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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
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Chris Dickerson 1939 – 2021 The First Black Mr. America (AAU 1970) The Jackie Robinson of Bodybuilding
This inspirational John Balik poster of Chris hangs in the Ripped Enterprises gym. * * * Chris Dickerson was the youngest of triplets born to a dynamic single-parent mother: The first black woman admitted to the bar in Alabama, and the first practicing black woman attorney in Alaska. Hoping to make a better life for herself and her boys, she enrolled Chris and his brothers in a Quaker boarding school. They found themselves behind academically in a predominately white student body. Chris hung on, graduating with an excellent liberal arts education, while his brothers moved on to other schools. Discovering that his body responded quickly to exercise, he became a star athlete, lettering all four years in soccer. He moved on to New York City to attend Columbia University, while taking night classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, studying acting, ballet, and singing. A voice teacher suggested that he might improve his poise, deportment, and singing ability if he began working out. He did, and the rest is history. * * * When he saw a photo of Bill Pearl, a whole new world opened up to him. (I saw him sing and then pose on the Johnny Carson Show.) Pearl became his best friend and a father figure. Working with Pearl, his physique improved significantly and he began winning bigger and bigger contests. (His Wikipedia page lists 60 contests he won or placed near the top.) He was just getting started winning Mr. America (1970), prevailing in the 1973 NABBA "Amateur Mr. Universe," the 1974 NABBA "Professional Mr. Universe," and finally the 1982 "Mr. Olympia." (You’ll find much more in an article by David Chapman in the Winter 2023 issue of IRON GAME HISTORY, University of Texas at Austin, and in Bill Pearl's Legends of the Iron Game.) * * * I never spent any extended time with Chris, but liked what I saw. I came across him several times. My first sighting was at an AAU national weightlifting convention. As the best dressed person there, in a suit and tie, he was hard to miss. I don’t remember whether we exchanged pleasantries, but I got a call from him several weeks later urging me to run for chairman of the physique committee. I talked it over with my father, who said “Don’t Do It.” And I didn’t. Our next meeting was more direct. He gave me a ride from the airport in his “Muscle Mobile” to the Pearl ranch. He was on his way to Canada to enter the IFBB Canada Pro Cup (he won) while I was going to have Bill help me prepare for Over 40 competition.
Researching his life for this article makes me more impressed than ever. Chris was a complex man who broke ground for those who followed in his footsteps. * * * There is no doubt that he had one of the most balanced, muscular and eye catching physiques of all time. We'll end with a photo that caught my eye. I've never seen anything like it. Like many other gay bodybuilders of his era, Chris occasionally modeled in the nude as a way to supplement his income. This photo, which appears in Iron Game History, reveals his physical beauty, athletic grace--and balance.
Chris passed away from heart failure at 82. May he rest in peace. July 1, 2023 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 © 2023 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
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