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GREETINGS and SALUTATIONS!......We start this newsletter with a bit of important trivia regarding one of our most illustrious members......Did you know that MAESTRO PETER URBAN's birthday is listed down wrong by a number of important sources? The genius of U.S.A. GOJU and Father of karate's "bible", the "KARATE DOJO" was actually born August 14th, NOT August 15th......The reason for this according to the Maestro is simple, certain individuals didn't like the idea of his birthday falling on "V-J DAY" (Victory over Japan Day)!

In Memory of Professor "Vee" - New york

ANOTHER GREAT MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL PASSES ON......PROFESSOR FLORENDO VISITACION better known to all as Professor "Vee", passed away on January 4th in New York leaving several inheritors behind representing systems which evolved from him. This legendary figure endured tremendous hardship to become one of America's most well known jujitsu pioneers. His presence will be sorely missed. Services for Professor Vee were held at the Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York on January 17th. the inheritor of his present day system of VEE ARNIS JITSU is PROFESSOR DAVID JAMES, an extremely capable and talented member of this Council who runs the Vee Arnis Jitsu Dojo in New York. Condolences can be sent to the late Professor's daughter, Ms. Lola Wright at: 600 W. 111th St., New York, NY. 10025.

HANSHI GLEN KWAN of Canada is currently recovering from a severe car accident which left him with a broken ankle, wrist, collar bone and ribs, his wife with a broken femur and one of his kids with a fractured skull. Get well cards can be sent to Glen and his family at: 159 Anne St. South, Unit E, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 2E4.......We wish Glen and his family a speedy recovery.

HANSHI EMIL FARKAS of California reports that his new LOS ANGELES FILM FIGHTING INSTITUTE formed with Benny "The Jet" Urquedez is now available for seminars on how to get into TV and the movies.....For more information, you can contact Emil at: (310) 275-2661 or fax to: (818) 788-9825.......Emil's latest great written work which is an encyclopedia of martial arts is also slated for completion in December.

DECEMBER 12, 1998 WAS BOTH A SAD AND HAPPY TIME for the CHA-3 KENPO ASSOCIATION as the "torch was passed" for the Professorship of the system to MIKE TIWANAK, son of the late great, PROFESSOR MARINO TIWANAK. Over 500 attended the function which celebrated both Christmas and the passing on of the system in Hawaii......CONGRATULATIONS MIKE!

Jurg Ziegler of Switzerland in action at WHFSC Gathering!!

GRANDMASTER JURG ZIEGLER OF Switzerland reports that he was awarded a new ranking of 9th dan in SIN MOO HAPKIDO in October of last year by GRANDMASTER JI HAN JAE (also a member of this Council). This makes him the First non-Korean to ever hold such a ranking in this system......Jurg, a multi-talented martial artist also holds grandmaster rank in several other styles as well as several records for breaking.....CONGRATULATIONS JURG on just one more of many fine accomplishments!

ANOTHER MARTIAL ARTS ORGANIZATION IS FORMED......HANSHI TOM HUNNICUTT of the INTERNATIONAL SHORIN RYU MATSUMURA BUSHI JUTSU Organization has formerly annoumded the formation of the INTERNATIONAL MATSUMURA SEITO SOCIETY (IMSS). It is a non-political entity dedicated to the memory of GRANDMASTER HOHAN SOKEN, Founder of Matsumura Seito, his family and the Matsumura legacy. For more information, you can contact Tom c/o I.M.S.S. at: P.O. Box 20, Williford, Arkansas 72482-0020/ Ph. (870) 966-4858.

PROFESSOR GARY DILL of Oklahoma was appointed Director of JEET KUNE DO for the United States Martial Arts Association. The United States Martial Arts Association is a non-profit organization presently consisting of over 400 schools.

YOURS TRULY was recently made a Senior Advisor to the MARTIAL ARTS COLLECTIVE SOCIETY. The M.A.C.S. is a conglomerate of different martial arts systems which shares knowledge. President of the M.A.C.S. is our own member, HANSHI BRUCE JUCHNIK of California.

GRANDMASTER LEO FONG of California has a new book out called WEI KUNE DO STICKY HANDS SENSITIVITY TRAINING. The book is available through Koinonia Productions, P.O. Box 7, Woodland Hills, California 91365-0007 and retails for $12.95 (U.S.).

GRANDMASTER S. SRINIVASAN of India wrote to say that he has an E MAIL address. It's okinawabinoryu@yahoo.com

HANSHI GEORGE ALEXANDER of Florida also has a new E MAIL address of alexyama@mindspring.com

SOKE SID CAMPBELL of California's organization goes on line with the Website address http://members.aol.com/dragun3

My own SAN-JITSU martial arts goes on line with the Website addresses

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Bridge/7265/ and http://www.martialinfo.com/franksanchez.htm

The Maestro, PETER URBAN has his new Website address of http://urbangojuusa.com

And lastly in membership news, GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS of Florida has been busy lately with book signings at both "Barnes and Noble" and "Borders" Bookstores for his BEST SELLING book, MU TAU PANKRATION. The dynamic FATHER of modern Pankration who was the first to resurrect the Greek art and bring it to the attention of the world was also honored as HELLENIC ATHLETE OF THE DECADE by the "Athenian Businessmen of North America" (ABNA)......CONGRATULATIONS JIM!

NO NEW MEMBERS?......."Yes", after hundreds of NEW APPLICATIONS were reviewed this month, NONE met our stringent requirements for membership. Of all the grandmasters councils in the world, ours is not only the most RECOGNIZABLE (by "name" power alone associated with its membership), but also the most elite.....We DO NOT "make" grandmasters, nor do we "honor" ranks given by "diploma mills". Ours' is a UNION of the top "PRODUCTIVE", KNOWN, LEGITIMATE grandmasters of the WORLD who have sought and who have been given membership in this Council. PERIOD.

In the magazines this month......INSIDE KUNG-FU features GRANDMASTER RORION GRACIE's column on grappling with articles on SIGUNG GLEN WILSON, MASTER DON "THE DRAGON" WILSON, MASTER JACKIE CHAN and the DRAGONFEST which highlighted the participation of some of our members......BLACK BELT features GRANDMASTER BILL "SUPER FOOT" WALLACE'S column, an interview with GREAT GRANDMASTER HELIO GRACIE and an article on Pankration with GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS......MARTIAL ARTS ILLUSTRATED features a story on MASTER JACKIE CHAN......MARTIAL ARTS MAGAZINE features MASTER JACKIE CHAN on the front cover......KARATE/ KUNG-FU ILLUSTRATED features a column by MASTER DON "THE DRAGON" WILSON entitled "Spittin' Fire" about the proliferation of "wannabe" masters and grandmasters in the martial arts......MARTIAL ARTS MASTERS features an article on MASTER RICKSON GRACIE......THE WORLD OF MARTIAL ARTS features mentions of the late GRANDMASTER HAROLD LONG; GRANDMASTERS BILL WALLACE, CARL STONE, JIM ARVANITIS, RICK HACKWORTH and MASTER GREG LEE......and TAEKWONDO TIMES features mentions of GRANDMASTERS JIM ARVANITIS, RICK HACKWORTH, the WESLEY SNIPES TRIBUTE TO THE MASTERS which featured some of our members; and the WHFSC HALL OF FAME/ INTERNATIONAL GATHERING held last year in Orlando, Florida

ON THE SEMINAR CIRCUIT (AS REPORTED BY MEMBERS)......GRANDMASTER PETER NEHLS of Germany reports that he is busy with seminars in Switzerland, Poland, Hungaria and the Netherlands with seminars to follow in Austria and Slowenia during the summer......HANSHI GEORGE ALEXANDER of Florida reports that his ISKKF Annual Japan Fest and seminars takes place Feb. 26-28th in W. Palm Beach, Florida followd by the ISKKF summer camp on June 25-27th in Cleveland, Tennessee......YOURS TRULY will be in London, England March 18-22nd......PROFESSOR GARY DILL of Oklahoma will be in Chickasha, Oklahoma on Feb. 6-7th and then in Providence, Rhode Island on Feb. 28th......HANSHI TOM HUNNICUTT of Arkansas is busy scheduling his summer agenda for California, Washington State, Idaho and Colorado......DR. KENT HARALSON of Montana's GOSPEL MARTIAL ARTS UNION has their 12th Annual Southeastern Regional Martial Arts Clinic on March 5-6th in W. Palm Beach, Florida......SOKE HARRIS WARREN of Florida and SHIHAN FELIX VAZQUEZ of New York are conducting a joint seminar on Feb. 27-28th in Chicago, Illinois......The INTERNATIONAL BUDO DO FEDERATION under members PROFESSOR KLAUS ROMMINGER and GRANDMASTER KARL WAGNER of Germany held an International Budo and Kobudo gathering on March 19-21st featuring seminars by members, SOKE KEIDO YAMAUE of Denmark and DR. HANNS VON ROLBECK of Germany.....and lastly, SHIDOSHI STEPHEN HAYES of Ohio announces seminars scheduled for March 12-14th in Dayton, Ohio and March 21-22nd in Boston, Massachusetts with a spring festival scheduled for April 9-11th of 1999.

Well, this concludes our newsletter for this bi-monthly period of January - February......REMEMBER to keep your calendar "open" for Labor Day Weekend, September 3rd and 4th when our next International gathering/ Hall of Fame takes place in Orlando, Florida....In the meantime stay healthy and "aggressive", as well as "fair" in all that you do!

Sincerely yours in martial arts brotherhood,

Professor Frank E. Sanchez

10th dan judan

Founder/ Executive Director International

NOTE: The WHFSC has been in existence since May of 1993 and is a private enterprise of Soke Frank E. Sanchez in service to its grandmaster membership. Any requested changes, additions or deletions to its membership roster must be in writing.

All 2 year membership certificates are not automatically re-newed and MUST be re-newed by the member through our Headquarters.