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Bodybuilding Legend, Joe Gold Dies
The world of bodybuilding is in mourning, after one of the most famous bodybuilding pioneers in the world died.
Joe Gold, 82, founder of Gold's Gym died yesterday at the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Los Angeles. His death was confirmed today by Dave Reiseman, a spokesman for Gold's Gyms, but no further details were given.
Joe Gold was a towering figure in the bodybuilding world and inspired and trained many of the legendary figures in the sport, including such all time greats as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbo and Lou Ferrigno, among other.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement in which he called Gold "a trusted friend and father figure." Before his years of stardom in action movie like The Terminator & Predator, Schwarzenegger was the greatest bodybuilder in the world, and a regular at Gold's Gyms. His appearance in the 1977 docu-drama Pumping Iron helped make Gold's Gym a number 1 destination for bodybuilders.
Gold opened his first gym in 1965 in the Venice area. This was a hot spot for all the bodybuilders around then, such as Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbo, Mike Katz and Frank Zane. They would pump iron on muscle beach whilst wearing Gold's Gym t-shirts. Joe Gold sold Gold's Gym in 1970 and returned to the
merchant marine, which he had joined after serving in the Navy in World War II.
In 1977, he established World Gym.
Over 1,000 gyms carry his name, or a name he created, including over 300 World Gym's throughout the world.
Flex magazine's editor-in-chief says that Gold continued to work at World Gym's Marina del Rey headquarters, even though he'd been ill in recent months.
Our hearts go out to the Gold family, and all those who knew and loved the legend that was Joe Gold.
Global Arnold Staff |
