| Sandow, the modern Hercules |
The most famous physique champion 100 years ago, indeed perhaps the first modernbodybuilder was Eugen Sandow. Born Friederich Wilhelm Mueller on April 2, 1867. He began his career as a sideshow "strongman". Early in life, and with the help of showman Florenz Ziegfeld, Sandow decided it wasn't enough to simply demonstrate his strength, but to actually display his muscular physique as though it were a work of art. He soon made his "Muscle Displays" the main feature of a Vaudeville stage show. Sandow evenually would build a series of gyms across Europe, America, and other points of the world. He developed a successful mail order business. He was an advocate of free-school lunches, pre-natal care for women, and donated generously to charity. Friend of Thomas Edison, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the King of England, Sandow was a legend in his own time. He died in 1925. |
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