'No holds barred' at wet T-shirt contest By JAMES DePIETRO collegian Staff Writer Listen, what I want, you to get across is that it doesn't take big tits to win. And that's important because it's what the girl does with , them that counts. • You had to hold your beer above your head because there was no room at your side, because everyone wanted to let closer, because everyone was pushing, shoving and moving one way or the other to get a better view of the girls. For about 20 feet in front of the stage, the bar was jammed with young men, necks straining, eyes peering. Behind them; people stood on tables, on chairs, hands up against the ceiling, trying hard to see. Occasionally, a glass fell, a table toppled, a pitcher crashed against the stone floor. _ It was like a fight scene in the late rounds with one fighter up against the ropes and another scoring, penetrating with a wild flurry of punches and the crowd wanting more. Wanting and waiting for that one punch that would do it all. It was all people were talking about when they came back from spring break the wet T-shirt contest at the Play Pen in Fort Lauderdale. So we decided to have one. A woman bartender at The Bar. But it was Thursday night at The Bar. A waiting line outside and girls young girls, education typeg, Econ 2 types on stage, hustling after the $5O prize and guys hooting, howling, leading them on and sometimes chanting and even applauding. Aways wanting more. Always moving closer. Bodies, shoved against bodies, sweat beaded on foreheads, red lights filtering through smoke. The spotlight was on the platform. The emcee stood there with the yci - ung girls. There were shouts from the crowd, and then chanting to take it off and then applause. Then a wait. And more applause. And more cheers. Hey man, we're here for the nips. Nips —that's what it is about, man. A young man. In the final minutes, everything sped up: the girls bared more, and for a longer time; the young men shouted faster and angrier for the people in front to keep down, to stop shoving, pushing. One of the girls, Sandi, let her T-shirt fly loose. Bare chested, arms outstretched, eyes half-closed by a blushing smile. The red lights glowing on her skin, making her look softer, gentler. Listen buddy, for $5O I'll take off my shoes. . ' A young woman. There were three girls left: Sandi, Sally, and Bobbi. Sandi, Sally or Bobbi. "Which one is it going to be?" the emcee asked. The girls, eyes turned away, waited. The water-soaked T-shirt's draped over their breasts. The girls each received another chance, but when it was Sandi's turn, it was like she took a step forward, fell into air and was flying in a sensuously, softly swooning way through the crowd. "It's Sandi," the emcee said. lhe wins the $50." The crowd leaned forward toward Sandi, hands and fingers grabbing at the air. The manager of The Bar. "Everybody loves a winner," someone yelled. The crowd of people turned away, and in minutes only a few people were near the stage. Sandi sat down in a booth, a jacket, zipped halfway, covering her now. Her face red. Her brown curly hair drooping across her forehead. . , "I wasn't going to do it," Sandi said, "but my friends told me to and then I had a few drinks so I said 'I don't care what people think and I really don't because in State College I don't really like it here. "I'm kind of disillusioned with the social life here. 'I mean all guys want to do is go to bed and then they want to talk about you. I don't go out with too many guys. I go out with my friends a lot. "It doesn't bother me, I mean I'm not going to wake-up tomorrow and feel bad about it. The $5O will feel pretty good and I'll probably have a hangover, but you know, if that's all it takes to win $5O, taking off your shirt, I mean, why not? There is such a double standard here. A guy could take off his shirt and nobody cares, but if a girl does it, people think it is a big deal." I'm kind of ashamed I'm here, but I'm a regular. I always come down here. • "I don't look down on the guys out there," Sandi said. "Some of my friends think it is demeaning and really a kind of put-down against women, but I don't. If a guy is getting horny watching me take my shirt off, that's his problem. "To me it seems like a power thing, you know,"she said wiping the sweat from her forehead. "It's like 'power to be able to control them that way. I always wanted to do a Playboy centerfold-type thing. I think .most girls would. You gtow up thinking that way. That it's neat. Desirable, you know." Some friends came over and hugged her. • "I'm no 'wuss'," she said to one of the boys. "In the dorm where I live, the guys call the girls that don't party 'wusses' and I just told him I'm no 'wuss' but then he knows I never was. "I don't expect to make it with anyone tonight just because I took off my shirt," she said, looking clean cut and cute. "You know, all I did was drink some beer, take off my shirt and won $5O doing it. That's all." The stage, was cleared and some people started putting the tables and chairs back in order. The band was warming up. A young woman picked up a beer-soaked, mud-stained bra and handed it to a member of the band. He held it up by the tips of his fingers. He shrugged his shoulders and then let the bra drop into the puddle of beer and broken glass. I don't know why I came here, I guess it's because if I were in Spain, I'd be at a bullfight. Or if I were in ancient Rome, I'd have gone to see the gladiators fight. But I'm in State College and that's what this place is all about. Do you know what I mean? A young woman. "We're going to have another one of these things in month or so," the manager said. "Remember, every girl has a chance to win. Make sure you get that across." , A young woman. HUSH PUPP 4r • a < W I ATHLETE'S The Athlete's Foot is not a condition but the name of a great new store that' specializes in leisure and athletic shoes. This is a new sales concept to Penn State but not new to the rest of the country. The Athlete's Foot is part of a national chain of individually owned stores featuring the most makes, the most sizes, the most styles, the most colors and the most fun and exciting to shop. Many of the major manufacturers' sport and leisure shoes, the largest such selection in the State of Illinois, are available to satisfy the desires and needs for the housewife, the business man, the exerciser, the jogger, the cycler, the mountain climber, the walker, and, of course, the athletes young and old. Q 1- < m CLIFF KEEN • CONVERSE • DUNHAM • EATON • HEAD • HUSH PUPPY • HYDE •• : • 9 • OW • M II A • N •• V • URA OPENS t j il t I 1 1 / / -7 7 / • ..• Athlete's The Fool NORTH RIVERSIDE PARK MALL 7501 W. CERMAK ROAD NORTH RIVERSIDE, IL 60546 447-9009 The Da To win the wet T-shirt contest (grand prize: $5O) at The Bar Friday night, the women contestants had to do more than just wear a soaked T-shirt on their otherwise bare upper torso. When the contest was narrowed to three finalists, and the gawking crowd became more intense with their demands to "take it off," a contestant named Sandi was the first to bare her breasts (photo above). She won. When the show was over and everyone had gone home, or wherevei, a battered bra laid among the litter on the beer- and water:. soaked dance floor ( left photo). FOOT , ' 1 , f \ f f I Il \ an Mond tball, foOtball, soccer, baseball, track, ing, bowling, tennis, training, boating, wrestling, boxing, fencing, gymnastics, igby, golf, and whatever the sport The Ilete's Foot has the selection for men, women, and children. Many of the shoes for women come in different widths. Other items to compliment leisure and athletic shoes carried by The Athlete's Foot are sweat socks, tennis wear, gym bags, sweat bands, the ever popular Tee shirts with the athletic footwear manufacturer's name and The Athlete's Foot ► Tee shirts in school colors. The Athlete's Foot store has opened in the , April 11, 1977- -i .77 m 0
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers