Isshin-ryu Hall of Fame
Encyclopedia
The Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame (IHOF) is both an annual event of recognized Isshin-ryū
Isshin-ryu
is a style of Okinawan karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku  and named by him on 15 January 1956. Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means, literally, "one heart method"...

 practitioners and the associated list of past inductees. The annual event includes a karate tournament of Isshin-ryu practitioners.

History

The IHOF was originally called the IIKA Hall of Fame. It was created in 1979 by the International Isshin-ryū Karate Association, a group of Isshin-ryū karateka headed by milestone American servicemembers who trained with Master Shimabuku
Shimabuku Tatsuo
Tatsuo Shimabuku was the founder of Isshin-ryū karate.-Family:Tatsuo Shimabuku was born in Kyan [Chan] village, Okinawa, on September 19, 1908. He was the first of ten children born into a farming family. By the age of 12, he had a strong desire to study martial arts...

 in Okinawa and brought Isshin-ryū to the United States. However, the Hall of Fame was later dissociated from the IIKA to keep it neutral from the many Isshin-ryū organizations and allow them all to have recognized members. As such, in 1981, Harold Long
Harold G. Long
Harold G. Long was a Isshin-Ryu Karate instructor from Tennessee.- Biography :He was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, on September 3, 1930, one of thirteen children born of Bessie Marie Fance Long and John Riley Long. His family moved from Rockwood to Morgan County in 1934 where he attended elementary...

 formed the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame. Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, the creator of Isshin-ryū, was the first inductee.

Currently

Where some hall of fame lists allow persons to nominate themselves for induction, the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame requires nomination by someone else and the nominations are voted on for induction by a Board made up of 12 members of the Isshin-ryū community.

Each year, Isshin-ryū practitioners take part in the IHOF tournament and awards ceremony. The tournament includes kumite
Kumite
Kumite means sparring, and is one of the three main sections of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite is the part of karate in which you train against an adversary, using the techniques learned from the kihon and kata....

, hand kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....

, and weapon kata
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...

 competitions subdivided by age group and rank. After the tournament is an awards ceremony for the tournament winners. There are also awards for Sensei of the Year and Isshin-ryū Service Award, among others.

List of Inductees by Year

Inductees of the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame
Year Name
1980 Tatsuo Shimabuku
Shimabuku Tatsuo
Tatsuo Shimabuku was the founder of Isshin-ryū karate.-Family:Tatsuo Shimabuku was born in Kyan [Chan] village, Okinawa, on September 19, 1908. He was the first of ten children born into a farming family. By the age of 12, he had a strong desire to study martial arts...

1981 Harold Long
Harold G. Long
Harold G. Long was a Isshin-Ryu Karate instructor from Tennessee.- Biography :He was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, on September 3, 1930, one of thirteen children born of Bessie Marie Fance Long and John Riley Long. His family moved from Rockwood to Morgan County in 1934 where he attended elementary...

1982 Mike Hammonds
Harold Mitchum
Harold M. Mitchum
Harold Marion Mitchum is a tenth degree black belt in the Isshin-ryū karate system. He learned under the founder of Isshin-ryū, Shimabuku Tatsuo, while serving three tours in Okinawa with the U.S. Marines. Though Mitchum himself claims that he was on Okinawa and trained under Shimabuku for...

1983 Don Nagle
Allen Wheeler
1984 J.C. Burris
Cas Cox
Denny Shaffer
1985 Steve Armstrong
1986 none
1987 Willie Adams
Joel Buchholtz
Philip McElroy
1988 Nick Adler
Toby Cooling
Rick Niemira
Tommy True
1989 James Chapman
Lewis Lizotte
1990 George Chilton
Dale Jenkins
Doug Noxon
Sam Santilli
1991 Jim McDonald
1992 Phil Little
1993 none
Year Name
1994 Harry Acklin
Ed McGrath
Ralph Passero
Arnold R. Sandubrae
1995 Joel Chandler
James Maples
Maurice G. Msarsa
1996 Barry Smith
1997 Angi Uezu
Angi Uezu
Angi Uezu is the former head of one of the major Isshin-ryu karate organizations, the Okinawan Isshin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Association . He is the son-in-law of the system's founder, Shimabuku Tatsuo, and is a 10th degree black belt.He was born in Chiyaranka City on the island of Saipan...

Butch Hill
1998 Don Bohan
Carol Burris
Norbert Donnelly
Aubrey "Bud" Ewing
Marilyn Fierro
David Gabbard
Clyde Stanley
1999 John Lennox
Glen Webb
2000 William Duessel
Lonnie Workman
2001 Sherman J. Harrill
Robert L. White
2002 Danny Glover
Melbert Lee, Sr.
2002 Pete Mills
Year Name
2003 Diane E. Ortenzio-Cooling
Mitch Kobylanski
Isham Latimer
Kelly Markham
Carl Martin
Sandra Strong
Willie G. Wilson
2004 Terry Creamer
James Ogle
2005 Chester Holubecki
Robert Kristensen
Reese Rigby
Scott Shamblin
Jerry Smith
Dennis Wright
Steve Young
2006 Karen Bronson
Tom Lewis
Albert Mady
2007 Don Bordinger
John Ingram
George Shin Sr
Eugene Woods
James Bond
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