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Editor: Soke Frank E. Sanchez

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JANUARY - MARCH 2006

 

WORLD GRANDMASTERS COUNCIL


(Kancho Gerardo Cantore practicing kata in the mountains of Nepal during a recent retreat there)

 

GRANDMASTER GERARDO CANTORE has just been named our AMBASSADOR FOR LATIN AMERICA. GERARDO who hails from ARGENTINA is a well known & respected Karateka there & a long time member of the WHFSC.CONGRATULATIONS GERARDO!

DR. ROBERTA TRIAS, Head of the UNITED STATES KARATE ASSOCIATION & SHURI RYU KARATE & KOBUDO from ARIZONA would like us to know that books & memorabilia on her famous Father, the late great GRANDMASTER ROBERT TRIAS; whom many consider to be the Father of Karate in America, can be found at http://stores.ebay.com/Trias-Karate-and-martial-arts  .

SPECIAL GET WELL WISHES go out to GRANDMASTER BRAM FRANK who suffered an accident while teaching at an instructors camp for knives recently. During a demo using live blades, BRAM accidently cut his right hand, severing the nerves, tendons & cartilage in his little & middle fingers.  BRAM is currently recovering from surgery & we wish him a FULL & SPEEDY RECOVERY!

Grandmaster Maurice Elmalem from BUDO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA wrote to say that BUDO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA's 2nd Annual International Hall of Fame has CHANGED DATES to June 14th in New York. For more information, please call 1-866-574-0228 or e-mail Mauricenterprise@aol.com 

Also, DON'T FORGET our own International Hall of Fame coming up May 26th & 27th (Memorial Day Weekend) in Orlando, Florida featuring our Annual Meeting & International seminar symposium. If you didn't get your invitation by e-mail or mail, please contact me at the address showing above on our Letterhead or e-mail me right away at San_Jitsu@yahoo.com  , so that I can get out your invite!

While we're on the subject of Halls of Fame, my "SPECIAL THANKS" to Master Alan Goldberg from New York who was gracious enough to "take care" of my room & entry into his ACTION MARTIAL ARTS Magazine's trade show & Hall of Fame in Atlantic City, New Jersey this year. I was also given an award for "Outstanding Contribution by a Grandmaster" for the creation of the WHFSC with some very kind words by emcee, Grandmaster Michael Depasquale Jr. THANK YOU, Alan for the gracious hospitality & Mike, for the nice intro. especially the words about my family. It was greatly appreciated, gentlemen!

"ISSHINRYU PLUS" GRANDMASTER GARY ALEXANDER is still setting a record with his original, first & longest running martial arts tournament in the U.S.A. His 43rd. Yes folks, 43rd Annual KARATE, TKD, KUNG-FU CHAMPIONSHIPS & TRADE SHOW will be held April 9th in Piscataway, New Jersey. For more information on this yearly event, you can contact GARY at GaryAlex@bellatlantic.net 

GRANDMASTER VINCENT MARCHETTI of New Jersey is a good example that "free demonstrations" can lead to other things. While in Cancun, Mexico recently where he did an impromptu demonstration of self-defense for the SECRETO EXCELLENCE RESORT, the management of the hotel was so impressed that VINCE was "booked" for a return engagement with pay, as well as paying engagements in their other resorts in Spain & the Caribbean, as well. "Way to go", VINCE!

DR. RICHARD HACKWORTH who is the Star of his own radio & TV programs here in Florida was just appointed the new DIRECTOR for the MARTIAL ARTS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. CONGRATULATIONS RICHARD!

WEI KUEN DO GRANDMASTER LEO FONG is doing a series of WARRIOR HEALER SEMINARS in conjunction with Clinical Psychologist/ martial artist, Dr. Thomas J. Nardi this year. The emphasis for the seminars is to teach your students how to deal with emotional & mental challenges through life skills development. The program is designed to be a Black Belt Certified Program. For more information, you can call 818-884-7337 or 845-623-6400.

NEW YORK'S JIU-JITSU GREAT, PROFESSOR BILLY DAVIS is working with Gary Moskowitz, National Program Director for the NATIONAL CHILDREN'S LEUKEMIA FOUNDATION to raise funds for this worthwhile foundation.

YOURS TRULY is scheduled to appear in a feature article in the Spring issue of GUAM Magazine (for those who never served in the military & are not familiar with the Island of Guam, It is a U.S. Territory in the Western Pacific & America's gateway to the Orient. So, please don't ask me who the President of Guam is, UNLESS you really have no idea who the President of the United States is!) as well as an upcoming issue of BUDO INTERNATIONAL.

GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS just signed an exclusive agreement with BLACK BELT COMMUNICATIONS (BLACK BELT Magazine) to produce his 4th book about PANKRATION. Tentatively entitled. "GAME OF THE GODS". The new book by JIM will be his most comprehensive coverage of the combat sport to date, covering its evolution over the past 3000 years.

Also, writing a new book is GRANDMASTER NIMR HASSAN, a Senior Student of the late, great GRANDMASTER JAMES MITOSE. The book will be about MITOSE as NIMR knew him and should be a classic for those who practice KENPO & those like myself who are history buffs of the martial arts. We look forward to its completion.

The "COACH" as he is affectionately known to his students (not to be confused with GRANDMASTER MARTY MANUEL who also carries the same moniker) , SCOTT SONNON
e-mailed to let me know that his student, Master Joseph Wilson appeared on a small news clip which led to his being spotlighted in a feature length story......You can view the news piece at http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/mediacenter/?videold=124262#top  by clicking on the "Karate/Kickboxing" link.

and lastly in the news. MASTER JENS FRICKE of our Masters Division in Germany e-mailed to say that his students were featured recently in a news clip in Germany for kickboxing & also did the fight scenes for a new movie there. He also states that the WHFSC is well represented in Germany with seminars he has produced for members, GRANDMASTERS GARY WASNIESKWI, RIC BLACK, GAT PUNO ABAET & future seminars with GRANDMASTER VINCENT MARCHETTI on tap. THANK YOU JENS! (Jens also sponsored seminars of mine years back before my people in Germany decided to handle my bookings themselves. THANK YOU AGAIN, JENS).

In our new members department. We are pleased to welcome from URUGUAY, HANSHI J. EDUARDO CASTRO - Head of OKINAWA KEN SHORIN RYU KARATE DO & HANSHI MAURICIO TRONCOSCO - Head of KARATE DO SHORIN RYU KUSHINKAI from CHILE to our GRANDMASTERS DIVISION. We are also pleased to announce the addition of MASTER WILLIE ROBINSON from NEW YORK & DR. ALBERT BEST from BERMUDA to our new MASTERS DIVISION�. WELCOME GENTLEMEN TO YOUR NEW FAMILY OF THE WORLD'S MARTIAL ARTS ELITE!

In the media this time around (publications on the newsstands at the time of this printing featuring our members). BLACK BELT Magazine's February issue features articles on GRANDMASTERS SOLOMON KAHAIWALU, BART VALE & RICHARD RYAN with a photo mention of HANSHI SID CAMPBELL. It's March issue features a mention of MASTER JACKIE CHAN. In the March issue of INSIDE KUNG-FU, MASTER ED PARKER JR. shows off his mastery of portrait art with portraitures of famous grandmasters who studied under his Father, the late, great Grandmaster Ed Parker. & last but not least, the April issue features a mention of GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE with an article on the origins of WHITE CRANE KUNG-FU/ KARATE by GRANDMASTER GEORGE ALEXANDER

 Well, this concludes our lastest edition of the WHFSC Newsletter. Please remember AS ALWAYS to send in your noteworthy news to our newsletter & to "stay aggressive & fair in all you do" until next time

 




Grandmaster 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 membership. Any additions or deletions to its membership must be in writing. RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER DOES NOT CONSTITUTE YOUR BEING AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL. All membership certificates with an expiration date are NOT automatically renewed and MUST be renewed by written request to our Headquarters.