This week in history (12 August – 18 August)

14 August

On 14 August 1934 the founder of American Goju-ryu Karate, Peter George Urban, was born in Jersey City, USA.

Serving in the US Navy Urban was stationed in Yokohama, Japan. In 1953 he began studying Karate as a student of Richard Kim. In 1954 he was transferred to Tokyo, where he was introduced by Kim to Masutatsu Oyama and Gogen Yamaguchi and was allowed to train with them.

Urban’s students include American pioneer, Chuck Merriman.

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On 14 August 1945 William ‘Billy’ Higgins, a member of the first non-Japanese team to win the World team kumite title in 1975, was born in Bootle, England.

A phenomenal fighter famed for his lightning fast techniques, Higgins enjoyed a long and distinguished competitive career at domestic and international level. He is the winner of multiple titles at European and World level.

A Shotokan stylist, Higgins is a member of the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) Technical Committee.

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On 14 August 1960 the second British Karate Federation (BKF) Summer School was held at the Imperial Private Hotel in Scarborough, England. The ten-day residential course started on Sunday the 14th and finished on Thursday the 25th. Tetsuji Murakami was the instructor on the course and was assisted by Vernon Bell. Attendees were graded on the final day of the course.