“Cole Zulauf passed away recently? I want to be sure it’s correct?” I read an email from a younger USADSF leader on my smartphone last night. I replied, “Oh, no. I will check.” Then I rushed to my laptop to find out through Cole’s Facebook page.
Suddenly, I saw that Cole passed away on December 10 and whispered to myself, “I just became the oldest surviving AAAD/USADSF leader.”
Note: AAAD stands for the American Athletic Association of the Deaf. In 1997, The name was officially changed to the United States of America Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) to represent the USA in international competitions.
On April 4, 1978, I introduced Ed Williams, then Chair of the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council, to Cole. The latter escorted Williams to a special meeting with the AAAD delegates. Hence, Williams delivered his presentation about the federal proposal called the Amateur Sports Act (ASA) to the delegates during the 1978 AAAD Basketball Tournament in Long Island, NY.
The meeting lasted two hours instead of one. After Williams left, Cole signed “successful” to me and thanked me for inviting Williams to this meeting.
The following day, the delegates voted to support the passage of this bill. Cole gave me a “thumb up.”
Flashback Again (1975)
“Donald Cole Zulauf was the remarkable Vice Chair of the U.S. Organizing Committee for the 8th CISS Winter Deaflympics in Lake Placid, New York, on February 2-9, 1975. We worked very closely every day and evening for deaf competitors, team leaders, and tourists during a long, exciting week of the Lake Placid Deaflympics event.” -- Simon J. Carmel, Chair of the U.S. Organizing Committee for the 1975 Winter Deaflympics sponsored by the American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD) and the International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS).
Members of the U.S. Organizing Committee for the 8th CISS Winter Deaflympics. (L to R) Howard Lee Gorrell (Congressional Liaison Officer), Kenneth S. Rothschild (Publicity Director), Helene Bonura (Assistant - Skiing Events), Yerker Andersson - (Coordinator for Interpreting Services), Simon Carmel (General Chair), Richard Corcoran (Assistant to Publicity Director), James Stern (Combination Ticket Chairman / Assistant - Skating Events), Donald Cole Zulauf (Vice Chair), David Leigh (Design Director), Robert Bergan (Finance Officer), and Donald Fields (absent) (Winter Games Events Director)
Look at this picture. At that time, I was the least deaf-cultured deaf member among them and did not use sign language.
However, I am indebted to all of them for helping me polish my leadership skills in the Deaf world over the years.
I must tip my woolen cap to Chair Simon Carmel for appointing me as Congressional Liason Officer because I worked at Capitol Hill. Two years later (1977), Simon handed me a small clipping about the President’s Commission on Olympic Sports and encouraged me to go to their office. I did it in November 1977.
My bond with Cole began after Simon introduced me to Cole during the first organizing committee meeting in New York. He realized that my path was similar to that in his earlier years. Then, he became my mentor in the Deaf sports field for almost five decades.
A.D.A. Complaint over Closed-Captioning
On July 30, 1998, Cole Zulauf filed a complaint alleging that Kentucky Educational Television violated the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794 ("§ 504"), and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 47 U.S.C. § 12103-12213 ("A.D.A.") because some of its programmings are not accessible through closed captioning.
As a result, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky ruled that the plaintiff must first exhaust his remedies under the Telecommunications Act before filing suit under the A.D.A., 28 F.Supp. 2d 1022 (1998).
However, fourteen years later (2012), the Zulauf case was cited in the National Association of the Deaf et al. v. Netflix case. On October 10, 2012, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) secured a historical settlement in N.A.D. v. Netflix, ensuring 100% Closed Captions in Netflix’s On-demand streaming Content within two years.
This morning, the U.S.A. Deaf Sports Federation posted on its Facebook page.
USADSF is deeply saddened to learn of D. Cole Zulauf passing earlier this month. A long-time friend and leader of USADSF, Zulauf served as the vice chairman of the 1975 Winter World Games for the Deaf in Lake Placid and the team director for the United States’ delegation to the 1977 World Games for the Deaf in Bucharest, Romania. A hard worker and extraordinary leader who demonstrated a great love for sports and the deaf community, Zulauf has also served as a trusted mentor and advisor for numerous USADSF leaders. For his contributions to deaf sports, Zulauf received the Art Kruger award in 1988 and in 1995 was elected into the USADSF Hall of Fame. With his encyclopedic knowledge and experience, Zulauf was a valued steward of the deaf sports movement in the United States and will be missed by many.
Responses from Cole’s loyal friends
Deaflympian Bobbie Beth Scoggins: Indeed an unsung hero in many ways. A pillar in our community. A loyal leader to KCDHH, KAD, NAD and AAAD/USADSF. Love him
Deaflympian John Dickinson: Ohhh my! He was one of my mentor when I lived and studied in Lexington. One of the best deaf and brilliant man I ever known. Cole RIP.
Karen Boyd: He's the sweetest person. I truly enjoyed working with him. Thank you, Cole, for all you did for USADSF. You kept USADSF going for a long time.
Dennise Scott: I am sorry to learn that he is gone. He was a great leader. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Deaflympian Caroline Solomon: What a sweet man! Loved hanging out with him at USADSF events. Rest in peace.
Kenneth S. Rothschild: Sorry to read about Cole’s passing. I’m proud, along with you, Howard, to be associated with him for the wonderful 1975 Winter Games for the Deaf in Lake Placid.
Felece Gelb Steele: Hi! Bob Steele worked with him. He was a great mentor to him. Am sorry for the loss of your great friend.
Deaflympian Brianne Burger: I agree with you Howie. Cole was an amazing person to work with. Extremely kind and giving. He put up with all the wild requests around the clock when we were abroad at various competitions and Deaflympics. A real trooper. I will miss him.
Chris Kaftan: Cole was one of a kind. His passing is a huge loss for the Deaf community.
Bob Bergan: Recall Cole for a long time. We worked together at Lake Placid. Great place there
Billy Bowman: I am very saddened by Cole’s passing. He was truly an outstanding gentleman. And he was a hard worker and a doer—did everything i asked of him. May God rest his soul.
Dwight Benedict: We lost a great leader! My parents and Cole knew each others pretty well in the past. RIP
Former USADSF Executive Director Shirley Platt: Back when Cole was AAAD Hall of Fame chairman, I was on his committee. He told me when he got incomplete nominations, he just threw them in the trash. I suggested he start a tickle file for these because the names were sure to come up again. Such a simple thing made his work much easier.
Jeffrey Salit; Great Man!!! He was always there for everyone!!!
Helene Bonura: Wish Dom, my husband, could say about him. He had to go to California for his school work, and I had taken his place working for Lake Placid’s 1975 Winter World Games for the Deaf - alpine field. He was kind to help me out there. Quite an experience but I really appreciate him - may he rest in peace.
Spring 2024
Surrounded by the ghosts of great AAAD leaders and A.S.A. Supporters, Marty Belsky, Edward Carney, Dick Caswell, Leon Curtis, Larry Fleischer, Jerry Jordan, Jack Levesque, Lyle Mortensen, Art Nelson, Dennis Platt, Bill Simpson, Barry Strassler, Ron Sutcliffe, George Wilding and Cole Zulauf, I, being as the oldest surviving AAAD leader, will nervously click on the copy of the Final Report by the Commission on the State on U.S. Olympics and Paralympics (CSUSOP) on my laptop to see if the Commission would recommend that Congress amend Deaflympics into the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998.
