Here is story you might have heard about in rumors or as the guys gathered after a tournament or from the source. The pioneer of the media power and the blood and guts era has to be the man Bruce Lee called the most dangerous man alive, Living Legend Jim Harrison. Jim was and is the most sincere martial artist this Sensei has met. He was the fourth to be roasted at The Living Legends and still today active in his schools. He created the very first live television broadcast of a Karate Championship and he had the very cream of the crop. We call it Sport Karate now.
They were there for Mr. Harrison, television exposure and the prize money of $1.00, that’s right I said $1.00.
I don’t know it’s a Black Belt thing.
The event had no time limit but would be determine by who scored the first two points and it was contact, did I say Contact! The event I am talking about was the first Professional Karate Championships held at a small television station in Kansas City in 1967.
This was a heavy contact, no pads competition, real fighting from the Champions of the time!
The Champions that showed up for this Historic moment in 1967 were legends Bob Wall, Lou Angel, Skipper Mullins, Joe Lewis, J.P Burleson, David Moon, Fred Wren, Robert Trias, Allen Steen, Jim Harrison, a short note, Chuck Norris was invited but had a injury from a past tournament. Both Burleson and Moon had their ribs broken during the competition. Moon, with broken ribs, finished the final fight with Joe Lewis.
Well, blood was drawn and in the end, a then shy Joe Lewis Won the dollar. When the Museum came up at the first Legends, the idea became reality when we gathered the HISTORY GENERALS for the Museum History, a group of men and ladies, who lived the sport and made a career of entertaining us for four decades. Only they could tell the Stories and History.
That was 1967 and those Champions saw the future and they made a point ,they fought for the skill and this NEW EXCITING SPORT ! .
Now lets jump to 2005 and Houston, Texas and Museum of Sport Karate birth of a Idea and project
We have gathered fifty (50) HISTORY GENERALS for the Museum. Please go to the Museum of Sport Karate Website and see who these leaders are.
The Ambassadors are also an important part of this project as they supply the revenue, consultation, guidance and vision of the future of the Museum. The Stealth Warriors are a group of men who are the overseers of the project, The leader is Shihan Twain Marx Kennedy, a warrior who is a exotic hunter and oil man, fisherman, father, karate champion, golfer supreme, brother and mentor to many people. Together, this team of elite individuals will dream, create, collect, and build.this dream.
Chris Gallios’ Lone Star Nationals was held thirty-nine years later at the Houston, Texas Marriott. This is a good example of where events have evolved since the first real championship on TV that Grand Master Harrison produced.
I lf you would like to own a piece of History, you need this DVD, Order your copy today!
It is a AMAZING DVD and you may contact Jim Harrison at jimharrison@worldblackbelt.com
It was a TEXAS CHAMPIONS OLD FOLKS HOME REUNION. This event drew many people who came to support this young man who has grown up in Texas Karate. In no order, George Minshew, Chris Minshew, Jose Santa Maria, Professor Gary Lee, Tony Lopez, Daryl Stewart, Silverea Guerrea, Margret Beasley, Jesse Benivedez and the fighters were the best in the nation, Regina Thompson from G.O.P, Byron Young J. Dog,alias Jason Holmes and Joe Prueitt from the same team. Garett Lee from PKKA and Toney Lopez from The Renegades were a few of national players who showed up.
Super Star Chad Cannon was sidelined because of an injury and was just being cool watching the event. The Karate Channel was there doing interviews and making kids famous. The kata divisions were broken up into the right divisions, traditional and creative were separate. The fighting is always the favorite in Texas and should be because of the History. World Champions, National, State or City karate fighters, they were there, KICKSTART, A.O.K, TNT, SKI, and NBL were all represented.
The Leader of the KICKSTART PROGRAM is Mr. Ed Saenz who works directly with Mr. Chuck Norris and together they over sees 5,000 kids. He was watching and sharing his method of teaching kata with the Old Sensei .He said “It all comes from the core of ones self, kata is not a outside thing but your heart, training, Ki, physical and mental must be prepared before you step into the arena”” Wise sayings from a wise man cool!
Regina Thompson won the $500.00 in Ladies beating Margret Beasley and Toney Lopez Jr. won men’s Grand though a controversial blood call worth $500.00, after the protest Toney still walked out with the cash!
Whether it is for $1.00 or $500.00, we have come a long, long way.
So we have been doing this thing of ours for forty years and yes it has change, but it has progress into a pure exciting, adrenaline rush to watch, kata ,weapons ,musical and fighting ,two man forms ,Traditional Kata, breaking, teams it has become a super sport and we are right smack in the middle of the action .
There will never be another “Hey Day” of sport karate so that is why we record the History though pictures,documents ,signed uniforms and DVD’S now in the Virtual Museum.
Lets record the History!!!
http://sportkaratemuseum.org/
Till next time, keep your hands up
Kabuki Warriors Tales
This was a great event, but remember not all events are well run, check out their history before you spend your hard earned cash, fight for fun and enjoy the sport!
UPDATE
Master Chris Gallio is working on being a golf pro and living in South Carolina , We miss you Chris!
Yeah this was a one time event, but it was fun!!
Master Harrison is teaching everyday in his Dojo passing on the knowledge in a true budo way for he is Samurai!! He is one of the History Generals of the Museum and he has dedicated that first championship where Champions fought for $1.00. The original film was given to The Sport Martial Arts Museum archives, how cool is that!!
Aloha
