'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