Some Guy`s From My Old Gym !

[Dlew6969]

Great pics Tim looking forward to more...

[Timski]

Thanks brother.............here ya` go for now.

[Timski]

Another awesome bodybuilder......Matt Dufresne....Kinger was his boyhood idol, and he worked in the gym as a kid, and went out with the gym owners daughter.

Jeff helped him, and advised him in his training, as he unselfishly did for lots of people..............King was never too busy to help people unless of coourse he was training.

Matt`s goal was to follow in Kinger`s footsteps, and win the AAU Mr. America, and then the NABBA Mr. Universe back to back, just like Jeff did in 1983 and so many other legendary bodybuilders had also done, and Matt did just that, winning both titles back to back in 1989.

Along the way he also won the Teenage Mr. America,and the Mr. USA titles,as well as taking his class at the Jr. Mr. America............no small feat as these were the top contests back then akin to taking the Teen Nats,Nats,USA,and a class win at the Jr. Nats...............not too fucking shabby!

Alot of people thought Matt was a jerk, but he was just focused, and always pushed me and my twin cousinns to train our asses off......he`d walk by as we were doing squats and just yell,"Come on you fucking animals,get huge" !! LOL

When I returned to Springfield Mas. in 1997, after living in Florida for 4 years, I had $20.00 in my pocket and no where to go really, and I called Matt to see if I could traiin at his gym, and pay him at a later date until I got my shit together....he said sure Wes no charge.

I tool 2 busses there, and 2 busses back at 5 AM everyday in the snow and cold........... when Matt last saw me I was a down and out drunk, but when I showed him some pics Doris Barrileax took of me winning my class at the Over-35 NPC Southern States at age 40.

Matt was amazed at how good I looked in the photos asa he had never seen me after training consistantly without drinking, and asked me who trained me and did my diet, as I had lost 5 inches on my waist, going from a 33 to a 27 inch legit waist measurement,and at the time was in the best shape of my life,I replied to Matt with a tear in my eye, that I did it myself...........I had obviously stopped drinking after drinking heavily off and on for 33 years or so,more on this later.

He never asked me for a dime.......EVER and I trained there for quite a while until I got a job!

A good freakin` guy in my book, and today, Matt is a professional cyclist, racing all around the East Coast, but mostly in the New England aea,and doing very well at it I might add...........still winning titles but in another sport.

Who would expect less from a guy who has always had incredible drive.................not me that`s for sure!!

[Teach]

King had the genes and the drive. If he had been in his prime today, I truly believe that he could be Mr. O.

[FRANKIE]

Another shotof "Kinger" as we all called him back in the day, this shot is around the time of his Mr. America or Mr. Universe win...........1983.

look!!!at that neck!!!

[Sandpig]

look!!!at that neck!!!

No shit! It's as wide as his head.

Jeff King was one of my favorites also, along with Tom Platz and robby Robinson.

[_bruce_]

Jeff King rocks!!!

[Timski]

I`ve got a lot more stuff to add to this thread but the pic hosting site I used for the pics says I`m over my limit...as soon as this canges,I`ll add more.....in the meantime........

[Timski]

More KIng!!

[Timski]

[Timski]

[Timski]

[Timski]

Central City Gym had about 5 different locations over the years, and we all pitched in and helped owner Roger Auidi move all the equipment...which was a mean feat in itself.

This early shot of Jeff King doing squats, was at the South End location in Springfield...incidentally, the guy spotting Kinger is Rich Roy, who later went on to become an NPC Nationals competitor and even later a WABBA Mr. World winner.

More stories and personalities to come ....including other guys from my hometown,such as Chris Aceto,Joe Gomes,and a great tale about a visit from Ted Arcidi,plus some amusing,shady,tragic,and odd stuff that occured in that town, and in the gyms of Springfield Masachusettes once a hotbed of bodybuilding that is once again turning out lot`s of top physiques!!



Another shot of Rich taken right outside the gym.

Rich lived in the neighboring town of South Hadley, right outside of Holyoke, which are suburbs of Springfield.

He and his family owned, and ran a company that made marble items for bathrooms, and other various other uses, and they still do today.

He also raised and bred Morgan horses.

He won the WABBA Mr. World title, which I beleive was put on by Serge Nubret,and did very well also in the AAU and the NPC!!



An early cover shot of Rich Roy !!

[Timski]

Another guy that trained at "Big Daddy`s Gym" in Springfield, was noted author,and nutrionist to Jay Cutler, among other big name bodybuilders, Chris Aceto!!



Chris was a very nice person,and won a lot of contests also,most notablt placing 6th. in his class at the NABBA Mr. Universe,3rd. in the NABBA Nationals,winning his height class at the Teen-Age Mr. USA,and also taking his height class at the Collegite Mr. America!!

Not too shabby!!

Don`t forget that in those days to win or place in the NABBA Mr. Universe was quite a distinction as it was one of THE most prestigous contests at the time!!

I`d say old Chris did OK for himself, wrtiting many book`s on training and nutrition,and doing contest prep work for Mr. Olympia contendrs,and writing countless articles for the major bodybuilding magazines.

[Timski]

The only thing that brought guy`s like Artie Prince,Aceto,and King together in my town, was that they all attended Springfield College...the birthplace of basketball, and home of "The Basketball Hall Of Fame", most of whose local residents have never visited once...I`ve never been there myself, and lived there for decades!!

King was from New Jersey,Prince from Boston,where he still resides,and I beleive Aceto was fro Maine.

Aceto, being one of the top nutrional advisors of today, learned a lof of his early info from King, who could almost change the look of his body at will, just by altering his diet.

They both graduated with degrees in nutrition, and King and Prince were also "All American " athletes at SC!!

A couple of shots of Chris with his former wife Laura Creavalle !!