Louis Rogow (1887 -1991)
Inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, 1983
Louis Rogow came to the United States from Kiev in 1908, at the age of 11. He worked at the Hartford Machine Screw Company and at Pratt & Whitney learning manufacturing before beginning Birken Manufacturing Company during World War II.
He was an outstanding bicycle racer and ice skater. In 1920, he set a speed record for a 26-mile bicycle race and qualified for the Olympics. Captain of Hartford’s Capitol City Cycling Club, he was Connecticut’s bicycling champion for seven years. He was also a state ice skating champion, setting several speed records.
Rogow was active in community affairs and philanthropy, serving on the board of Hartford Jewish Federation and many other local institutions and played a key role fundraising for universities and other institutions in Israel.