Larry Scott

The only name that hits our head while talking about the first body builder to have won the IFBB Mr. Olympia title is Larry Scott whom we popularly know as ‘The Legend'. Born on October 12, 1938 in Blackfoot, Idaho , he made his debut as Mr. Idaho in 1959 which gave him immediate prominence on the national front.

A graduate in electronics from the California Air College , Scott took over body building as a profession and there was no looking back after that for him. He trained with the then famous Vince Gironda, who was himself a very well-known body builder of that time. Though Scott was known to possess an apparent genetic aptitude, his narrow shoulders were his weak areas which he best tried to make up with his long biceps which allowed impressive development and shape. Scott soon came to be known for his football shaped biceps, the credit of which he rendered to his invention of an exercise which came to be called as ‘The Scott Curls'.

He has worked with some of the best photographers of his times namely Bruce of LA and Don Whitman in 1960's, during which he emerged as one of the most liked physique models. His ‘posing strap' stint with Pat Milo, popularly known as ‘ Milo ' is now considered as a piece of fine art. It was Milo who actually chiseled Scott's posing skills and photographic demeanor who went on to make him the most wanted ‘boy next door'.

Larry soon came to be addressed as a phenomenon and his times are still quoted as the ‘Larry Fever' even today. After 1959, when he won his first title as Mr. Idaho , Larry's career progressed with four titles in 1960 namely Mr. California – AAU, (Winner), Mr. California - AAU, Most Muscular (1st position), Mr. Los Angeles - AAU, Most Muscular, (3 rd position) and Mr. Los Angeles - AAU, (3 rd position). In following years, he won a series of titles such as Mr. Pacific Coast – AAU Most Muscular, 1 st position (1961), Mr. Pacific Coast - AAU, Winner (1961), Mr. America , Medium , 2 and Overall (1962) to name a few. His career touched new horizons when he won the Mr. Universe title in the Medium, 1 st category in 1963 followed by the same title in the Medium,1 st , Overall category in 1964, consecutively. 1965 and 1966 witnessed him bagging the topmost slot in Mr. Olympia title followed by Canada Diamond Pro Cup (9 th position) and Grand Prix Vancouver in 1979.

Many magazines tried their best to capitalize on Larry's acumen and popularity for their benefit but he most exclusively wrote and was seen only to appear in all of Joe Weider 's bodybuilding magazines particularly Mr. America and Muscle Builder . He also prominently featured in Demi Gods , Muscleboy , and The Young Physique .

Larry Scott had given a great many body builders a complex in his times. He retired from competitions at an early age of 28 which had caused severe ripples in the body building arena then but he still was and still is known to be ‘The Legend' of the body building world.