fine-at-69

аааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааааа                                 DOING FINE AT 69
By Michael Ramsay

      In the 1940s, they called the strong longshoreman "can hook" because in can do fashion, Kenny Hall could hook a big bag of flour or feed from any angle at the Port and with one mighty swing, deliver it to its destination. Today he lives in Brooklyn, but he is less the muscle bound machine that dock workers in Barbados still fondly recall. At 69, Kenny hall is still building his body to competition level and has pecs and abs that would be the envy of men half his age. Born in Queen Mary Road, Bank Hall, St. Michael, Barbados, and raised by his mother Rose Jordan, he attended the Moravian Boys School in roebuck Street.
     In 1948, Kenny left Barbados for Aruba where he spent three years before returning to Barbados. At the age of 20, encouraged by Iron men like Fred Marvel, Bobby Goff Jackman, Ian Mercer's father and Frank Osborne, Kenny entered his first bodybuilding show. This came after two years of training with an upset victory at the Mr. Barbados competition.
Three years later this natural winner migrated to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where he began challenging the North American muscle men.
      Although Kenny's powerful 5' 9'' frame was a magnificent array of muscle density and definition, he encountered stiff competition and an unexpected handicap. "Everyone competed in the same shows Kenny recollects, but we black bodybuilders were judged differently. We got along with the white athletes, but it was the judges who would not place us as high."
In 1962, he tried for the Mr. New York State title and bested everyone in his weight class. In the pose down, he bested his good friend, the great Joe Abbenda. Later that year, they both entered the Mr. America contest at the top of their game. Joe Abbenda won; Hall placed tenth.
ааааа "Arthur Harris, Leroy Colbert, George Paine, Harold Poole, and all these guys could also have been a Mr. America, they could have won more, he says of his black contemporaries who battled the same prejudice." Kenny laughs as he recalls those trying times. Perhaps a lesser person would have been bitter, but not Hall. "I would just smile and accept their ruling even though I was burning inside, I refused to show what I was feeling; I always showed my sportsmanship as a black man and as a Bajan, I set my own goals and I would train towards them."
      The end of the '60s signaled changes in the world of muscle sculpting. Kenny's trademark midsection ripples were finally recognised at the 1969 Pro Mr. America with a special Best Abs award. Although new attitudes opened the door for all athletes to be judged by the development of their physique and not the colour of their skin, steroid use flourished, further hindering fair competition.
      After spending half a lifetime clearing one hurdle in bodybuilding, he faced yet another. Would he cop out and join the ranks of the chemically enhanced pseudo-champions? Not a chance! Kenny stayed clean and kept on collecting trophies as a natural sportsman.
      "Steroids make it difficult for us naturals," Hall explains. "That's why I am so glad for all the drug-tested shows available now, because the more shows that are screened, the fewer people will be tempted to use steroids."
Sadly the problems will never go away completely because of the financial gains offered by the same steroids companies to be bigger, leaner and stronger.
ааааа In spite of these set backs, not least among them the enemy known as time, Kenny has amassed more than 250 bodybuilding trophies, including AAU Most outstanding Bodybuilder for 1959-60; 1975 Mr. North America over-40; 1977 Mr. Universe over-40; 1978 Pro Mr. America Over-50 and his most recent triumph, the overall Masters in the 95 NGA US Naturals, which he earned by beating competitors some 20 years his junior.
ааааа At 69 and in the twilight of a career spanning almost half a century, he still feels he can defeat opponents half his age.
Kenny's abdominal definition remains incredibly chiseled. Sinewy limbs, tight muscularity and pulsing vascularity are his trademark, as is a degree of flexibility unmatched in his or almost any other age category.
ааааа Bodybuilding fans are still dazzled during his free posing when he mixes a pleasing combination of calypso, big smiles and hard body. He finishes it off with a drop into a full split that never fails to draw gasps from the crowd. Kenny is retired after 39 years as supervisor for drug guild, a New Jersey pharmaceutical company. He is still very active as a competitor and guest poser.
ааааа "I will be as active as long as the good Lord Almighty continues to give my body strength and breath. Kenny said. On October 4,1997, he got to fulfill a lifelong dream when he was introduced to the legendary Cricketer, Sir Garfield Sobers.
The two sporting legends came together at Albany Manor in Brooklyn when Sir Garfield was there on his last tour as consultant for the American Cricket League in conjunction with the Barbados Tourism Authority.

We Are Steps Above -------
------mere

MEAR

PRODUCTIONS