How Mr. America Will Be Chosen

by Bob Hoffman

THE MR. AMERICA CONTEST, as usual, will be held in conjunction with the National AAU weight lifting championships. This year's dual event will be staged in the city of Cleveland, June 4th and 5th. Joe Raymond, nationally-known strength athlete and gym operator is the local promoter. The 1955 Mr. America will be selected by a well qualified panel of seven judges. The basis of scoring will be 15 points, divided as follows:

AAU rules, which have been adopted by the International Weight Lifting Federation and are now official throughout the world, will be followed. The judges are selected or appointed by the national AAU chairman of weight lifting and body building, Clarence Johnson of Detroit. The selections are made from the weight lifting and bodybuilding leaders in the 46 AAU districts. usually the chairman of the district committee is selected to serve as a judge. Seven judges will be selected and according to the rule the high and low score for each athlete will be discarded. This eliminates any possibility of a biased official scoring to high for one contestant, too low for another. Simple arithmetic indicates that a perfect score would be 75, and a winning score of 68, as amassed by Richard DuBois, the 1954 Mr. America, is meritorious.

A platform will have been arranged upon the stage and suitable lights installed. usually a single overhead light serves best. The officials are seated, usually in front row center, where they can see all the contestants to the best advantage. Each judge is given a list of the contestants, with their names and numbers so that he can easily identify them.

As the contest begins the contestants are marched upon the stage in order according to the numbers which they have been assigned. If there are more than 20 contestants, they will be arranged in two or more groups. With this initial showing of the contestants the judges are given an opportunity to compare one with another and get a line on the relative merits of the competing athletes. The contestants face front in a relaxed condition, then at a signal turn a quarter turn to the right, again to the right so that their back is shown, and then a quarter turn to the right again. After a suitable interval they are marched off. In these relaxed poses it is difficult, perhaps impossible, for a competitor to conceal poor development or lack of development in any body part, or lack of symmetry.

It is usually customary to have the competition in the special divisions the first day of the competition if it is a two-day affair, to hold them in the afternoon of a single day's program or if preferred and the contest is not too large, just prior to the selection of the best physique. As physique contests can be long drawn out, they can be boring to the spectators, so it is wise to show as much speed as possible which is consistent with a fair display for each competing athlete.

For the subdivisions, it is customary to call out all who desire to compete in the special division, Best Arms, Best Back, Best Chest, Best Legs, and Best Abdominals. All who wish to compete in a special division line up on the stage and at a given signal display their arms, or their chest or their back, etc., to the best advantage, until the judges are satisfied. Then each judge writes down on a piece of paper with which has been supplied, who in his opinion has the best arm, etc. If there is a clear majority for any athlete, he is listed as the winner in that special division. In case of a tie or ties, the men who have the same number of votes are brought out again and a final decision is made. Frequently when the judges see the two or three finalists together they will change their votes so that a majority agree.

The Most Muscular Man title is usually awarded as the feature of the first day's program. Those who wish to compete for the title Most Muscular Man, which many consider more valuable than the Mr. This-or-That which is at stake, come out together and pose as a group. While the special divisions were being contested the judges usually get a pretty good idea who is the most muscular and are ready to vote after a few poses by the competing athletes. Frequently there are several prizes for Most Muscular, at least first, second and third, and this is determined by the vote of the judges.

With the special divisions out of the way, the men who have been warming up and pumping up, are lined up backstage in order. Each is told that he will be allowed three poses of fifteen seconds each, front back and optional, when he comes upon the raised platform. The overhead light is turned out momentarily and the master-of-ceremonies says, "We will now preset Mr. So-and-So of the Blank Club." He goes on to list the contests or awards the individual has already won. At some contests, simply the announcement of the contestants's name, number and club affiliation are made. But it definitely adds interest to the program if cards have been filled out in advance for the M.C. telling the contestant's age, weight, and success or lack of success in former contests.

You noticed that the 15 points have been divided into five groups, yet it is almost hopeless to score and tabulate the scores if fractions fore each of the five groups are used. It is customary for each judge to mass each contestant's points together so that the final count will be 12 or 12 1/2, or 13 1/2. It is usually permitted to score in quarters so that a top score would be 14 3/4. No man is perfect, so too often a perfect score is the one thrown out.

It certainly isn't fair to award a near perfect score to one man, and then as low as three or four to another. There simply is not that difference between well developed human beings. In my many hears of physique judging 14 3/4 to John Grimek in both his Mr. America winning contests is the highest score I have given. To a really good man I give at least 13 1/2, to a pretty good man, at least 12 1/2, to an ordinary man, 10 1/2, seldom less than this.

Tabulating the scores is a time-consuming and difficult part of any program, even when the man in charge, such as Clarence Johnson our national chairman, is a certified public accountant. The spectators are waiting for the final decisions, anxiously, usually impatiently; it is usually late, everyone wants the quickest possible decision, but a fair one.

One after another, the contestants are called to the center of the stage. The judges keep marking their scores, and finally the last man has appeared. A teller previously appointed collects the score sheets. Two years ago it was the late Emmit Faris of Cincinnati. last year it was Bob Hise, a member of the Southern California Weight Lifting Association. The scores are turned over to the national chairman, and all the judges, as the rule specifies, stand around as the tabulation is made. you can judge from my description as to just how the contest is conducted and that the selection of Mr. America is done with absolute fairness, there is no opportunity for juggling of votes. Everything possible is done to see that each athlete receives a square deal.

The judges are men of great experience. In most cases the have spent their adult lives in the game of weight lifting and body building. To become the leader in their districts they have had to prove their knowledge of the sport, their fairness as judges. Each judge signs his score sheet as he turns it in, so the members of the committee can see how each man scores. his record is retained, and if he has not been a good official, he is not asked to serve again.

In spite of the fact that well-qualified judges are selected, there are bound to be differences of opinion. Unfortunately most spectators and too many judges can see only muscles, yet muscles are just six points of the 15. Symmetry counts just as much, and if a man does not have a symmetrical body, he can not win a big contest. In fact, if a man does not have a well -balanced physique to begin, a good skeletal frame work, his chances of outstanding success in physique contests are very poor. I have seen some men with bad physical faults win some district contests, but when they get to a big contest and more qualified judges they will trail the man who has everything, or nearly everything.

A certain man won two Strength & Health photo contests, and some other outstanding awards, who was actually so bow-legged a pig could run between his legs. he was able to cover up these defects. But you can't cover up defects when you stand at ease in the big contests. The Mr. Universe contest causes every man to simply stand in a position of attention and a similar policy is used in European contests and of course our Mr. America contests.

A man has to be at least fairly good looking to win a big contest, good looking at least in a manly way. Although skin and face, actually good looks, counts only one point, this fraction of a point multiplied by the five final votes can easily be the difference between winning and losing. in this skin and face division it is hard for an older man to outscore a young man who not only possesses the bloom of youth in his face, but a sparkle, a vivacity that is hard to match, and if he has a good body too, he is hard indeed to beat.

The difference between winning and losing a big contest is often a fraction of a point and that fraction can easily be the difference between the three points for general appearance, posing, and face and skin. Yet in my long experience, and I believe I have had more experience than any other man in officiating at weight lifting and physique contests, very few judges see much but muscles. We try hard to educate the judges, which is the reason for this article. Internationally I served for years as the chairman of the Physical Culture Committee, which means the physique contest committee, as well as the chairman of the board of referees. In Mr. America contests I have served as chairman of the board of judges.

To make sure that judges are not known long in advance, they are appointed hours before the contest. Then we get them together and I have my little say. I am not influencing or trying to influence the judges. I am merely talking out loud as I am writing now, asking the judges to give serious thought to symmetry, posing, general appearance, skin and face as well as muscles in making their decision.

We try too to select a man who is worthy to be called "Mr. America". A man who has a fine muscular development, but also is a good looking man. If the judges do their work well the winner will be a man with nice features, healthy looking and a smooth skin and exceptional general appearance. We like to select a winner of pleasing personality, of patience, who will not tire of signing autographs, or answering the small fries' questions, a man who is a real man among men, and who will encourage others to try to emulate his success. A Mr. America should be able to use his muscles, to perform credibly in weight lifting or some other recognized athletic sport. It helps if he has an athletic background. We want a man of high moral character, a man of intelligence, and preferably of reasonable education. A man we can be proud to call Mr. America.

The judges this year, as usual, will be men who have paid their own way for considerable distances to take part in the great annual contest. They don't get paid for their work, and unfortunately are often unfairly subjected to censure. Only one man can win. march first of this year the official population of the United States was listed as 164,367,00. Approximately half of this number are males, and a goodly number are of physique contest age. So when a man becomes Mr. America, one man out of many millions, he has to be good, in fact very good. The man that has the "Mostest" will be the "Fustest".

An article recently appeared in another magazine "panning" last year's judges for not selecting Ludwig Schusterich as Mr. America. Ludwig is good, one of the best. he has been our friend for 16 years. He and I and Johnny Terpak were the only weight lifters at Dietrich Wortmann's funeral. We have been closely associated with Schusterich for years. he has used more Hi-Proteen than any man I know, has helped us sell a lot of it. He was officially representing the York Barbell Club, and it would have done us much good to have him win, but not one of the seven judges who served, Karo Whitfield, Ray Van Cleef, Peary Rader, Jim Messer, Bobby Higgins, George Wilcutt, and the writer of this article, listed him in first place. Four of these judges gave their first place votes to the ultimate winner, Richard DuBois.

The other magazine repeated again that there was some booing when Jim Park became Mr. America. The booing came from only a few East-Side denizens, who were for a big moose of a man with plenty of physical flaws. The vast majority of the crowd was well satisfied with Jim Park's great victory: Mr America, back best arms, the greatest triumph ever attained by any Mr. America winner. Jim went on to win Mr. World and Mr. Universe in London, and it is interesting to note that I was not a judge in any of these contests. Jim won on his merits, because he is really good. There will always be some who are dissatisfied, but only one man can win. Every care is taken to see that the best judges are selected, men who are honest, and well qualified, and they will select a Mr. America who is satisfactory to about 99% of the people. We hope you will be present at this year's Mr. America contest and national weight lifting championships. They will be good.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

-At left is a bright prospect for honors in the Mr. America contest. Earl Clark was featured in S&H several months ago, illustrating a John Grimek article on arm development, but has continued to improve under the tutelage of Leo Stern. (photo of Clark by Stern). Top (center) is promising Jerry Ross, winner of the titles Mr. Apollo, Mr. Los Angeles and Mr. Southern Calif. Harry Schwartz (left) placed third and Ludwig Shusterich placed second. (Herb Dixon photo)

-At right is another photo of the sensational Jerry Ross (Dixon photo), while top is Jim Park, winner of the Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe contests in 1952, '53, and '54. Park, trimly muscular yet with massive development, is a rugged strongman who ranks with the best "Mr." winners. (Health and Strength photo)