It was from 1976 when the Black Belts of Tom Lewis’ IKA were supporting Charles who was going to run a summer self defense program in Ocean City Maryland. They did demonstration of self defense, breaking, kata and weapons. This photo was from their breaking demonstration.
I remember that day because I was there. I was not a black belt, just a blue belt. But I had been asked to do a sparring demonstration with Charles. Of course I... had no chance of succeeding, I was a blue belt, and he was a 2nd dan, and one of the strongest in sparring of the group. We were using the new safety gear on our hands and feet. Charles had never seen it and had to be assisted to don it.
Nobody told me it was just to be a demonstration to make Charles look good. Instead I only saw 25 of my seniors watching me, and I did not want to look foolish.
So when Sensei shouted Hajime, I tore into Charles, I was a kitten compared to him, but when I tried to hit him, he got serious (as least as far as I could tell) and he proceeded to go rat-at-at-tat all over me. So I just tore into him again, and let him unleash against me another time.
Eventually it finished. I survived. At least that was how I remember it.
Charlie used to have video of our fight, lost over time. I remember it well because he looked so good.
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