is" - even though his reluctance to meet Bob Hoffman in a three way contest shows this very clearly to anyone reading between the lines.

For your information, Weider, your challenge was accepted MORE THAN THREE MONTHS AGO! Nothing was said about excluding lifting and posing. THE REST IS UP TO YOU. Or don't the so-called Weider courses develop speed, strength, stamina and durability?

Bob Hoffman has always said that big muscles aren't much good unless a man can do something with them. The York courses build useful muscles - in more ways than the ability to lie on a bench and press. Joe Weider is a heavyweight and - according to his favorite picture - quite a bulky fellow. Is there any reason why he should hesitate toe meet a 53-year-old-man, however good his condition, in an all 'round contest? The reader can judge for himself. Bob Hoffman is quite ready to show that his methods have enabled him to maintain excellent physical condition and capable athletic ability with a minimum of time spent training.

In connection with his recent attack, Weider printed a photograph of John Farbotnik with a caption stating he, like other "Mr. Americas" didn't train with York methods. This is false. It intimates that these "Mr. Americas" are not telling the truth when they say they are "York Men". The latest "Mr. America", Roy Hilligenn, who represents Yarick's Gym - where York methods are advocated - has written Bob Hoffman letters completely and unreservedly endorsing Bob's teachings.

In fact, nearly every major contest winner has put in time training at York, learning first-hand how to train from Bob, John Grimek, John Terpak, Steve Stanko, Jules Bacon, and other York champions. Included among those who have trained at York are Farbotnik, Reeves, Eiferman, Delinger, Stephan and Shusterich. In addition, of course, Bacon, Stanko and the incomparable Grimek all represented the York Barbell Club when they won their titles. The foregoing refers only to physique titles, while the unbroken reign of the York weightlifting team speaks for itself as to the effectiveness of Bob Hoffman's coaching in this sport.

We won't waste any more valuable space replying to Weider's latest distortions (He managed to spread his most recent attack over eight pages by constant repetition and name-calling). We, too, hope this will be an end to the public "mud slinging". If you don't want to show "what sort of a man" you are, Weider - why don't you just keep quiet? Your challenge has been accepted. Either do something - or shut up!

Many have wondered what Weider was straining so hard for in that favorite picture he loves to plaster on the pages of his magazine. Now we know - he was trying to lay an egg! You can stop straining now, Weider. You've succeeded!