1984 Mr. Olympia – a New King Arrives, Part 2
As the competitors for the Mr. Olympia contest lined up onstage at the Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden on November 3rd, 1984, the voracious New York City crowd roared its approval for one of the greatest collection of bodybuilders to ever compete for this coveted title. Champion bodybuilders from the past, present and even the future stood before the knowledgeable and passionate fans who knew top notch quality when they saw it.
The Past was represented by bodybuilders who had made a name for themselves competing in various organizations in the 1960s and 70s. This group included 1982 Mr. Olympia Chris Dickerson, Boyer Coe, Bill Grant, Bob Birdsong, Robby Robinson, Albert Beckles and "The Myth" Sergio Oliva. When it was announced that Sergio was indeed going to finally return to the Mr. Olympia stage after a 12-year absence, the fans showed up in droves to witness this living legend of bodybuilding in the flesh.
The Present state of bodybuilding was also a big part of the 1984 Mr. Olympia contest. The current champ, 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout was ready to defend his title amongst all the hype and publicity surrounding the return of the Myth. In addition to Samir, last year's runner-up at the Mr. Olympia, Mohamed Makkawy, was back in superb shape. Lee Haney, the promising rookie from 1983, was also threatening to live up to the promise of his tremendous potential. Other big names such as Tom Platz, Jusup Wilcosz, Roy Callendar and Tony Pearson were also ready for battle.
The Future of the sport was also onstage at the 1984 Mr. Olympia as the new professional bodybuilders from 1983 were ready to make their pro debuts at that year's Mr. Olympia contest. World Amateur Bodybuilding champions from the 1983 Mr. Universe – including lightweight winner Appie Steenbeck, middleweight winner Charles Glass, light heavyweight winner Chuck Williams and heavyweight winner Bob Paris – were all ready to mix it up with the best bodybuilders in the sport. Paris, in particular, was highly touted as a rising force in the IFBB. With his incredible aesthetic shape and symmetrical muscle mass, the 23-year-old world champion had some bodybuilding experts anticipating the emergence of a "New Steve Reeves" with the pro debut of Bob Paris.
When the twenty competitors lined up onstage, the bodybuilding fans anxiously searched for the legendary Sergio Oliva in the line-up. The Myth was stuck at the very end of the stage and he looked frustrated as he was placed out of the stage light. Already distrustful of the IFBB and their "tricks," Sergio must have thought he was being set up to lose the contest.
However, order was soon restored and all of the competitors were quickly given their fair share of stage time under the lights. As the judges sorted through the competitors and began calling for comparisons of the bodybuilders in the mandatory poses, it started to become clear who would be contending for the top spots.
The defending champ, Samir Bannout, was in great shape but he seemed to be slightly lacking the dry and ripped look that he brought to the stage a year ago in Munich, Germany. Mohamed Makkawy, however, was in outstanding condition. Although standing a mere five feet, two inches, the "Magical Egyptian" as he was known, was nearly perfect with his rock hard abdominals, thick triceps and glowing skin tone.
Sergio Oliva did not disappoint. Although well into his 40's, the former three- time Mr. Olympia still brought his legendary proportions to the stage. His tiny waist was contrasted by wide shoulders and huge 21-inch arms, a look that could not be matched by any other bodybuilder onstage. His condition was, as feared, slightly off and Oliva was lacking the ripped look that defined success in 1980s bodybuilding. His once massive thighs were also lacking in size and looked out of proportion to his incredible upper body.
His rabid fans, however, didn't care. When Sergio was announced to the audience, the packed house exploded in cheers. When the former Mr. Olympia ended his routine with a series of ferocious most muscular shots followed by the famous Victory Pose, his fans didn't see an over-40-year- old bodybuilder with subpar quads and 1960s level conditioning. They only saw the magnificent Oliva of 1972 in Essen, Germany posing down with Arnold at the Mr. Olympia that year. Ah, the wonderful power of nostalgia!
The bodybuilder who took everyone by surprise was the Awesome Lee Haney. Expanding on the promise he showed a year ago, Haney shocked this jaded audience with his massive 243-pound physique. Weighing a full 13 pounds heavier than a year ago when he took third place in the Mr. Olympia, defeating the likes of Frank Zane and Bertil Fox in the process, Haney was ready for victory. With thick, full muscle bellies and a tiny waist that matched Oliva’s in circumference, Haney was rock hard and bursting with muscle. While Sergio seemed to be holding water underneath his skin, Haney's condition was perfect with vascularity and striations lacing his full, thick muscles. Everyone in attendance at the Felt Forum that evening knew they were looking at the new Mr. Olympia when they saw Lee Haney walk onstage.
One veteran bodybuilder who was not going to be left behind was the incredible Albert Beckles. Announced to the audience as "54 years old," Albert playfully danced his way onstage to the delight of the sold out crowd. Already a 20-year competitive bodybuilder, Albert was beginning the second phase of his career in the early 1980's with a physique that was remarkably improved from his younger version. Earlier that year, Beckles had won the IFBB Pro World Championships displaying a rock hard physique that had miraculously improved with age. His granite hard back development and freaky bicep peaks could not be equaled onstage.
The massive Jusup Wilcosz from Germany was in the best condition of his life at the 1984 Mr. Olympia. Jusup first gained attention when he was runner-up to the popular Mike Mentzer at the 1978 Mr. Universe contest where Mentzer won with a perfect 300 score. One year later, Wilcosz easily won the heavyweight Mr. Universe contest, defeating Mike's younger brother Ray in the process. A close friend and frequent training partner of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jusup continued to improve his physique and won the 1980 Professional Mr. Universe contest shortly after the controversial Mr. Olympia event in Sydney that year. Although his condition had seemed to have stalled over the last few years, he really nailed his peak for the '84 Olympia. Displaying a granite hard physique, the stoic and bearded Wilcosz exemplified the Herculean look. One of the biggest men in the contest, only the Awesome Lee Haney out massed the rugged physique of Jusup Wilcosz.
When the judges began comparing competitors at the prejudging, the bodybuilders who were going to be at the top immediately became apparent by the number of times they were called forward for comparisons. Lee Haney, Mohamed Makkawy, Jusup Wilcosz, Samir Bannout, Albert Beckles, Sergio Oliva, Bob Paris and Bob Birdsong were being summoned by the judges more than any of the other competitors. Birdsong, the winner of the 1974 IFBB Mr. America, surprised many by competing in rock hard condition. Another bodybuilder who was surprisingly being compared multiple times was Roy Callendar from Canada. Callendar, the thickly muscled competitor who placed 4th at the 1981 Mr. Olympia, looked to be ripped but much smaller than he was four years ago but the judges seemed to like what he had to offer.
At the finals that evening, the packed house of mostly New York bodybuilding fans were joined by such luminaries as Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu, Vince Gironda, Ricky Wayne and Frank and Christine Zane. The legends of bodybuilding were on hand to witness the return of another legend, The Myth himself, Sergio Oliva. All of these bodybuilding legends had seen Oliva compete in his prime and they would not have missed the return of Sergio to the Mr. Olympia stage for anything.
All of the competitors were allowed to perform their posing routines at the evening show. Among some of the well-known bodybuilders who didn't make the top ten were Robby Robinson, Charles Glass, Bill Grant, Boyer Coe, Tony Pearson and Chris Dickerson.
Robby, a former runner-up at the Mr. Olympia contest in the 1970s, was uncharacteristically smooth and placed near the bottom at the 17th position. Charles Glass, making his Mr. Olympia debut, was also out of condition compared to the outstanding shape he displayed at the World Championships one year earlier. Bill Grant, another 70s bodybuilder who won the IFBB Mr. World contest ten years earlier, was in great shape and took 15th place. Bill's condition could have arguably earned him a top ten spot but it was not to be. Boyer Coe, one of the most successful professional bodybuilders competing in the IFBB, showed up much bigger than ever before, but his normally shredded condition was substituted for a more massive but smoother look. He earned his lowest Mr. Olympia placing ever in 13th place.
Tony Pearson, bodybuilding's version of Michael Jackson, was in shredded condition and presented one of the most entertaining posing routines of the night. Posing to the popular hit song "Billie Jean," the surgically enhanced Pearson, now a dead ringer for the King of Pop, delighted the crowd with his amazing vacuum pose and the best rear lat spread onstage that night. Pearson looked like he was a top ten contender but he ended up out of the money in 12th place.
One of the most surprising placings in the 1984 Mr. Olympia was Chris Dickerson. The winner of two consecutive overall Pro Grand Prix championships in 1980 and 1981, Dickerson was the runner up at the Mr. Olympia in both of those years before finally winning bodybuilding's top prize in 1982. Retiring at the age of 43, Dickerson made the surprise decision to return to competition after only two years of retirement. On his return to the stage in '84, Chris was lacking in the requisite muscle mass needed to contend with this new group of bodybuilders. Dickerson tried to keep up with the times by performing a moon walk onstage at the end of his routine but his physique just couldn't keep up. Who would have thought that a Mr. Olympia winner from only two years ago would fail to make the top ten on his return to the stage?
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The very popular Tom Platz ended up in the tenth place spot. After his spectacular finish at the 1981 Mr. Olympia, where many of the fans in attendance thought he should have won, this had to be a disheartening finish for someone with the passion and heart of Tom Platz. His enormous legs, already legendary in the world of bodybuilding, seemed bigger than ever and they threw off his proportions even more than usual. In addition, his injured bicep muscle still seemed smaller than his other arm. Tom was definitely one of the crowd favorites but his best days on stage seemed to be sadly behind him at the 1984 Mr. Olympia.
Bob Birdsong, in ninth place, was looking better than ever. The longtime competitor always had a beautiful physique with thick muscle bellies, great skin tone and rock hard conditioning. Tonight, he was in the best shape of his life and beat out many competitors who were 10-15 years younger than him. Despite a truly embarrassing posing routine to the music from the movie "Ghostbusters," Birdsong placed in the top ten in this very competitive event.
When Sergio Oliva was announced in eighth place, the crowd erupted in boos. Everyone in attendance had been eagerly anticipating the return of The Myth and his presence at this contest was the highlight of the entire event. Even if Sergio was not at his all-time best, his body had still withstood the test of time and he had managed to bring his legendary physique back to the stage. Despite not being as ripped and conditioned as some of the other competitors, Sergio still had the proportions and dimensions that no one else could come close to matching. Lee Haney weighed as much as Oliva and he was obviously in peak condition but not even Haney could match the freaky arms, the hard-to-believe V taper and the miniscule waist that only Sergio exhibited.
IFBB President Ben Weider watched from the sidelines with apprehension as Oliva stood onstage after being announced in eighth place. Weider knew from experience how passionate and even volatile Sergio could be when he felt like he was being screwed over. When he was announced in eighth, Sergio bowed his head at first but he was grinning when he looked up and faced the audience, slightly shaking his head up and down in accordance with the boos from the fans. When he was handed his check, Sergio waved it with appreciation to his fans. He walked down the length of the stage, shaking hands with all the other competitors who placed ahead of him. Lee Haney gave the man he looked up to since he began bodybuilding a heartfelt hug. As Sergio walked off stage, the sold out auditorium was on their feet chanting "Sergio, Sergio, Sergio!"
Hearing the loud chanting from the audience, Sergio slowly walked back onstage. The other competitors applauded The Myth as he hit a few arm poses to the delight of his fans. His wife Arleen watched from the front of the stage, carefully holding their new baby boy, Sergio Jr., in her arms. Flex Magazine writer Rick Wayne was standing next to her and he yelled out to Sergio to get his attention. Asking Arleen if he could hand the baby over to Sergio, Wayne took the baby into his arms and handed the precious package into the massive arms of The Myth. Holding his infant son, Sergio approached the microphone in what had to be one of the strangest moments in the history of the Mr. Olympia contest.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please," Sergio began as he addressed the crowd. "I win 'em all, I lose one, it doesn't mean anything,” he continued "This, what I have in my hands is 9 pounds, 14 ounces, a baby boy, perhaps the next Myth." The crowd roared its approval at the thought of another Sergio in the future. "Be sure and give the applause and cooperate with whoever is the winner because that is why we came here tonight. Give the support to the best man. The place that I took tonight, it doesn't matter eighth, nine, one, seventeen, twenty, no matter what, I will be FOREVER The Myth!" With that last line, the fans screamed loudly for their hero as Sergio gently handed his baby boy back to his nervous wife and exited the stage to the loud, raucous cheering of his fans.
With only Mohamed Makkawy, Lee Haney, Roy Callendar, Jusup Wilcosz, Albert Beckles, Bob Paris and Samir Bannout left remaining onstage, one more person had to be called out in the seventh place spot before the posedown could begin with the top six. That seventh place finisher was Bob Paris, making his professional debut at the 1984 Mr. Olympia. Paris had all the potential in the world with his great shape and symmetry. He still needed to add some muscle mass and perhaps polish his physique a little more but he had a style and uniqueness to his physique that could make him great in the future.
As the top six competitors went through the mandatory poses for the judges, many thought that both Sergio and Paris should have been included in that elite top six. Roy Callendar, for all his once great size and impressiveness, just didn't have the same physique as he did in the past and many considered him lucky to place in the top ten. Lee Haney was even more dominant as the contest progressed. Haney, along with Makkawy, Beckles and Wilcosz, had the necessary hardness and conditioning that the modern day bodybuilding world demanded.
After the posedown was concluded, the audience expressed shock when last year's Mr. Olympia champion was called out in sixth place. Samir Bannout, with his perfect symmetry and shape, was not in the razor sharp condition that he displayed when he won the title one year earlier. The judges seemed a little unfairly harsh in punishing the current champ for being a few pounds overweight. Samir took the sixth place finish with all the grace he could muster but the dramatic drop from champion to sixth place had to be devastating.
Roy Callendar, to the surprise of everyone, finished in the fifth place spot. Most of the audience was dumbfounded how Roy managed to place ahead of competitors such as Sergio, Samir, Paris and Bob Birdsong. He definitely showed up in shape and was ripped to the bone but this was not the hungry and massive Roy Callendar who had stood toe to toe with Tom Platz and had dared Franco Columbu to compare poses with him at the 1981 Mr. Olympia. Perhaps the judges were giving Roy a higher placing tonight to make up for his ridiculous placing in '81.
Albert Beckles and the audience were delighted at his fourth place finish. The amazing Albert, whether he was really 54 years old or still in his late 40's, was in fantastic condition. His rock hard physique and relaxed posing style, in which he literally danced his way onstage, was embraced by the fans. Beckles was recruiting a whole new legion of fans who loved his youthful attitude and ageless physique. Many could have seen him as high as second place at this year's Mr. Olympia.
Jusup Wilcosz placed in the top three in this tremendous line-up. His rugged physique and bearded appearance was reminiscent of the Farnese Hercules sculpture. Wilcosz displayed a rock hard look that was highlighted by thick abdominals and tremendous arm and deltoid development. Although his legs seemed a little out of proportion to his massive upper body, his granite hard conditioning was enough to put him at the very top of this competitive Mr. Olympia lineup.
Repeating his runner up position from a year ago, Mohamed Makkawy from Egypt displayed physique perfection in his 5'2", 160-pound package. Posing brilliantly to classical music at the evening show, Makkawy presented his physique to the judges in a way that exemplified his strong points and disguised his weak points. His thick, horseshoe triceps, diamond hard abdominals and shredded muscularity dominated the stage, overwhelming his flat hamstrings and shallow back development. His coach, the legendary Iron Guru Vince Gironda, was in attendance at the contest and was obviously delighted at the magnificent presentation performed by his most prized student.
But no one was going to defeat the awesome Lee Haney on this night. Competing at a full 13 pounds heavier than a year ago, Haney shocked and delighted the judges and the hardcore bodybuilding fans with his incredible physique. The added muscle mass and thickness that Lee had developed over the last year helped to make his superior structure even more fantastic. With his wide shoulders, tiny waist and hips along with his unsurpassed muscle size, Haney dominated the contest the moment he stepped onstage.
Equally as impressive, Haney's easygoing demeanor instantly won him a legion of fans. Always smiling onstage, Lee seemed to be honored to be sharing the stage with Oliva, a bodybuilding champion he had admired ever since he picked up his first bodybuilding magazine. He seemed confident of victory even before the contest began. His posing routine, to the music from the movie "Excalibur," was both heroic and inspiring. The audience knew they were witnessing the birth of a new Mr. Olympia champion on this night. After years of multiple champions who could only hold the title for a year before either retiring or being replaced by someone new, the bodybuilding world now had a new champion who had the structure, the development and the right attitude to hold on to the crown of Mr. Olympia for a long time to come. A New King had finally arrived!
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