Women's PL Pioneer Joe Zarella Dies at age 81

Here's an article about Joe Zarella which appeared in the Journal for the Assoc. of Old time Barbell and Strongmen. Joe was also the 1st USPF President.

JOE ZARELLA- THE GODFATHER OF WOMEN'S POWERLIFTING, 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 replied,"What can I do?" No machine had been invented that could 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 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, women's powerlifting took off.In 1978 Zarella held the women's national championships on April 16th at St. Stanislous 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 the sixty-eight athletes lifted at the historic Nashua "Y" over two days on May 19 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, who looked more adept in ursine grappling than he would be as a women's rights activist but that is what he became before his final testament to fostering equality for women.Again, Zarella sanctioned , produced and paid for the first Women's World Powerlifting Championships May 3rd and 4th 1980 at the Univ. 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 Zoe 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". Joseph Raymond Zarella dared to begin and in doing so he gave women a venue to manifest their strength of body and soul to the world in 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.

Steve Denison
www.powerliftingCA.com

Thanks for the news & the post above.

May you rest in Peace....I wonder how many people understand just how extraordinary the award of the Silver Star is....

"USPF....the Legend continues......"