What happened before SAMA?
At the High School in the '50's where I grew up fights were common; you were expected to fight to maintain respect or be bullied, so I grew up a street fighter. In the bars just a little later, fights were very common and a man was expected to defend himself.
While attending California State University-Chico in 1968 I began Jujitsu classes with a couple of martial arts legends; Bud Estes (below on the right) was later named Judan of the American Judo and Jujitsu and had trained under the founder of Dan Zan Ryu Kodenkan Jujitsu-Master Okazaki. Prof. Estes helped bring the arts to the United States; his protégé, Lamar Fisher was a competition champion. Together they ran the Chico Area Recreation District Jujitsu program. Prof Fisher awarded me my Sankyu (3rd Degree Brown Belt) in the early 70's. Fisher took over as head of the AJJF after the death of Estes. It was an incredible privilege to train under such men. One important lesson I learned was that fights could be sidestepped without losing respect.
During the late 1990's and 2000's I spent time training at a couple of dojos and attending special jujitsu gatherings.
In 2001 I, my wife Judy and my granddaughter Tamara, travelled to the American Jujitsu Institute (AJI) in Honolulu for their Ohana celebration. We even enjoyed a couple of beers with Prof Imi Okazaki (one of the Master's daughters)--great lady!
Near Master Lambago's (head of AJI) home area I did well in the diving competition. Tamara and I both won in our randori matches.
Later we enjoyed an amazing feast at his home. It is true that in Hawaii you eat until you are tired. The Sempai of Master Lambago's dojo personally dove for the lobsters. We also worked on a pig that had been buried all night and a side of beef. When we finally left at a late hour they were cooking hot dogs! Martial arts legends came and went all evening.
Shodan training with Tedd Hecklin . I traded my my time as a Flight Instructor to teach Tedd to fly in return for his help in preparing me for the Shodan test.
I also flew down to Chico on a regular basis and exchanged Shodan prep instruction for flight instruction with Tom Jenkins (TJ), a 7th Dan Professor with the AJJF, we trained at the Nubikikan when classes weren't being held.
During 2005 I met with martial arts friends in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I especially enjoyed good times with our host, Julio Ulich. Below you can see me throwing the 240 pounder Julio on a beach. We all went to numerous martial arts seminars and had a wonderful time.
In the winter of 2008 I taught a short course in self defense in a friend's hangar. Feather River College kindly loaned me the mats.
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