Vince Taylor: The Quiet Storm

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After a four-year retirement from the world of bodybuilding, legendary bodybuilder Vince Taylor shocked the bodybuilding world with a third place finish in the Australian Grand Prix in March 2006- at age 49! This result qualified Vince for the 2006 Mr. Olympia competition. Vince decided not to participate in order to take part in the Night of Champions in New York City. This competition is now being run by Wayne De Milia and his Pro Division, Inc.(PDI)

This was yet another instance in which the powers that be underestimated the Florida resident. The "Storm" prove to them that his spirit is much greater than any obstacle that they might throw at him. Who would have ever thought that a man who won 22 professional titles, among them five Masters Olympia titles would show weakness? On the contrary it was his resiliency and mettle which won him so many titles and even more fans, making him one of the most requested posers worldwide in the past two decades.

Vince Anthony Taylor was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland in 1956. He lived throughout out his youth in that town until he went to college at Durham Business College for a year. He would then return to his hometown and establish his life there until he decided to go visit his older brother who was stationed in Germany. This visit would change his life as he would find that this part of the world, although it was in the middle of the Cold War, would offer him an opportunity to fulfill any dreams that he had of actually living a real life instead of going about the same routine that everyone in his town did after graduating high school. He worked as a weapons specialist for the military in Germany as a civilian, he never joined the military as many other websites have reported. That dream of becoming a bodybuilder would grow when he met John Brown at a show where the former Mr. America was doing some posing in Berlin. He would take him under his wing and eventually mold Taylor into one of the greatest posers of all-time.

Vince's first-ever competition would be the Mr. Berlin contest in 1983, in which he came late because of two car accidents he had on his way to the venue. That would be the first step as he won that show hands down. He would eventually turn pro in 1988 after winnning the NPC Nationals. It would not take long for him to win his first pro event as he did so at the Night of Champions in 1989.

After that performance he would become one of the perennial favorites in the annual Mr. Olympia contest. He would compete alongside legends the likes of Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler, and Shawn Ray during the time. what would make him standout and in some ways revolutionize the sport would be his posing. His legendary "Terminator" routine added an entertainment value to the posing rounds.

He would retire in 2002 after a controversial decision against Don Youngblood at the now defunct Masters Olympia in Lynchburg, Virginia. He married his longtime sweetheart, Randi. They happened to meet while the both lived in Germany. They have two boys Isaiah and Vince, Jr.

Taylor presently is working on prototypes for leg and back machines that will soon be on the market. He will also take on a new endeavours- television and his life. Vince recently did color commentary debut, to raving reviews,at the Arnold Classic. He is also in the early stages of writing his biography. His book should be released late sometime in 2007.

[edit] TITLES (Pro ** and Amateur*)

2001 Masters Olympia (**) 1992 Arnold Classic (**) 2000 Masters Olympia (**) 1992 Ironman Pro Invitational (**) 1999 Masters Olympia (**) 1992 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational (**) 1998 Arnold Classic Masters (**) 1991 Grand Prix Denmark (**) 1998 Masters Arnold (**) 1991 Grand Prix Finland (**) 1997 Masters Olympia (**) 1991 Grand Prix Italy (**) 1996 Masters Olympia (**) 1991 Grand Prix Spain (**) 1995 Grand Prix England (**) 1991 Grand Prix Switzerland (**) 1995 Grand Prix France (**) 1991 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational (**) 1995 Grand Prix Ukraine (**) 1989 Night of Champions (**) 1995 Niagara Falls Pro Invitational (**) 1988 Nationals -NPC,Overall Winner(*) 1994 Ironman Pro Invitational (**) 1988 Nationals -NPC,LightHeavyweight(*) 1993 San Jose Pro Invitational (**) 1987 Mr America - AAU, Medium (*)