Anibal Lopez
Encyclopedia
Anibal Lopez is an American bodybuilder. He was born in Puerto Rico
to Francisco and Francisca Lopez. His family relocated to Bronx, New York in 1954 where he attended Public School 66, Intermediate School 98 - Herman Ridder School, and Columbus High School.
’s adventures in the comic books and watched former Olympic swimmerJohnny Weissmuller
play the hero in the popular movie series. The first sport young Lopez participated in was gymnastics
. He continued, however to be drawn to the “Strongmen”. His first glimpse of a bodybuilding
icon was of Steve Reeves
playing Hercules
on the silver screen. Lopez would later recall, “That was when the bodybuilding ‘bug’ really bit me.” Amazingly, decades later, Reeves himself would tell Lopez that he considered him to be one of his favorite bodybuilders.
Another early motivation for Anibal was seeing a guest posing exhibition by IFBB
Hall of Fame bodybuilder Leroy Colbert, yet another childhood hero that decades later would become a personal friend.
The next sport that Lopez excelled at was boxing
. It wasn’t long, however, before his passion for both weightlifting and bodybuilding began to overtake his other sporting activities. He began to train at home with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells that he ordered from a Joe Weider
magazine for $19.95 and a homemade wood bench.
It was while living in the Throgsneck Projects in the Bronx that Lopez accelerated his weight training. He moved past using the meager equipment at home and started training at the sports center in the projects. It was at this time that he began to see impressive changes in his physique, both in size and strength. During this period of training at the Throgsneck center he won his first trophy in powerlifting
.
and entered his first novice bodybuilding contest, the “Mr. Wagner”, named so because it was held at the Wagner Youth Center in Manhattan. To his great surprise, he won the over-all title at the show.
His singular goal after that first show was to win the Mr. New York City title. It was the beginning of a long and successful run as a professional in the sport.
Lopez also served to in The United States Armed Forces. He was in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division
; He found that he loved the challenge of jumping out of an aircraft in flight. He later served with the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne
) in the reserve and was credited with over 100 jumps, including 10 night jumps all from different aircraft.
Now retired from competitive bodybuilding, Lopez continues to train and stay active in the sport.
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to Francisco and Francisca Lopez. His family relocated to Bronx, New York in 1954 where he attended Public School 66, Intermediate School 98 - Herman Ridder School, and Columbus High School.
Early Life and Interest in Body Building
As a boy, Anibal was fascinated with men of great muscular power who could perform amazing feats of strength. He read about TarzanTarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
’s adventures in the comic books and watched former Olympic swimmerJohnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in movies. Weissmuller was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven...
play the hero in the popular movie series. The first sport young Lopez participated in was gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. He continued, however to be drawn to the “Strongmen”. His first glimpse of a bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
icon was of Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves
Stephen L. Reeves was an American bodybuilder and actor. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.-Childhood:...
playing Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
on the silver screen. Lopez would later recall, “That was when the bodybuilding ‘bug’ really bit me.” Amazingly, decades later, Reeves himself would tell Lopez that he considered him to be one of his favorite bodybuilders.
Another early motivation for Anibal was seeing a guest posing exhibition by IFBB
International Federation of BodyBuilders
The International Federation of BodyBuilders is a competitive bodybuilding organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben and Joe Weider and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors ,...
Hall of Fame bodybuilder Leroy Colbert, yet another childhood hero that decades later would become a personal friend.
The next sport that Lopez excelled at was boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. It wasn’t long, however, before his passion for both weightlifting and bodybuilding began to overtake his other sporting activities. He began to train at home with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells that he ordered from a Joe Weider
Joe Weider
Josef E. "Joe" Weider is co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
magazine for $19.95 and a homemade wood bench.
It was while living in the Throgsneck Projects in the Bronx that Lopez accelerated his weight training. He moved past using the meager equipment at home and started training at the sports center in the projects. It was at this time that he began to see impressive changes in his physique, both in size and strength. During this period of training at the Throgsneck center he won his first trophy in powerlifting
Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
.
Career
Lopez joined the AAUAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
and entered his first novice bodybuilding contest, the “Mr. Wagner”, named so because it was held at the Wagner Youth Center in Manhattan. To his great surprise, he won the over-all title at the show.
His singular goal after that first show was to win the Mr. New York City title. It was the beginning of a long and successful run as a professional in the sport.
Lopez also served to in The United States Armed Forces. He was in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
; He found that he loved the challenge of jumping out of an aircraft in flight. He later served with the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
) in the reserve and was credited with over 100 jumps, including 10 night jumps all from different aircraft.
Now retired from competitive bodybuilding, Lopez continues to train and stay active in the sport.
Contest History
1969- Junior Mr America - AAU, 7th
- Junior Mr USA - AAU, Most Muscular, 3rd
- Mr USA - AAU, 6th
1970
- Mr America - AAU, 6th
- Mr America - AAU, Most Muscular, 10th
- Junior Mr America - AAU, 3rd
- Mr World - AAU, Short, 2nd
1971
- Mr America - AAU, 6th
- Mr East Coast - AAU, Winner
- Junior Mr America - AAU, 4th
- Junior Mr USA - AAU, 3rd
- Mr World - AAU, Short, 1st
- Mr World - AAU, 4th
1972
- Junior Mr America - AAU, 5th
1973
- Mr America - AAU, 3rd
- Junior Mr America - AAU, 3rd
- Junior Mr America - AAU, Most Muscular, 5th
- Junior Mr USA - AAU, 3rd
- Junior Mr USA - AAU, Most Muscular, 5th
- Mr USA - AAU, 3rd
1974
- Mr America - AAU, 8th
1975
- Mr America - AAU, 12th
- Mr America - AAU, Short, 3rd
- Mr USA - AAU, Most Muscular, 2nd
- Mr USA - AAU, 2nd
- Mr USA - IFBB, Short, 3rd
1976
- Pro Mr America - WBBGWBBGWBBG is a commercial FM radio station in Youngstown, Ohio market broadcasting at 106.1 MHz with an oldies format. The station is licensed to Niles, Ohio, with programming similar to fellow Clear Channel stations WWSW-FM in Pittsburgh and WMJI in Cleveland....
, 4th
1977
- Pro Mr America - WBBG, Short, 1st
- Pro Mr World - WBBG, Did not place
1978
- Pro Mr America - WBBG, Overall Winner
- Pro Mr America - WBBG, Short, 1st
- Natural Mr America - NBA, Professional, 3rd
- Mr Universe - NABBA, Short, 3rd
- Pro Mr World - WBBG, Winner
1979
- Night of Champions - IFBB, 10th
1980
- Pro Mr America - WBBG, Winner
- Grand Prix Miami - IFBB, 8th
- Grand Prix Pennsylvania - IFBB, 11th
- Night of Champions - IFBB, 14th
- Pro Mr World - WBBG, Winner
1981
- Night of Champions - IFBB, 14th