Marjorie Clair Louise Theresa Brasuhn Monte (January 27, 1923 – 9 August 1971), known as Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn,[3] was a roller derby skater.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Midge, Toughie, Brazooni[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | January 27, 1923 |
| Died | August 9, 1971 (aged 48) |
| Height | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg)[2] |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Roller derby |
| Team | Brooklyn Red Devils |
| Turned pro | 1941 |
| Retired | 1962 |
Born in St Louis, Missouri, to a German-American family, Brasuhn acquired the nickname "Midge" as a child by virtue of her height - only 4'11".[4] She joined the roller derby in 1941, in Minneapolis,[5] and soon married Ken Monte, a fellow skater.[4]
Brasuhn rose to fame in the late 1940s with a billboard campaign showing her with green dye on her face asking the question "Who Is Toughie?"[4] She regularly competed against Gerry Murray,[5] sometimes on a one-to-one basis,[6] and in 1949 took a leading role in the film Roller Derby Girl.[7] In 1950, she was voted one of the ten leading sportswomen by the Sportswriters of America,[5] and she became the captain of the Brooklyn Red Devils.[6] She was known for her aggressive play, and would sometimes knee her opponents in the jaw.[8]
Brasuhn retired from competition in 1962,[4] and was subsequently inducted into the Roller Derby Hall of Fame.[9] In the mid-1960s, she briefly skated with the rival Roller Games,[5] before moving with her son to Honolulu,[4] where she died unexpectedly in 1971.[5]
References
edit- ^ Collier's Encyclopedia (1946), Volume 118, Part 2, p.24
- ^ "Roller Derby Yearbook 1960" (PDF). Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "' Toughie' Brasuhn Dies; Early Star of Roller Derby". The New York Times. Proquest document ID 119229864. August 22, 1971. p. S3.
Midge (Toughie) Brashun died unexpectedly on Aug. 9 in Honolulu. She was 48 years old. Born Jan. 27, 1923, in St. Paul...
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ a b c d e Herb Michelson, A Very Simple Game
- ^ a b c d e "Roller Derby Star Dies", Daily Herald, August 25, 1971, section 2, page 1
- ^ a b "'Toughie' and Gerry in Half-Mile Match Contest", Miami News, February 16, 1950
- ^ "Roller Derby Girl (1949)", IMDb
- ^ Jeff Nilsson and Rusti Keen, "Women of the Roller Derby: Morals, Manners, and Muscle", Saturday Evening Post
- ^ Keith Coppage, Roller Derby to RollerJam, p.122