[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
Back in '78 I attended one of George Snyder’s “Best In The World” shows. In the lobby all the guys were selling their stuff and signing autographs. Frank Zane is bigger in real life than he looks in photos. Mike Mentzer had the biggest calves I’d ever seen. Sammir Bannout was competing and won that night and was flawless. Robby Robinson guest posed and had the best V-taper and bicep peak I’d ever seen!
I got autographs from all of them(including Steve Michalik, Boyer Coe, Cave Draper, Greg DeFerro and more). When I got an autograph from Ed Corney, he asked for $2.00! I said “For an autograph? Nobody else here is charging money for autographs!” He angrily shot back, “Yeah, well I gotta make a living.” Dick.
Anyway, days before the show, I made an oil painting of Arnold. He was going to be emcee that night and would be hard to get an autograph from. I imagined I’d trade the painting for an autograph if I could somehow get to Arnold (such grand schemes for the fifteen year old newb that I was).
Toward the end of the show, I made my way to the foot of the stage… painting in one hand, program book and pen in the other. Arnold was just finishing up an announcement and started to head backstage when I called out his name. He turned around, looked down from the stage at me holding the painting up for him to see, and came to the edge of the stage. I was exhilarated!
I told him he could have the painting I made for him if he just signs my program book. He misunderstood me and took the painting and the pen and proceeded to sign the painting! I tried to explain again what I wanted, but someone backstage was calling him away. He looked at me and said, “I’ll be back”, then disappeared behind the curtains. I waited for a few minutes, but then an usher angrily told me to return to my seat (almost halfway back in the theater).
Back in my seat, I was bummed out that it didn’t go as planned, but the friends I came to the show with were ecstatic! I got to see the KING up close, and he signed my painting! Back home my dad was impressed. At school nobody could care less except for the handful of kids “in the know”.
My mom still has that painting at her house (the ink has faded a bit, but it’s still Arnold’s recognizable handwriting). She was wondering how much it would sell for on E-bay. lol
[/quote]
You’re very lucky to have met these BBers, as these are the characters who stand out to me when I think Bodybuilding! Whats cool is they still inspire people today and thats just class! I would have loved to have seen/met those guys in person like Mentzer and Zane but esp. Arnold!
I’m sure when Arnold hit the big-time in the early 80’s with movies like Conan and the Terminator, that signed oil painting of yours took on a whole new meaning to those who were not in the know.
Cool story!
