Mr. America : the tragic history of a bodybuilding icon / John D. Fair.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fair, John D., author.

Series:

Terry and Jan Todd series on physical culture and sports.

Terry and Jan Todd series on Physical Culture and Sports

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bodybuilding--Competitions--United States--History--20th century.

Bodybuilding.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (474 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2015.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

For most of the twentieth century, the “Mr. America” image epitomized muscular manhood. From humble beginnings in 1939 at a small gym in Schenectady, New York, the Mr. America Contest became the world’s premier bodybuilding event over the next thirty years. Rooted in ancient Greek virtues of health, fitness, beauty, and athleticism, it showcased some of the finest specimens of American masculinity. Interviewing nearly one hundred major figures in the physical culture movement (including twenty-five Mr. Americas) and incorporating copious printed and manuscript sources, John D. Fair has created the definitive study of this iconic phenomenon. Revealing the ways in which the contest provided a model of functional and fit manhood, Mr. America captures the event’s path to idealism and its slow descent into obscurity. As the 1960s marked a turbulent transition in American society—from the civil rights movement to the rise of feminism and increasing acceptance of homosexuality—Mr. America changed as well. Exploring the influence of other bodily displays, such as the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia contests and the Miss America Pageant, Fair focuses on commercialism, size obsession, and drugs that corrupted the competition’s original intent. Accessible and engaging, Mr. America is a compelling portrayal of the glory days of American muscle.

Contents:

Precedents

The Greek ideal

The athletic body

The golden age

The first Mr. America contests

The glory years

Multiple Mr. Americas

Winds of change

Decline and fall

The Arnold era

The Sprague revolution

Professionalizing amateurism

Eclipse of an icon.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-292-76749-8