Muslce Power, Vol 8, No 3, Page 50, August 1949

Results of the Amateur "Mr. America" and The Senior Nationals

Reported by Charles A Smith

The AAU and Joe Raymond are to be doubly congratulated on staging one of the finest Senior National Weightlifting shows and the Mr. America contest. Held in the Masonic Auditorium at Cleveland, Ohio, on May 21st and 22nd, with an audience of well over 2,000 crowding the hall, the top events of the Weightlifting World went off without a hitch, and provided the customers with a feast of thrills and record breaking.

New featherweight and heavyweight champions were crowned, and Mel Wells put the mantle of a prophet on the writer by living up to the predictions I made some months ago, in winning BEST ARMS, BEST BACK, and MOST MUSCULAR in the Mr. America Contest. Mel also placed second to Jack Dellinger in the contest. Jack won the Mr. America title as was full expected and also took the best Chest title. Bill Melby took the Best Legs award - a surprise here, as Kimon Voyages had won this division year after year. Best Abdominals was copped by John Miller. Kimon's training partner and buddy, Val Pasqua, did very well in gaining 5th place, beating Kimon by HALF a point.

Place Name Points 1 Jack Delinger 73 1/2 2 Melvin Wells 63 1/2 3 Bill Melby 62 4 Harry Smith 60 5 Val Pasqua 58 1/2 6 Kimon Voyages 58 7 Stan Stanczyk 58 8 Jim Krnarich 58 9 Everett Sinderoff 55 10 Joe Shaw 55 Best Arms Melvin Wells Best Back Melvin Wells Most Muscular Melvin Wells Bet Chest Jack Delinger Best Legs Bill Melby Best Abdominals John Miller

The lifting saw a new featherweight champ in the person of Richard Tomita and - SENSATION - Norbert Schemansky won the Heavy title. The world and Olympic Champ, Johnny Davis, was suspended by the AAU for thirty days, and so was not permitted to defend his title.

Stanczyk created a new world record snatch in taking 290 as an extra attempt. The bar weighted in at 291. Stan and Pete George were the outstanding lifters of the meet. Stan also attempted a 360 clean and jerk, a lift he came so close to making at the Mid Atlantics on May 7th. Stanczyk had the weight well in at the shoulders, but failed to jerk this tremendous poundage.

Sid Klein, famed old time, and the one and only John Grimek appeared. John, fresh from his triumph on the coast, was once again the sensation of the show, thrilling the audience with his superb physique and display of classical posing.

The duties of Masters-of-Ceremonies were in the very capable hands of Bob Hoffman, who took care of the lifting, and Jack Libertore, who was on the stage for the Mr. America event and the various sub-divisions. All were agreed that this was one of the very best displays ever to be staged.

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