Tommy Kono: The Life of America’’s Greatest Weightlifter

In a career spanning three decades, weightlifter Tommy Kono won three Olympic medals and eight world championships, captured 11 U.S. national and three Pan-American titles, and set 26 world records--all before the advent of steroids. A Nisei American, Kono was interned at Tule Lake, California, during World War II. Weighing only 105 pounds at age 14 and suffering from asthma, he began competing at a time of heightened racial and political prejudice against Asians, and in an era predating modern coaching techniques, nutritional aids and training facilities. This definitive biography covers the life and career of an exceptional athlete who defied disadvantage and achieved international renown.

John D. Fair is a retired professor of history from Auburn University and Georgia College, and currently an adjunct professor of kinesiology at the Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of seven books.