IFBB born in Brooklyn 1965

 Read Joe Weider's Editorial Announcement, from the April 1965 edition of Muscle Builder, on a new contest to be called the "MR. OLYMPIA"!

It started on September 18, 1965. The crowd at the Brooklyn Academy of Music waited at the edge of their seats, screaming in anticipation. They clapped their hands, stomped their feet and yelled as loud as their lungs would allow for the blond superstar from California with arms too big to believe. The man they were waiting for was the legendary Larry Scott, and the reason why they were waiting was because this was the night of Joe Weider's greatest creation. This was the night of the first-ever Mr. Olympia contest.

Larry Scott was the bodybuilding superstar of his day, but by 1963 there were no more worlds to conquer. Scott had already won the Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe titles; there was little left for him to prove.

Besides proving anything, Scott already had a houseful of trophies and plaques and felt that it was time to move on from bodybuilding and make some money.

Joe Weider recognized the need to keep Larry Scott in bodybuilding and the necessity to force the sport to grow. He created the Mr. Olympia contest to keep all the great Mr. Universe champions active in the sport and to give them the opportunity to earn money from competing. Joe could see that for the sport to succeed in the future, the champions would have to be able to make a living from competing in the sport just like other professional athletes.  For complete article click here

Comments

[Tanuki]

I worked for the Weider company in Canoga Park, California briefly in 1980, but only saw Mr. Weider a few times. I was surprised one day when he asked me to help carry some things from his car; a brief case and heavy box. I naturally grabbed the box, but when we reached the stairs ascending to his office, he quickly snatched it from my hands, motioned for me to take the brief case, then lunged impressively up the flight of steps, taking two at a time. Once at the top, he switched the box for briefcase, and we proceeded on to his office. 26 years later, I still don't know why he did that.