Jim Park
Jim Park (1927-2007) grew up in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Navy right out of high school in 1944 (World War II was going on) and was discharged in 1947.
Moving to Chicago, he got into bodybuilding, winning some local contests like Mr. Central U.S.A. (above).
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He also started posing for physique photographers. Above, an early photo of Park (left) with Vic Siepke, taken by Douglas of Detroit. I got this photo from Vintage Muscle Men. Thanks, Jerry!
In 1952, Park won the Mr. America contest. When Park was announced as the winner, the audience erupted with booing and catcalling from those who wanted Malcolm Brenner (above) to win.
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By the way, Brenner also posed for physique photos. That's him at left in the photo above by Bob Mizer.
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But getting back to Jim Park, he posed for a whole series of photos by Chicago physique photographer Clifford Oettinger in 1952. The rest of these photos are by Oettinger. Above, Park (right) with Vic Siepke, who competed against Park in the 1952 Mr. America contest.
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Jim Park (right) and Vic Seipke.
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Jim Park.
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Jim Park (left) and Tim Sweeney.
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We end with Jim Park (bottom) and Tim Sweeney. I'm not saying that Jim Park was a bottom.🙂 He was straight and had a wife and children.
Jim Park died in 2007 of natural causes at age 79.
6 comments:
Waynesboro is a backward little town about 45 miles from Pittsburgh. The KKK is still active there. When Park joined the service, it must have been an eye-opening experience for him. I can only imagine what the town must gave been like back then. Anyway, it's great to see photos of this handsome, uncircumcised male, and learn a bit about him.
Jim Park was a magnificent specimen. Even though he married and had children, did he ever go any explicit erotic work (either straight or gay)?
Great set.
Bel homme Jim Park, chanceux de poser pour des photographes physiques d’aussi haut calibre, il était très disposé à poser nu. Park a dû réaliser que les doubles poses avec d’autres culturistes du physique étaient homoérotiques.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
As far as I can tell, he never did any erotic work.
Thank you for the information. Through marriages Jim is my 6th cousin, once removed. Links:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Park-8108
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202842290/james-earl-park
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G8VQ-6F7
Here's what his birth town thought of him:
https://greenescenemagazine.com/greenescene-of-the-past-mr-america-1952/
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