Born to modest beginnings in
Rockwood, TN, Harold G. Long joined the Marine Corps in 1949, and was called to
duty in 1950. Shortly thereafter, North Korea attacked South Korea. He was
quickly shipped from Camp LeJeune, NC, to Camp Pendleton, CA, to bring the 1st
Marine Division up to strength.
In 1950, as a young marine in Korea, he
fought in the battle of the "Chosin
Reservoir" against
the Chinese Army. While temperatures ranged between four degrees below zero to
thirty-five degrees below zero, the Chinese Army had orders to annihilate the
marines at the Chosen Reservoir. This battle has been termed "the most
savage fighting in modern warfare" by today's historians. The marines that
survived this battle became known as the "Chosen Few". Today, this
group is referred to as the "Eternal Band of Brothers".
In the mid 1950's, Harold Long was sent to
Okinawa. He inquired of his house girl who the best karate instructor was on
Okinawa. She did not hesitate in telling him that in Chun Village there was a
teacher by the name of Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, who had the reputation of
being the top instructor of karate on Okinawa. After several visits to Grand
Master Shimabuku's dojo, he was accepted and began training. He trained for
nineteen months, as much as eight hours a day, seven days a week, in some cases.
When Master Long returned to the United
States, he was stationed at Twenty-nine Palms, California, where he opened his
first dojo in his back yard. After his discharge from the Marine Corps, in July
1959, he returned to East Tennessee, where the seed of his instruction took
root, and branched out to all corners of our nation, which fulfilled the desire
of his instructor.
In 1963, he attended the systems head
meeting of the first World Karate Tournament in Chicago, Illinois, to set-up
rules for all American karate tournaments. In attendance were John Kehan, Phil
Kepal, Harold Long, George Mattson, Anthony Mirikan, Roy Oshiro, Don Nagle, Ed
Parker, Wendall Reeves, J oon
Rhee, Mas Tsuroka, and Robert Trias. Rules for kata and kumite were set down at
this meeting to be used for all tournaments, regardless of what style held them
in the United States. Master Long proposed all these rules, with one exception.
In 1974, Master Long returned to Okinawa
to consult with Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku concerning a new karate
association. His accomplishments and contributions to Isshin-Ryu Karate were
numerous:
1975 - Founded the International
Isshin-Ryu Karate Association (IIKA).
1978 - Co-authored a three
- book series, The Dynamics of Isshin-Ryu Karate, with Allen Wheeler.
1980 - Founded the Isshin-Ryu Hall of
Fame.
1981 - Inducted into the Isshin-Ryu Hall
of Fame.
1987 - Co-authored Okinawan Weapons Bo
Fighting Techniques with Hanshi Phil Little.
1988 - Founded the Isshin-Ryu Black Belt
Society
1991 - Co- produced an eight tape video
series, Isshinryu Karate - The Ultimate Self-Defense
1992 - Inducted into the Knoxville Sports
Hall of Fame, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Co-produced the first national television coverage of the Isshin-Ryu Hall of
Fame Karate Tournament.
1993 - Issued membership into Tao of the
Fist Martial Arts Fraternity.
- Co-authored, Who's Who in Isshin-Ryu with
Phillis Manis and Tim McGee.
1994 - Issued membership into the World
Head of Family Sokeship Council for Isshin-Ryu Karate.
1995 - Awarded a Doctorate Degree by the
College of Martial Arts.
1996 - Inducted into the World Karate
Union Hall of Fame.
- Inducted into the World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame.
1997 - Co-authored, Okinawan
Weapons Sai and Tonfa Fighting Techniques with
Hanshi Phil Little
- Received the "Golden Life Achievement Award and Martial Arts Pioneer
Award from the World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame.
-Appointed Vice President of
the "International Police Tactical Instructors Association"
- Appointed Vice President of the "The Universal Martial Arts Hall of
Fame".
- Co-authored, Isshin-Ryu Karate - The Ultimate Fighting Art, with
Tim McGee
1998 - Inducted into The Universal
Martial Arts Hall of Fame receiving,
"The Living Legend Award"
-Word Head Of Family Sokeship Council presents Grand Master Harold G. Long
"The Living Legend" Award.
In December of 1995, Grand Master Long
closed his dojo in Knoxville, Tennessee, and retired from active teaching. He
moved into the US Navel Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi, in 1996. He
continued to represent Isshin-Ryu Karate at tournaments, clinics, seminars and
special events until December of 1997.
In September 1998 he returned to Eastern
Tennessee, where he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He remained
there with his family, where he fought the only major battle he did not win.
September 23rd 1998, prior to
Grandmaster Long’s passing, he conferred upon me, Hanshi Phil Little, the rank
of Ju-dan, 10th degree Black Belt. I made the decision after
acceptance to keep and preserve this rank of highest honor until an appropriate
time out of respect to Grandmaster Don Nagle 10th dan. I instead chose to
display the rank of Ku-dan 9th degree black belt. With the passing of
Grandmaster Don Nagle on August 23rd 1999 and by the recommendation
of the "World Head Of Family Sokeship Council," the largest
International Grandmasters Council of 9th and 10th degree
Black Belts of the Martial Arts, I will resume the original conferred rank of
September 23rd 1998 to Ju-dan and fulfill the wishes of Grandmaster
Harold Long as inheritor of the Harold G. Long legacy or Shimabuku-Long
Isshinryu ™. At this meeting on September 23rd 1998, Grandmaster
Long also showed me his Last Will and Testament reflecting his desire for me to
inherit his personal Isshinryu Karate files, awards and memorabilia. It was a
bittersweet day when he conferred upon me the honor and responsibility of this
rank, along with his personal red belt, signed and dated by him. Grandmaster
Long and I also discussed on this date September 23rd 1998 his vision for an
organization with the mission of furthering the charge given to him by
Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku, "Soke", of Isshinryu Karate. At this
time he conferred his blessing on the formation of the "United States
Isshinryu Karate Association"™, (U.S.I.K.A.). He called it, "The
Isshinryu Association of the Future."
October 12th 1998 at
approximately 10:20 PM, Grandmaster Harold G. Long passed away. This was a great
loss to all of us in Isshinryu. The legacy of this great man, The Grand
Patriarch of Isshinryu, lives on through those lives he touched! The passing of
his body has taken place, but his spirit, through us, lives
Hanshi Phil Little
and Grandmaster Harold Long - Hanshi Sei
By: Phil Little
Grandmaster
Harold G. Long took many boys and molded them into men.
I am
no exception. He influenced my life more than any other mortal man.
He was
the toughest man I have ever known,
Yet
his heart was gentle.
He
trained me to fight,
But
encouraged me to work with others toward common goals.
He
showed me how to teach,
And how to
learn.
He demonstrated
unconditional loyalty to his teacher,
And demanded
the same from me.
He taught me
how to lead,
And how to
follow.
He never feared
controversy,
And welcomed it
when the ends justified the means.
He exemplified
tremendous strength and stamina,
Even in the
face of illness.
He was the
model student of the martial art
And the master
instructor.
And in the end…
He taught me to
live life to the fullest,
And to die with
dignity
|
