Posted By: Big Bob Madow (ool-44c15f15.dyn.optonline.net) Date: Wednesday, January 3, 2007, @ 8:20 a.m.
In Response To: (Message Deleted by Poster) (Mark Gilman)
Mark
The shorts I wore in many meets were hand me downs from Joe Musorafite who was the coach of the weightlifting team at Mosholu Montefiore in the Bronx. Joe hosted many meets during his years there. He sang opera in the shower after every workout and told great tales about John Davis as well as his own 181 lb class battles with Carl Stelzen at meets in PA. He also introduced me to the great Larry Mintz at the Elekchester (sp.) Club in the basement of a Queens Housing project.
Mintz was a class lighter than me and out cleaning me by 100 lbs at the time. Even so he treated me as an equal. He had recently
won a meet by defeating the late great Floyd Despirito and pictures of Mintz appeared in Strength & Health as well as Iron
Man. He had cleaned 340 weighing 159!
A little more about Mintz: I went to York PA to see the greats compete early in 1965. I was short of money, 17 years old and decided to sleep wherever I could so I could see Tony Garcy, Gary Cleveland, Bill March as well as the Larry Mintz vs. James Massai Bu battle in the 148 lb. class. Morris Weissbrot told me that
Mintz had a two bed room and I should ask him if I could stay with him. Mintz asked me if Massai Bu had sent me to disturn him and I said no so he welcomed me in. I had a great time speaking with Larry. At bedtime he surprised me by drinking a rather hefty glass full of whiskey. He said he would go right to sleep and the whiskey would act as a diuretic for him in the morning to place him exactly at the required 148and 3/4 lbs.
Larry did weight the exact limit and defeated Massai Bu too the next day. Gary Cleveland as well as Bill March were very friendly and I had a long discussion with Cleveland about the 340 press he made that day weighing 181. I also saw the late Rudy Sablo, believe it or not, wearing one of the old "sleeping hats" which was very long and surprised me. I know of no one else who wore such a hat.
Anyway-a little rambling from the old days in weightlifting.
