Joe Zarella- Warrior of Women's Rights

     The first time I saw Joe Zarella was at my first powerlifting meet in Jan of 1973. I had never seen him but his name was often posted in Strength and Health and Muscular Development Magazines as a meet director for many of the first New England power meets. As I sat there in the hall of the Nashua YMCA, a place that would later become  historic for women's rights, I watched 3 teenagers sneak in without paying the mandatory $1.00 door charge. In seconds this massive 300 lb man came over dressed in a bright red sweat suit resembling a buffed up Santa Claus. He questioned the three,"Have you got a buck? Have you got a buck. Have you got a buck?" They all responded,"No", to which Joe answered,"Then get out of here! What do you think this is, a charity?" I was almost too frightened to lift. Little did I know that this man would become one of the best friends that I've ever had, the Godfather to my kids and a pioneer and champion of women's rights.

This story had originally been published in the newsletter of the Oldetime Barbell and Strongman in April of 2009 and on line in Powerlifting Watch.

Joe Zarella- Warrior of Women's Rights
By Peter Vuono

     The 1976 National AAU convention was held in Phoenix, Arizona. At attendance was Cindy Wyatt Reinhoudt who, in 1965, became the first woman to compete in a powerlifting meet of any kind. Reinhoudt, a gifted track athlete who was once mentored by the immortal Tommy Kono, requested that a women only meet be sanctioned by the AAU. Her request was summarily turned down by the male dominated governing body.
     Serendipitously sitting next to Cindy, however, was the pugnacious Joe Zarella, winner of the Silver Star for Bravery in the Battle of Okinawa. Zarella asked Cindy,"Are you going to take that?" To which Cindy answered,"What can I do/". No machine had been invented that would measure the contempt that Zarella had for bullies. He knew full well what to do.
     Being the New England Powerlifting Chairman, Joe received an NEAAU sanction for an idea of his which he would solely produce and pay for; the All American Women's Open Powerlifting Championships. This historic athletic milestone was held April 17,1977 at the Nashua NH YMCA on Prospect Street.It consisted of 27 women who were judged by international referees Joe Zarella and Denis Reno. The event was by no means a glorified local contest.
     Cindy Reinhoudt did more than test her might in receiving the outstanding lifter trophy for the heavier classes. Jan Todd lifted with a contingent from New Germany, Nova Scotia. Ohio's Stephanie Moody competed to make her the first African American woman to compete in a national weightlifting tournament of any kind. The much talked about Rebecca Joubert was present in addition to a wide assortment of talented athletes from all over the country. This, however, was not the end but only the beginning. When Terry Poston's comely photo appeared in Life Magazine of her competing at this event, women's powerlifting took off.
     In 1978, Zarella held the women's national championships on April 16th at Saint Stanislaus Hall in Nashua. Seventy-four lifters competed including a contingent brought from Australia by Roz Basile. Again, Cindy Reinhoudt won the outstanding lifter trophy for heavier classes and Jan Todd's record 453.25 deadlift marked the first time ever that a powerlift had been recorded for television.
     In 1979 sixty-eight athletes lifted at the historic Nashua "Y" over two days on May 19th and 20th. Ann Turbyne became the first woman to total 1000lbs. with an 1118.8 total and this was the first power meet to be televised in it's entirety with Olympian Donna DeVerona doing commentary for NBC Sports World.
      By this time, women started to get involved in bodybuilding and Olympic lifting contests of their own. It's hard to believe that the hirsute, 300lb Zarella would become a godfather of women's rights when he looked more adept for ursine grappling. However, a women's rights advocate is what he became in his final testament  for fostering equality for women.
     Again, Zarella sanctioned, produce and paid for the first Women's World Powerlifting Championships May3rd and 4th 1980 at the University of Lowell in Lowell, Ma. Eight countries were represented including Japan and Australia. NBC Sports World again covered the meet. A Who's Who of strength legends such as John Grimek and Bob Hoffman attended and it marked the first US appearance of strength legend, Bev Francis. Forty-nine women competed in what could not have happened if it were not for Joe Zarella's chivalrous response to Cindy Reinhoudt's intrepid plea for equal rights.
     In his brilliant account of the contest in Powerlifting USA Magazine, author Tony Fitton quotes Eugene Ware in saying,"All glory comes from daring to begin". Joe Zarella dared to begin and in doing so he gave women a venue to manifest their strength of body and soul to the world furthering their quest for equality much in the same way as the immortal Susan B. Anthony had done so many years before.
     Inside the commemorative program of the 1984 Women's World Powerlifting Championships there is a well deserved article on Cindy Reinhoudt. The article starts out by saying,"Though there is much discussion about who is the Godfather of Women's Powerlifting". This author contends that there is no discussion. The Godfather of Women's Powerlifting is Joseph Raymond Zarella.

"The key to immortality is by living a life worth remembering"- Bruce Lee

MAN OF STEEL

I dedicate this short piece to the memory of  George Reeves and Christopher Reeve who made me a better man. Also to my Special Needs students and to another hero of mine; my son, Mike who does not possess any of my faults.

MAN OF STEEL
By Peter Vuono

     Every boy needs a hero. I was no exception. Growing up in the mid 1950's, I was drawn toward anything that projected strength. I loved dinosaurs and Superman. George Reeves was the perfect hero; big, handsome, strong and heroic. When he passed away in June of 1959, I was greatly saddened but looked to others along the way to fill the void such as Steve Reeves. Then, in the late 70's, a new hero had arisen.
     Like his predecessor, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve was the perfect Superman; tall, muscular, good looking and behind the scenes, a true man of integrity. In his early years, he was quite involved in the Special Olympics, the Save the Children Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Here was a hero that the public needed. What also impressed me about him was the fact that he was trained by former British weightlifting champion, Dave Prowse who would also be immortalized on the screen as Darth Vader!
     Recently, my son had played a movie trailer for the upcoming remake entitled, Man of Steel. I had seen it many times before and had previously thought nothing of it. However, this time, as the trailer rolled, my son, Mike, made a comment saying,"It's too bad about Chris Reeve; isn't it dad?" Instantaneously, my heart dropped and my eyes welled up to capacity.
     I hadn't forgotten Reeve's accident in 1995 and his struggle with being a quadriplegic. I thought of his death in 2004 and the passing of his wife, Dana, soon after. But at almost the same moment, I had an epiphany.
     As I started to maintain my composure and pull myself together, I realized that Chris Reeve's life taught me a lesson that I should have learned from all my Special Needs students but never did. Reeve showed us that our lives do not have to be derailed from the path that we were so passionately following just because of an illness, accident or disability.
     Reeve, after his accident, went on to direct both an A&E and HBO movie. He wrote two books and appeared in a segment of Smallville. He later starred in the remake of Rear Window and in doing so, received a Golden Globe nomination and a special award from the screen actor's guild. He made numerous appearances and speeches on behalf of stem cell and spinal cord research and together with his wife he created the Chris and Dana Reeve Foundation which operates even today.
     All within the time of a one minute movie trailer, I learned through Chris Reeve's life that illness and disability don't cause life to end but only to change. It was at that very moment that I ironically realized that Christopher Reeve truly was a Man of Steel.

Peter Francisco- The Strongest Soldier That Ever Lived

 This tale is dedicated to all veterans.

This story was originally published in the June 14, 1987 edition of the Brockton Enterprise long before the internet.

Peter Francisco- The Strongest Soldier That Ever Lived
By Peter Vuono

     In 1765 a small boat docked on the shores of Virginia. One of it's passengers was a 5 year old orphan who was handsomely dressed but had no identification except the initials "P.F." on his shoe buckles.Word had it that he was originally captured by sailors from his homeland in the Azore Islands.He was adopted by the kindly judge Anthony Wilson who raised the boy on his Buckingham County, Virginia plantation.Using  the "P.F."  initials on the child's shoe buckles as a guide, Judge Wilson named him Peter Francisco.
     The child worked hard on the plantation and like a weightlifter, cultivated his muscles working as a blacksmith. The young man  grew to a height of 6'8" and weighed a solid 260lbs. With his size came a gift of inhuman strength.
     To entertain his friends, Francisco could put a full grown man on the palm of each hand and press them until his arms were completely extended overhead. He was also able to lift a saddled horse over a 4' fence on the plantation. His great strength was obvious but his courage would later be tested.
     Peter became a member of George Washington's Continental Army. During the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16,1780, he performed a feat of heroism and strength that has since been rarely equaled, The Colonists were greatly outnumbered by the British and a horse drawn field cannon which was crucial to the battle was made immobilized by the Red Coats. The horses were shot , the caisson splintered and the 1100lb. cannon barrel was mired in mud.Francisco, realizing the value of the field piece, tipped the cannon up on end. He then allowed it to fall across his tremendous shoulders and squatted under it. He then proceeded to carry the gun 200 yards to a more strategic position.
     In spite of Peter's valiant efforts, the Colonists were forced to retreat. In doing so, Francisco saved his commanding officer from certain death. The Colonel never forgot the act and willed a 1,000 acre tract of land to Peter. Francisco, however, felt that he should humbly decline since he was not a blood relative. He also, on two other occasions, turned down an officer's commission saying that he lacked the education for the job. Although Francisco did not advance in rank, he would do so in fame.
     He was later overheard by General Washington that his sword was too light to handle. The General then ordered a magnificent 5 foot long excalibre  made for Peter which no man except he could wield with one hand. The sword would later become as  legendary as Peter after his next daring campaign.
     On March 15, 1781 at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, in North Carolina, the giant Francisco rode upon horseback armed with the 5 foot sword. Almost immediately, a British soldier caught him by surprise and drove a bayonet right through his right thigh into the horse. Undaunted, Francisco extricated himself from his attacker whereupon he immediately lashed out with the excalibre.Enraged, he proceed to cut down 11 of the Queen's Guards like a one man regiment. Bloodied and exhausted, Francisco was left for dead. However a soldier by the name of Robinson found Peter and took him to safety. He recovered from his wounds and was off to battle as soon as he was able.
     Another of Peter's exploits of brawn and bravery occurred during Washington's crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Eve. at Trenton to surprise the Hessian Soldiers.Unfortunately for the General there were not enough boats for all his men to cross on and Washington's plan came to a halt. A farm boy informed the General that there was a flat boat hidden one mile away in tall grasses. Francisco traveled a full mile with the boy and found the boat just as he had said. Peter carried the boat  by overturning it and letting it rest upon his head and outstretched hands. He then singlehandedly carried the 900lb. vessel a mile back to the sight of the crossing. This enabled all of Washington's men to make the famous trek.
     By now, every campfire in the Continental Army made mention of this prodigious warrior in the war for freedom.
     Francisco was given a roving commission by Washington to fight the Red Coats wherever and whenever he saw fit. Peter felt that his efforts were most needed in Amelia County Virginia where the troops of Generals Tarleton and Cornwallis were literally ravaging the land, burning farms and villages.
     One evening, Peter was sitting alone inside a tavern known as Ben Ward's. A gigantic troop led by Tarleton, 400 strong, rode along the highway toward the tavern. Nine of the troops went ahead as scouts and entered the tavern. Seeing that he was a colonist soldier, they took him prisoner. As they did so, Peter drew his long sword and severely injured two of the soldiers. The other seven fled back to the regiment. As Peter gave chase, he realized that any further acts of aggression would mean certain death for him against this throng of soldiers. Peter then decided to use his wit along with his reputation to thwart Tarleton. He ran behind the tavern and yelled into the woods, "Come on my brave boys- now's your time! We will dispatch these and attack the main body."Tarleton recognized the famous Francisco and thought that he would have to do battle with a complete regiment led by Peter. Rather than risk this,the cavalry retreated. This deed of bravery was etched on canvas and the original now hangs in Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
     The Battle of Guilford Courthouse is commemorated by a giant granite marker enshrined to Peter's bravery standing on the very spot of the battle. There is also a Peter Francisco Square in New  Bedford Ma. a city who is proud of this great soldier. Peter's greatest honor, however, came in 1976 when his picture was inscribed on a postage stamp celebrating the bicentennial. It shows Peter carrying the 1100lb. cannon barrel in the Battle of Camden.
     Peter Francisco was a folk hero come to life who was perhaps the strongest soldier that ever lived. His size, strength and daring courage were overshadowed only by his love of country and burning desire for freedom.

REFERENCES- Strength and Health Magazine- July 1938
and Strength and Health Magazine- March 1980.

Walter Kowalski- A Legend Not Lost

     I owe so much to professional wrestling. In 1966, I sat on my bed reading Wrestling Revue and the story I was reading was about wrestler Ernest Bemis who was better known in the WWWF as "Mr. Kleen". He was quoted as saying,"Every young boy should own a set of weights". That was all I needed to hear. I started in 1967 and never stopped.  I came in 2nd in the 1974 Eastern States Powerlifting Championships. I mentioned it to Messrs. LaBranche and Phinney in my interview for my first teaching job. They were genuinely impressed and thought I'd be a good role model for the Special kids that I would teach. This career went a span of 35 years and if I helped any of those kids it was because of a pro wrestler inspiring me to better myself. This story is a homage to all those that fought in the squared circle and in particular to one hero who touched me deeply.


Walter Kowalski- A  Legend Not Lost,
by Peter Vuono
     The sport of professional wrestling oftentimes suffers the burden of scandal.  At the same time, however there is always a hero who acts as a buffer and stands head an shoulders above all controversy. Walter"Killer: Kowalski was such a man. Kowalski, whose name is synonymous with "Legend" passed away August 30, 2008 in Everett, Ma. due to a massive heart attack he received August 8th. He was 81.
     Kowalski was born Oct. 13, 1926 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He later moved to the Detroit area and took up weight training at an early age because of a heart murmur. After high school he enrolled in the prestigious Assumption College in Worcester, Ma. but was forced to drop out after his Freshman year because his dad, a Polish immigrant, could not afford to continue funding Walter's schooling.
     Kowalski worked at the Ford Motor Company as an electrician's apprentice. He continued to train at local gyms and succeeded in building  a tremendous muscular confirmation. Walter, who would attain a height of 6'7" and eventually weigh 265-275 lbs.drew the attention of local wrestlers who asked him to join them in their training. This led to frequent trips to St. Louis and it was here that Kowalski had to decide on whether to stay with Ford or wrestle. He decided to depart from the company and was trained by the immortal Lou Thesz. It was here that a wrestling legend was born.
     Because of his height, Herculean physique and good looks, Kowalski, who was born Edward Walter Spulnik, chose the name "Tarzan" Kowalski. However , in 1954 in a match in Montreal, a misplaced knee accidentally tore the cauliflowered ear off Yukon Eric and Kowalski was later dubbed by reporters-"Killer".
     Kowalski, who is the only professional wrestler in the New England Sports Hall of Fame, enjoyed a career that most wrestlers can only dream about. He garnered no fewer than 19 different titles, most notably the WWF World Tag-Team title with his former student, the late John(Mitton) Studd. Kowalski wrestled in the Far East, Australia and Africa. He took on every  contemporary wrestler, most notably, Bruno Sammartino. This author personally witnessed Kowalski wrestle Sammartino in July of 1968 at Fenway Park in front of 17,500 fans long before the tool of cablevision was used for hype.
     After a match in Providence in 1977, Kowalski retired and opened the Killer Kowalski Institue of Professional  Wrestling at the Young Men's Christian Union on Boylson St. in Boston which was the very same training quarters used by strongman John Y. Smith decades before. This school turned out superstars John Studd, Matt Bloom, Chyna, Mike Shaw and WWE champion Triple H.
     In a marvelous March 2, 1986 interview with Jerry Mikorenda of the Boston Herald, Kowalski was quoted as saying, "Scientists will tell you that it is physics that makes the world and universe revolve, but they are wrong, dead wrong. It's love. Everything in this planet responds to it."
     Kowalski was right. For the great physical presence and integrity that he projected served to inspire generation after generation of young men and women in their quest for physical and spiritual perfection. A process that will continue for many more generations to come. A wrestling hold that will never be broken.

"And there was one that  wrestled with him until daybreak"- Genesis- 32-26