M
Mark Weiser
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I am looking for any information on Thomas Young such as date of birth and death and location of schools. I am doing a project on the History of Kenpo.
Contact Professor Charles Lee. ([email protected] ) .
He is the inheritor of the "Official Self Defense Club". This club was handed down from James Mitose to Thomas Young, to Simeon Eli, to Charles Lee.
When James Mitose abandoned the club, Thomas Young affliated it with Henry Okizaki's "A.J.I." (American Jujitsu Institute). It became the "Kenpo" branch of the A.J.I. It has been a part of the A.J.I. to this day.
There's really not much information about Thomas Young availiable. Unlike Chow, Emperado, and Parker, he was not known as a "great" teacher and practitioner. Most of his black belts, like Woodrow McCandles, Simeon Eli, Paul Pung, Antone Kruchy, and Steve Boldamero, were actually students that James Mitose left behind when he moved to the mainland. Prof. Young was mostly known for being James Mitose's first black belt.
He is the inheritor of the "Official Self Defense Club". This club was handed down from James Mitose to Thomas Young, to Simeon Eli, to Charles Lee.
When James Mitose abandoned the club, Thomas Young affliated it with Henry Okizaki's "A.J.I." (American Jujitsu Institute). It became the "Kenpo" branch of the A.J.I. It has been a part of the A.J.I. to this day.
There's really not much information about Thomas Young availiable. Unlike Chow, Emperado, and Parker, he was not known as a "great" teacher and practitioner. Most of his black belts, like Woodrow McCandles, Simeon Eli, Paul Pung, Antone Kruchy, and Steve Boldamero, were actually students that James Mitose left behind when he moved to the mainland. Prof. Young was mostly known for being James Mitose's first black belt.
OP
Mark Weiser
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #3
I know there is not much information I did an Internet search and came up with little information on this gentleman. So I thought I would try here. Thanks for the contact.
Give me a couple days to dig thru some old notes, andMark Weiser said:
I'll see what else I can come up with. If nothing else, I'll get you some more contacts in Hawaii you can email.
From a April 1959 interview with Bruce Haines:
Thomas Young said that his first experience with martial arts was as a young boy when he received some lessons in "Chuan Fa".
Later, as an adult in 1942, he started training with James Mitose. He received his shodan from Mitose in 1946, and became Mitose's assistant. When Mitose left Oahu in 1953 and went to the island of Hawaii, Young became the head instructor of the "Official Self Defense Club". This school was located at the Central Y.M.C.A. in Honolulu.
Between 1953 and 1959 the classes at the Y.M.C.A. usually averaged 25 students. Between those years Young promoted six men to shodan. These men were; Antone Krucky, Steve Baldomero, Paul Pung, George Nagazawa, Simeon Eli, and Woodrow McCandless.
From a 1989 interview with me:
Thomas Young started training with James Mitose in 1942. This instruction was held at Mitose's house, in his garage. Mitose taught him and a hand full of other students, "Kenpo Jiu jutsu" or what he sometimes would call "Shorinji Kenpo". After the war in 1946, Mitose started the "Official Self Defense Club". After Mitose left Oahu in 1953, he took over the self defense club, and affliated it with Henry Okazaki's "American Judoand Jujitsu Institute" (later renamed American Jujitsu Institute). Young was made the head of the "Kenpo division" which at the time consisted of 3 Kenpo schools.
Sorry Mark: But my interviews with Thomas Young were primarily about Kenpo history, so we didn't talk a lot about Young himself.
Hopefully Prof. Lee can help you out more with personal information on Young. Also,find out the month and year he died. The "Honolulu Advertizer" is the main newspaper in Honolulu, so if they have their archives availiable on line, you may be able to find Young's obituary. That should give you his birthday. If all else fails, let me know, and I'll get you emails for some old timers in Hawaii. Hopefully, Young has children and grandchildren still in Hawaii.
Thomas Young said that his first experience with martial arts was as a young boy when he received some lessons in "Chuan Fa".
Later, as an adult in 1942, he started training with James Mitose. He received his shodan from Mitose in 1946, and became Mitose's assistant. When Mitose left Oahu in 1953 and went to the island of Hawaii, Young became the head instructor of the "Official Self Defense Club". This school was located at the Central Y.M.C.A. in Honolulu.
Between 1953 and 1959 the classes at the Y.M.C.A. usually averaged 25 students. Between those years Young promoted six men to shodan. These men were; Antone Krucky, Steve Baldomero, Paul Pung, George Nagazawa, Simeon Eli, and Woodrow McCandless.
From a 1989 interview with me:
Thomas Young started training with James Mitose in 1942. This instruction was held at Mitose's house, in his garage. Mitose taught him and a hand full of other students, "Kenpo Jiu jutsu" or what he sometimes would call "Shorinji Kenpo". After the war in 1946, Mitose started the "Official Self Defense Club". After Mitose left Oahu in 1953, he took over the self defense club, and affliated it with Henry Okazaki's "American Judoand Jujitsu Institute" (later renamed American Jujitsu Institute). Young was made the head of the "Kenpo division" which at the time consisted of 3 Kenpo schools.
Sorry Mark: But my interviews with Thomas Young were primarily about Kenpo history, so we didn't talk a lot about Young himself.
Hopefully Prof. Lee can help you out more with personal information on Young. Also,find out the month and year he died. The "Honolulu Advertizer" is the main newspaper in Honolulu, so if they have their archives availiable on line, you may be able to find Young's obituary. That should give you his birthday. If all else fails, let me know, and I'll get you emails for some old timers in Hawaii. Hopefully, Young has children and grandchildren still in Hawaii.
OP
Mark Weiser
Guest
- Thread Starter
- #6
Thanks John
I have the lineage except for Thomas Young with some details on each person. So I guess any help would help. There is a website of a school that is from Thomas Young I was thinking of contacting that instructor.
I have the lineage except for Thomas Young with some details on each person. So I guess any help would help. There is a website of a school that is from Thomas Young I was thinking of contacting that instructor.
David Y. Jinbo
White Belt
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- Mar 12, 2024
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Hello John;
Is this site still in service? My Name is David Jinbo, and I'm from Hawaii. I was a student of Professor Thomas S.H. Young. I was student under his guidance for many years at the Central YMCA, well into the late 60tis. I have a certificate of 2nd degree black belt from Pro. Young. I know part of his family, and if you would like more information about Professor Young I would be happy to speak with you about his life from what I know. Aloha, David
My name is David Jinbo and I am a graduate of Professor Thomas S.H. Young, originator of the Self-Defense Club, in Kapahulu, Oahu. I have written to John Bishop and now I'm writing to you. If you would like more information about Professor Young, I would happy to speak to about him. I have a signed certificate from Professor Young. My email address is ([email protected]). Looking forward, David.
Is this site still in service? My Name is David Jinbo, and I'm from Hawaii. I was a student of Professor Thomas S.H. Young. I was student under his guidance for many years at the Central YMCA, well into the late 60tis. I have a certificate of 2nd degree black belt from Pro. Young. I know part of his family, and if you would like more information about Professor Young I would be happy to speak with you about his life from what I know. Aloha, David
Hello Mark:
My name is David Jinbo and I am a graduate of Professor Thomas S.H. Young, originator of the Self-Defense Club, in Kapahulu, Oahu. I have written to John Bishop and now I'm writing to you. If you would like more information about Professor Young, I would happy to speak to about him. I have a signed certificate from Professor Young. My email address is ([email protected]). Looking forward, David.
While this site is still active, my bet is that Mark is no longer seeing this as he hasn't logged in for close to 20 years, and that his project is either completed or abandoned. Regardless, if you want to reach him, I would recommend trying the info on his school's website's contact page
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