Of the many priceless and curious tomes in the Met Club's extensive library, none is more cherished by members, or leafed through more often than the so-called "scrapbook". Handed down from generation to generation, added to by club photographers and writers, it is a pearl beyond price for aficionados of feminine competition. In it's pages you'll find photos of some the world's most beautiful and recognizable women in various stages of combat. Some real, some posed - all exquisite and occasionally expensive tributes to the enduring allure of the Metropolitan and affiliated organizations. Let me bring it down for you. It's heavy - like a leather-bound atlas. I'll have to use both hands and lay it flat against the mahogany reading table.

Let's take a look, shall we?

A - Andress
Who could forget that classic Dr. No bikini? Here she is on that Jamaican beach: cloudless blue sky, green glass surf in the background, punishing an exhausted Caroline Munro towards the end of a long, steamy affair at tropical high noon. Soaking wet from fighting in and out of the dreamscape waves - Caroline in a sixties style black bikini lies moaning on her side, arms wrapped around her belly, face twisted in tired resignation. Ursula straddles the brunette's waist, knees pushing into the white sand, hands on Caroline's arm as the blonde looks down with a faint trace of satisfaction. You can see the wheels turning in that calm, nordic face, framed by soaking wet strands of liquid gold. She's not finished with Munro yet.

B - Bardot
At least we think it's Bardot. On top it's definitely Claudia Cardinale putting the finishing touches to her continental rival. Claudia with a hard working smile, hair up, red one piece bathing suit, lying atop the back of the blonde, cinching in a fight winning full nelson as Brigitte writhes helplessly beneath. Bardot's arms lock awkwardly up, her legs sticking straight back, toes digging into carpet. Her face is obscured by soft blonde curls, hips and breasts swaddled in a twist tie yellow bikini. We can just barely make out the profile of her mouth: "OHHH!".

C - Cardinale
Claudia giddy as a schoolgirl, poured into a black push up and panties with white lace trim. Elbows in, hands up, mouth open in delight, she tramples a shellshocked Britt Ekland in her blue floral print bikini she kept from The Man With The Golden Gun. Britt on her side, hair back in a slick, soft blonde ponytail, fingers all outstretched as she stares up at the triumphant Italian galloping amok.

D - Delany
A bootleg shot taken on the set of China Beach - thank God for best boys and smuggled cameras. It's a little blurry, but we can clearly make out Dana Delany in fatigue green tshirt, sturdy beige panties, stumbling away from an enraged Marg Helgenberger in light blue t shirt, white panties. Dana's face tells the tale: she doesn't want any more.

E - Ekland
Could she be any prettier? Britt sits on a bed in sheer light blue teddy, baby doll sleeves, hugging the bejesus out of a worn Janet Leigh in orange teddy, black hair. Leigh's eyebrows arched high, eyes closed, mouth pouting open as she crouches on all fours over Ekland's lap. Britt not the strongest girl in the game, but her lips form a tight line, face pinched as she frowns in exertion - bearing down to bisect Janet at the waist.

F - Fawcett
Farrah has Catherine Bach against turnbuckles in an undisclosed location - Fawcett in white bikini with little loops at the hips, Bach in her famous red bikini. Farah's back is to the camera - she's chesting Cathy into the corner, pulling back on the brunette's luscious hair and drinking in the drowsy pain on Daisy Duke's face.

G - Gershon
Also in a ring - Gina has the much bigger Liz Berkley suffering in a ring setting. Liz with golden curls drawn back in a ponytail, gold push up, black panties - Gina in black bikini top, leopard print bikini bottoms. Berkley hung up in the corner - right leg drooping and vulnerable over the middle rope - Gina marauding - Liz' head back, sobbing in discomfort. What's Gina going to do to that exposed inner thigh? Hands twisted into claws, eyes feasting on the creamy meat of that leg - Gina's having her way.

H - Hannah
Gangly Darryl in black cotton stretch pants to the knee, yellow sports bra and ponytail, takes down an aging Lynda Carter in black sports bra, red stretch pants to the knee with a serviceable leg whip. Darryl looking back, concentrating - Carter on her way down with a baffled expression, back about 2 inches from meeting mat, legs swept up and out in a scene reminiscent of something out of Angel Fist.

I - Irving
Who'd a thunk Amy'd have it in her? In a floral print bandeau, on a crowded summer boardwalk, Amy has a ponytailed brunette under control with a side headlock. It's a light blue with white polka-dot bikini, bra style top, but we can't make out the brunette's features. Note the startled expressions - smiles, frowns, pointing - from onlookers in the frame.

J - Jones
Janet has Tracy Scoggins all but out on the beach. Jones with a soaking wet blonde tousle, elegant black bikini, sleek long lines glistening under the sun, has Tracy by the wrists from behind. Scoggin's face is blank, eyelashes fluttering, head tilted back spilling long chestnut hair - Janet's baring her teeth - she's obviously been using her legs to good effect against the lower back and buttocks of her foe - but how?

K - Kilcher
Jewel seated in a corner, arms out limp on the bottom ropes, legs out front, awaits Deanna Carter's finishing touch. Jewel in blue tank top, grey stretch cotton panties - Deanna in black tank top, black cotton panties - these two have been working at it for a while. Deanna kneels in front of a moaning Kilcher, getting ready to lean in and smother Jewel out with her chest.

L - Lane
Furious concentration on Diane Lane's face - dark eyes staring, ponytail messy as she kneels behind Gillian Anderson to apply the sleeper. Anderson's hair unkempt, grey tank top looking heavy and sullen as she slumps in Lane's grasp. Hard to say what Lane's wearing, possibly a two piece cotton jockey look.

M - Monroe
Marilyn keeping it thick around Jane Russel's waist - blonde in red dance leotard with long sleeves, bare, pale legs, brunette in black version of same. Monroe struggling to keep Jane under control with the leg scissor - Russel just starting to lose her composure, face cracking in pain as she leans onto her left hip, palm on the carpet. Marilyn almost seems fascinated at the damage her legs are doing to the larger woman's midriff.

N - Nolin
Gena Lee has Paula Trickey on her back, in a ring that looks almost like a Double Trouble mock up. Paula's legs drape over the bottom ropes in a corner - face stupified in pain, hands down at her sides as Gina Lee grins down, sets her body to deliver what may be the 3rd or 4th heavy leg drop in succession. Gina in yellow Baywatch one piece - Paula in navy athletic bikini with sports bra style top, thin shoulder straps.

0 - Oprah
Can't do it. Turn the page.

P - Pressly
Jaime Pressly uses that long, sinewy body to hold down a struggling Kiana Tom in a sensual cross body pin. Jaime in red and white striped bikini grinning, head up, fists tight at her chest as she white-knuckles Kiana's right wrist, tapered golden legs scissoring up Tom's muscular left. Kiana outraged, right knee bent, eyes tightly shut, mouth open to bellow in humiliation at being held captive beneath the upstart blonde. Tom's soft black hair flows out from her head along the canvas, sunlight gleaming off her smooth brown forehead.

Q - Qwan (Kwan???)
Nancy Qwan spends up Barbara Eden in a black and white glossy from the sixties. Babs looks dishelved, almost out in a light hipster bikini as she slumps back into Nancy's lap, lying atop the Asian's knees. Qwan with the cobra clutch, staring off into the distance: the hold shows off Barbara's rounded shoulders and meaty little biceps nicely. Nancy wears a silk pajama shirt open to reveal a black push up bra just behind and above Eden's nodding head.

R - Roderick
Brandy Roderick, Heff's ex and Baywatch's last blonde, struts it up against fellow lifeguard Krista Allen in a rare glimpse behind the scenes on that fabled show. Ring set up outside the Hawaiian rescue centre on the beach - Allen in red Baywatch one-piece, Brandy in yellow. Brandy is on her last legs as Krista bullies her along the ropes - our close up is of an intent Krista Allen, left hand in Brandy's hair, right across the blonde's throat, dragging Roderick's open mouth across the vinyl top rope. Not a lot of damage done here, but one look at Krista's pouting cruelty and you realize: some things you do, just because you can.

S - Shelton
Debra Shelton gets big on Dian Parkinson during the latter's reign on Price is Right. Debbie in a green and black one piece bandeau, Dian in a sturdy pink bikini - Shelton just cramming the blonde into the corner, wrapping Dian up tight chest to chest over the right shoulder and under the left arm. Shelton's legs strain to hold Dian pinned. We can see Di's face over Debbie's left shoulder - tired, drained. We can see Shelton's face turned to the right, eyes tightly shut as she holds down a powerhouse blonde, probably in one of Bob's specialty pin matches.

T - Tom
Kiana again, this time in black sports bra with thin shoulder straps, red high cut aerobics bottoms, straddling a ponytailed Jaime Pressly on her knees. Kiana in long fighting braid, shoulders and forearms bulging into relief as she reaches down and clamps onto Jaime's trap muscles. Pressly awash in pain, left palm on the canvas, right hand dainty at Kiana's knuckles - the blonde is paralyzed from the fitness girl's grip. Jaime obviously crying out: Kiana's face stretched in exertion as she pours it on.

U - Udenio
Fabiana has some good moments on the beach, out-brawling Pam Anderson during the former's only guest shot on the show. Fabs in pastel blue and pink bra style bikini, Pam in pale pink string bikini - both girls standing - Udenio has her from behind, cinching up greedily under the bust line to put a look of shock and hurt on Pammie's face. Fabiana a well known catfighter - most didn't think she could handle the athletic style preferred on Baywatch.

V - Valerie
As in Bertinelli. Out of retirement, blonde, still cute as a button but softer than you need to be to win in the new century. Val struggles on her back as Alyssa Milano squirms atop - belly pressing down on Bertinelli's face, pushing it to the side so we can see the pressed and tired features. Milano in gold tankini exuberant as ever, hooking up Val's right arm behind the elbow and laying her chin on Val's stomach, letting her hips hold Bertinelli down for the pin.

W - Welch
Raquel on a large bed, hurting on her haunches as Ann Margaret clamps on from behind for a grinding back to belly bearhug. Ann's right leg dangles off the edge of the bed, toes digging into the floor as Margaret looks to ride Raquel to her side. Welch seems stunned - mouth in an open sob, eyes shut tight - she works at Annie's strong wrists in desperation. Margaret's head in tight against Raquel's neck, face turned towards us - those tight little lips, that mischievous, hard grin. Margaret loved to rough-house Raquel - often cinching her up and ragdolling her onto beds, couches, around the room.

X - Xena
Remember when Cory Everson guest starred on Hercules? Dressed up in sandals and doe-skin, it was a short walk over to the Xena set for some playful hugging and armwrestling. Here Cory has her belly to belly in a picturesque dirt-floor arena, cheek in tight against Lucy Lawless' neck, pouring it on to the ribs as the brunette arches back in agony. Lucy groaning on her toes and wrapping up lightly around Everson's gorgeous shoulders and brawny, wide back. Ouch.

Y - Yolanda
Yolanda Ambersfoor vs Pam Ward - I remember it well. Not a Triumph shoot - they wrestled for us here at the Met, exclusively. Pam in yellow and black bandeau bikini, Yolanda in peach bra and panties. This is representative of their ordeal - girls struggling on the carpet, Pam at Yolanda's side, beefy right arm in place around the brunette's throat, Yolanda's strong legs scissoring up Pam's thigh to avoid being coccooned. Swapping holds, taking turns on top - thrilling stuff.

Z - Zuniga
Daphne Zuniga: hair back with pink scrunchy, black crop top t shirt, black panties. Courtney Thorne Smith: ponytail and pale blue scrunchy, pale blue sports bra, grey cotton aerobics briefs. Smith has Daphne on her back, holding the brunette's hands above her, while the blonde's legs constrict thick about the throat in one of the best figure four choke-outs on record. Smith smiling: it's not work if you love what you do.