The Tom Platz Story - Part 2
The Tom Platz Story - Part 2
The Most Inspirational Bodybuilder Ever Talks about His Unique Time & Place in the Sport
In the ‘80s, when he was in his competitive prime, Tom Platz was the most popular bodybuilder in the world and hailed as the uncrowned Mr. Olympia and The Peoples’ Champion. If there’s one word that sums Tom up it is “passion”. Passion is what drives him in the gym, fuelled his onstage magic, guides the way he lives his life and prepares for the next one. In this second segment of his story Tom talks about why and how he retired, and the author explains why Tom is arguably the most inspirational bodybuilder ever. Read Part 1.
Peter Cough: So in 1986 you said you were thinking of retiring and in 1987 you did. You once told me you would die trying to win the Olympia. What transpired for you give up that dream.
Tom Platz: I remember I told you in May 1987 I was about to retire. I was realizing it then Peter, with you there as a friend -- I’m getting chills talking about this. Back in 1982 or so I had a cabinet made just for the Sandow trophy; it represented everything to me. And I came to realize I would never fill that cabinet and never did. That being said it was so much part of my dream that I only got rid of it a couple of years ago.
But the decision to retire I guess was fuelled by walking around, all the time having a gym bag full of posing trunks and different copies of Ride Like the Wind and Twist and Shout and for 20 years doing the same thing. Of flying somewhere every weekend for a decade to guest pose. And as financially rewarding as it was and as gratifying as it was to be treated like a rock star, it was time to try something else. It was never about the money. Granted, I enjoyed the money; to make 20 grand a month [worth $40,000 today] posing and selling t-shirts and pictures, that was pretty good.
Not to compare myself but why did Jerry Seinfeld stop doing his show? They offered him more money, millions and millions of dollars more, and he said, “No, I’ve got to do something different.” And, most of us thought, “Why did he do that? He was successful at doing that.” But, he did it for so long and he was so good at it, he wanted to give himself another challenge.
I believe firmly that when you’re uncomfortable that is when you grow. And, I was becoming more and more comfortable with the stage; to the point where I could walk on in less than good shape and still provoke the audience. And, I’m not trying to pump myself up here, but I’m just trying to be truthful to the experience. It was a craft, an organic acting experience, and it was very important and meaningful to my life and my existence. And, it was very sad to say, “I’m not going to do it anymore.” But, much like being the anointed zombie in 1977, coming out to California, I was now the anointed zombie going, “It’s time to close the door, or pull the cord.” Not forget, but just apply it to another arena in life. Nothing lives forever.”
And so a force of nature left the stage nearly 30 years ago, never to return. But his onstage charisma and offstage demeanor left an indelible, unique and unforgettable impression on all who saw him. There was only ever one
Tom Platz and we will never see his like again. Today he lives in Southern California with his wife of 15 years Cha and the couple are idyllically happy
MOST INSPIRATIONAL BODYBUILDER EVER
By Peter McGough
The “most inspirational bodybuilder ever” used in the subhead to this article is a mighty acclade to bequeath and there are no doubt those who will be saying, “How about Grimek, Steve Reeves, Bill Pearl, Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Arnold, Frank Zane, Haney, Dorian, Ronnie ….?” Well they all have a claim to the aforesaid title but in my humble opinion Tom Platz inspired and touched the hearts of bodybuilders like no other. There were two main factors to his unique effect on the muscled masses. One, his charismatic and empathetic personalty; Two, those friggin’ legs.
Now, arguments might rage about who had the best ever arms, the best ever back etc. but when it comes to discussions of best ever legs – and even though it is now over 27 years since he last competed – there is only one candidate: Thomas Steven Platz, born June 26, 1955, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, has the best legs ever … period …. Fuggedaboutit! And by legs, we’re talking the whole lower limbs: humungous quads, hanging hams and bulbous split calves. It wasn’t just that he had a volume of muscle that we hadn’t seen before or since, it was that the show stopping mass carried oodles of freaky cross striations and detail. One of the most stupid questions I ever asked (and there’s been a few) was one I fired at Tom: “Where you born with legs like that?” An enquiry that instantly prompted thoughts of pity for his poor mother.
One of the most dreaded phrases in bodybuiding is “Leg day”, and everyone who saw Platz, and moreover had seen photos that as an adolescent he had not been blessed with great legs, could appreciate the gut busting – maybe unprecedented in intensity – workouts that made his underpinining come out tops. They could see – and maybe feel -- the years, months, sets and ball breaking reps that had gone into building the best legs ever.
And then there was his the basic good character of the man, who many thought should have been crowned Mr. Olympia in 1981, totally reflected in his Golden Eagle (complete with golden locks) persona. There was just something about Tom that was so special, so engaging, so dazzlingly magnetic, to an audience that the word charisma could have been invented with Tom in mind. All could see that he was a real regular guy, immensely likeable, and that despite his superstardom, he was still one of us gym rats. The man, the body, the charisma, all combined to make his impact unforgettable. The muscle community admired, respected and in the end adored and loved him with a depth I have not seen bestowed on any other bodybuilder.
In the ‘80s his annual seminar tours of the UK attracted unprecedented crowd numbers, and he would be found signing autographs and magazine covers (without charging) until maybe two hours after a seminar had finished, and every fans’ needs had been met. He did a UK tour just about every year in the ‘80s because the audience couldn’t get enough of him. He was the most popular bodybuilder in the world and had a unique empathy that connected and recruited fierce loyalty from the muscled masses. For all ths reasons I nominate him as the most inspirational bodybuilder ever.
EAGLEMANIA
No-one, no-one, ever galvanized and incited audiences like the man they called The Golden Eagle. His signature posing music was Ride Like The Wind by Christopher Cross, and when the opening chords of that tune would drift into a packed auditorium the audience would go nuts, knowing the appearance of the sport’s favorite son was imminent. And then there he was before them. He would smile and wink at the audience and the decibel meter woud threaten to go off the charts. Then he would run his right hand through his blond hair while flicking a quad with his left hand before “Boom!” that quad would blast into life with more cross staitions than one could count. Then the decibel meter would go off the charts. You’d seen it countless times, knew it was coming but it never got old. Never, ever, got bloody old I tell you. I never heard audiences create such noise as they did when Tom posed.
Only once did he abandon that music. The occasion was his last Olympia appearance in Columbus, Ohio, in 1986 when he adopted Twist and Shout by The Beatles. It was an entirely apt choice because he caused a near riot among the audience eliciting memories of Beatlemania (yes, I am that old) at its most fervent. Here’s what I wrote of that episode at the time.
“During the pre-judging every Platz movement threatened the foundations of the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. And when it came to the evening posing round, sheer hysteria took over. Coming out to the familiar refrain of Ride like the Wind, Tom, after a minute went into his kneeling thinker’s pose. Whereupon the music changed to the gutsy thump of the Beatles’ Twist and Shout. Jumping to his feet and facing the audience bodybuilding’s number one draw made a play of dusting off his right thigh before flexing it to resemble a roadmap of New York, sending the assembled throng into pure bedlam.
“With the guttural tones of John Lennon screeching away, Eaglemania took over from Beatlemania as Tom jumped from the podium right to the edge of the stage, hitting the audience with every pose in the book- and a few that weren't. After three encores (this wasn't a guest spot, remember – it was a contest) the Eagle glided off leaving a satiated audience gasping for breath. I’ve never seen or heard anything like it.”
Despite getting by far the most riotous recption of the night Tom eventually finished 11th, and at that point we were unaware it would be his last Mr. Olympia contest. But what a night he served up for his Olympia finale.
TOM AND ME
I first interviewed Tom Platz in September 1983 in Nottingham, England, when he did a guest appearance at the British Championships. He was the biggest star in bodybuilding at the time and this was my first year earning my living in this industry. I worked for a British magazine Bodybuilding Monthly and hesitantly asked this mega-star for an interview. He said, “Sure after the show.” With the contest promoter (ace entrepreneur and then president of the English federation) Ron Davies and his team we went to a nearby French bistro. I thought Tom would maybe give me 10 or 15 minutes. We spoke on tape for 3 1/2 hours; I still have the tape. From that day on we’ have been friends. That first article was published in Bodybuilding Monthly and MuscleMag publisher Robert Kennedy saw it and offered me a fee to re-print it. Thus I began doing freelance work for Mr. Kennedy on a path that eventually led to Joe Weider and now Steve Blechman and so far a 24-year stay in the US. So for those who deride my modest scribbling efforts, and wonder why people like me are allowed to stay in the country blame Tom Platz, its all his fault.