Mel Appelbaum (1940–2016) was an IJF Level A referee in the Sport of Judo and 8th Dan in Judo.[1] Appelbaum also served as a writer and editor for Black Belt Magazine.[2]
Appelbaum was born in the Bronx in 1940, but raised in Queens.[1] [3] He attended Martin Van Buren High School and Indiana Tech,[1] and went to St. John's University for his master's degree in Mathematics.[1] Appelbaum earned his doctorate from Poly Tech / NYU [1] He was an active member of the Morristown Jewish Center.[4]
Appelbaum was the owner of a US Patent "Fire Prevention Systems and Methods – A system or method that has an air distribution system configured to provide nitrogen into a room to reduce an oxygen concentration level within the room below a desired oxygen concentration level such that the atmosphere in the room fails to provide sufficient oxygen to sustain combustion".[5] He is also the owner of several other patents related to Fire Prevention Systems.[5] Appelbaum wrote numerous academic articles including "A heuristic method for estimating time-series models for forecasting" which was under "Applied Mathematics and Computation".[6]
Appelbaum founded the Indiana Tech Judo Club in 1962.[7] While there, he won the state Judo championship twice.[7] Appelbaum was a national medalist in the United States in Judo.[8] He beat national competitors such as Odell Terry.[9] Appelbaum was the National Collegiate Judo Champion.[1] He competed in the 1964 Olympic Trials, losing in the final match to eventual Olympian once to Senator and Governor Ben Campbell.[1] Mel served as a chairman for the New York Open along with Arthur Canario.[8]
Mel served as the Chairman of the USA Judo Referee Commission.[10] Mel eventually referred at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.[1] He was also a referee at the 1996 Paralympic Games. Mel also referred at the World Championships and Pan Am Games.[1] Mel was instrumental in bringing for the first US Olympic Women's Judo Team.[11] Mel received an 8th degree Black Belt in Judo.[3]