Frank Zane Story

**Young Gotti** · 06-26-2015, 01:00 PM

First I can't verify if the guy was telling the truth, maybe some of it could be verified, Frank Zane grew up like a town over from where I'm from.

I walked in my gym yesterday and saw what looked to be a belt that had seen better days. I asked the owner who is an old man, "this belt is ancient, was it Frank Zane's".

The old man laughed and said Frank Zane is a sissy. And continued to tell me how he went to middle school with Frank Zane. Frank used to cry like a little girl when they played baseball because people would use his bat. Also said Frank was a punter for his high school football team and used to get man handled all the time. One time he was punting and was getting rushed he punted the ball about 40 feet in the air and like 20 yards backwards.

He then told me how Franks parents moved right around the corner from his parents and all the kids used to pick on Frank as kids because he was a little snob. I guess Frank is somewhat smart and had a chance to be on TV but he can't talk worth a damn so he never lasted long.

Has anyone read or watched an interview with Frank about why he got into bodybuilding? I was curious if he was picked on which caused him to become a bodybuilder and get bigger?

**Curt James** · 06-26-2015, 02:10 PM

Three-time Mr. Olympia and definitely had a physique to be marveled at. I always thought Richard Baldwin shared a similar build and wondered why he didn't meet the same success on stage.

Regardless, Zane is incredible. Few can match this image...

Part of his success may have been the company he kept.

He was definitely in the right place at the right time. His perseverance, competing year after year when Arnold dominated the Olympia and Franco took it in 1976, is to be applauded. As is his physique.

One of the few to ever beat Schwarzenegger on stage. Frank winning the 1968 IFBB Universe above. Note a young Arnold on the right.

Did he get kicked around as a kid? Was he a snob? No idea and I don't care. We all (well, some of us) have childhood memories we'd like to forget. We've all (again, at least some of us) have regrets about the way we've acted over the years. Is Zane a saint? No. But who is?

**Young Gotti** · 06-26-2015, 02:16 PM

COG is a saint curt

haha i just found it interesting, especially at my gym which basically an old garage that the owner knew him

**Curt James** · 06-26-2015, 02:34 PM

lol No doubt.

And, yes, VERY cool. I love old school stories.

Unrelated but in the same vein? Met someone who knew a classmate from when I was in 5th grade. I said, "Oh, I want to grade school with him." The person shot back, "He's a total dick!" lol

You never know what impression you're making on the next guy. But it's never the total picture, is it?

**Professor X** · 06-27-2015, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Young Gotti

First I can't verify if the guy was telling the truth, maybe some of it could be verified, Frank Zane grew up like a town over from where I'm from.

I walked in my gym yesterday and saw what looked to be a belt that had seen better days. I asked the owner who is an old man, "this belt is ancient, was it Frank Zane's".

The old man laughed and said Frank Zane is a sissy. And continued to tell me how he went to middle school with Frank Zane. Frank used to cry like a little girl when they played baseball because people would use his bat. Also said Frank was a punter for his high school football team and used to get man handled all the time. One time he was punting and was getting rushed he punted the ball about 40 feet in the air and like 20 yards backwards.

He then told me how Franks parents moved right around the corner from his parents and all the kids used to pick on Frank as kids because he was a little snob. I guess Frank is somewhat smart and had a chance to be on TV but he can't talk worth a damn so he never lasted long.

Has anyone read or watched an interview with Frank about why he got into bodybuilding? I was curious if he was picked on which caused him to become a bodybuilder and get bigger?

Sounds like a hater.

**John Hansen** · 06-27-2015, 04:40 PM

I just listened to an interview with Frank and he said he lived in a tough town and he started training to build up his body and defend himself from the bullies in the neighborhood so it sounds like a true story.