Mr. America

The Tragic History of a Bodybuilding Icon

John D. Fair (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

473 Seiten

2015
University of Texas Press (Verlag)
978-1-4773-2248-2 (ISBN)

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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.

JOHN D. FAIR has authored six previous books, including Muscletown USA: Bob Hoffman and the Manly Culture of York Barbell. He is a retired history professor (Auburn University, Montgomery, and Georgia College & State University) and has competed in nearly eighty weightlifting/powerlifting meets, served on the national AAU weightlifting committee, and judged many physique competitions, including the 1973 Mr. America Contest. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin’s Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports.

Preface
Introduction
Part 1: Precedents

1. The Greek Ideal
2. The Athletic Body

Part 2: The Golden Age

3. The First Mr. America Contests
4. The Glory Years
5. Multiple Mr. Americas
6. Winds of Change

Part 3: Decline and Fall

7. The Arnold Era
8. The Sprague Revolution
9. Professionalizing Amateurism
10. Eclipse of an Icon

Epilogue and Conclusion
Appendix: Mr./Ms. America Titlists
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Erscheinungsdatum	27.07.2020
Reihe/Serie	Terry and Jan Todd Series on Physical Culture and Sports
Verlagsort	Austin, TX
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	680 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Sport ► Fitness / Aerobic / Bodybuilding
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
	Weitere Fachgebiete ► Sportwissenschaft
ISBN-10	1-4773-2248-5 / 1477322485
ISBN-13	978-1-4773-2248-2 / 9781477322482
Zustand	Neuware