Who Should Have Been "Mr World"?

by Joseph E Weider

The truth about the Paris Fiasco. Here are the authentic facts sent to us by competitors in the Mr. World Contest; some of the men who were active in organizing the show and others whose correction with the event permitted them to secure first hand information. It is all here, told to you in just the way these unbiased men saw it.

AT 11 A.M. on the day of the Mr. World contest , and before the event took place, at a meeting where the following were present, Jean Dame, D. G. Johnson of the British Health and Strength Magazine, Lionel Whitley, interpreter, Dietrich Wortmann and Messrs. Reg Park Senior and Junior, Bob Hoffman said ... "I think that Reg has the best build in the world today" ... (John Grimek take note! Ed.)

Mr. Hoffman is not alone in his opinion, for it is shared by many bodybuilders today - YET, despite this fact, the happenings at Paris, in connection with the Mr. World contest have SHOCKED the world of bodybuilders. Wherever good sportsmanship is held sacred, bodybuilders are stunned, AMAZED at the incredible disregard of FAIRNESS displayed in this instance. The true story is so fantastic that there will be many who will have difficulty believing the facts, particularly after reading the slandering manner the show was reported in a recent issue of the SXH mag.

Not only has Reg Park been cheated out of the Mr. World title, but his good name, as well as that of his family has been besmirched by the most corrupt piece of foul play it has ever been my misfortune to meet up with. Here are the TRUE facts...presented to you unbiasedly. You draw your own conclusions about the affair after reading them.

On the complaint of Dietrich Wortmann and Bob Hoffman, Reg Park was banned from the Mr. World competition on the grounds of "Professionalism". When Reg attempted to defend himself his testimony was waved aside. When he suggested if his prior actions were deemed cause for disqualification, then John Farbotnik was guilty of similar violations as he. Reg felt that if he was barred then Farbotnik should be too. He was told to get more proof!

However, Reg's honest and intelligent arguments were winning first one and then another of the officials over to him. It looked as though he would be permitted to enter the event after all. It was then that Wortmann played his trump card. He said, that as chairman of the American Weightlifting Team, that if Reg Park was permitted to enter the Mr. World Contest, that he would remove Stanczyk and Davis from the contest. It is an indication of just how badly Hoffman and Wortmann wanted Reg out of the contest.

I do not feel that Wortman had the right or the authority to put this threat into effect, BUT - faced with this ultimatum, Reg ceased to stress his case. His character is so clean and fine that he pushed his personal feelings to the side, rather than to hurt the chances of America...a country he has come to love second only to his own England...and he withdrew on one condition.

Reg asked for a promise that if Farbotnik won the Mr. World title, that Farbotnik would meet him a few days later at the Mr. Britain competition, in a contest between them, to prove who actually was the better man. To this Wortman agreed, and it was understood that Farbotnik would confirm the meeting. Farbotnik failed to confirm this appointment, and it was for this reason that Reg Park was on hand, backstage at the Mr. World contest, for the promise given to him by Wortman was not consummated...and therefore, Reg had no moral obligation to keep his part of the bargain. Hoffman calls this poor sportsmanship in his report of the contest...but I leave it up to the reader to determine for himself whether or not Reg was justified. With promises being broken right and left, Reg had every right to protect his interests in any way possible. Needless to say, John Farbotnik NEVER showed up for any contest against Reg Park...the obvious conclusion being that he KNEW that he would lose. If he disputes this...I will be more than pleased to arrange a contest between them NOW...or at any time.

The above are the highlights of the affair. Now for the details more fully so that you will get a better understanding of the motives and the purpose behind this gross violation of ethics and fair play.

It is no secret that John Farbotnik has been groomed for some time now as York's new wonder man. It is a definite asset for any bodybuilding company to have some champion behind them as a sort of figure head To this I have no complaint. It is only when the acquisition of this champion is set ABOVE all acts of decency that I disapprove. And this is exactly what was done in this case.

Since the complaint against Reg Park was that he was a professional, I say that nearly EVERY ONE of the contestants in the Mr. World contest was just as professional as he, and in many cases even more so. An amateur technically becomes a professional for many reasons. Some of them include having his photographs used in ads, working as a physical instructor or writing instructive articles. Since this is true, in our opinion, John Farbotnik should not have been permitted to enter ANY Amateur contest for the past several years.

His photos have been used for several years in photo sales ads, being exploited by Al Urban, John Fritsche, and even his own wife sells his photographs for profit. He also worked allegedly as an instructor in Harold Zinkin's Gym, with it being accepted knowledge among bodybuilders that he received pay for this. In addition, he wrote an article for me several years ago, for which he received pay. He even brings up the point that he was not reimbursed SUFFICIENTLY for his talents. In addition he wrote instructive articles for SXH. An amateur can be disqualified for professionalism for any of the above reasons.

Still, no one complained when John Farbotnik was permitted to enter the A.A.U. Mr. America contest, despite the fact that it was common knowledge that he had in the past been paid for certain services which would make him a professional. Of course, I have NO PROOF that he ever received a cent for his services, other than my cancelled check for the article he wrote for me...maybe he did it all for nothing, but this is rather hard to believe PARTICULARLY when such an issue is made by him that the amount offered to him by myself was TOO LITTLE, as a modeling fee.

That John Farbotnik was permitted to enter the Mr. America contest, which he won, is now a matter of record. But, if the special award he received for "best back" over Melvin Wells is any indication of the way the contest was run, we feel that these words of Joe DiPietro carry a deeper significance than even he first though. I recall as he said to me, "Joe, one thing about lifting, you either have a weight overhead, or you don't." And then he motioned me to ben over close to him, and he added, "However, with bodybuilding and Mr. Titles, it's not always what you have, but sometimes WHO you know."

Regretfully, this appears to be so. Even Melvin Wells is reported as saying after the recent Mr. America Contest..."Gosh! I wonder what I have to do to win this title?"

I do not claim that Reg Park is a "simon pure". He has received some renumerations for his services, but so did John Farbotnik. What constitutes professionalsim for one man, should be a similar violation for another. This is FAIR. If this had been done I would never have had to write this article.

Reg Park did appear in a professional event and was presented with a cash award. BUT - he did not accept this award for himself...he was so appreciative of the swell reception he had been given by the American public in general that he donated this prize to the American AAU Weightlifting Fund, giving it back to me, to hold for Mr. Wortmann when he returned form the World Championships. Here certainly is an ideal example of the adage of the "dog who bites the hand that feeds it".

This is EXACTLY what golfer Frank Stanahan does when he enters professional contests...he donates the prize money to some worthy cause, and there has never been any question about his amateur status.

I personally wired Jean Dame of the International AAU and explained this fact to him. I have good reason to believe that if it had been up to him that Reg Park would have been permitted to enter the contest. It was only because of the strong objections of Bob Hoffman and Dietrich Wortmann that Reg Park was banned!!

Further proof of the discrimination against Reg Park follows. The 1950 Mr. Universe Contest, held in London and sanctioned by the NABBA, an outlaw organization according to Wortmann, with anyone entering automatically losing his amateur status, a number of contestants who entered this Mr. Universe event, including Charles Klejniak, were permitted to enter the Mr. World contest without any question...Klejniak taking third place. Only Reg Park was barred...only HE termed a professional WHY...if you look at Bob Hoffman's own account of the contest you get the obvious answer. Hoffman admits that the general quality of the contestants was rather poor...not coming up to the standards of our own A.A.U. events. Therefore, he had no fear of anyone beating his choice...Farbotnik, EXCEPT...Reg Park. Now do you get the full import of what took lace in Paris? NOW- can you see the motives? This part of it all sums up to being not so much who was a professional, as WHO could beat Farbotnik. What a shallow bit of underhand business. Thank GOD I had nothing to do with it.

In fact it was D. G. Johnson, of the Health and Strength Magazine in England, who became so disgusted with the entire affair that he withdrew from the panel of judges before the contest, so incensed was he over the raw deal being given to Reg. After it was all over, Johnson said..."It is the best thing to forget that this contest ever took place, for it certainly did not represent a contest between the Best Developed Athletes in the World." To this we fully agree.

Even world-famed Namdjou who had expected to compete, refused to do so when he learned the details. From all sides those with the slightest sense of decency and fair play in them REFUSED to have anything to do with the event. And then Bob Hoffman has the GALL to suggest that Reg Park acted in any but a dignified and gentlemanly manner when he merely asked for a fair deal. What a joke!!

Imagine, if you can, the feeling of Reg, who had trained for many months for this contest. Trained like no man ever trained before...I personally saw him train for more than 6 hours at a time, more than once. To him, this contest meant EVERYTHING. It was the one victory he wanted more than anything else in the world.

Then, all this was made impossible because of poor sportsmanship. How could ANYONE hold their selfish interests above common decency? Of course, we in America hoped for an American victory. BUT-the greatness that Reg Park possesses is above purely patriotic feelings...he belongs to the WORLD...there never before has been a physical specimen like him, and possibly never again will there be one. To rob him of the triumph which is rightfully his, is incredible.

And with all his heartwrapped up in the title, Reg was still GREAT enough to drop out of the contest once he felt that by pressing the issue he could spoil America's chance for victory in the weightlifting event. he wouldn't hurt the Country which had been so kind to him. A Country he may someday make his HOME. He refused to put himself ahead of the great ideals he so strongly believed in ...fair play...good sportsmanship...AMERICANISM...and he withdrew from the contest. He KNEW that Hoffman and Wortmann were taking advantage of him...but this British boy, this great sportsman, a man who had told me to present $500.00 of his prize money to the American AAU weightlifting fund, took this slap in the face and accepted it rather than to do America an injustice. here is a lesson for us ALL to learn.

I personally want to apologize to EVERY bodybuilder the world over for the actions at the Mr. World contest. PLEASE - do not think that this is representative of the American spirit of Fair play. I know that I should have been there along with Reg Park in Paris. He is my personal friend...but I never dreamed that he would get the treatment that he did.

I could have PROVED Farbotnik's professionalism. I could have shown them the cancelled check...my payment to him for an article he wrote for me. I would have routed out discrimination...show how others to whom no complaint was made were EVEN MORE professional than Reg Park...and this includes the winner.

I should have guessed what was to take place. For just before the contest, I learned that Hoffman had gotten my printer...yes, the same printers who produce Your Physique and Muscle Power Magazines...Hoffman had gotten them to accept the SXH..for them to run off his magazine on the very same presses which turn my own out. Naturally I had to stay behind at the very last minute, faced with this new development. A look as the current issue of SXH proves how brazenly he has imitated me. So from all sides it is evident that the whole plot was cleverly conceived...everything done to keep Reg Park from winning the Mr. World title. I think we can all take a lesson from the words of Mr. Johnson...and FORGET that the event ever took place. In fact, in reality NO CONTEST took lace...it was a FARCE...and the wiNner wears a synthetic crown which was tarnished BEFORE he donned it.

Now you know the facts. Bare, naked, glaringly revealing TRUTHS about the foul play at Paris. If you are ashamed, you are justly so...for every AMERICAN will glow a crimson red in the face, when he recalls the rousing reception given Reeves and Grimek in London. How Park, Stephan, Ross and others who appear in Canada were treated ROYALLY. How Theriault, Robert, Paivio, L'Heureux and other Canadian greats are given whole-hearted receptions in the USA...BUT - it was an American who stirred up this International Stench which we are all ashamed of.

This brings to mind...there is a man in the rival organization who's very fond of quoting poetry. I am too, and take this opportunity

For when the One Great Scorer Comes
To write against your name
He writes not that you won or lost
But how you played the game.

THINK THAT ONE OVER, BOYS...!