A SYNOPSIS OF THE HISTORY OF NABBA & MR & MISS UNIVERSE CONTESTS
FROM MALCOLM WHYATT'S FORTHCOMING BOOK –
' PHYSICAL CULTURE ‑ A BODY TO BE PROUD OF' ®
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NABBA
The National Amateur Bodybuilders Association
England
A SYNOPSIS of
NABBA & MR & MISS UNIVERSE
BY
MALCOLM WHYATT D.Phy., M.A.I.C
NABBA HISTORIAN
1898 The Health & Strength magazine (H&S) is the oldest and regularly published physical culture in the world.
1906 H&S founded the Health & Strength League.
1930 H&S founded the Mr & Miss Britain Contests and up to 1947 these were known as Physical Excellence contests.
These were organised by H&S and staged by its Health & Strength League.
1937 H&S started to send British bodybuilders to compete in the Mr 'Europe' & Mr 'World'; i.e.: Plus Bel Athlete du Europe & Plus Bel Athlete du Monde.
These contests were staged in France, by the Federation International de Culture Physique Athlétique et Sportive (F.I.C.P.A.S) Founded in 1934
Oscar Heidenstam was the first British Bodybuilder ever to compete in these contests.
1938 Oscar won the Mr Britain
1939 Oscar won the 'Mr Europe', first British Bodybuilder ever to win. Commissioned by the Daily Mirror (national newspaper) to write about physical fitness, he highlighted the benefits of bodybuilding. From this, Oscar became famous and later, world famous and synonymous with NABBA and its contests
1947 The first ever Mr Universe contest was staged in Philadelphia, and won by Steve Stanko U.S.A
With the forthcoming 1948 Olympic Games (London) in mind, Health & Strength decided to stage 'The First British Empire Weightlifting Championships' and the 'First Mr Universe contest’. The front cover of the programme, featured Steve Stanko
David G. Johnson, (editor of Health & Strength) had sought the opinions of Laurie Webb (secretary of the Health & Strength League) ‑ Oscar State (Secretary of B.A.W.L.A/British Amateur Weight Lifting Association) ‑ George Greenwood (H&S 'Bodybuilding Advisor' and master photographer) ‑ Bob Woolger ‑ Oscar Heidenstam and other notable personalities. Oscar Heidenstam was at the time a Captain in the APTC and serving in the Middle East. His advice was sought throughout.
1948 This first UK Amateur Mr Universe was won by John Carrol Grimek
The contest was held on Friday 13th August at the Scala Theatre, London; in salute of the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
Health & Strength sponsored both contests (the Weightlifting and the Universe).
The proceeds were donated to the B.A.W.L.A Olympic Fund
Permission to stage this Mr Universe for Amateurs only, was given by the then ruling body;
The Federation International Halterophile et Culturists ‑ (F.I.H.C.)
1949 In early 1949, following the success of the 1948 Universe contest and recognising the popularity of the Health & Strength League and the ever increasing number of physical culturists in Gt. Britain; Health & Strength decided that a new self contained association would be an advantage in representing 'bodybuilders ' interests.
In May 1949, the new association (Body‑Builders Association Ltd) was founded and a separate company formed, the National Amateur Bodybuilding Association Ltd, under the auspices of the H&S League and officially announced on June 2nd, 1949.
NABBA's H&Q was an office within the Health & Strength Publishing Co Ltd, Link House, 24 Store Street, London WC1.
H&S decided that NABBA should be governed by five permanent executive members
These were: David G. Johnson, editor of H&S; Laurie Webbs H&S League Secretary & organiser; George Greenwood, H&S Technical adviser; John Mendes, H&S Assistant Editor; Gregory Burt, Link House Publications.
Oscar Heidenstam was by this time a Major in the APTC and still serving in the Middle East. Again his advice was sought throughout. He became an employee of H&S in 1953 and in 1956 was appointed Secretary of NABBA. He held this post and many others until he died on 21st March 1991. (He was also President of NABBA from 1980 ‑ 86)
H&S decided to elect four honorary members for one year (1950��)
Bob Woolger (S.Britain) ‑ Bert Loveday (N.Britain) ‑ Emlyn Jenkins (Wales) ‑ John McRobbie (Scotland). The annual NABBA Membership was set at 5/‑ (25p); by the time of the first AGM, Sunday, 30th October,1949, memberships had already passed 500.
1950 Jan 1st 1950 NABBA was officially launched.
Ken Webster was the first NABBA Secretary and NABBA's first contest, was held in Scotland on Jan 18th, where Ian Clark of Helensburgh was the first NABBA member to win a NABBA award.
There was no Universe contest in 1949
1950 June 24th NABBA held its FIRST MR UNIVERSE contest at the Scala Theatre, London.
The FIRST winner of the NABBA MR UNIVERSE was STEVE REEVES
Hello and welcome to Nabba North West.
All the team at Nabba are constantly working towards bringing the North West Team to the forefront of this sport.
this we can't do without the input from you:
so please let us know your views,so we can strive to bring the sport the recognition it deserves.
Nabba North West Area President:Mike Sullivan..Ba(hons) FMCTHA