Daniel Bukantz – Ambassador Medal nominee
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Lifelong New Yorker Daniel Bukantz has done his fair share of saber-rattling – but not for war, only for peace.
In fact, the world-champion fencer and retired dentist has represented the United States fencing team in nine Olympics – four as a team member and five as a referee.
And as far as world affairs are concerned, there’s no one better qualified to settle an international standoff – like the one during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics – than the guy from The Bronx.
“This is a good one,” Bukantz, 86, chuckled as he recalled mediating between the Russian and the Polish fencing teams, neither of which trusted the other’s referee.
“The funny thing is, it was at the height of the Cold War, and the U.S. wasn’t too popular with the Soviets, but both teams asked me to step in to referee. They told me I was the only one they could trust.”
Bukantz was nominated for the Liberty Ambassador Medal by his son, Jeffrey, who said, “Wherever he went, he was respected for his honesty.”
The elder Bukantz now lives in Forest Hills with his wife of 46 years, Alice.
How did someone who grew up on the Grand Concourse – where kids playing street games were more likely to shout, “You’re out, you bum!” than, “En garde!” – become a champion fencer?
A fellow student at City College of New York gave him his first lesson – and the workout nearly killed him.
“Every bone in my body hurt,” Bukantz said, “but I just loved it after that.”