Immediate when
arriving in Clarks Summit at Maureen’s parents home I began searching for a
karate program. All I had at that time was working outside in her parent’s
driveway.
I quickly found
out there were no nearby karate schools and discovered the largest program was
the Scranton Karate School which actually taught Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
Their main school was downtown in Scranton on the 4th floor of a
building but they had a branch school in Clarks Summit so there is where I went
to watch their program. As it turned out the SKC owner, Frank Trajonwicz was
visiting that evening. I explained my experience and that I had just reached a
green belt in Isshinryu. He was polite but explained regardless I would have to
begin as a white belt. I agreed and signed a 2 year contract to train with
them.
The manager of
that school informed me I should not practice my Isshinryu there and my first
night I learned :
·
Pyung Ahn Cho Dan – also known as
Pyong Ahn Cho Dan
·
Pyung Ahn Ee Dan – also known as
Pyong Ahn Ee Dan
·
Pyung Ahn Sam Dan – also known as Pyong
Ahn Sam Dan
Their forms were way simpler than the ones I had
to learn in Isshinryu.
I continued to
work out there.
Several months
later there was to be an examination for all students at the main school. I
went down there and found it quite large, the school took the entire floor. I
discovered there would be 4 tests a year, and not knowing anyone there I began
to practice the forms I had learned. A black belt observing me practice came
over to me and began chastising me for practicing forms way above what I was to
know as a while belt.
The testing took
a long time as there were many ranks being tested.
I remember when
the white belt division was called. I remember being asked to perform TSD
techniques, then there was white belt breaking. No one had ever mentioned breaking and I had been given no
training. A board was held before me and I struck and broke it. Then when while
belt forms was announced I was told to do Pyung Ahn Sam Dan, and I did.
Then the test
was over and I found I was jumped from white belt to green belt.
A short time
later the Clarks Summit School was closed and I would there after travel to
the Main SKC in Scranton for lessons.
Just some
general observations about the SKC Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
They always had
very strenuous workouts. Frank actually had more strenuous workouts the hotter
it was.
The school had
very good makiwara, which I used after each class for about 15 minutes. That did
a great deal to improve my striking power. Most of the students did not utilize
them. They also has several hanging
bags. As the ceiling was way up there they were on very long ropes and were
mostly foam filled. They were very good for kicking. If used for flying kicks
you could make them rise very high as a result of the kick.
There were many
long striking and kicking drills every class. The kicking was higher than I was
used to in Isshinryu. They stressed spinning kicks and flying kicks. As a
result of that training my kicking ability greatly improved.
I did not find
their kata very challenging after my Isshinryu studies. Class was not a history
lesson but later I found out that the TSDMDK founder demonstrated the Shotokan
kata in his first book. What they studied were variations on the Shotokan kata. I studied their 3 basic forms,
their version of the 5 Shotokan heian kata. And their version of bassai dai.
Breaking was
always a component of their tests, each testing involved more skilled breaks.
Frank once demonstrated several very advanced skills. Once driving a nail with
his knife hand into a 2 x 4, then placing his obi over the nail and then
extracting the nail by biting on the obi with his teeth and then pulling the nail
out of the wood. I told my dentist about that and his opinion was at some point
in time his teeth would fall out, as the mouth tissue cannot be built up like
muscle. Another skill he showed was striking the neck of a full whisky bottle
and breaking it with his knife hand.
That first year
I do not remember us sparring in class.
Then when I was
a more advanced green belt (4th) Frank hosted a tournament. So
classes worked to develop tournament skill, including breaking. As I really was
not a flying kicker, he developed my front kick – rear kick for a break. The
rest of the green belts were working on flying kicks. As the tournament
approached he then gave us our boards. I had 3 for my front kick and then 2 for
my back kick. I was to execute them 1-2.
The tournament
was a large affair at the Univ. of
Scranton. I know I competed in
kata, solid but not spectular. But then the breaking division was called.
Fellow classmate after fellow classmate attempted their flying kick breaks, and
failed finding the pressure to do them in public was much different than doing
them the school. When my turn came 2 were holding the 3 boards in front of me
and 2 were holding the 2 boards behind me. I kicked and all broke, pop-pop,
front then back kick, As it turned out at the end I won
first place.
By June I had
been promoted to 3rd red in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan.
For my summer
vacation from the Bank, it had to be a mandatory vacation according to Pa.
Banking Law.
Maureen and I
went down to Salisbury and went tent camping. We attended the dojo summer
party. Then at the dojo that first week,
I remember when kumite occurred at class. There was a 6’6” student who
had been a white belt when I left, now a yellow belt I watched his first 2
fights. He was so tall he just bounced toward his opponents and they always
backed off because of his size.
Then
Lewis Sensei paired me with him. As we were standing there, in my mind I
decided I was not going to back up. Then when he began to bounce in I stood my
ground, suddenly kicking up with a very controlled crescent kick which landedmy
foot exactly on his jaw with control. I remember Sensei’s eyes lighting up as
he shouted Ippon. That was probably the best moment of my life.
The 2nd
week I trained at Salisbury on Monday. Sensei showed me a little more of
Chinto. Then on Tuesday I traveled to the Princes Ann dojo and Wayne Webster
showed me a bit more. On Wednesday I traveled to the Dover dojo and Reese Rigby
knowing what I wanted shared more of Chinto. Then returning to Salisbury Sensei
shared the rest of the kata.
So what began a
year before when I was leaving Salisbury, now was
completed for that week I got the rest of Chinto kata. Things could not be
better.
Then returning
home I began to practice it each morning prior to walking to work.
Labor
Day 1977, several months after my visit to Salisbury. I was visiting my
neighbor that afternoon when Maureen came over to tell me I had a phone call
from Charles Murray. When I answered the phone he told me he had become the
pastor of a church right outside of Scranton (in Providence). Also he knew I lived
here and would I like to get together.
He was less than
10 minutes away from me and before he could hang up, I was driving there. When I
got there he explained he was not doing Isshinryu anymore. On the other hand I
made a case how desperate I was to return to studying Isshinryu. Eventually,
convincing him to work with me.
We worked out in
the Church basement several nights a week, of course I was under contract for
another year at the Scranton Karate School and had classes there for another
year too. All in all it kept me busy. Some night at midnight he would call and
tell me to come over and train. I was being kept busy.
Our first
workout he watched my kata Seisan through Chinto. Then he showed me his kata,
and they had differences. He explained I should
keep the kata I had learned in Salisbury as I had been taught but from Kusanku
forward my kata should be done as he would teach me. Classes were ½ kata
and ½ kumite. He would always run the kata alongside me. Making a very vigorous
workout.
He
also explained that as Tom Lewis was our sensei that would remain who Sensei
was. For himself I should just call him Sensei.
I was taught my kata extremely quickly, about
one a month.
I the order I
learned the kata from him”
Kusanku
Chantan
Yara No Sai
Tokumine
No Kun
Sunsu
Sanchin
Kusanku
Sai
The
Bando Horseman’s Form (which he
learned from Reese Rigby)
He had me teach
myself Chia Fa from the video he borrowed from Sensei.
I realize not it
was so he could have someone to do the kata with.
And ½ of those
classes was me sparring with him, It was the training I needed. However it was
more like target practice for him. Most of the time I could not touch him, but
he could explode all over me anytime, no matter what I did. He did explain the
theory behind how he fought. I did understand it but I could not really do it.
I knew how great
he was at kumite, Once he fought Howard
Jackson the #1 in the country as their weight division. And he had quite a
reputation within the IKC of Lewis Sensei.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax7EHOz1WSA
Eventually he
started teaching a youth program at the church. He had me assist him.
He and I
attended an IKC shiai in Deleware. Also we competed at several tournaments
together. I remember both of us won brown belt and black belt weapons.
One time at
Dillman’s I competed in the brown belt division in the morning. He was tied up
on Church business in the morning, but made it there in the afternoon.. The
black belt division would soon be starting.
He had me warm him up with some light sparring. If I thought he was
tough on me, he had stepped it up several levels for that fight. He was as
tough and brilliant as a diamond.
That day he drew
Robert Nenow (American TKD) the regional heavyweight champion. Of course I was
not calling the fight I would have scored it differently. Robert won, but their
photo made Karate Illustrated.
But at the SKC
TSD fighting made it appearance. It was done wearing kendo like chest
protection. They wanted high kicking, on
the other hand I would score again and again with my hands which their training
gave them no defense against as they fought long range with their kicks. I
always was admonished to kick more. However some of the things I learned from
Charles did work against them.
I was developing
less of a like for TSDMDK because to me
the Isshinryu kumite skills were better, IMO>
Than next summer
I returned to Salisbury when I was on vacation. I trained in Salisbury and
traveled to Wallops Island Virginia to train with Dennis Lockwood. But for
their warm-ups they ran outside barefoot. I was running daily outside but with
running shoes. I did their run but it tore the skin of my toes off. I could
hardly do much after that, of course I did work with them but left quite
damaged.
Charlie had
called Sensei and was recommending me for Black Belt testing, I was to spar
that next class in Salisbury for Sensei to watch me. But my torn toes affected
how I would execute, and poorly at that. Sensei called Charles and told him I
needed more time.
So I went back
to training with Charles. While I had made 1st red in TSDMDK,
Charles promoted me to 1st brown in Isshinryu. I held both ranks at
the same time.
But my contract
was over with the Scranton Karate School. I informed Frank that I would not be
continuing. He had once met Charlie at a tournament and I explained the last
year, and how I had started in Isshinryu, my heart was there. We parted on friendly terms.
Shortly later I
heard there was to be a tournament in Wilkes-Barre run by the Michak Brothers.
Charlie could not make it but I was going to attend with a friend who was a
black belt in Kyokushin Kai. While
waiting for the brown belt weapons division it was announced that there were
not enough brown belt competitors for a division so those brown belts competing
would be in the black belt weapons division. I gulped a bit.
It was a large
division with many skilled competitors. My name was called and I performed
Chantan Yara No Sai. I got through the form and made no mistakes. I was
followed by someone I had never seen, Cynthia Rothrock, who was most definitely
not a brown belt. Cindy was a regional forms and weapons champion. I definitely
found out what I was, not in her class. Interestingly one of her judges was her
husband Ernest Rothrock. His main school was in Wilkes-Barre too. I had never seen
either of them before. A long story short Cindy won first place.
Cindy with Gary Michak on the right.
But I competed
with weapons the first time, and I did not disgrace myself.
Soon after that
Charles began teaching me Urashie No Bo, the 2nd Isshinryu bo form.
So my studies
continued and of course Charlie kept working me over. I knew my kumite was getting stronger, but it
just didn’t feel like it.
Charlie was not
teaching me kata in order, I believe more so he could practice them with me
while training.
Charlie did give
me some advice during that time.
“For your first 20 years you are a reflection of what your
instructor gave you. After 20 years your art is a reflection of what you are
doing.”
Charlie
described how almost everyone he say had differences in their Isshinryu forms.
Even when he trained on Okinawa he saw differences. He just adjusted his form
to do what they were doing on Okinawa, not worrying about the differences,
instead concentrating on what he could learn.
Come January of
1979 Charles drove me down to stay at his parent’s home in Delaware. That night
he took me to see a new movie
‘Superman’. I remember saying how I did not think much of Superman’s fist to
Charles.
The next day we
attended two clinics by guest Howard Mitchum, one for kyu students and one for
Black Belts.
Between the two clinics was a short break . Charles
volunteered me to perform Chia Fa kata. No
one at that time was performing it in the IKC. I performed the form, then
remember Howard Mitchum saying when he trained in Agena it was not taught. Nor
was it taught when Sensei trained there. I know in 1972 Charles had never seen
any of the Okinawan’s there perform the form
Then the break
continued, Charles went into Sensei’soffice to see Sensei and Mr. Mitchum.
Everyone was
standing around when Reese Rigby came up to me and asked me to spar his senior
brown belt. Knowing what was coming later I was jacked.
The fight began
and I immediately jumped on his butt, pounding away at his. We sparred for maybe10
minutes when suddenly Charles ran out of the office shouting “Victor, what are you doing? Did you forget what is to
happen tonight?”
So we stopped
and then 2nd clinic happened. Thinking of what was to come I have no
idea what was covered.
The entire group
went out to the Ponderosa Steak House for dinner, I ordered and then we began
eating when dinner came. Then the hazing began when someone said “I do not
think you should be eating considering what is going to happen next.”
After dinner
Charles drove me to Sensei house, where everyone had gathered and I went to
change to my gi. Eventually Charles came
into the room and blindfolded. Then he guided me out to his car and drove me
around for a while. Ostensibly to confuse me, but I knew I would end up at the
dojo.
Then when we
arrived at the dojo I was made to sit in the l;ocker room still blindfolded.
Eventually I was guided out into the dojo, the blindfold was removed and a
spotlight was shining in my eyes.
Before me
sitting were all the current black belts of the IKC, Mr. Mitchum and Mr. Lewis.
They all were my testing board.
First I was
asked to explain a great deal about Isshinryu.
Then one after
another I was to demonstrate Chart 1 % 2.
Next I had to
perform all of the kata I knew in order. I did not have to do Chia fa as I had
demonstrated that earlier.
I was not asked
to perform kumite as everyone had seen me fight before.
Then person
after person started asking me questions one after the other. Often the questions had nothing to do with my
Isshinryu training, but how I would respond to certain situations. Through several rounds of the panel.
When that was
finished there was another section to the test I will not discuss, it is a
private matter between the IKC and me.
I was then
blindfolded and taken back to the changing room to sit again.
Eventually Charles
came and guided me to Sensei’s office. Everyone was in there, my blind fold was
taken off and Sensei told me I had passed. Then he
handed me my black belt.
After
that Mitchum Sensei announced that was a fine test and additionally Sensei was
promoted to 7th dan.
That night back
at Charles home, when I went to sleep I placed my black belt under my pillow.
The next day
while driving home Charles asked me what will my black belt do for me if I am
in a plane that crashes from 10,000 feet.
I
responded I would just jump up and move into the aisle into Sanchin Dachi. Then
when the plane crashes I would simply strike forward negating the force of the
crash.
After that we
continued working out together and teaching the youth class.
Charlie began to
share with me what he experienced in Agena in 1972, Chief among those
experiences he explained how Shimabuku Shinso (Tatsuo’s son) explained what
Chinkotz was (Charlie learned it phonetically later I would learn this was
Chinkuchi and shared that with Charles.
He explained how
Shinso trained him to do his kata with Chinkuchi. But Charles and I never had
the time to train me with Chinkuchi. I just understood what he experienced.
Suddenly about
two months after my promotion Charles began instructing me in Shi Shi No Kon No
Dan (3es Isshinryu bo). Then a week or
so later he informed me he was giving up the church and returning to a career
in the USAF. He had gotten his Masters at Marywood College and was going to
enter the Officers Training Program. Ht would be leaving in a week.
His last day I
took off work as he was home packing. I took him into his backyard and asked me
to teach me the rest of Shi Shi. He started doing so until rain clouds rolled
in and it began raining. Charles went back into his house to resume packing.
Now it was a
thunderstorm, bangs and lightning flashes. I remained outside practicing what I
had been shown.
Eventually the
storm passed and Charles saw I was still outside practicing. He came back
outside and continued teaching me more of the form.
That repeated 3
more times, more rain, more practicing in the rain, Charles going back inside
to pack.
Eventually
I got the rest of the form.
Then I said a tearful
goodbye to Charles, our time together had been so special. I was thinking as I
drove back home I had no idea when I would see him next.
Of
course when I got back home I resumed to practice on the sidewalk in the front
of my house.
This concludes my
beginning. So much more followed.
While this is an
accurate retelling of these events, it does not relate everything I
experienced. To do so would make this much longer. And many of those tales have
already made their way into my blog previously.
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