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General Retuinskih (facing camera) receives recognition from Head of Ministry of Sport in Russia

MY APOLOGIES first of all for the lateness of this particular issue of the WHFSC Newsletter. I just returned from St. Petersburg, Russia where I conducted a seminar and also was witness to GENERAL ALEXANDER RETUINSKIH’s Russian R.O.S.S. System being officially recognized by the RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF SPORT. It was an exciting time and a HISTORICAL time: (1) Because of the significance of Russia officially recognizing a "NEW" System; and (2) Because, I, along with GRANDMASTER NEAL HUMMERSTONE and Master-At-Arms Bram Frank were invited to demonstrate and teach our arts there at the invitation of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION OF RUSSIAN MARTIAL ART and the MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. CONGRATULATIONS to my good friend, GENERAL RETUINSKIH  for becoming a part of the monumental history of his great country……"SPAH SEE BAH" (THANK YOU) also for the courtesies extended to us when I was there in the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, Russia.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT……We are happy to see that the PANKRATION controversy regarding the Olympic games has finally been laid to rest……GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS, the "FATHER OF MODERN PANKRATION" has an "open letter" in the April 2000 issue of BLACK BELT Magazine which "tells it like it is"……As I mentioned in the last issue of our newsletter, allot of "good people" were being mislead by a few con-men trying to reap all the publicity they could from this Greek art…..It is GOOD to see the TRUTH is finally out!……Jim was also recently nominated as "ATHLETE OF THE CENTURY" by the State of New Hampshire, representing the FIRST TIME a martial artist has ever been recognized by the State…..CONGRATULATIONS Jim!

MAESTRO PETER URBAN of New Jersey has just released a long awaited follow-up to his epic best seller, "THE KARATE DOJO. Now out on C.D., it’s entitled, "THE KARATE DOJO II". If you would like a "piece of history" from one of the genuis’ of Karate, then this is the gift you should give yourself…..No other American Karateka has ever mastered the spoken or written word as it applys to Zen and the "empty hand" with such expertise as this great Pioneer. You can order the complete 6 C.D. Set with travel case for $85.00 plus shipping (America = $3.00/ Canada = $6.00). Send money order or cash (no personal checks please) to GASCOYNE ENTERPRISES, 12 Bumpus Rd., Plymouth, MA. 02360-3512…..

GRANDMASTER JOHNNY PACHIVAS SR. PASSES ON IN FLORIDA……While in Russia, I was given the news of yet another of our members passing…..At this time, I cannot confirm the cause of death only that he had been suffering from liver problems which prompted a liver transplant some years back. He was active the last several years doing seminars with DR. KENT HARALSON of the GOSPEL MARTIAL ARTS UNION in Montana, and seemed to be on the road to a "normal" life. News of his untimely death was given to me by Master Bram Frank who told me that he had passed on several days before my February 21^st seminar in Russia……May GOD SPEED and may the GOOD LORD LOOK AFTER YOU, GRANDMASTER PACHIVAS……

GENERAL ALEXANDER RETUINSKIH of Russia’s, RUSSIAN FEDERATION OF RUSSIAN MARTIAL ART announces two new video-tapes on solo grappling drills for the martial artist. To order, you can access their website at: http://www.amerross.com/toolbox.html or call: 1-770-804-9315.

GRANDMASTER DOUGLAS WONG of California reports that he has been working on a new television series for WARNER BROTHERS TV entitled CLEOPATRA 2525. He is the martial arts trainer for one of the stars of the show, Gina Torres. The series according to Wong will be replacing the TV Show, HERCULES, THE LEGENDARY JOURNEY…..Douglas’ son, Travis, was also inducted into INSIDE KUNG-FU’s Hall of Fame as "NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR" with a 7 page spread of the family featured in last years’ August issue of INSIDE KUNG-FU…..GRANDMASTER WONG also wrote to say that he is going to make a special effort to try and attend our "MILLENNIUM BASH" on September 1^st-2^nd in Orlando, Florida…..We hope that all of you will make the same kind of effort!….It is certainly going to be an event to remember…..DON’T MISS OUT!!!!

GRANDMASTER GLENN KWAN of Canada reports that his Cancer has gone into remission…..GRANDMASTER KWAN and his family were the victims of a near fatal car crash some years back which left his family crippled and financially devastated. He was later diagnosed with Cancer to add to his woes…..A "fighter" whose family is slowly managing to overcome their hardships…..There will be a special MARTIAL ARTS EXPO on April 1st in Ontario given by his student, Sensei Tom Puddicomb to raise funds for Kwan and his family. Expected to turn out for the event are many of Canada’s elite (Soke Verkerke, Grandmasters McLeod & Devlin, etc.), along with myself and other martial artists of note from the U.S. lending their support.

MATSUMURA SEITO KARATE’s HANSHI TOM HUNNICUTT OF ARKANSAS AWARDS HONORARY BLACK BELT TO COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND, BUCK OWENS…..During his summer seminar tour, Tom paid a friendly visit to Owens at his home in Bakersfield, California and awarded him an honorary Black Belt in recognition of his continued efforts to raise funds to fight Cancer…..For those of you who aren’t aware of it already, Tom was once a vocalist for his own country band called the Honeybee Ridge Gang which played with Buck….. A fine vocalist, he probably would’ve succeeded in music, had he not chosen Karate as his livelihood…..We are glad you did though, Tom!

Another SHORINRYU great, who is also a millionaire by the way, SOKE GLENN PREMRU of Arizona had the gall to send me a photo of himself winning a $69,000.00 jackpot at the Casino Arizona in Salt River…..He even went so far as to send me a color copy of the check…..COME ON, GLENN…..That’s what I call really "rubbing it in"…..You really know how to hurt a guy!!!

GRANDMASTER S. SRINIVISAN of India wrote to say that he will be sending an 8 member kickboxing team to the Indian Ocean Kickboxing Championships to be held at Seychelles in April 2000.

HANSHI GEORGE ALEXANDER of Tennessee reports that he has just finished another video called OKINAWAN KARATE VOYAGE which is available through his company YAMAZATO PRODUCTIONS. He is also working on two books, One called THE COMPLETE JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS DICTIONARY and the other entitled KYOHAN THE MASTER TEXT OF THE JAPANESE AND OKINAWAN MARTIAL ARTS……I also have word from George that the tapes from our last Hall of Fame are in the finishing stages and will be sent out soon to those of you who ordered them.

SPECIAL THANKS to JUNG SHEE JAMES LACY of California for allowing us to print and offer his book on herbal remedies to the Council. The discount price is only $25.00 for members wishing to buy his book on authentic Chinese herbal remedies and jows (lotions). You can order the book directly from our Hombu.

SOKE DAI DIVISION AND MASTERS DIVISION GIVEN "GREEN LIGHT"…..Effective immediately, the WHFSC is instituting a Masters and Soke Dai Division for the WORLD HEAD OF FAMILY SOKESHIP COUNCIL. The Masters Division will be the only one that is fee based, amounting to $30.00 a year for membership. The Soke Dai Division will be "free" to qualified applicants like our present grandmasters membership in the Council (these divisions would again be separate from our main grandmasters council). All interested parties will be "screened" for authenticity of rank before they are granted admittance. Please refer all interested parties to the Hombu for more information.

SOKE GERARDO CANTORE of Argentina states that he will be going to the Lama Monastery in India in September with the hopes of attending our "MILLENNIUM BASH" during that time.

The WORLD HEAD OF FAMILY SOKESHIP COUNCIL will be endorsing HANSHI BRUCE JUCHNIK’s MARTIAL ARTS COLLECTIVE SOCIETY function on October 28^th-29^th in San Diego, California (Hanshi Juchnik is also a member of our Council)…..The MARTIAL ARTS COLLECTIVE SOCIETY is in turn endorsing the WORLD HEAD OF FAMILY SOKESHIP COUNCIL’s "MILLENNIUM BASH" scheduled for September 1^st-2^nd in Orlando, Florida (I am a Supreme Advisor to MACS)……The two organizations truly COMPLIMENT one another and we look for a long and fruitful partnership between the two organizations as they seek to bring unity amongst the martial arts.

IN THE MEDIA THIS MONTH….. TAEKWONDO TIMES features mentions of YOURS TRULY, the WHFSC, the late GRANDMASTER JOHNNY PACHIVAS, DR. KENT HARALSON, Dan Cook & Nick Hines (UNDER GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS), GRANDMASER JI HAN JAE, GRANDMASTER JOHN PELLEGRINI and GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE…The February issue of BLACK BELT features mentions of GRANDMASTER RON VAN CLIEF & GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE……The March issue of BLACK BELT features YOURS TRULY, PROFESSOR GARY DILL & GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE…..The April issue of BLACK BELT features GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE and an "open letter" by GRANDMASTER JIM ARVANITIS on the current issues surrounding Pankration……INSIDE KUNG-FU features mentions of HANSHI BRUCE JUCHNIK, GRANDMASTER SAM KUOHA, PROFESSOR WALLY JAY, YOURS TRULY, GRANDMASTER ERNESTO PRESAS, THE LATE AUGUNG TONY RAMOS, SOKE HARRIS WARREN, GRANDMASTER ROBERT HOE, GRANDMASTER GLENN WILSON, GRANDMASTER VINCENT CABALES, OLOHE SOLOMON KAIHEWALU & GURO ROBERTO TORRES……MARTIAL ARTS & COMBAT SPORTS (sister publication of INSIDE KARATE) again features all of the above mentioned people…….KARATE INTERNATIONAL features mentions of SOKE SID CAMPBELL, JUNG SHEE JAMES LACY, MASTER FRANK DUX, MASTER MARTY MANUEL , GRANDMASTER JOE HESS, GRANDMASTER BILL WALLACE, PROFESSOR WALLY JAY, YOURS TRULY, THE LATE GRANDMASTER DON NAGLE and MAESTRO PETER URBAN…..and THE KARATE VOICE features various mentions of members including an interview with YOURS TRULY and articles by SOKE SID CAMPBELL and JUNG SHEE JAMES LACY.

Well, this concludes our issue for this monthly period…..Please keep in mind our upcoming MILLENNIUM BASH in September (PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND) and in the meantime please stay AGGRESSIVE and FAIR in all that you do!

Sincerely yours in martial arts brotherhood,

Professor Frank E. Sanchez

10^th 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 grandmaster membership. Any requested changes, additions or deletions to its membership roster must be in writing. All 2 year membership certificates are not automatically renewed and MUST be renewed by written request to our Headquarters.