Shihan Gordon Doversola, passed away on Tuesday April 19, 2011
Shihan Okinawa-te master Gordon Doversola was an American martial arts pioneer, one of the first karate instructors to teach karate in Southern California.
He was born in Honolulu where he began training in ju-jitsu at age 11, and later became a student of Kempo master James Mitose. After mastering Kempo he met famous Okinawa-te master Taiken Nagusuko and became his disciple.
In 1957 he moved to Los Angeles and opened one of the first karate dojos in the city, teaching traditional Okinawa-te karate. A well respected instructor, sensei Doversola taught his art to thousands of students over the years. Among his better known students were Joe Lewis, Bob Wall, Jim Kelly, Martin Kove, Richard Triplett and Glen Hoyen.
Sensei Doversola was among the first karate instructors to choreograph realistic fight scenes for movies and Television.
He was the technical advisor to Frank Sinatra for the film Manchurion Candidate. He passed away on Tuesday April 19, 2011.
The following is a series of e-mail messages that followed Sensei Doversola's death. May he rest in Peace.
(reply to John Corcoran's email about Sensei Doversola's death)
Thanks John Corcoran,
Another of my instructors dies. When it came to pure martial arts, that was my favorite style---it had everything including 36 long forms and all the weapons. Gordon originally had a jujitsu base and he had 56 amateur boxing bouts under his belt. He followed the Rosicrucian's and could read the ethereal auras off people. I met one of his ju-jitsu masters who taught secretly in downtown L.A. many years ago. He loved his heritage and often took me to Pilipino restaurants; he enjoyed blending the Okinawan and his Pilipino weapons together.
The last I heard about a year ago was that his Daughter would not allow anyone to see him at a hospital. I talked to a nurse there and that was it; she told me that he was out of it and didn't recognize anyone.
P.S. Someone misspelled Manchurian. Gordon and Frank Sinatra really hit if off so the story goes. Gordon was perhaps the first in this country to understand martial arts fight scene choreography to work in the film industry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manchurian_Candidate
Joe Lewis
My Factual Responses to some earlier posts on Glenn Mages's Blog about Sensei Doversola:
From: Brian K.
Bruce and Doversola did not particularly care for he each other and they did have something between a fight and a sparring session. Jim Kelly and Joe Lewis told this story saying that Bruce started out winning with his incredible speed. Doversola admitted that he had never seen anyone as fast as Bruce, but that his blows didn’t stop Doversola out right. On Bruce’s third attack Shihan Doversola caught him and laid him down. Both masters were able to walk away…neither being the clear victor. It just goes to show that as great as Bruce was, there were and are others in his league.”
(reply from: Joe Lewis)
Get the truth in your reports---I NEVER told any such “story.” I was the only person on this planet who had Gordon Doversola and Bruce Lee in the same workout floor at the same time---1969, Sherman Oaks Karate Studio. I had them exchange techniques “on me only.” No one showed disrespect to each other and neither of the two exchanged any movements between them. Gordon quit sparring in front of me in 1965 and Bruce Lee never did. I was there, you were not---end of story.
Both of these men were my instructors for a long time----who else on this planet can say this? Neither of them ever challenged another person and nor would either ever lower themselves to accept a childish challenge---it was below their level of dignity.
If you were “not” there, please do us all a favor and keep your mouth shut. Someone, show us the video footage---or else, please---no more gossiping rumors; there is enough nonsense on the Internet.
From: Kuran M.
Then there was another fight that had Shihan Gordon Doversola fighting Lee in a match that several people witnessed.
(reply from: Joe Lewis)
Please Kuran, will you offer us at least ONE creditable witness that can be trusted to prove this statement? I would like the person’s name or his contact access. I do not believe a single one exists. After I had Bruce and Gordon together for the first time ever, I doubt that there would have been any reason for them to come together ever again. Someone please explain for me why this “alleged sparring” incident would have been important for either of my teachers?
Ending Footnotes:
Larry Delano was my sparring partner for a long time. He wasn’t very big, but he was quick and loved to spar with me.
I believe I had a lot to do with teaching my friend, Jim Kelly, his back fist at the Long Beach Tracy Kenpo School back in 1970. At that time, he did not have down the correct principles---he was telegraphing his initial trigger squeeze and he was tight. I am sure Bruce enhanced his skills during the shooting of “Enter the Dragon.” I do not want any credit---I have enough on my own for six life-times.
I agree that both Bruce Lee and Gordon Doversola were “forerunners” of MMA; however, so were dozens of others even before either of them. I would not agree that either of them was THE forerunner. When I trained in Okinawa, all black belts over there had multiple black belts in several disciplines of martial arts---it was required in the old days.
Why is anyone making such a big deal out of this? Is there some significant factor of great importance here? Who cares!
I'd like to leave a quote for those making meaningless comments on Glenn Mages's blog at his above link. This is for my two instructors, Gordon Doversola and Bruce Lee, who taught me that "Mankind's Highest Virtue is to Live With Dignity."
JLFS Blog Posts
BRUCE LEE CHANGING JKD STYLE
Regans Martial Arts: I respect all people that train hard and have a sense of humor, you always show both;), my question on JKD is that Bruce was always evolving and some people that he taught along the way can by the later people he taught be considered wrong... for what they do as Bruce progressed and changed things often and taught the latter group different. So JKD has never ending disputes of whose right and who’s wrong. I also believe that many try to "start" off where” Bruce "left" off, and in my view this is wrong as things he discarded also helped him, such as forms etc, until later he had understood them enough to drop them. What’s your view?
Joe Lewis: Bruce came to me when he was only 27 (early 1967) and asked me to allow him to teach me the different mechanics from his system---he gave it no name. I ignored him since he was both of the Chinese race and a Kung-fu practitioner. I wasn’t fond of Chinese fighters or Kung-fu non-fighting styles in those days.
Shortly after that, his kicks greatly improved and he added a great deal of tactical and mechanical boxing to his style as he was changing much of his Wing Chun practices. This was the same year when he started using the term Jeet Kune Do.
To capture my attention, he went through Mike Stone to contact me and he focused on his fighting principles instead of the mechanics of his then techniques of Jun Fan Gung-Fu, etc or what ever he called it back then. He did not give it a name around me.
While I was working with him and testing his principles against top fighters, he wanted to get away from all the excessive trapping his style was accepting as “appropriate” and yet not exactly “tactically” effective. His system back then was based on “interception.” However, he felt that if you have time to intercept or “trap,” you have time to hit. In boxing, if you have time to block---you have time to hit.
Bruce was working in 1968 and ’69 an attempt to avoid all the excessive “trapping” his practitioners were using as an attribute of that system. This was many of the changes Bruce was working on; remember, he was still young and in his twenties. Imagine what changes he would advocate today had he remained alive.
I do not tell many people of all the changes he was working on. Most martial artists are afraid of the word “change” anyway and feel more comfortable avoiding this, and prefer to cling to the past. In my judgment, remember this quote from my intelligent mentor, “A clinging to the past in the face of new and changing circumstances is itself a product of insecurity, a lack of self-trust.”
"Custodians of Honor"
I have had many discussions lately about who holds a legitimate Joe Lewis Black Belt. Below is enclosed a copy of the by-laws of the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems Association that addresses this issue. I wanted to give all my black belts a heads up so they can register with Mike Allen, our Chief Executive Officer and original Founder.
* * * * *
Joe Lewis has been an American Martial Arts icon for close to five decades. In that time he has established students all over the
It is the purpose of this communication to give notice to all it may concern, and at the
The statement “I am a Joe Lewis black belt” is one of the most misused statements in modern martial arts history because of the inherent prestige that is attached to it. Prior to the establishment of the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems, Mr. Lewis was a board member of certain martial arts organizations and signed certificates as a board member. These were not Joe Lewis black belt promotions and those holding those certificates are not Joe Lewis black belts. They are black belts in their respective organizations. Now that the JLFS has a structured ranking system with strict guidelines where only members are eligible for rank, it is important to establish a clear policy.
To concisely address this situation, Mr. Lewis and the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems are formally issuing the following statement which will be appropriately publicized.
To Whom It May Concern:
“The only people qualified to claim they are a Joe Lewis Black Belt are those who possess a belt rank certificate from The Joe Lewis American Karate Systems or The Joe Lewis Fighting Systems that has been signed and coded by Mr. Lewis. All other claims to this prestigious position are not valid. Further, those who hold legitimate rank from Mr. Lewis should contact the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems to insure and confirm that their rank is officially registered with the Association. A list of these Joe Lewis Black Belts will be published. If a person is not registered with the Association their rank will become invalid.”
“Once a Fighter …Always a Fighter”
Joe Lewis
Death of an Icon
|
| |
Hang Time
Bruce Lee and Cus D’Amato Said Same Thing
Cus D’Amato was hailed by Ring Magazine as one of the top five trainers in the past 75 years of boxing. Although the champion, Rocky Graziano, slipped out of D’Amato’s hands as his trainer, Cus developed three other notable world champions, Floyd Patterson, José Torres, and Mike Tyson.
Before Bert Randolph Sugar took control of Ring Magazine in 1979, the magazine’s staff had sent Mr. D’Amato to meet me in New York City in an attempt to get me to come to the Catskills in New York State to train with him in hopes of some day fighting Mohammad Ali. Although at that time (in 1971) I had been knocking out all my kickboxing opponents in less than two rounds, my heart was into acting, not fighting. I was already a champion in two separate fighting sports; however, Cus was very disappointed in my lack of interest to pursue becoming a pro boxer.
I felt that Cus and Bruce Lee shared some of the same ideas on tactics of ring strategy. Take time to view this clip and I will highlight a few concepts that both Cus and Bruce talked about with me at length. I have marked the time intervals on the clip at the exact place my comments are relevant.
The main point both Bruce and Cus shared about fighting was accepting the practice of developing head rhythm for defense of one’s cranial cavity, and body rhythm for defense of ones body---not the use of ones hand (blocking, trapping, cuffing, etc) for defense. This premise is the “opposite” of what the majority of martial arts styles advocates and teach. Bruce and Cus each believed in what is called an aggressive defensive---if you have the time to block or trap, then you have time to hit. [In other words, one uses head rhythm to protect the head, body rhythm to protect the body, and foot rhythm (and leg checks) to protect the legs.]
Clip time: (1:50 min) D’Amato uses defensive timing to work in behind Ali’s punches. Ali had a tendency to pause at the end of his combinations---thus leaving his “back door” open for a counter. This is where Ali often got hit during his fights; he entered the pocket but didn’t disengage quickly enough or he exited the same route in which he entered. This is a weakness of most martial arts fighting styles.
Clip time: (4:32) Ali leaves too much hang time on the end of his right punch, often his straight right. Notice Ali is leaning too much---overextending his right hand---which leaves him off balance. This make him vulnerable for a perfectly timed counter and it causes him to be unable to follow up with a left hook or left forty-five punch. Cus told me that this was the key to how he could teach me to beat Ali. He would have me draw Ali’s straight right; I would slip it outside, and come underneath with a shovel hook to the liver.
I’ve worked that move for decades and it has become my favorite “dirty dozen” shot. Anyone can drop a fighter with a cranial shot; few fighters have ever developed an accurate knock-out body punch. Many martial artists have acquired the same bad habit as Ali---they lean too much when they punch and end up with their shoulder forward of their feet. Rule: Always keep your feet under your punches.
Clip time: (4:36) Ali catches hooks while caught on the ropes. This was one of his bad habits and the same is true of many combatants. One must learn to keep his back always pointed towards the center of the ring. If your opponent tries to cut the ring off (called squeezing) avoid the habit of always moving straight backwards.
In the end, a master fighter knows how to execute the three attributes of an effective strategy: 1) confuse, 2) deceive, and 3) then exploit your opponent. The key skill necessary to pull off this kind of control is mobility. Keep in mind that Ali, Dempsey, and Tyson all three had a three-year plus layoff during their careers for various reasons. When each of them eventually returned to the ring for their first return bout, neither of them still had their strong legs and they paid the price.
“The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It's the same thing, fear, but it's what you do with it that matters.” Cus D’Amato
Cus D’Amato was hailed by Ring Magazine as one of the top five trainers in the past 75 years of boxing. Although the champion, Rocky Graziano, slipped out of D’Amato’s hands as his trainer, Cus developed three other notable world champions, Floyd Patterson, José Torres, and Mike Tyson.
Before Bert Randolph Sugar took control of Ring Magazine in 1979, the magazine’s staff had sent Mr. D’Amato to meet me in New York City in an attempt to get me to come to the Catskills in New York State to train with him in hopes of some day fighting Mohammad Ali. Although at that time (in 1971) I had been knocking out all my kickboxing opponents in less than two rounds, my heart was into acting, not fighting. I was already a champion in two separate fighting sports; however, Cus was very disappointed in my lack of interest to pursue becoming a pro boxer.
I felt that Cus and Bruce Lee shared some of the same ideas on tactics of ring strategy. Take time to view this clip and I will highlight a few concepts that both Cus and Bruce talked about with me at length. I have marked the time intervals on the clip at the exact place my comments are relevant.
The main point both Bruce and Cus shared about fighting was accepting the practice of developing head rhythm for defense of one’s cranial cavity, and body rhythm for defense of ones body---not the use of ones hand (blocking, trapping, cuffing, etc) for defense. This premise is the “opposite” of what the majority of martial arts styles advocates and teach. Bruce and Cus each believed in what is called an aggressive defensive---if you have the time to block or trap, then you have time to hit. [In other words, one uses head rhythm to protect the head, body rhythm to protect the body, and foot rhythm (and leg checks) to protect the legs.]
Clip time: (1:50 min) D’Amato uses defensive timing to work in behind Ali’s punches. Ali had a tendency to pause at the end of his combinations---thus leaving his “back door” open for a counter. This is where Ali often got hit during his fights; he entered the pocket but didn’t disengage quickly enough or he exited the same route in which he entered. This is a weakness of most martial arts fighting styles.
Clip time: (4:32) Ali leaves too much hang time on the end of his right punch, often his straight right. Notice Ali is leaning too much---overextending his right hand---which leaves him off balance. This make him vulnerable for a perfectly timed counter and it causes him to be unable to follow up with a left hook or left forty-five punch. Cus told me that this was the key to how he could teach me to beat Ali. He would have me draw Ali’s straight right; I would slip it outside, and come underneath with a shovel hook to the liver.
I’ve worked that move for decades and it has become my favorite “dirty dozen” shot. Anyone can drop a fighter with a cranial shot; few fighters have ever developed an accurate knock-out body punch. Many martial artists have acquired the same bad habit as Ali---they lean too much when they punch and end up with their shoulder forward of their feet. Rule: Always keep your feet under your punches.
Clip time: (4:36) Ali catches hooks while caught on the ropes. This was one of his bad habits and the same is true of many combatants. One must learn to keep his back always pointed towards the center of the ring. If your opponent tries to cut the ring off (called squeezing) avoid the habit of always moving straight backwards.
In the end, a master fighter knows how to execute the three attributes of an effective strategy: 1) confuse, 2) deceive, and 3) then exploit your opponent. The key skill necessary to pull off this kind of control is mobility. Keep in mind that Ali, Dempsey, and Tyson all three had a three-year plus layoff during their careers for various reasons. When each of them eventually returned to the ring for their first return bout, neither of them still had their strong legs and they paid the price.
“The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It's the same thing, fear, but it's what you do with it that matters.” Cus D’Amato
Unknown Insights on Two Champions
Question: Opinion on Gene Tunney - Bruce Lee eventually appreciated the style and skill of Gene Tunney. Was wondering what your thoughts were on this?
GENE TUNNEY vs JACK DEMPSEY: Simple comparison---as sharpshooter/counter-puncher vs a pressure fighter/slugger---the best fighter “that day” won.
Unknown facts: Georges Carpentier was the first martial artist to win a world title in two separate sports: A world champion in savate and also was the Light-heavyweight World Boxing Champion. (P.S. Joe Lewis was the second and Troy Dorsey was the third.)
1ST $million dollar gate in boxing’s history: (1921) Carpentier vs Dempsey (KO in round 4) Dempsey knocks out 1st two-sport champion.
After Jack Dempsey knocked out Luis Firpo in the 2nd round in 1923, he took off from boxing for three years (traveling, making movies and partying), until 1926 when he fought Tunney the first time. Dempsey was not focused and nor was he the same fighter from years earlier. Tunney, a U.S. Marine like me, studied Dempsey’s style and trained to deny him access to the pocket by jabbing and moving backwards exercising defensive timing with a counter-punching style game plan. Defensive timing means you come in the “back door.” This means that after an opponent completes his punch or if he leaves his punches hanging---the door is left open too long. Sluggers have this tendency.
Dempsey could not work the “squeeze” (closing off the ring or “walking” opponent to the ropes.) Tunney was the first heavyweight champion to successfully employ this unpopular counter punching strategy. He won a second fight 364 days later during the alleged “long count.”
I offer he best advice on how to confront and fight the basic nine different types of fighters in my manual: http://www.joelewisfightingsystems.com/manual/default.aspx
My Take on the Bullying Epidemic
I’d like to call your attention to an issue that is continuing to surface on the periphery of our social environment. For lack of a more appropriate term, let’s just call it “bullying.” I understand it is an unpleasant subject, but take a few seconds to view this below clip---even if you’ve seen it already, observe more closely to see if your reaction this time is any different.
http://deadspin.com/#!5782089/revenge-of-the-bullied-casey-becomes-an-icon (41-sec. clip)
Judging from the wide range of comments from others I’ve read about with this incident, I found some to be indifferent and others who felt vehemently outraged. Any emotional reaction one may have experienced to this kind of behavior is normal depending on your context---especially those who have been victims of harassment, bullying, or uninvited violence in their past.
Initial reactions to this kind of altercation are part of the human psychological process, a transition phase anyone must go through before making any final conclusions one way or the other. Therefore, anyone feeling a degree of outrage from this is not to be considered “stupid” as I have read on other postings.
Personally, due to my childhood years of dealing with extreme violence and having been a martial arts instructor of self-defense for 47 years, I would like to merely open this topic up for rational discussion. Remaining compatible with the way I teach my system of martial arts, I would prefer to embrace any individual’s sense of thinking along the lines of “What’s right, not Who’s right.” In our system, we train our instructors to be solution oriented, not problem oriented. Anyone can call attention to a problem---only a few seek solutions.
If anyone felt that the “bullied” kid did the right or appropriate thing, that’s your personal belief, I am NOT passing judgment here on this situation. I was not there; I recommend against anyone who wasn’t involved attempting to dictate “what should have happened or what could have happened.” I do not know either kid or the school’s behavioral policies, or what both sets of parents will do to settle things----it’s none of my business---I AM NOT HERE TO KEEP SCORE. They are smart people in
The philosophy of our JLFS teachings
We try to bring about change by being “appraisal” oriented instead of “judgmental” oriented. If an out of control child is acting inappropriately by jumping up and down on your living room sofa, try this approach. Instead of yelling at him whereas the tone of your voice carries a strong reproaching message, say to him that you can tell he is very excited and full of excess energy and to go outside and jump up and down on old sticks or some play toy instead. This method allows the kid to feel as if his emotions are acceptable and he does not feel hurt and rejected. If the parent had instead passed judgment on his inappropriate behavior rather than appraising the child’s feelings, the kid would end up feeling condemned and reproached. This damages one’s self-esteem and creates suppressed anger and rage. The bullying seeds have been planted.
When you strike or beat a child, you’re sending him two messages: First) that adults condone violence, and Second) that violence and force are the methods that adults use to solve problems.
The seeds of bullying are planted deeper. Keep in mind that when a child is striking out with rage or violence, try to look at his behavior as his inappropriate way that he is trying to ask a question or is asking for help. They feel threatened and helpless at the same time. When I see a kid strike another, I see the aggressor as someone who is expressing contempt for something he sees in his victim which he despises within himself.
There are many forms of bullying in society. There is always someone advocating that “he” represents a school of thought, a self-imposed notion, a position, or some form of implied omnipotence to dictate appropriateness to others. Throughout history, we’ve witnessed it between races, economically (rich vs. the poor), with age (I know best because I’m older), intellectually, militarily, the media (especially on news broadcast and TV talk shows), and of course politically.
I have always believed that one of the last strongholds of maintaining a non-violent society lies with the martial arts industry. Do I have a concluding point? Violence in any form implies a loss of self-control. It is of great importance that martial arts’ instructors reinforce those behavior codes that are about acquiring an attitude of self-control.
Martial Arts vs Bullying
“Wisdom is knowing what to do next; Skill is knowing how to do it, and Courage is doing it.”
Cardinal Rule in Sparring to Avoid Doubt
"When in doubt, INSTANTLY stick and move!"
On Attitude
"Either you control your attitude or it controls you."
The collective use of both a sound offensive attack together with the disciplined use of an aggressive defense (what you're taking away from opponent) will enable fighters to appropriately focus their mental energies in exercising the use of a constant visualization necessary to authoritatively control any opponent.
Competition
"The ultimate competition is not against an opponent, but to compete against oneself."
Question: Many people are adamant that a martial arts instructor must be a master of executing techniques and fighting. However, many of the great boxing instructors such as Angelo Dundee, weren't fighters. How much emphasis would you personally place on an instructor's ability to perform technique and fight? Should an instructor be proficient in combat to teach it, or is it only essential that one be able to show a fighter how to master the moves without being a master of them yourself? I would love to hear your thoughts on this. (3/8/2011 9:34:21 AM)
“What counts most is not the martial arts skills you’re able to perform or to teach someone, but rather the confidence you leave within them that enables their effective use of those skills.”When Angelo Dundee’s Brother, Chris, wanted his own Son to learn how to defend himself, he did not send him to train with the Uncle, Angelo; instead, he send him to take karate lessons from one of our Florida studios.
Some of my instructors taught me technique, and others taught me about how to fight. In other words, some trainers are good at teaching “style” and others are better at developing ones “substance.” A fighter needs both.
I’ll leave you with another of my quotes: “It is not what you’ve done that makes you what you are (a great trainer), it is what you are made of that determines that.”