Rusty Kanokogi obit

Rusty Kanokogi, considered the mother of women’s judo after fighting for more than two decades to make it an Olympic sport, died Saturday at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn. . .

Kanokogi’s battle for equality in judo began in 1959, when she and her club entered the Y.M.C.A. championships in Utica, N.Y. Though women were not explicitly barred, she cut her hair short and taped down her chest with a bandage. But when it came time to collect her medal after winning her bout, the tournament organizer asked her if she was a woman. She nodded, and he stripped her of her medal. . .

Born Rena Glickman on July 30, 1935, she grew up near Coney Island and was nicknamed Rusty for a local stray dog. Ignored by her parents, she spent much of her teenage years trawling the burnt-out remains of Luna Park with a bayonet strapped to her leg looking for trouble.

Posted by David on November 23, 2009 11:54 AM