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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
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Bill Pearl Has Died Selected Visitor Comments Below
Scanned from Beyond The Universe--The Bill Pearl Story
Bill Pearl was my long-time role model and friend. The world of bodybuilding will miss him like no other. Not only did he win every major bodybuilding title except for the Mr. Olympia (which he chose not to enter), he gave back and enriched the Iron Game. His 638 page Keys to the Inner Universe, the most complete volume ever published on bodybuilding, his three volume Legends of the Iron Game profiling everyone of consequence in the history of strength training from the Ancient Greeks to modern day, and his Beyond the Universe -- The Bill Pearl Story top the list. The depth of his life, in and out of bodybuilding, was enormous, best captured in his amazingly detailed autobiography, telling his story and that of the world around him. As his wife Judy observed, he needed a project to keep him going—the bigger the better. Who else would take on the task of uncovering and profiling everyone of consequence in the history of the Iron Game? You’ll find more details on the Bill Pearl Wikipedia page and in our review of his autobiography: https://www.cbass.com/BillPearl.htm * * * My first sighting of Bill Pearl was at the 1953 Mr. America contest in Indianapolis, Indiana, which he won. I was almost 16 and my father and I went to our first national championship. I’ll never forget walking into the auditorium and seeing Bob Hoffman behind the microphone and Tommy Kono standing on the side of the stage. It was like walking into the pages of Strength & Health magazine. We didn’t notice Bill Pearl until he was announced as the winner. I’ve been following his career ever since and made my first in person contact at a thrilling Denver exhibition in the mid-sixties. I wrote about it in the Afterpiece Profiles in our first Ripped book. My training partner and I were awestruck seeing Pearl standing semi-relaxed with his arms at his sides in a specially constructed light box, presenting the most breathtaking physique imaginable. He'd added 20 or 30 pounds of muscle since winning the Mr. America. We ran into him on the way out of the auditorium and asked where we could buy his training booklets. He pointed us to where his long time mentor Leo Stern was handling sales. Skip and I have never stopped talking about our trip to see Bill Pearl. Paul Anderson was also there. I believe they teamed up for exhibitions. The strongest and most muscular duo in the world. Bill Pearl used his knowledge and experience to help many physique competitors. I know because I asked him to help me polish my posing routine. He invited me to come to his ranch in Oregon. He picked me up at the airport and put me up in the guest house where Chris Dickerson and other physique champions have stayed. He knocked on the door early the next morning inviting me to join in his famous early morning workout in their fully equipped barn. He introduced me to the bench squat that morning, which was to come to my rescue years later. Bill pointed out the weak spots in my physique while actually putting me at ease as he did it. I learned more about posing in two days with Bill than I had learned on my own in two years. That helped me win my class in the Past 40 Mr. America, and the overall Most Muscular award at the Past 40 Mr. USA. He followed up by adding his endorsement to our first Ripped book, saying that he read the book and then read it again. We’ve been friends ever since, with the last contact being a few months before his death when he gave me some tips on training my legs with a gimpy lower back. He began by telling me that he “lives with" his own back problem, and then suggested that I try bench squats. His passing brought tears to my eyes. * * * It would be remiss not to mention what a wonderful team Bill and Judy made in all that they did. Carol and I send her and the family our sincerest condolences. October 1, 2022 * * * Selected Visitor Comments Below Guiding Light for Wrestler
I never met him, but years ago, when I was a college
wrestler, in the late 1950s, he was, for me, a guiding light. Bill
was a champion wrestler in the navy and one Strength & Health issue
featured an article he wrote on his weight training during the
wrestling season. The article was somewhat heretical at the time
because the prevailing "wisdom" among sports coaches was that weight
lifting would make an athlete "musclebound."
Bill's adjunct lifting for wrestling was brief, but
targeted at overall strength, and although I had to lift "secretly,"
(or else my coach might have thrown me off the team!) I followed
Bill's routine and benefited from it. (Eventually, btw, because of
my wrestling success, Bill's impact extend to my coach, who opened
his mind to the value of weight training.)
To paraphrase your opening line, Clarence, in your
review of Bill's major book, I learned early that when Bill gave
advice, "you could take it to the bank"
Gerald End of an Era
One of my heroes and pretty much an end of an era. When I think of
bodybuilding legends, I think of John Grimek, Steve Reeves, Reg
Park, and Bill Pearl. A life fully and well lived, Frank Signorile Training at Bill's Gym
Clarence. What a wonderful tribute to Bill! A true gentleman and
renaissance man.
Two of my friends, brothers and bodybuilders - growing up on Long
Island, NY, for three straight years made trips to California to
train at Bill’s gym and get his advice. This was 1964-1966 and
they stayed each trip for about 6 weeks. I never figured out
where they ever got the money for these extended stays.
Dick Place in Valhalla Gosh Clarence: How sad BILL is gone...But we can be Grateful for the wonderful teaching legacy and example of fine character he left us. Certainly GOD will bless him with a place in heaven's Valhalla. Condolences to Mrs.
Pearl Richard Icon of Physical Culture
Dear Carol and Clarence,
So sorry for the loss of your friend Bill Pearl. He was an
icon of Physical Culture. What a great life he lived.
Jim
Guiding Hand for Skinny Adolescent
As a child I was dumbstruck by the idea that a
physique like Bill Pearl’s could come from a place like
Prineville, Oregon and it gave me hope. It makes me
smile to remember imputing what seemed to be a kindness
in his facial expression that seemed encouraging to a
skinny adolescent.
May he rest in peace and may you be comforted in the knowledge that his guiding hand for so many of us was not forgotten in heaven as he slipped away to his eternal reward. Bart Respect from Belgium Hi Clarence, With the death of Bill Pearl, one of the greatest and most respected bodybuilders (also in Belgium, certainly in the 70s and 80s) who ever lived disappears. I liked that I could also follow Bill through your articles. On his face book it is also interesting to read how the history of strength sports with the greatest athletes is described. RIP Mr. Bill Pearl. Kind regards, Robert Wonderful Tribute and Younger Friends Clarence, I was sad but not shocked to see your headline that Bill Pearl had passed away. The last time that you had written about Bill, he had just suffered a traumatic and tragic freak accident with his rider lawn mower. Judy was doing her best to sound optimistic at the time, but based on all of the things that were broken on Bill, I was wondering whether he could overcome it all. The obit that I read said that he had developed a bacterial infection related to his recovery from the accident. It also mentioned that he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, which I think I may have heard at one time but had forgotten about. In any event, your wonderful tribute to Bill was both reverent and personal. What a great story about your relationship with Bill from your time as an awestruck teenage fan to then becoming a personal friend with Bill in your later years. Thanks to your earlier posting, my wife and I both had the pleasure of reading Bill’s fascinating autobiography. What a full and amazing life that he led! And, as you note in your tribute to Bill, he gave so much to so many individuals along the way, as well as to the larger world of bodybuilding and strength training. Among the “old school” strong men, you must be starting to feel like “the last man standing.” It seems that every few months you are writing another obituary tribute to one of your contemporaries in the iron game. It’s a good thing that you also have some younger friends! Dan Incredibly helpful and Inspiring Hi Clarence, I have Keys To The Inner Universe and find it incredibly helpful, as well as inspiring. David Comment on this article: FEEDBACK Ripped Enterprises, P.O. Box 51236, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87181-1236 Home | Products Index | Ripped Bks | Lean Adv. Bks | Lean For Life | Recommended Bks | |Consultations | Tapes | To Order | Feedback] Copyright © 2022 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
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