In view of the fact that Grimek statements are still appearing re the Lurie-Grimek Challenge, Your Physique Magazine gives the challenger, Dan Lurie this final opportunity to answer the many accusations thrown at him. However, we feel that this argument if carried on any longer will be detrimental to the body-building game as a whole and hence refuse to give any further space to the controversy.
Dear Bodybuilders
THE Hoffmanian manuscripts are still hurling insults and invectives at me by the dozens all because I challenged the great John Grimek to a battle of muscles. Little did I expect that my few simple lines would result in article after article being written with the express purpose of tearing me to pieces mentally, physically and morally. Little did I expect that a direct challenge to Grimek by me would be evaded by almost every scheme and device which man is capable of. Little did I expect that my self-styled opponent and his cohort of supporters would go to such lengths to darken my name and besmirch my character when all I asked was that he meet me in a contest of muscles before a group of independent judges at my personal expense.
Not once in all my writings or statements have I made the slightest of belittling or disparaging remarks about John Grimek. In fact I have actually gone so far as to praise him and praise the beauty of his body openly and publicly.
Even now after I have been insulted left and right by Grimek and his supporters I still refuse to lower myself to the degrading level of a mud-slinger. I am extremely sorry for Grimek that he followed the unsound advice which I am sure was given to him, for his printed reaction to my challenge has lowered his prestige in the eyes of thousands of his most ardent followers.
I myself felt very disappointed and disillusioned and know from the contents of dozens of letters received by me on the controversy that many other prominent lifters share my feelings. Grimek could have saved his prestige and continued to hold the admiration of the mass of the bodybuilders on this continent if he had been big enough to publish an apology or a retraction for his unwarranted statements about me. In fact in the last issue of Your Physique I personally absolved Grimek for what he had done and paved the way for him to make an easy out. Once you make a mistake and lose face it is difficult to go back on what you have said or done. Realizing this and having no ill feelings toward Grimek I went out of my way to the extent of bending over backwards so that be could make an easy retraction of his bitter and unsportsmanlike statements. I was even willing to lose face myself and take a bit of a beating at his expense because it pained me to see an American Idol of such long standing come tumbling to the ground over so simple a matter.
My kindness was rewarded in the last issue of the "Strength Magazine" by an article almost as unjust and scathing as the one which preceded it.
As for my challenge to Grimek, despite all that he has said about the matter, it still remains unanswered. At first he twisted it around and jumbled it up so much that even I who issued it did not recognize it. Then he dragged red-herrings across its path and by devious methods too numerous to mention attempted to evade it. Apparently even he realized that his readers would see through what he was trying to do for now he has launched upon a new scheme by introducing cross-challenges. As it now stands everybody is challenging everybody else, for everything from soup to beans. So if you want to get into the fun send in a challenge yourself. Who knows? Before the thing ends we may see this resulting in a male beauty contest - as for me I am interested in a battle of muscles and can lay no claim to being a second Clark Gable.
When I first made my challenge to Grimek I foresaw the possibility of the challenge being evaded and hence stipulated that the contest be staged 'sometime during the year 1945'. The purpose of this was to pin him down so that he couldn't squeeze out from under. Despite the precaution Grimek kicked the challenge about from pillar to post month after month until the stipulated time had elapsed.
It should be obvious to anyone who read Grimek's statements that he has no desire to meet me in a muscular contest and so for the sake of the bodybuilding game as a whole I for my part shall consider the whole matter closed. My purpose has been served for by his evasion of my challenge the great Grimek himself has openly admitted that he has no light to his much used title 'America's Most Muscular Man."
PHOTO CAPTION
- Majestic power and symmetrical development exemplified in this pose by the famous Dan Lurie of New York City.