------6035 Ft. Caroline Rd., Suite 22------

Jacksonville, Florida 32277

Ph. (904) 745-6019 / 655-4287 


TM                                                 REG

EDITOR: SOKE FRANK E. SANCHEZ

LAYOUT: SENSEI MATTHEW A. SANCHEZ

May/June 2000

 

 

"Dragon" (left) with Sanchez - 1999 WHFSC Hall of Fame Banquet

GRANDMASTER RON "THE BLACK DRAGON" VAN CLIEF’s life story reads like the stuff that movies are made of; the Founder of CHINESE GOJU…..A former Marine and New York cop who was "marked for death" by drug dealers and hung by the neck by racists. He survived to take up Karate and to become 5 time world champion and an International legend featured in books, videos, movies and magazines……A good friend of yours truly, the "Dragon’s" story is set to air on prime time TV on the TNT Network around Christmas time…..SO THIS IS YOUR EARLY "INSIDE INFORMATION" TO BE WATCHING FOR IT! The title of the made for TV movie is "KYOSHI – THE RETURN OF THE BLACK DRAGON"…..If this isn’t enough, At age 50+, he still shows his competitiveness by competing in contests with men half his age…..The most recent of which was the ALL AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS where he took 3rd place in the Kata and Fighting Divisions…MORE POWER TO YOU MY FRIEND!….For those of you who will be attending our upcoming 6th ANNUAL WHFSC INTERNATIONAL MARTIAL ARTS HALL OF FAME AND SEMINAR SYMPOSIUM on September 1st and 2nd (I hope all of you are planning to be there!), the "DRAGON" will be there as well…..SUPPORT YOUR COUNCIL BY BRINGING YOUR FAMILY AND STUDENTS TOO ….DON’T FORGET TO ALSO DRESS IN MARTIAL ARTS UNIFORM FOR OUR OFFICIAL MILLENNIUM PHOTO AND TO BRING YOUR SEALS (CHOPS) FOR NEW MEMBERSHIP SIGNING AT THE ANNUAL MEETING WHICH TAKES PLACE JUST BEFORE THE BANQUET.

DEADLINE EXTENDED…..For those of you who have not sent in your nominations to the above activity, we are extending the deadline for nominations to JULY 25th. This will be the absolute deadline for receiving your nominations…..If you haven’t received your invitation to attend, please e-mail me directly at san_jitsu@yahoo.com or write to our Headquarters so that we can send you out another invitation immediately…… Entertainment the night of our Hall of Fame will include a Dragon Dance by GRANDMASTER GLENN WILSON’s WHITE DRAGON SOCIETY, an ice carving "war" between Filipino GRANDMASTERS RAFFY PAMBUAN and BAET, nunchaku demonstration by European sensation, Master Guido Kessler from Switzerland and tentatively scheduled Hapkido demonstration by Master Chris Garland who just completed filming 2 movies that will be released in theatres this year.

 

CONGRATULATIONS to our official WHFSC Representative in Russia, GENERAL ALEXANDER RETUINSKIH for his appointment as Deputy to newly elected PRESIDENT V. PUTIN of Russia….For those of you who are unaware of the fact, PRESIDENT PUTIN is a black belt in Judo and practitioner of Sambo!

CUONG NHU FOUNDER , GRANDMASTER NGO DONG PASSES ON…….It is with sad regret that we announce the passing of yet another member of our Council…..DR. NGO DONG creator of the Vietnamese art of CUONG NHU died on May 15th in Gainesville, Florida. According to GRANDMASTER ERNIE CATES of South Carolina who first reported the news to me, he went peacefully in his sleep. The art of CUONG NHU which is taught in 23 states and 5 countries around the world was passed on to his son, SOKE NGO QUYNH (also a member of our Council) who resides here in Jacksonville, Florida…..Our sincerest heartfelt condolences go out to SOKE QUYNH and the surviving members of the NGO Family on the passing of this great gentleman …..MAY HE REST IN PEACE……

SPECIAL THANKS to GRANDMASTER JOHN BYRNE of Nebraska for the lovely flowers which he sent my wife, Mae during her emergency hospitalization for extreme high blood pressure and heart palpitations…..She is doing fine now and on medication to control her blood pressure. It was a very scary time for me, you don’t know how much you love someone until’ something like this happens….To all who know and love her, she is doing well now.

GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS, the "Father of Modern Pankration" reports that his student Eric Hill took part in and won in the BATTLEJAX Competition held here in Jacksonville on June 4tth ……Eric continues his no loss winning streak thanks to the training methods of GRANDMASTER ARVANITIS!

GRANDMASTER SAM KUOAH, Inheritor of the KARAHO KEMPO System from California tells me that 2 of his books which were written last year will be out on the stands this October. They both are being published by CFW ENTERPRISES AKA MULTI-MEDIA PRODUCTIONS of California. His European tour also kicks off in August with stops in Spain where he is scheduled to do the cover of CINTURON NEGRO Magazine, than Germany and England…..Sam’s daughter, KA’IMI (Honorary Member of this Council) is currently involved in a Play in Hollywood and both he and his daughter (a very talented martial artist like her Dad) also have starring roles in a major movie being produced in England…..NICE GOING SAM!

While we are on the subject of California…..SOKE SID CAMPBELL is in the process of completing his SHORINRYU CD-ROM Project….So far, it has over 900 pages! The cost for the CD when it is completed will be $89.00. For more information on the project you can contact Sid at Dragun3@aol.com or write to him c/o WORLD OKINAWAN SHORIN-RYU KARATE DO & KOBUDO ASSOCIATION, 2019 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA. U.S.A. 94602…..Also, a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to member, PROFESSOR WALLY JAY of Alameda, California who is celebrating his birthday in style at the SMALL CIRCLE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2000 scheduled to take place on June 16-18th in Oakland and to SIJO ADRIANO EMPERADO who is celebrating his birthday with a big KAJUKENBO gathering in Hawaii….MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

In New Jersey, SUPREME GRANDMASTER JI HAN JAE, Founder of SIN MOO HAPKIDO will be conducting his 2ND ANNUAL WSMHF INTERNATIONAL HAPKIDO SEMINAR on June 26-30th at the WORLD SIN MOO HAPKIDO FEDERATION Headquarters located there.

Honorary Member, DR. U MAUNG GYI, the "Father of Bando in America" is scheduled to have a book out on BANDO soon, according to SOKE EDWARD BADIANG of Hawaii….Also, MASTER MIKE STONE of Hawaii (now living in the Philippines) will be working together with Actor/ Aikido Master Steven Segal on a forthcoming future film project titled "GENGHIS KHAN".

SOKE GERARDO CANTORE from Argentina is now in Nepal, according to a recent letter I received from him and will be living as a Monk for one year in the Thumpen Gompa (Monastery) there. He continues to run his SHINSHINKAN KARATE Organization via phone, letters and e-mail communication.

NEW SLOVIC HEALTH SYSTEM CALLED "ZDOROVYE" being promoted by GENERAL ALEXANDER RETUINSKIH’ S RUSSIAN FEDERATION OF RUSSIAN MARTIAL ART……Zdorovye is a powerful system of creating physical, mental and spiritual fortitude and synergy which has never been seen before outside of Russia! The Russian Spetsnaz (renowned Special Forces of Russia) has also benefited from this specialized training, whereby their stamina, performance and recovery times were dramatically increased. For more information on Zdorovye – the Slavic Natural Health System, you can call the AMERICAN ANNEX OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION OF RUSSIAN MARTIAL ART at (770) 804-9315 or e-mail amerannex@abraxis.com

INTERESTING TRIVIA TIDBITS……..From DR. JERRY AIELLO of Michigan: Dr. Palmer, creator of Chiropractic studied the healing aspects of Ju-jitsu to create the basis for what is now known as the science of Chiropractic!……Anyone remember a professor wrestler by the name of ANGELO DEMARCO who wrestled many years ago on the professional circuit in the States?….Well, if you do, it may come as a surprise to you know that it was our own GRANDMASTER ERNIE CATES of South Carolina, renowned Judo champion/ Ju-jitsu pioneer and Founder of Neko Ryu Ju-jitsu that wrestled under that "stage name"!!…..He was also responsible for training such legends as PROFESSOR RONALD DUNCAN, and the late GRANDMASTERS DON NAGLE and NGO DONG in the arts of grappling…..His most recent protege being DAN SEVERN of UFC Fame….

AND NOW TO OUR LATEST MEMBERS……From PUERTO RICO, we have the Leader of Ju-jitsu in Latin America and Founder of the JU-JITSU JEDAN RYU System, PROFESSOR JEDAN O. FIGUEROA…..Also from PUERTO RICO, we have the Head of the OKINAWAN SHORIN RYU KOKUSAI KEMPO-KARATE DO & KOBUDO FEDERATION, INC., Puerto Rican legend, HANSHI BILL SOLANO…..From Georgia, one of the original 4 pioneers of Isshinryu in America joins us, GRANDMASTER HAROLD MITCHUM, 9th dan ……..and finally from ISRAEL, we have DR. DENNIS HANOVER, renowned combat specialist and Founder of the DENNIS JU-JITSU SURVIVAL SYSTEM.

WELCOME GENTLEMEN TO OUR COUNCIL OF THE WORLD’S ELITE GRANDMASTERS!

IN THE MEDIA……BLACK BELT Magazine features photos of MASTERS DON "THE DRAGON" WILSON and NICHOLAS STARK along with the monthly column by GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE……KARATE ILLUSTRATED features YOURS TRULY and MASTER DON "THE DRAGON" WILSON…..The June issue of CINTURON NEGRO Magazine from Spain features an article on YOURS TRULY as relayed to me by its publisher, Mr. Rick Tucci….INSIDE KUNG-FU features articles by GRANDMASTER GLENN WILSON, a story on the LATE PROFESSOR VEE (FLORENDO VISITACION – a posthumous member of our Council) as told by his inheritor and WHFSC Council Member, MASTER ROBERTO TORRES, along with mentions of PROFESSOR WALLY JAY, GRANDMASTER DOUGLAS WONG, GREAT GRANDMASTER TINO TUIOLOSEGA, GRANDMASTER SAM KUOHA and MASTER KA’IMI KUOHA…..And finally, MARTIAL ARTS AND COMBAT SPORTS features a review of MASTER JACKIE CHAN’ S latest production effort, GEN-X COPS.

Well, this concludes our bi-monthly issue of this newsletter for MAY-JUNE…..Please remember to get your news to me at least by the end of July if you want to see it printed in the next newsletter…..Also, don’t forget to invite as many of your friends, students and family to come with you to our upcoming Hall of Fame event on September 1st-2nd ……ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE IN BY THE EXTENDED DEADLINE OF JULY 25TH…..Until next time, stay AGGRESSIVE and FAIR in all that you do!

 

Sincerely yours in martial arts brotherhood,

Professor Frank E. Sanchez

10th dan judan

Founder/ Executive Director International