Tamio "Tommy" Kono's 91st Birthday

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Shanti Rittgers, celebrates Japanese-American coach, Olympic gold-medalist athlete, and world-champion bodybuilder Tommy Kono, who is regarded as one of the greatest weightlifters in United States history. 

Tamio “Tommy” Kono was born in Sacramento, California, on this day in 1930. During the onset of World War II,  Kono and his family, all of Japanese descent, were among the over 120,000 Japanese-Americans forced by the U.S. government to be detained in prison camps (aka Japanese internment camps). It was in one of these camps that Kono was introduced to weightlifting—which he practiced relentlessly in an effort to become healthier after experiencing severe asthma throughout his childhood.

When the fog of war lifted, Kono returned home to Sacramento, where he entered his first weightlifting competitions. By 1952, he was an invaluable member of the U.S. national weightlifting team, in part due to his rare ability to move between weight classes without losing his strength. Kono won his first Olympic gold medal in the lightweight division that same year at the Helsinki Summer Games. This began a winning streak that crescendoed at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games when he won the light-heavyweight competition—his final Olympic gold medal.

After his 1964 retirement from a career gilded by 26 world records, along with dozens of championship titles in weightlifting and several in bodybuilding, Kono shared his seasoned expertise throughout the 70s as an Olympic coach. In 1993, Kono was inducted into the Weightlifting Hall of Fame, and to this day, Kono remains the only weightlifter in history to hold world records in four different weight classes. 

Happy birthday, Tommy Kono, and thank you for using your strength to lift not just weights, but those around you.  

Sacramento native Tamio "Tommy" Kono overcame hardship and discrimination, becoming one of the greatest weightlifters of all time. Learn more about his life and legacy on Google Arts & Culture.

Special thanks to the family of Tommy Kono for their partnership on this project. Below his family share their thoughts on the Doodle and Kono’s legacy.
 

My father’s upbringing taught him a lot about sacrifice and honor while still maintaining his own path.  He was dedicated to teaching others the art, science, and philosophy behind weightlifting which would take him around the world, ultimately winning him multiple titles in multiple weight classes for well over a decade in both weightlifting and bodybuilding competitions. My father would always say weightlifting was 30% physical and 70% mental and his ability to stay focused with a positive mental attitude was his greatest strength throughout his weightlifting career.  He always encouraged positivity and growth and used phrases he felt would help you through life.  “Do what you should before you do what you want” was one of his sayings. That holds true for me still today.

—The Family of Tommy Kono

Pictured: Tommy Kono
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Kono Family

Pictured: Tommy Kono
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Kono Family

Pictured: Tommy Kono
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Kono Family

Guest Artist Q&A with Shanti Rittgers

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Shanti Rittgers. Below, they share their thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A. Although my main passion pursuit in life has been art, physical activity and sport have always been quiet passions that have rescued me from mentally and emotionally dark times. So when I started researching Mr. Kono's story and learned he began weight lifting as an asthmatic child in a U.S. internment camp, I felt an instant wave of awe ands personal connection to his journey. The more I learned about him, saw his photos, and listened to second-hand interviews, the more he grew in my mind as someone who always pushed himself to be his best, and wanted to be a positive light to others. He was like a shining star.

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A. 1.) Weightlifting rules, let's do this. 2.) This man has great glasses and is very cool and handsome—double let's do this. 3.) Oh wow, not only was he an Olympic champion, but also a pioneer in the field who coached others and developed supportive equipment that is standard for weight-training today. 4.) Animating this will be a challenge, but will feel so much more rewarding than a still image.

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A. A pattern I kept coming across in his photos was that he had an outstanding smile, even while lifting. Despite that what he was doing was literally back-breaking, he projected a sense of joy, personal achievement, and triumph each time. The fact that he’s kept his smile while pushing his body beyond its limits is something I really wanted to capture in this Doodle. The indomitable, unbreakable fighting spirit that radiated outward.

Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A. I hope that my depiction of Kono's champion spirit will spread to the viewer, and that learning of Mr. Kono's life will also ignite a new spark of inspiration for them. If nothing else, may it give your day a little boost, especially if you're feeling stuck and have some heavy duty tasks or a hard workout ahead of you!