Mr. Muscle Beach Contest
by George R Bruce
On July 4, 1953, at famous Muslce Beach in Santa Monica, California, on the shores of the blue Pacific, was held the 7th Annual Jr. and Sr. Mr. Muscle Beach show. Over 3500 people were crowded around the platform on this typcial warm and sunny Southern California day.
Master of Ceremonies George (Butcherman Bruce started the show at 2:00 P.M. by asking the entire crowd to stand face the flag and pldge allegiance.
The great variety show then went on and featured both amateur and profssional acts.
DeForest Most, Playground Director, featured his juveniles in balancing; Holger and Dolores, adagio; Robinson and Bono, handbalancing and their masterpiece, slow-motion wrestling; Bill and Billy Henry, father and son, Risley and balancing (Bill Henry is a sensational 5-year-old).
The Jr. Mr. Muscle Beach contest, held for the first time last year, has already become so popular that next year it will be held as a separate event. There were 24 entries of well-developed young men 17 years of age and under.
Lynn Lyman placed 1st (Lynn is 16 years of age, is 5'10", weights 170 lbs., trains at Bob's Gym in Los Angeles, lives in La Habra, California, and has had one year of training); Bert Cedilos placed 2nd and Allen Marshall 3rd.
In the Senior Mr. Muscle Beach contest there were 20 entries. This contest is now open to any man who is not a professional and who has not won a Mr. America contest. This contest has assumed such national importance that popular demand has caused it to be opened to all comers.
Dominic Juliano placed 1st; Ed Holovchick placed 2nd and Jerry Ross placed 3rd. Dom handles heavy weights at all times during training. He trains three times weekly and his favorite exercise is dips on the parallel bars.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- Lynn Lyman, left won the Jr. Mr. Muscle Beach contest for 1953, and Dom Juliano, right was selected as Mr. Muscle Beach in the open event. Dom is also Southern California 198-pound weightlifting champion. (Below) This lineup of junior (17 and under) contestants show part of the 3500 spectators who watched the Muscle Beach events. George Bruce, secretary of the Southern California Weightlifting Assocation and popular gym operator, can be seen at the microphone acting as master-of-ceremonies.
- Placing behind Dom Juliano in the Mr. Muscle Beach contest were Ed Holovchik, second (at left), and Jerry Ross, third. (All Muscle Beach photos by Cecil Charles)