NPC Baltimore Gladiators attract the finest male, female bodybuilders

Pittsburgh area native, Attorney James Lee Sr., likewise making impact in the industry

By Timothy Cox
Special Correspondent
Seventies.Soul.Report.com

June 27, 2019

BALTIMORE, MD — The National Physique Committee(NPC) Gladiator Championships were recently held at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport Hotel and sponsored competitions amongst some of the premier amateur bodybuilders in the world.

The March 23 event featured several top athletes in bodybuilding, fitness, figure, bikini and physique. Many have started their careers in the NPC. Several of those athletes have graduated onto successful careers in the IFBB (International Federation of Body Builders) Professional League, a league that includes 24 Olympia and 38 Arnold Classic winners.

The city of Pittsburgh, like Baltimore, is likewise distinguished in the realm of IFBB and NPC competitions. James Manion, is already considered one of the stalwarts in the bodybuilding industry. Manion is a premier photographer in bodybuilding. Since 1982, the NPC has featured some of the premier athletes in bodybuilding.

NPC Baltimore promoter Richard Siegelman was very enthused with both the audience turnout and the growing numbers of participating bodybuilders, both male and female.

Pittsburgh area native James Ephraim Lee Sr., 41, recently participated in the Baltimore NPC Gladiator Championships. He placed No. 1 in the Master’s Over 40 Classification; while also placing No. 2 in the Over 35 Classification.

Attorney James Lee Sr. in action at March NPC competitions in Baltimore. (Special Photo)
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Attorney James Lee Sr. of Newark, Delaware, placed No. 1 in Master’s Over 40 Classification at the recent Baltimore competitions at BWI Marriot Hotel. (Timothy Cox Photo)
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Lee, 41, is a Chicago native, but moved to Rochester, Pa. at age 13. While at Rochester High School, he played WPIAL football and basketball.

Attorney James Lee Sr. concentrates on his ability to woo judges in addition to a very supportive audience. Loud cheers accompanied Mr. Lee throughout his showings. (Timothy Cox Photo)
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Lee said he gravitated to bodybuilding while yearning for more discipline and new challenges.

“Everyone wants the results of working out without consistently working out,” he said. “I thought competing would force me to stay in the gym, but that didn’t happen. When you have a goal, that particular goal motivates you to keep going – no matter the cost. I never realized I would love the sport, as I do now,” he said.

In between working out to maintain his bodybuilding structure, Lee serves as an attorney and owner of the Lee Law Firm LLC in downtown Philadelphia.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in social relations/criminal justice from Cheyney University and a Master’s in Administration of Justice from Wilmington University, New Castle, Delaware. He earned a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley School of Law at Western Michigan University. Lee practices in areas of criminal defense, civil rights, personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice. Lee is a member of both the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations.

Mr. Lee is a 20-year member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and is Second District Deputy Counselor for the fraternity. Lee is married to Keesha Steed-Lee. The couple are new parents to James Ephraim Lee II  who turns age one on July 17, 2019.

In early June, Attorney Lee was named one of Pennsylvania’s Rising Stars, an elite club of only 2.5-percent of all attorneys in the state. The “Super Lawyers” status acclaims only a unique core representing primarily, young practitioning attorneys successfully climbing the corporate structure.

Baltimore’s ‘Second to None’ co-ed club, also participated in NPC with mixed results.

BALTIMORE’S CLUB ‘SECOND TO NONE’: Also making waves in the NPC body building arena. Club manager and founder is Lamarr Jones (center/greyshirt). The club has been in existence for about five years, according to Mr. Jones. Members of the Club pictured from left are: Alicia Valentine, Anne Joseph, Jessica Moise, Raquel Sylvester, Marcia Furlonge, Adero Brown, LaByron Rose, Adrienne McElhaney, Chene Nichols, Claudia Cedeno, Kristy Singletary, Rachel Miller, Harold Murdock, Shawntee Dixon and Cierra Marbley. (Timothy Cox Photo)
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