Nov 06 2023
6 November On 6 November 1964, Pathe Pictorial released a colour film showing Vernon Bell’s British Karate Federation (BKF) students training at the Kentish Town dojo. The film lasting three minutes was shown in cinemas across Britain. Eddie Whitcher can be seen in the film. At the time he was a blue belt. Between 6-8 …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-6-november-12-november-2/
Oct 30 2023
31 October On 31 October 1993, Ray Dalke took early retirement from the University of California, Riverside, where he was a member of the Physical Education department. He did continue to help out, long after his leave date. As a coach, Dalke oversaw one of the most successful collegiate Karate programs in the United States. …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-30-october-5-november-2/
Oct 23 2023
24 October On 24 October 1996, the High Court of Tokyo upheld an earlier decision regarding Mas Oyama’s last will. On 31 March 1995, Judge Atsushi Watanabe of the Tokyo Court of Family Affairs had previously ruled that Oyama’s verbal will was invalid as it had not been signed by him, only by the witnesses. …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history23-october-29-october/
Oct 16 2023
18 October On 18 October 1955, Dave Kershaw was born in Grimsby, England. At the time Grimsby was a successful port town, and his father was a trawler captain. A longtime student of Shotokan masters, Hirokazu Kanazawa and Shiro Asano, Kershaw, was a very successful competitor in both kata and kumite. However, it is as …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-16-october-22-october-2/
Oct 09 2023
9 October On 9th October 1922 Vernon Bell, the Father of British Karate was born in Ilford, Essex. Initially, Bell started learning Karate from Henri Plee who was responsible for introducing Karate into Europe. Bell was responsible for bringing Tetsuji Murakami and Hiroo Mochizuki to teach for the British Karate Federation (BKF). He was also …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-9-october-15-october/
Oct 02 2023
4 October On 4 October 1924, Motokuni Sugiura, a former Chief Instructor of the JKA, was born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Sugiura earned his 1st Dan aged only 20. At university, he had been taught by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Yoshitaka. After he graduated in 1944 he joined the Tsuchiura Navy Flying Corps, serving …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-2-october-8-october/
Sep 25 2023
25 September On 25 September 2016, Miki Nakamachi competed at the 59th JKA All Japan Karate Championships. She normally performed the kata Gojushiho Sho in competition. However, in honour of her son, Hugo, she decided to perform the kata Unsu. Meaning ‘Cloud Hands’, she saw Unsu as representing her son’s little hands in the clouds. …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-25-september-1-october/
Sep 18 2023
18 September On 18 September 2018, Peter Chong, a long-time practitioner of Kyokushin Karate, resigned from IKO. He wanted to return to the ideals of Kyokushin Karate, as taught by Mas Oyama. A week after leaving that IKO he established the International Karate Alliance Kyokushinryu. Chong was named Chairman, with Ryuko Take being named Vice-Chairman. …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-18-september-24-september/
Sep 11 2023
11 September On 11 September 1934 Colin Williams, the founder of the Bukonkai Karate International (BKI) association, was born. He started training in the early days of Karate in the United Kingdom. On 11 September 1970 Michael Randall, Christopher Adamou and Nicholas Adamou graded were to 2nd Dan under Hirokazu Kanazawa. All three men had …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-11-september-17-september-2/
Sep 04 2023
4 September On 4 September 1931 Kenneth Funakoshi, a distant relative of Shotokan Karate founder, Gichin Funakoshi, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. On 4 September 1993, Gerard Gordeau competed at the K1-Illusion, Tokyo event. A month later in October, he competed at the K1-Illusioin, Karate World Cup, held in Osaka. 6 September On 6 September …
Permanent link to this article: http://findingkarate.com/wordpress/this-week-in-history-4-september-10-september-2/
Recent Comments