Events - Part 33

Mr. America - Part 1

Last time we looked at male beauty contests, clothed and unclothed.  There's another male parallel to the Miss America and Miss Universe contests: bodybuilding contests.  Contestants wear skimpy briefs but are not nude.  However, many of the winners, understandably proud of their bodies, have posed nude outside the contest.  Today we look at winners of the Mr. America contest.

The beginnings of the Mr. America contest were confusing, with several bodybuilding contests in 1938 and 1939.  Bill Hillgardner, above, won the "Finest Physique" contest in 1938, and some consider him the first Mr. America.  I got this photo from Men From Back Then.

Bert Goodrich won the "America's Finest Physique" contest in 1939, and some consider him the first Mr. America.

But in 1940 the first contest actually called Mr. America was held.  The winner was John Grimek, above.  He also won the 1941 contest.  After that, the rules were changed so you could only win once.

Jules Bacon was Mr. America 1943.  Photo by physique photographer Al Urban.

Clarence Ross was Mr. America 1945.  Photo by physique photographer Russ Warner.

Steve Reeves was Mr. America 1947.  Later, he became an actor and showed off his muscles in sword-and-sandal films such as Hercules.

John Farbotnik was Mr. America 1950.  I got this photo by physique photographer Al Urban from Vintage Muscle Men.

Roy Hilligen was Mr. America 1951.  I also got this photo from Vintage Muscle Men.

Jim Park, at right, was Mr. America 1952.  He's seen here with Vic Seipke in a photo by Clifford Oettinger that I got from ... guess where ... Vintage Muscle Men.  Thanks, Jerry!

Next time: more Mr. America photos.  Stay tuned.