American TKD Grandmasters List

[SahBumNimRush]

Fair enough, like I said, it's your thread, I'm just trying to get some perspective on your thought process.

In my neck of the woods, there aren't many American born 9th dans. For instance, my SBN started TKD under our KJN in 1971. Considering his skill level, knowledge, and time in the arts, he could easily be a 9th dan under KKW criteria. However, our KJN has only promoted him to 7th dan, and he is the highest rank in our association under our KJN (who is a 9th dan).


For example:

GM Ki Whang KIM was one of very few 10 dans in the U.S.

GM Albert Cheeks is listed as a 9th dan. He was a famous student under Grandmaster Ki Whang Kim, albeit GM KIM never awarded any grade higher than 7th dan to my knowledge. Of which he only awarded two: Mitchell Bobrow and George Thanos.

 

[Azulx]

Those listed above were very easy to confirm, however I am having a hard time regarding GM Bert & Craig Kollars.

So far I have contacted the office organization FB page, obtained a telephone number for their HQ, called and was advised someone would call me back, but that was over a week ago.

Can anyone help with my inquiry, and also feel free to help me expand my list.

Mr. Spookey, this is my knowledge of the Kollars brothers an the ITA. My current head instructor is a former member of the ITA. His Master name was Frank Michael and His Master was GM Art Monroe, and GM Monroe's was the Kollars brothers. Monroe and the Kollars brothers were former members of the ATA (American Taekwondo Association). They were all somewhere between 1st and 3rd dan. To my knowledge they created some time of council with their off-shoot of the ATA ( called it USTA, ITA, and later Tiger rock) and promoted through that way. I have friends who are former ITA members and have many negative things to say about the association. Whether you think the Kollars brothers are "legit" is based solely on your own formulated criteria. To me despite all the negativity I have heard and read about them and the ITA, I believe they are legitimate GMs. They have dedicated an enormous amount of time to grow their associations and expand American Tae Kwon Do. As far as their skill goes, I have no idea, I have never seen them do anything.

 

[Dirty Dog]

My question started honest enough and remains that way, I think someone else in the thread got bored in the early hours and wanted to entertain themselves so I played along

No self-entertainment at all. You're setting yourself up as the arbiter of legitimacy, declaring some promotions 'illegitimate' and others (who were promoted exactly the same way) legitimate.
That smacks of hubris, and essentially makes the results of your project... illegitimate.

 

[Azulx]

@Spookey

Actually here is GM Bert Kollars doing his 9th Degree Form

 

[Balrog]

I am interested in legitimate, American born Grandmasters who are practitioners of Taekwondo and who have obtained the rank of 9th Degree via means other than self promotion.

Last summer, Richard Reed became the first American born GM in the ATA. Next July, he will be joined by Robert Allemeir and Bill Clark.

 

[Miles]

Ronald W. Rose (MI) and Brenda Sell (FL) are 9th dan from Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan. Both are direct students of GM Park, Hae Man.

 

[wade]

Question, why does your interpretation of a grand master start at 9th Dan when the Kukkiwon starts "high dan" at 8th Dan. Also, if you look in some old TKD books, like the one written by Choi Tae Hong of Portland Oregon he states that grandmaster starts at 7th dan.

 

[IcemanSK]

Question, why does your interpretation of a grand master start at 9th Dan when the Kukkiwon starts "high dan" at 8th Dan. Also, if you look in some old TKD books, like the one written by Choi Tae Hong of Portland Oregon he states that grandmaster starts at 7th dan.

I think the OP is just focused on 9th Dan to include ITF style folks as well. But your point about 7th Dan being grandmaster, even Kukkiwon considers 7th Dan grandmaster.

 

[Earl Weiss]

You really need to look behind the Titles. As a 6th Dan I hosted Nam Tae Hi and he referred to me as"Master" Being with the ITF I felt compelled to comment that I did not have this title and I was not enthusiastic about correcting a Senior. Similarly K.S. Shin who was an ITF Pioneer in Chicago , but long since left the group although he had a nice visit with General Choi when he was here, and when he asked me to do a pattern seminar for his students he referred to me as "Junior Granadmaster."

In "Living The Martial Way" a book I recommend the Author addresses the issue of Titles being awarded to lower ranks in later years.

 

[chrispillertkd]

One of he most Seniors long time in America but apparently notborn in the USA was the late Eugene Humesky of Michigan. Some web pages list him a s a 9th Dan in the ITF. This was nopt under Generlal Choi or the original group but may have been under General Choi's son.

GM Humesky was a very senior proponent of the art and a very interesting individual. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him personally a few times. While he held senior rank from several organizations such as the Chang Moo Kwan, Kukkiwon, and ITF he was not promoted to IX dan by the ITF under GM Choi, Jung Hwa.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Earl Weiss]

GM Humesky was a very senior proponent of the art and a very interesting individual. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him personally a few times. While he held senior rank from several organizations such as the Chang Moo Kwan, Kukkiwon, and ITF he was not promoted to IX dan by the ITF under GM Choi, Jung Hwa.

Pax,

Chris

Sir, . So if it was not the "ITF V" (Tran Quan Group) ITF C (Son's Group) then it was ITF NK, or perhaps something else? Any idea?

 

[chrispillertkd]

Sir, . So if it was not the "ITF V" (Tran Quan Group) ITF C (Son's Group) then it was ITF NK, or perhaps something else? Any idea?

Master Weiss, it was none of the three ITF groups.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Yet Chris, if you go to the International Tae Kwon Do Federations site and type in Humesky under
the search you will see he has a 9th Dan or listed as IX.

see link:
Search and Verify ITF Members

He also has an honorary from the WTF

and of course so many more.

I and many more people have actually seen his certificates in his house. He was so absorbed about being legitimate and having the proper credentials that it was taken to the extreme. This man was a remarkable individual who personified honesty and integrity and went to great lengths to promote Tae Kwon Do.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Here is their profile:

EUGENE A. HUMESKY: profile
Name: EUGENE A. HUMESKY
Membership Status: Expired
Achievements: IX Degree USA-9-1001
Member of: United States ITF (INO)

EUGENE A. HUMESKY has not added a biography

Here is a poor picture but shows the IX or 9th Degree

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

So laying that to rest based on the above yes Master Humesky as I have known him since I was 13 until his death is and would be on any list of American Tae Kwon Do Pioneers and 9th Dan's. He was a true Grand Master...

 

[Earl Weiss]

So laying that to rest based on the above yes Master Humesky as I have known him since I was 13 until his death is and would be on any list of American Tae Kwon Do Pioneers and 9th Dan's. He was a true Grand Master...

Thank you fro the info. I for one would hope that a membership status would be listed as something other than "Expired" if the failure to pay dues or what ever was caused by death or disability.. but that's just me.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Yet Chris, if you go to the International Tae Kwon Do Federations site and type in Humesky under
the search you will see he has a 9th Dan or listed as IX.

see link:
Search and Verify ITF Members

He also has an honorary from the WTF

and of course so many more.

I and many more people have actually seen his certificates in his house. He was so absorbed about being legitimate and having the proper credentials that it was taken to the extreme. This man was a remarkable individual who personified honesty and integrity and went to great lengths to promote Tae Kwon Do.

Very interesting. GM Choi didn't promote anyone to IX dan until 2014 at the ITF WC's. Perhaps this is a posthumous award as I believe GM Humesky had already passed away then? As I stated he was certainly a senior proponent of the art and I don't doubt deserving of such a promotion.

Could you tell me the date on his IX dan certificate? I'd be very interested as promotions like that in the ITF are very rare and I don't recall seeing mention of this one (which surely should have been announced along with the others).

Pax,

Chris

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Chris, I do not have the certificate in my hand as I am in Las Vegas and they are in Michigan. So I can't help you there. However, he had it and has every single certificate he has ever claimed and I have seen them on his wall, etc. The man was a stickler for international recognition and went to the mat so to say to make sure his credential were beyond reproach!

 

[chrispillertkd]

Chris, I do not have the certificate in my hand as I am in Las Vegas and they are in Michigan. So I can't help you there. However, he had it and has every single certificate he has ever claimed and I have seen them on his wall, etc. The man was a stickler for international recognition and went to the mat so to say to make sure his credential were beyond reproach!

Ah, I took your comment that you had seen his certificates to mean you had seen this one, too.

When the ITF promoted GM's Nicholls, Gallaraga, Ligay, and Tompkins there was an announcement posted on the ITF website. But I didn't see any for GM Humesky's promotion, and when someone else had asked about it before I checked the data base and he was then listed as an VIII dan, hence my question. Since the other gentlemen were promoted in 2014 and there was no announcement for GM Humesky before then I presume his was a posthumous award, which certainly doesn't take anything away from his accomplishments.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I do not have the certificate in front of me. Master Humesky was one of the old guard having been doing this longer than many of the younger Grand Masters. Obviously his appointment to 9th Dan happened and the case is closed!

Let's move on to the OP's orgional intent. and talk about all of the Tae Kwon Do Grand Masters and not just one.