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MASTERS HALL OF FAME EXECUTIVE OFFICERS • Hanshi Daniel Hect, CEO • Soke David Dye, President • Grandmaster Eric O'Neal, Vice-President of Marketing • Grandmaster Gregg Wooldridge, Vice-President of Alumni Relations • Grandmaster Robert Parham, Director of Public Relations • Shihan Paul Hayes, Director of Technology • Shihan Alfred Urquidez, Executive to the Ambassadors' Council • 'Ôlohe Solomon Kaihewalu, Special Council to the Masters Hall of Fame • Grandmaster Eric Lee, Special Council to the Masters Hall of Fame • Sensei John McCarthy, Special Council to the Masters Hall of Fame • Sifu N. Neil Hardin, Special Council to the Masters Hall of Fame
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5 Letter from the CEO 6 Masters Movie Picks8 8 Grandmaster Alfred Urquidez 13 Memories of Wally Jay 17 McDojo’s
COVER STORY Grandmaster Alfred Urquidez An exclusive interview with an Old-School Warrior!
MASTERS HALL OF FAME AMBASSADORS •Shihan Dana Abbott • Shihan Brent Ambrose • Shihan Jeff Anderson • Sensei Thomas R. Boganski • Grandmaster Fred Brewster • Grandmaster Craig Carter • Professor Carlos de Léon • Master Robert Deahl • Grandmaster Eugene Fodor • Sifu N. Neil Hardin • Lisa "The Black Widow" King • Soke Dr. Alonzo Jones
• Grandmaster Eric Lee • Grandmaster Eric O'Neal • Grandmaster Robert Parham • Shihan Robert Posslenzny • Shihan Lou Salseda • Hanshi Dan Sawyer • Grandmaster Mark Shuey • Master Bo Svenson • Grandmaster Darren Tibon • Sensei Gene Tibon • Shihan Alfred Urquidez • Master Anthony Zimkowski
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LETTER FROM THE CEO
It’s nomination time for the 2012 Masters Hall of Fame! Is there a deserving martial artist in your community that you know who deserves to be recognized? Submit their name to one of our ambassadors! The Masters Hall of Fame is not a “good old boy” network where the same people get inducted year after year. Martial artists who have had an impact on the martial arts community, big or small, deserve to be recognized for their efforts. This year’s guest speaker is the Legendary Bob White. His martial arts tournament raises money for the Royal Kids Family Camp, an organization that provides a week long camp for abused children. He is certainly a pillar in the martial arts community! I hope to see you all at Costa mesa, California on August 11!
OUSH Hanshi Daniel Hect CEO, MASTERS HALL of FAME Visit us at www.MASTERSHALLOFFAME.ORG OUSS!
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I AM BRUCE LEE As a huge Bruce Lee aficionado, I was very skeptical when this came out. What could possibly be in this documentary that I didn’t know or hadn’t seen about Bruce Lee? His story has been well told throughout the years in books, magazines and even movie biographies (albeit glamorized for film). I decided to give it a look and I was pleasantly surprised! Now this isn’t a normal documentary per say, but it is Bruce’s story told by Bruce himself. Pete McCormack, the director, did a masterful job of interweaving archive footage of Bruce along with modern day enthusiasts (Kobe Bryant for one example) to give you the complete story (McCormick also directed “Facing Ali”…another must see!). There are photos and footage of Bruce I’ve never seen before (doing the Cha-Cha onset of “Enter The Dragon”) along with some real commentary and insight from his wife, Linda Lee Cadwell. The most touching interview to me is the one with Dan Inosanto. His words really express how much Bruce meant to him and how dearly he is missed. I give this a definite 5 stars! Are you still reading this page? Really? Stop and go see “I Am Bruce Lee”. No, really, go already…
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BE A PART OF HISTORY!
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I had the pleasure of speaking with one of, if not the, humblest men in all of martial arts. He is looked upon by many as the last of the old-school practioners.
MHOF: You come from a very prestigious martial arts family. What was it like growing up in the Urquidez family? GAU: Growing up with my family was very close and united. We always encouraged each other and we never put each other down. We trained 6 days a week. Being the youngest of the Urquidez clan, I wasn't spoiled. My mother always told us we were going to be world champions. There was always love in our home but training under my brothers wasn't easy. They would push me hard and at that time I didn't understand, until now. We would always be sparring at home, kicking and punching each other but with so much love. One thing is that we always protected each other. I had to be home at a certain time and if I wasn't there my brothers were there waiting for me and I knew I was going to get it, if you know what I mean! To sum it up there was nothing but LOVE in my family. Most of all though, my mother is my hero, Lupe Urquidez. MHOF: We know that you come from the "old school". Explain to the readers what "old school" means to you GAU: Old school means to me a way of life, the way the old masters trained; you never wipe, scratch or move when you’re in the floor, keeping your eyes forward, bowing in and out of the dojo…when addressing your sensei you bow until he acknowledges you…respect, discipline, honor, integrity, the way of the warrior… the busihdo way! You train hard, no holding back! If you violate those rules you get kicked. We would kumite without fighting gear, only a mouth piece and cup. Discipline is the most important of all. Today all I see is schools in it for the money, ranking students every 3 months, what is that? In my dojo to receive a yellow belt it takes you at least a year if you real good maybe 8 months. MHOF: Many consider you the guardian of the Masters Hall of Fame. Tell us how you preserve the integrity of the martial arts.
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GAU: I've never seen myself as that, I'm surprised to hear that and humbled by it. I regards to me being considered the guardian of the masters hall of fame, I am, no, we have worked so hard to make it to be what the MHOF IS TODAY. Preserving the martial arts is very dear to me, what I teach my students is to carry themselves in a respectful way at home, work, play and anywhere they are at. I feel that we as Sensei's should go back to the old ways this is why I teach old school‌to continue the legacy that has been passed down to me by my brothers, Arnold, Armando, Ruben, Benny, Adam (Smiley) and my Sister Lilly. To preserve it is to stay with it, don't change it, keep it and own it, not learn it. You can be two types of students in my dojo; a learner and it goes in and goes out and you forget it, or you can but own it and make it yours then give it back to me one day and teach me something one day. I want my students to be better than me one day, this is the way you preserve it. I regards to me being considered the guardian of the masters hall of fame, I am ,we have worked so hard to make it to be what the MHOF IS TODAY. MHOF: Respect is a paramount issue within the martial arts. You last spoke about respect in a great article last year. Is there anything that you would like to add to what you covered last year? GAU: Respect, yes has been lost. I see many students who compete and argue with the judges, even their instructors argue over a point. Is this what we are producing? Only for the trophy? That's not what it is about. It’s to mentor, build and encourage. It grieves my heart every time I go to a tournament and see no more bowing into the ring or bowing into the place where the tournament is being held. Some say we have to change with the times. I disagree. We need to go back to how it used to be. RESPECT! The person that is very dear to me is Shihan Gordan Ruchusa He is my partner in Legends and Legacy, the five principles, he inspires me such persons like Grandmaster Greg Wooldridge who I admire with all my heart, and yourself Grandmaster Robert Parham, these individuals are old school. We have to continue the code of conduct, which is RESPECT, HONOR, INTEGERITY, these are the key elements which have been lost, and need to get it back to how it used to be. MHOF: As a revered member of the martial arts community, you have been recognized for your contributions towards martial arts. Why do you like just to be called Sensei? GAU: To go before means teacher and that's what we are, teachers. Titles mean nothing to me. The reason I hold dear and just want to be addressed as Sensei is because that's what I am, a Sensei, nothing else. We can have master, master instructor, grandmaster, etc., but the bottom line we are all Sensei's. MHOF: What keeps you so humble? GAU: What keeps me humble is that I learned that the higher rank you are the more you need to be servant that is what Jesus Christ has taught us. I was taught by my brothers and most of all my mom MY
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HERO, as for Me just being called sensei we are sensei's but I am a Grandmaster and will conduct myself as such, a Grandmaster with the heart of a Sensei. MHOF: What advice would you give to those who follow your path in the martial arts and in life? GAU: the advice I would like to leave to all those is search your hearts, and be who you are, its not about titles or rank, aren't we taught the higher you are the humble you need to be, Lets be GIVERS, not takers, always my love and respect to all of those in the martial arts. May God Bless you all! Osh!!!!
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My Memories of Professor Wally Jay, My Hawaiian Hero and friend I woke up this morning and went to my computer and read that Grand Master Wally Jay is being taken off life support; I am very sad, but also very happy that he touched my journey. Grief is a strange thing and I wrote this little tidbit of history when I found out he had a stroke. I am having a tough time, I guess because he was from Hawaii. He was one of my first real heroes. I pray for his family and assure them I am just one of the thousands that are in grief and mourning. He was a great man and martial artist, mentor and friend and I will miss him greatly, I am calling all my Black Belts this morning and we are in meeting in the park to have a special session of "Bull in the Ring" in honor of Professor Wally Jay to throw, joint lock, sweep, take down and put uki's in pretzels and finger locks in my precious memory of my hero one more time. Thank you for your love and joy you have given me. Many, Many years ago, back in the early 80’s, on a Saturday night, I was beating on my bag in my in my tiny Dojo. I remember quite well what I was doing there on a Saturday night. I had lost that day in a tournament I should have won. I was fighting for points toward the Texas State Championships and I was upset, so I would work when everyone else played. I would finish the year of 1980 with three divisional titles, number one in weapons, third in Black Belt Kata and most importantly, ranked ninth in Texas Fighting. I felt if I could be rated in Texas, I could be rated anywhere. Well anyway, here I am working out hard and frustrated when I got a phone call. It was from Professor Jay and he was at the airport on an overlay from one destination to his home. He had got my number from my friend Al Garza. He asked if I could come to the airport and meet him because he had something for me. I dropped everything and met him. It took me an hour to get there. After we had dinner, he reached into his luggage and gave me a picture of two men doing a Roto -Seginagi and it was marked 1942. I looked closer and it was him when he was very young. It was very old and sort of tattered. He signed it and gave it to me. It said" Gary, keep your Hawaiian spirit alive and remember your roots, I'm proud of you” Professor Wally Jay, Small Circle Jiu-Jitsu, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame. It inspired me to become the Champion and do what I have done in my journey. I love you Professor, you’re in my prayers always.
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Another memory of my journey with Professor Wally Jay, When we did Hanshi Sid's Celebrity Roast in California 2008, I am at Mark Gerry's house getting ready and received a call from Professor Jay, he shares with me he is not feeling well and he would not be able to attend, we stayed on the phone and talked and everybody from Eric Lee and Bob Wall is telling me we got to go or we are going to be late. Of course I stayed on the phone and mainly because he is such a precious resource for me. I promised to mention him and do something special for him. When I arrived, Hanshi Sid wanted me to do a Sai Kata or Self Defense routine but I told him I had talked with Professor Jay and he always loved the sword routine Banana cut ,so that is what I did at the Roast, thinking of My Hawaiian mentor and friend, Professor Wally Jay. I will always remember him as a mentor and a great martial artist but most of all as a friend who loved his Hawaiian roots. He is with many of my friends now, Uncle Sid, Mako, Stuart, Howard, Glenn and many others who love Sport martial arts. I know they are watching and being my guardian angels as I finish my journey Mahalo, much respect and love Professor Jay, R.I.P Professor Gary Lee
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How to Spot a McDojo’s What is a McDojo? Can you order your belt in the drive through? Can you order a special one finger death touch with a five piece meal? According to many martial arts experts, you probably could. First, let’s identify what a McDojo’s is. Basically, it’s a school that teaches impractical techniques with fast belt ranking all in the name of money. Here are signs that you visited a McDojo: If you are a beginner in the martial arts, and the only kick you ever threw was at a soccerball in grammar school, and you receive a blackbelt in one year with a $1,000 fee, you probably went to a McDojo. If your martial arts instructor isn’t old enough to wash behind his ears, you probably visited a McDojo. If you learned how to kill a person with the secret “left hand transfer to right hand ring finger touch of quivering death technique”, you probably visited a McDojo. If you think you are at a daycare instead of a Martial Arts school, you visited a McDojo. If you attend a ju-jitsu school and don’t learn anything about using your gi, you visited a McDojo. If your instructor is under 30 years old and said he trained with Bruce Lee, you are in a McDojo.
Finally, if your paycheck is reduced by 95% because of the contract that you had to sign to start martial arts, you’re probably in a McDojo!
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