Mr. America (contest) explained

Mr. America
Sport:Bodybuilding
Givenfor:Physical fitness, trained muscular structure
First:1939
Firstwinner:Bert Goodrich
Mostwins:

2 times

Mostrecent:Robert Thompson Jr. (2023)

The Mr. America contest is a bodybuilding competition started by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). It was first held on July 4, 1939, and the winner was named "America's Best Built Man". In 1940 this was changed to what is now known as the Mr. America contest. In the mid-1940s, Joe and Ben Weider started the IFBB as an alternative to the AAU. They held their opposing contest, the IFBB Mr. America, in 1949 and then from 1959 through 1977.[1] Rights to the Mr. America name have been sold several times after AAU discontinued holding the contests in 1999.

History

The AAU voted to discontinue holding bodybuilding competitions in 1999.[2]

In 2004, the World Bodybuilding & Fitness Association (WBFA) announced they had acquired the rights to the Mr. America name and would resume running contests under that banner.

In 2006 Bob Bonham acquired the rights and from 2011 through 2013 held the Mr America contest under the sanction of the INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding Federation), which is the amateur division of the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation). The contests were drug tested under strict WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) guidelines using U.S. Olympic laboratory testing.

In 2015, rights to Mr. America were acquired by Bruce Ebel, and the contest's annual event cycle resumed via MRA Promotions. Qualifying events in spring were sponsored by the National Gym Association (NGA), Nspire Sports League (NSL), and Ultimate Fitness Events (UFE).[3] The Mr. America Expo and contest was to have been held in Baltimore in October 2017.[4]

The contest resumed in 2020 (with no specific organization affiliation), promoted by Marc Tauriello of Mr America LLC. The Mr. America Sports Festival & Expo is held in October in Atlantic City, New Jersey,[5] and broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.[6]

Winners

Bodybuilding

Amateur Athletic Union / International Natural Bodybuilding Federation

Year Federation Mr. America Ms. America Masters Bodybuilding Classic Bodybuilding Men’s Bodybuilding A Men's Bodybuilding B Venue
1938 Bert Goodrich
1939 Roland Essmaker
1940 John Grimek
1941
1942 Frank Leight
1943 Jules Bacon
1944 Steve Stanko
1945 Clarence Ross
1946 Alan Stephan
1947 Steve Reeves
1948 George Eiferman
1949
1950 John Farbotnik
1951 Roy Hilligenn
1952 Jim Park
1953 Bill Pearl
1954 Dick DuBois
1955 Steve Klisanin
1956 Ray Schaefer
1957 Ron Lacy
1958 Tom Sansone
1959 Harry Johnson
1960
1961
1962
1963 Vern Weaver
1964 Val Vasilieff
1965
1966
1967
1968 Jim Haislop
1969 Boyer Coe
1970
1971
1972 Steve Michalik
1973
1974 Ron Thompson
1975 Dale Adrian
1976 Kalman Szkalak
1977 Dave Johns
1978 Tony Pearson
1979 Ray Mentzer
1980 Gary LeonardCarla Dunlap
1981 Tim BelknapLaura Combes
1982 Rufus HowardTina Plakinger (medium & overall)----Chris Wood (Tall)----Rebecca Thomas (medium-tall)----Gloria Romo (short)
1983 Jeff KingKerrie Keenan (medium & overall)----Cheryl Harris (Tall)----Becky Thomas (medium-tall)----Diane Langone (short)
1984 Joe MeekoJill O'Connor (medium & overall)----Dawn Goldstab (Tall)----Cynthia Albrecht (medium-tall)----Joone Hopfenspirger (short)
1985 Michael AntorinoJoone Hopfenspirger (short & overall)----Christine Engle (Tall)----Debra Poston (medium-tall)----Cathey Palyo (medium)
1986 Glenn KnerrConnie McCloskey (short & overall)----Teresa Nordaby (Tall)----Cathy Butler (medium)
1987 Richard BarrettaTeresa Nordaby (medium-Tall & overall)----Gretta Mikalac (Tall)----Cathy Butler (medium)----Linda Lawrynkiewicz (short)
1988 William NorbergCathy Butler (short & overall)----Anita Briggs (Tall)----Antoinette Winn (medium-tall)----Theresa Locicero (medium)
1989 Matt DuFresneMary Adams
1990 Peter MillerLinda Slayton (short & overall)----Anita Briggs (Tall)----Tammy Kamienski (medium-tall)----Theresa Locicero (medium)
1991 Joe DeAngelisTheresa Locicero (medium & overall)----Jodie Adams (Tall)----Donna Marie Schultz (medium-tall)----Gayle Schroeder (short)
1992 Mike ScarcellaKathi Costello (medium & overall)----Betsy Briggs (Tall)----Linda Mignosa (medium-tall)----Laurie Fierstein (short)
1993 Billy NothaftKarla Nelsen (tall & overall)----Christine Gillett (medium-tall)----Bonnie Chymeryc (medium)----Jeannie Davidson (short)
1994 Andrew SivertMidge Shull (short & overall)----Betsy Briggs (Tall)
1995 Terence HairstonBetsy Briggs (heavyweight & overall)----Vicki Dunn (middleweight)----Victoria McKinney (lightweight)
1996 Doug RieserCynthia Barker (heavyweight & overall)----Sonyo T Bond (middleweight)----Johanna Carter (lightweight)
1997 Bill DaveyDenise Richardson (heavyweight & overall)----Beth Eisenman (middleweight)----Mary Martino (lightweight)
1998 Harvey H. CampbellDenise Richardson (middleweight & overall)----Kimberly Rogers (heavyweight)----Ann Katz (Light-Heavyweight)----Denise Richardson (middleweight)----Mary Martino (lightweight)
1999 Tracey DorseyCathy Boulé (medium & overall)----Donna Shultz (Tall)----Melody Leese (short)
2011International Natural Bodybuilding FederationRawle GreeneNone (Overall)----Julie Sleight (heavyweight)----Cynthia Mustafa (lightweight)----Julie Sleight (Masters)New York City, New York, United States of America
2012Daniel WhiteSecaucus, New Jersey, United States of America
2013John Heart
2015NoneCleveland ThomasRochester, New York, United States of America
2016Shevon CunninghamSix Flags America, Woodmore, Maryland, United States of America
2020Jay BrewAtlantic City, New Jersey, United States of America
2021Corey BrownJoe FareseJeremiah Kenney-Wright
2022Meshack OchiengMelody FarkasMatthew OteroMeshack OchiengPrince Bada Lekan
2023Robert Thompson Jr.Maria PopaDesario SmithTBD
2024TBD

International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness

Year Mr. America Venue
1949 Alan Stephan
1959Chuck Sipes
1960Gene Shuey
1961Gaétan D'Amours
1962Larry Scott
1963Reg Lewis
1964Harold Poole
1965Dave Draper
1966Chester Yorton
1967Don Howorth
1968Frank Zane
1969John Decola
1970Mike Katz
1971Ken Waller
1972Ed Corney
1973Lou Ferrigno
1974Bob Birdsong
1975Robby Robinson
1976Mike Mentzer
1977Danny Padilla

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mr. America History . mramerica.com . May 22, 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170614175104/http://mramerica.com/history/ . June 14, 2017 .
  2. Book: Fair, John D. . Mr. America : The Tragic History of a Bodybuilding Icon . University of Texas Press . 2015 . 978-0-292-76082-0 . 1st . Austin Texas . 348–368.
  3. Web site: Mr. America Qualifying Events . MRA Promotions . May 22, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181030225736/http://mramerica.com/qualifying-events . October 30, 2018 . dead .
  4. Web site: Mr. America Info and Registration . mramerica.com . May 22, 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170602093059/http://mramerica.com/mr-america-info-registration/ . June 2, 2017 .
  5. Web site: Mr. America . March 31, 2020 . Facebook . Marc . Tauriello . April 7, 2020 .
  6. News: Mr. America 2021 Event Preview: How To Watch & Key Details . October 6, 2021 . Generation Iron . Austin . Letorney . October 18, 2022 .