Jules Bacon, Mr. America 1943
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Jules Bacon
Born July 8, 1917
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The oldest-living AAU Mr. America champion, Jules Bacon, was not prompted to begin weight training because of a beach bully kicking sand in his face, but because a boyhood friend accidentally shot him in the butt and leg with a .22 caliber gun! Overhearing the doctor tell his mother that he would always ?be a little on the weak side? prompted Bacon to begin a program of gymnastics and weight training.
He attended Saint Joseph High School in Philadelphia, and he would later speak about fitness with famed track star Jesse Owens in several Philadelphia high school assemblies. By 1935, at age 18, he had increased his bodyweight by 16 pounds in one year. When he joined Fritshe?s Gym in Philadelphia, he began squatting, bringing his lower body in line with his upper, which had been strengthened by years of gymnastic exercise.
He later worked at the York Barbell Company in the foundry ? occasionally swinging a 25-pound sledgehammer to break up cast iron into small enough pieces to be melted down ? but most of his time was spent as manager of the machine shop, foundry and shipping departments.
The man who would remain his lifelong friend, John Grimek, defeated Bacon for the AAU Mr. America title in 1941. Bacon sat out the 1942 rendition, then entered in 1943 to become
Mr. America at the Downtown YMCA in Los Angeles. For four years after his victory, Bacon refrained from competing again, although he guest posed frequently, eventually making appearances in every state.
In a return to the stage, he entered the inaugural Mr. Universe in his hometown of Philadelphia in September 1947, but he did not place. At the 1953 NABBA Pro Universe in England, he placed second to John Isaacs in his height class in the professional division. In that same year, Bill Pearl won the amateur division.
In 1941, he began writing for Strength and Health with a column titled ?What Can You Do??. The magazine profiled him in 1942, describing him as 5?8? tall with 16? arms. He wrote for Strength and Health for more than 20 years. He also appeared on eight muscle magazine covers over the years, including the March 1943 edition of the Weider publication Your Physique.
In September 1957, he opened Jules Bacon?s Health Studio in York, Pennsylvania, catering mostly to businessmen, while his new bride, Romaine, ran the ladies? section. The gym closed in 1961.
Today, Jules and Romaine live in York, Pennsylvania.
Jules died 2007 at 89.
Born July 8, 1917
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The oldest-living AAU Mr. America champion, Jules Bacon, was not prompted to begin weight training because of a beach bully kicking sand in his face, but because a boyhood friend accidentally shot him in the butt and leg with a .22 caliber gun! Overhearing the doctor tell his mother that he would always ?be a little on the weak side? prompted Bacon to begin a program of gymnastics and weight training.
He attended Saint Joseph High School in Philadelphia, and he would later speak about fitness with famed track star Jesse Owens in several Philadelphia high school assemblies. By 1935, at age 18, he had increased his bodyweight by 16 pounds in one year. When he joined Fritshe?s Gym in Philadelphia, he began squatting, bringing his lower body in line with his upper, which had been strengthened by years of gymnastic exercise.
He later worked at the York Barbell Company in the foundry ? occasionally swinging a 25-pound sledgehammer to break up cast iron into small enough pieces to be melted down ? but most of his time was spent as manager of the machine shop, foundry and shipping departments.
The man who would remain his lifelong friend, John Grimek, defeated Bacon for the AAU Mr. America title in 1941. Bacon sat out the 1942 rendition, then entered in 1943 to become
Mr. America at the Downtown YMCA in Los Angeles. For four years after his victory, Bacon refrained from competing again, although he guest posed frequently, eventually making appearances in every state.
In a return to the stage, he entered the inaugural Mr. Universe in his hometown of Philadelphia in September 1947, but he did not place. At the 1953 NABBA Pro Universe in England, he placed second to John Isaacs in his height class in the professional division. In that same year, Bill Pearl won the amateur division.
In 1941, he began writing for Strength and Health with a column titled ?What Can You Do??. The magazine profiled him in 1942, describing him as 5?8? tall with 16? arms. He wrote for Strength and Health for more than 20 years. He also appeared on eight muscle magazine covers over the years, including the March 1943 edition of the Weider publication Your Physique.
In September 1957, he opened Jules Bacon?s Health Studio in York, Pennsylvania, catering mostly to businessmen, while his new bride, Romaine, ran the ladies? section. The gym closed in 1961.
Today, Jules and Romaine live in York, Pennsylvania.
Jules died 2007 at 89.
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