Doug Rogers
Encyclopedia
For the writer, see Douglas Rogers (writer)
Douglas "Doug" Rogers (born January 26, 1941 in Truro, Nova Scotia
) is a former Canadian Olympic
competitor in judo
. He is an honoured member in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. His best results were a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
and gold medals at two Pan American Games
, in 1965 and 1967. He was a student of Masahiko Kimura
.
(Personal Interview). At age 15 he had joined the judo club at the Montreal
YMCA
. It was not long before his sensei
there told him there was nothing left for him to teach and directed him over to Fred Okimura's Montreal Seidokan dojo
. He continued practicing while in high school, winning the Eastern Canada brown belt title in 1958. The following year he won the black belt
title. Although Rogers was accepted by McGill University
, having been accepted to the Kodokan
, Rogers boarded a plane for Japan in 1960.
The best judo competitors at the time in Japan were coming out of the police academy
and universities. These competitors would visit the Kodokan
for practice on a weekly basis. Training at the Kodokan, Rogers made an effort to train with the judoka from the police academy and nearby Takushoku University
(Takudai). It was in this way that he got to meet Masahiko Kimura
, who was the coach of Takudai University and one of its most famous alumni.
Able to hold his own against top judoka in Japan, the Canadian Olympic Committee
, in search of medal hopefuls and, moreover, pleased that he was already in Japan where the Olympics were to be held, recruited Rogers. Rogers decided, however, to return to Canada to compete in the national championships, and the Olympic Committee were at first reluctant to pay for Roger's airfare back to Japan. Eventually they settled for paying a one-way ticket (Personal Interview).
Roger's day at the Olympics is best described by Frank Moritsugu, a contemporary of his:
Rogers felt very close to Kimura, regarded him as a father figure and stayed in touch with him until his death in 1993 (Personal Interview). Kimura demanded a very high level of physical fitness and concentrated on training simple, strong judo moves. His training style was somewhat informal compared to the strict etiquette and bowing rituals practiced in the western world to this day. Kimura often came onto the mats in sweat pants and threw on a judogi
only as needed to demonstrate a technique.
Despite being encouraged by Kimura to stay another year, Rogers decided to return to Canada to pursue becoming a professional pilot, having attained a private operator's licence at age 16. After a summer tour with the Takudai team to a number of Japanese universities, Rogers left Japan in 1965, seen off by his teammates carrying their winner's pennants and by his coach Masahiko Kimura
.
Doug Rogers went on to win gold at two Pan-American games and several Canadian National championships. Another mark of his judo skill is his taking of 4th place at the 1972 Olympics
despite having been out of serious training for many years. Once in Canada, he was spending hours a day in a cockpit rather than on the mats. He no longer had Kimura as a coach nor did he have the quality of practice opponents that a world champion needed.
Rogers is now retired from a career as an airline pilot. He is married with four grown children. Although less active in judo today he still frequents local tournaments and from time to time is an invited guest/coach at clubs throughout Greater Vancouver
, British Columbia
.
Douglas Rogers (writer)
Douglas Rogers is a Zimbabwean journalist, travel writer and memoirist.-Background:He was born and raised in Umtali, Rhodesia to Lyn, a lawyer and Rosalind, a drama teacher. He grew up on heavily fortified chicken and grape farms during the Rhodesian Bush War with his three sisters...
Douglas "Doug" Rogers (born January 26, 1941 in Truro, Nova Scotia
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
) is a former Canadian Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
competitor in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. He is an honoured member in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. His best results were a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
Judo at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The judo competition at the 1964 Summer Olympics was the first time the sport was included in the Summer Olympic Games. Medals were awarded in 4 classes, and competition was restricted to men only. The competition was held in the Nippon Budokan, which was built to host the competition...
and gold medals at two Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, in 1965 and 1967. He was a student of Masahiko Kimura
Masahiko Kimura
was a Japanese judoka who is widely considered one of the greatest judoka of all time. Kimura was born on September 10, 1917 in Kumamoto, Japan...
.
Biography
Doug Rogers arrived in Japan in 1960 at the age of 19 with the specific intention of working on his judo. As a youth he had won the Ontario Minor Hockey Championships, where he finished the tournament's the highest-scoring defencemanDefenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
(Personal Interview). At age 15 he had joined the judo club at the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. It was not long before his sensei
Sensei
' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
there told him there was nothing left for him to teach and directed him over to Fred Okimura's Montreal Seidokan dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
. He continued practicing while in high school, winning the Eastern Canada brown belt title in 1958. The following year he won the black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
title. Although Rogers was accepted by McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, having been accepted to the Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
, Rogers boarded a plane for Japan in 1960.
The best judo competitors at the time in Japan were coming out of the police academy
Police academy
A police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
and universities. These competitors would visit the Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
for practice on a weekly basis. Training at the Kodokan, Rogers made an effort to train with the judoka from the police academy and nearby Takushoku University
Takushoku University
Takushoku University is a private university in Japan. It was founded in 1900 by Prince Taro Katsura . The university is located in Tokyo and has two campuses: the main campus in the Bunkyō district, and a satellite campus in the Hachiōji district...
(Takudai). It was in this way that he got to meet Masahiko Kimura
Masahiko Kimura
was a Japanese judoka who is widely considered one of the greatest judoka of all time. Kimura was born on September 10, 1917 in Kumamoto, Japan...
, who was the coach of Takudai University and one of its most famous alumni.
Able to hold his own against top judoka in Japan, the Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
, in search of medal hopefuls and, moreover, pleased that he was already in Japan where the Olympics were to be held, recruited Rogers. Rogers decided, however, to return to Canada to compete in the national championships, and the Olympic Committee were at first reluctant to pay for Roger's airfare back to Japan. Eventually they settled for paying a one-way ticket (Personal Interview).
Roger's day at the Olympics is best described by Frank Moritsugu, a contemporary of his:
With coach Frank Hatashita at matside, on that October 1964 day at the Budokan,
Doug had an easy time in the early rounds. In the semis he clearly decisioned a tough
opponent, the bull- like SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
competitor P. Chikviladze, eliminating
one of the possible winners. Then came the heavy weight finals where his opponent was
Isao InokumaIsao Inokumawas a judoka who competed in the +80 kg and Open divisions.- Biography :Inokuma was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, and began judo at age 15. He entered the Tokyo University of Education and won the All-Japan Judo Championships in 1959 at only 21 years of age to become the first student competitor to...
, the all-Japan champion. Inokuma was shorter and many pounds lighter
but much more experienced and perhaps Japan's supreme judo technician. And he was an
occasional training partner of Rogers at the Kodokan.
Theirs was a hard-fought match which we watched agonizingly on our TV sets here in
Canada. Neither man could throw the other cleanly although both managed to complete
throws which ended off the tatamiTatamiA is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
. At the end of a truly championship bout, it was
a narrow decision for Inokuma but with his silver medal, Doug Rogers had become Canada's
first judoka to mount the Olympic medal podium at the first Olympics where judo was
included.
Post Olympics
After the Olympics, Rogers trained full time with Kimura and the Takudai team. In the summer of 1965 Rogers participated in the All-Japan University Championships as a member of the Takushoku University team and helped them bring the winner's penant back to Takudai for the first time in several years. Not only was Doug the first non-Asian foreigner to take part in this tournament, he was also named the tournament's best fighter.Rogers felt very close to Kimura, regarded him as a father figure and stayed in touch with him until his death in 1993 (Personal Interview). Kimura demanded a very high level of physical fitness and concentrated on training simple, strong judo moves. His training style was somewhat informal compared to the strict etiquette and bowing rituals practiced in the western world to this day. Kimura often came onto the mats in sweat pants and threw on a judogi
Judogi
Judogi is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Judo practice and competition. It is actually derived from traditional articles of Japanese clothing. Jigoro Kano derived the original judogi from the kimono and other Japanese garments around the turn of the 20th century, and...
only as needed to demonstrate a technique.
Despite being encouraged by Kimura to stay another year, Rogers decided to return to Canada to pursue becoming a professional pilot, having attained a private operator's licence at age 16. After a summer tour with the Takudai team to a number of Japanese universities, Rogers left Japan in 1965, seen off by his teammates carrying their winner's pennants and by his coach Masahiko Kimura
Masahiko Kimura
was a Japanese judoka who is widely considered one of the greatest judoka of all time. Kimura was born on September 10, 1917 in Kumamoto, Japan...
.
Doug Rogers went on to win gold at two Pan-American games and several Canadian National championships. Another mark of his judo skill is his taking of 4th place at the 1972 Olympics
Judo at the 1972 Summer Olympics
The Judo competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics was the return of the sport following its absence at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Medals were awarded in six weight classes, and competition was restricted to men only...
despite having been out of serious training for many years. Once in Canada, he was spending hours a day in a cockpit rather than on the mats. He no longer had Kimura as a coach nor did he have the quality of practice opponents that a world champion needed.
Rogers is now retired from a career as an airline pilot. He is married with four grown children. Although less active in judo today he still frequents local tournaments and from time to time is an invited guest/coach at clubs throughout Greater Vancouver
Greater Vancouver
Greater Vancouver is the metropolitan area centred on the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, roughly coterminous with the Greater Vancouver Regional District, which is governed by a body known as Metro Vancouver...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.