Chow interview

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Ron Alo was a regular back in the day with his students on the tournament circuit. Nice unassuming man, and student of WIlliam Chow teaching his own brand of "Hawaiian Kenpo." I believe he passed away quite some time ago.

Any relation to the Rodney Alo of the open forms division, displaying kajukenbo, kenpo & won hop keun do forms competency?

D.

 

[John Bishop]

There is absolutely no proof that Professor Chow ever studied with anyone else but Mitose. None of his older or younger brothers ever picked up anything from their Father (the kung fu master), nor referred to him as a "Master". Professor Chow was a street wise and a street smart fighter and picked up information from many sources.
The truth is, at the time, Mr.Mitose was the big kahuna of Kenpo/Kempo on the islands or at least had established himself as one. Professor Chow even took his most senior student (Mr. Emperado) to Mitose for obtaining his teaching certificate. This has been verified by Sijo Emperado himself. Of course to claim to have studied with a dead father is always the best way to go. Didn't Mitose claim to have studied with his Grandfather?

Salute,

I wouldn't be so positive about any of the above facts. New information comes out all the time, if you look for it.
Kajukenbo founder Joe Holck says that William Chow was training at the Okizaki dojo before he joined Mitose's classes. In fact he tried to talk Holck into going with him to "see what this kenpo stuff, Mitose was teaching was about".
A few months ago I got hold of a old 8mm movie (converted to video) of Aleju Reyes's students competing at differant tournaments in the 60's. There, at Ralph Castro's tournament is Prof. Chow demonstrating a Hung Gar form. So,where did Prof. Chow learn Hung Gar? And what about all the people who say "Prof. Chow never did kata's" ?
When you do research, you have to keep a open mind. If you follow only one trail, or only one theory, your going to miss out on a lot of information.

 

[John Bishop]

Any relation to the Rodney Alo of the open forms division, displaying kajukenbo, kenpo & won hop keun do forms competency?

D.

Sigung Rod is Ron's son. He is a student of Prof. Allen Abad.

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Sigung Rod is Ron's son. He is a student of Prof. Allen Abad.

Thank you. Do you happen to know where Mr. Reyes' son teaches, if he still does?

Thanks in advance,

D.

 

[eyebeams]

I wouldn't be so positive about any of the above facts. New information comes out all the time, if you look for it.
Kajukenbo founder Joe Holck says that William Chow was training at the Okizaki dojo before he joined Mitose's classes. In fact he tried to talk Holck into going with him to "see what this kenpo stuff, Mitose was teaching was about".
A few months ago I got hold of a old 8mm movie (converted to video) of Aleju Reyes's students competing at differant tournaments in the 60's. There, at Ralph Castro's tournament is Prof. Chow demonstrating a Hung Gar form. So,where did Prof. Chow learn Hung Gar? And what about all the people who say "Prof. Chow never did kata's" ?
When you do research, you have to keep a open mind. If you follow only one trail, or only one theory, your going to miss out on a lot of information.

Interesting. It would be nice to see that.

From what I've been reading, it looks like Mitose taught a pretty limited currciculum (Naihanchi, some judo-style movements, some karate basics -- though I've found one reference to Henshuho practice coming from him). Given what happened later in his life, I wonder what degree Chow was merely brought under the umbrella as opposed to taught.

 

[John Bishop]

Thank you. Do you happen to know where Mr. Reyes' son teaches, if he still does?

Thanks in advance,

D.

Reyes Kajukenbo-Kenpo Karate
674 Parker Road
Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 437-0351

 

[kenmpoka]

I wouldn't be so positive about any of the above facts. New information comes out all the time, if you look for it.
Kajukenbo founder Joe Holck says that William Chow was training at the Okizaki dojo before he joined Mitose's classes. In fact he tried to talk Holck into going with him to "see what this kenpo stuff, Mitose was teaching was about".
A few months ago I got hold of a old 8mm movie (converted to video) of Aleju Reyes's students competing at differant tournaments in the 60's. There, at Ralph Castro's tournament is Prof. Chow demonstrating a Hung Gar form. So,where did Prof. Chow learn Hung Gar? And what about all the people who say "Prof. Chow never did kata's" ?
When you do research, you have to keep a open mind. If you follow only one trail, or only one theory, your going to miss out on a lot of information.

Mr.Bishop,

I did not say the Professor never studied Jujutsu. I just don't think for any noticable length of time. Was he a DanZan ryu rank holder Sir? I doubt it. Professor Chow was too wild to have trained under Sensei Okazaki on a regular basis.....My belief. We are talking of the Professor's knowledge in the 40's 50's 60's and not the late 70's at the Castro's. Do you know for a fact that was a Hung GAR form? Please compare the footage you speak of with any Hung Gar form available on Video or DVD. Hung Gar has very few forms. Is it possible the Professor made up the form? Is it possible he was showing "Hansuki" on that tape? Do Mr. Kuoha and Mr.Chun Jr. know that form? According to Mr. Kuoha, the Professor only knew Naihanchi (Naifuanchi). Why not go by what Sijo Emperado has repeatedly said?

I do have a very open mind......

Salute,

 

[dianhsuhe]

Thunderbolt: I am fortunate to train at the "main" Kara-Ho dojo about 3 times per week, which is behind Grandmaster Kuoha's house. I saw him tonight but did not get a chance to ask him about the magazine interview. I know he has posted quite a bit on the Kara-Ho thread but I am not sure he has seen or read this particular thread...

I really enjoy these threads, and everyone who contributes information about our Kempo predecessors! It is nice to hear so many senior Kempoists pitching there .02

I have competed against Mr. Rodney Alo and Mr.Tim Bowles, they are both awesome...

Take care everyone,
James

 

[John Bishop]

Mr.Bishop,

I did not say the Professor never studied Jujutsu. I just don't think for any noticable length of time. Was he a DanZan ryu rank holder Sir? I doubt it. Professor Chow was too wild to have trained under Sensei Okazaki on a regular basis.....My belief.

I haven't verified it, and probably never will be able to, but Chow did claim a 5th dan in judo. And two of his brothers were Danzan Ryu black belts. And of course there were many other judo and jujitsu instructors in Hawaii who were not from Okizaki dojo.
So, judo and jujitsu training was quite common in Hawaii.

We are talking of the Professor's knowledge in the 40's 50's 60's and not the late 70's at the Castro's. Do you know for a fact that was a Hung GAR form? Please compare the footage you speak of with any Hung Gar form available on Video or DVD. Hung Gar has very few forms.
Is it possible the Professor made up the form?

I have been told that this demonstration was around 1964. And no,it is not Honsuki, (Honsuki was a Bill Chun invention. I have never found anyone in Hawaii, who had learned Honsuki.)
It is typical of a Hung Gar form with very low stances, slow dynamic tension moves, and claw type strikes. I've seen the form done at tournaments, but I don't know it's Chinese name.

Do Mr. Kuoha and Mr.Chun Jr. know that form?

Like I said I have only had the video for a few months, so I haven't shown it to GM Kuoha, or GM Chun Jrh. It has been viewed by Wilfred Peladeau, who was Bill Chun Sr's first black belt. In fact Peladeau was present when Prof. Chow demonstrated the form. He did not recognize it as a form that Chun taught. And you have to be aware that Bill Chun came to Prof. Chow from another system, and trained with him for a short time before moving to California. He kept close contact with the Prof. during the 60's and early 70's, and brought him to California a few times during that period. But when GM Chun's wife died he dropped out of the martial arts completely, and didn't have any more contact with Prof. Chow. He only became active again for a short time after Prof. Chow's passing.
I don't think any of the Prof.'s student's, including GM Kuoha, SGM Parker, and Sijo Emperado, were taught everything that Prof. Chow knew. He just wasn't the type to let people know everything he knew.
Plus many people fell in and out of favor with the Prof. during his lifetime. Probably his longest student was Brother Abe Kamahoahoa.

According to Mr. Kuoha, the Professor only knew Naihanchi (Naifuanchi). Why not go by what Sijo Emperado has repeatedly said?

I do have a very open mind......

Salute,

I communicate with Sijo Emperado almost monthly, and have had many very long conversations with him about the "old days".
And I've had many long visits and discussions with GM Kuoha, and a few with the late SGM Parker.
These men may have said that "the only form Prof. Chow taught was Naihanchi", but I have never heard any of them say that it was the only form Prof. Chow knew.

I see people write all the time that "there is absolutely no evidence that Prof. Chow learned kung fu from his father".
But there is a equal argument that "there is absolutely no evidence that Prof. Chow didn't learn kung fu from his father".

 

[kenmpoka]

I haven't verified it, and probably never will be able to, but Chow did claim a 5th dan in judo. And two of his brothers were Danzan Ryu black belts. And of course there were many other judo and jujitsu instructors in Hawaii who were not from Okizaki dojo.
So, judo and jujitsu training was quite common in Hawaii.>

Well probably much like his 15th, it was self-claimed. Like I said I cannot picture Professor Chow in a traditional Dojo. I am aware of his bother was a high ranking DanZan Ryu practitioner, and that is where the Professor's knowledge came from.

<I have been told that this demonstration was around 1964. And no,it is not Honsuki, (Honsuki was a Bill Chun invention. I have never found anyone in Hawaii, who had learned Honsuki.)>

I was told by GM. Bill Chun Jr, that "Hansuki" was a joint creation of his Father and the Professor.

<It is typical of a Hung Gar form with very low stances, slow dynamic tension moves, and claw type strikes. I've seen the form done at tournaments, but I don't know it's Chinese name.>

"Hansuki" when performed correctly has claw type strikes, low stances, dynamic tentioning, and rapid striking.....

<I don't think any of the Prof.'s student's, including GM Kuoha, SGM Parker, and Sijo Emperado, were taught everything that Prof. Chow knew. He just wasn't the type to let people know everything he knew.>

I believe they were taught different things because they studied with the Professor at different times. They have each expanded on his teachings as well.


<I communicate with Sijo Emperado almost monthly, and have had many very long conversations with him about the "old days".
And I've had many long visits and discussions with GM Kuoha, and a few with the late SGM Parker.
These men may have said that "the only form Prof. Chow taught was Naihanchi", but I have never heard any of them say that it was the only form Prof. Chow knew.>

C'mon Mr. Bishop what are the chances.....

<I see people write all the time that "there is absolutely no evidence that Prof. Chow learned kung fu from his father".
But there is a equal argument that "there is absolutely no evidence that Prof. Chow didn't learn kung fu from his father".>

Yes, but not likely, in my opinion. Mr. Bishop, I have been at this for 28 years as well, and hold significant rank in a few systems. I can see and feel if one has any knowledge of various systems. Professor Chow was great at what he did, but he was not a Kung Fu man, or at least never had any significant training at it.

I thank you for the dialogue.

Salute,

 

[John Bishop]

I don't know how many of Prof. Chow's students you have talked to, but your right that differant students at differant times learned differant things.
But I have talked to old Hawaiian instructors who have witnessed Chow performing kung fu techniques.
As to the video I have being Hansuki, it dosent resemble any of the video clips I've seen of Hansuki. But there again I've been told that there are differant Hansuki forms being put forward as the "real form". But like I said, Wilfred Peladeau said it wasn't, so that's good enough for me.
The Chow video I have only has 2 hand strikes, no kicks, and a few very slow linear claw/palm strikes. Of course there's some slow stepping patterns along with slow blocks. The only technique that is done with speed is a double punch.

 

[kenmpoka]

I don't know how many of Prof. Chow's students you have talked to, but your right that differant students at differant times learned differant things.
But I have talked to old Hawaiian instructors who have witnessed Chow performing kung fu techniques.
As to the video I have being Hansuki, it dosent resemble any of the video clips I've seen of Hansuki. But there again I've been told that there are differant Hansuki forms being put forward as the "real form". But like I said, Wilfred Peladeau said it wasn't, so that's good enough for me.
The Chow video I have only has 2 hand strikes, no kicks, and a few very slow linear claw/palm strikes. Of course there's some slow stepping patterns along with slow blocks. The only technique that is done with speed is a double punch.

Thank you Mr. Bishop. The form you saw The Professor perform, probably was not "Hansuki". "Hansuki" has two versions. The Chun's version, and the Shaolin Kempo version. Close but different in parts.
I can show you many Kung Fu techniques, but that doesn't make me a Kung Fu Master.

Again, thank you.

Salute,

 

[dianhsuhe]

Is the debate whether Professor Chow practiced/learned Kung-Fu from his father, or that he was a master of Kung-Fu? (Understanding that the term Kung-Fu is not an actual art but a definition)

I can tell you that many advanced Kara-Ho techniques are circular and seem to have a significant Chinese influence-- I have seen Kosho-Ryu and even a few Goshin-jitsu tech's, and there are very few similarities. The art seemed to be continually changing--

For me, while it IS interesting to trace the history of certain techniques or forms, I am not as concerned where they are from but rather if they are effective- and they are (I have felt them)

Take care everybody,
James

 

[IslandBoy]

...And you have to be aware that Bill Chun came to Prof. Chow from another system, and trained with him for a short time before moving to California...

Any idea what system Bill Chun trained in before training with Professor Chow? He must have learned a lot in a short time because I read some where he was one of Chow's top student. Any idea if Chun developed GoShin Jitsu Kai Chinese Kempo in Hawaii or when he moved to California?

 

[gmkuoha]

Wow, I am away for a couple of weeks and things are stirring up. There are several questions that require my addressing so I will try to take some time off tomorrow to answer them. I was asked by Dianshuhe tonight at class if I would take a look at this forum top answer these questions and I will do so....but just getting back in town from an important event was very pertinent to my family. As most of you know my students are like my extended family so I traveled to San Francisco to attend one of my daughter's black belt student who just graduated from UCSF Law school and his fiancee just graduated from dental school in New York and she came there also and she is my student so this was an important event for us as we care about them all so that is the reason I was gone. Prior to that I was in Las Vegas to witness a wedding sealing of a dear friend and his wife at the Las Vegas Mormon Temple. Many of you might know him as he is in many films and is the cousin of the "Rock". His name is Sid Liufau so that was also important to us. I am back again for a short time before my travelling starts up again, so if there are more questions, please ask and I will do my best to answer them at once.
Grandmaster Kuoha

 

[Thunderbolt]

Any idea what system Bill Chun trained in before training with Professor Chow? He must have learned a lot in a short time because I read some where he was one of Chow's top student. Any idea if Chun developed GoShin Jitsu Kai Chinese Kempo in Hawaii or when he moved to California?

i was thinking about asking this question and i'm glad that you posted it. Great thinkers think alike

hopefully, we will see our answers here

 

[punisher73]

As far as this Jacob person is concerned, it states in the interview that Jacob wanted no rank or inherit the system he only did it out of love.

If that is the case then it's probably no wonder no one knows who this person is. He probably stopped after Chow passed on and didn't teach anyone.

 

[gmkuoha]

Okay, here goes with attempting to answer all your questions. Please let me know if I have been able to shed some light on these or if you have more. Remember these are my account of things that Professor Chow has told me and things that I have seen over the years.

Number one I have been training in The Chinese Kempo of Kara-Ho System for over 20 years but have trained in other arts since I was 4 years old. I started back again with Professor Chow in the mid 70's where I was going back to Hawaii at least twice a year and sometimes three. I spent 2-3 weeks at a time where about 90% of the time I spent at his home training in the park next door or in the evening at the church hall. During all this time I have not been able to train with Jacob as he was never there and yes, his name is Jacob and at the time in question (1986) he was supposed to have been training for 4-5 years. I did have an opportunity to train with a white belt name Walter and there were a few others that never stayed. When I went to classes, I normally would start the classes. It is to be known that I have in my possession one of the first printed Mitosi's Book of Self Defense where Professor Chow is shown doing some techniques. In the front it was signed by Professor Chow and it reads: To my Chief Instructor, Samuel 5th degree. Aloha from Hawaii, Professor William Kwai Sun Chow. This was in the early 80's, and I also have a recorded tape interview with me and Professor Chow from the early 80's where he states I am his top student and will carry on his name and his system. This interview will remain for myself and my black belts to listen but will not go any farther then that. It is very derogotory and statements made towards other old timers were not in the positive so it will never be allowed to be printed in any magazine...for we are a positive system to grow and move forward we need to put all these "small talks" on the side and move on with our lives. I want my students to grow srong and move foward with positive Ki and there is no room for that kind of negativity.

When Professor Chow passed away I could not go back home for the funeral as it was forbid by my doctors, so I made arrangements to go back about 6 weeks after. It is to be noted that almost everyday since Professor Chow passed away I was getting collect calls from Steven Chow (Professor Chow's son) and he kept asking me to come to Hawaii and take over everything. When I did go back Steven told me that they were having a meeting and in this meeting were several people, none that was important as Patsy Chow and Dr. Perry were not invited, and they were the ones that spent time with Professor before his death, but at this meeting was Steven, Jacob, Walter and a couple of Professor's older students that never stayed for any length of time. They all discussed things and said that I should take over and run the system because I knew the most about Kara-Ho. I told them that I did not want to be the head of anything and that I was satisfied of where I was, a 9th dan under Professor Chow. They all kept telling me that I had to do that and finally to brush them off, I told them I would think about it. It also to be known that Steven, who did not train in Kara-Ho as he and his dad could never see eye to eye as Steven was heavy into drugs asked me to promote him to 9th dan after I got my 10th. I told him that there was no way I would do that as I wanted students to be able to look up to the higher ranking instructors and that could not happen on this case. Of course he was very angry about this. I even tried to help him as he moved here for the entire summer of 1983, but when he went home, he went back to his old ways.

In this article, I don't know who this Jim Perkins is, but he never says he trained with Professor Chow and in fact I remember at that time, Professor calling me by phone and telling me that some guy under Alo was there asking him all kinds of questions and what should he do. I told him to contact Dr. Perry and do not talk to this guy or do not sign anything or teach him anything. This can be verified through Dr. Perry as he knows everything and everybody that went to visit Professor and for what reason. I later spoke to Professor and I remember him telling me that he didn't sign nothing and didn't say too much to him, which showed in this very short...concise so...called lost interview. Evidently his memory is not so good as he states he went home and tried to remember what he had been told so I think more then a few of his memory brain cells have lapsed. Professor never claimed that Mr. Parker only recieved a purple belt, but he has always stated that he trained with him for only 2 years but got a brown belt and it is true that in those days we only used the white, brown and black belts. Then one moment he hated Ron Alo and the next moment he wanted to see him. That is one thing I learned about Professor Chow all these years, but if you were on his bad side...you would forever be on his bad side and he was not afraid to tell anything to your face. So that there does not fit the Professor. Another thing I have noticed is that if he was angry at your instructor, he would get upset but never at you as a person as he knew that it wasn't your fault. All he wanted to do was make sure that everyone knew the truth about everyone that trained with him for a few weeks and used his name for fame or money. These are the tapes that I have in our archives, but won't release them.

The comments he made and said about Parker and Mitosi are probably true as there was no lost love between them, but for the most part these things should not have been printed in any public forum such as a magazine, but to each his own, I guess. Some people thrive on negativity and controversy.

Regarding Professor Chow's training...yes i believe him when he says his training came first from his father as I have seen him do techniques resembling Kung Fu as I have trained in Kung Fu also for many years. Plus I have spoken to a very old Chinese Man that comes from Shanghai, China that now lives out here and after speaking with him, he told me that it was highly unlikely that a member of any Chinese Family that lived in Shanghai especially a son that did not know or practice in the Gung Fu Art extensively as it was almost mandatory for children there to train for health at least. He also said there was many fightings going on between families of various farms so all the sons would train in Gung Fu to become better then their neighbors so they could defeat them in battle.

I have in my possessions a bunch of photos taken of Professor Chow doing what might be determined as the Naihanchi Kata. These photos seem to be around the same time the photos for the Mitosi Book was printed in the early 50's. Professor told me that this was not his form so he did not want me to teach it. He said that his forms would have the kung fu flavor and so the development of the katas we now have which was done with he and I in the mid 70's.

Regarding Hanshi Bruce Juchnik, though many people belive that what he is teaching is not Kenpo, I beg to differ. I really cannot tell you or know for fact on the amount of knowledge he obtained from Mitosi but have no doubt that the system was bestowed upon him. I find him to be a humble yet direct teacher and no matter how much of what is taught is Koshu-ryu, I believe that he was given the system and if any of you have seen him working out, there would be no doubt in anyone's mind about the talent this man has. He is a dynamic teacher and even if he didn't have Koshu-ryu, he can handle himself quite well. He carries around with him all the time the aloha spirit and defines himself as a true martial artists and I have to stand next to him on that.

Though I never met Bill Chun Sr, Professor Chow used to tell me allot about him and yes, at one time he was Professor Chow's right hand man till the late 70's-early 80's when Professor Chow never heard from him and in fact Professor told me that he thought Bill Chun Sr. wanted nothing to do with him again and he didn't know why. He said he tried calling him several times but did not get a response since he always called collect, so he disassociated himself from Chun. Jr. claims to have the true Kara-Ho but how do you have something that is true when the man himself decides it's time to improve and you're not around to accept those teachings.

You must all take what is printed in BB Magazine with a grain of salt. I did one of the largest selling issues in 1989 for their cover and they promised me it would not be a controversial article and I was wrong to trust them so because CFW (IKF, MA, IK) have been trying to modify their magazines to be more positive, I have been doing allot with them. I have also done covers in England, All through Latin America, Spain, Germany and others including several throughout the US and have tried desperately to have positive articles that would give a reader something to relate too instead of something that had a debate. I just found out that I will be on the cover of IKF in November of this year and my daughter, Sensei Ka'imi will be on the cover in early 2006 with her kung fu instructor. I will also be doing 2 covers shots in Mexico City and Spain (Budo) wants us back there to do another.

Ron Alo at one time was a friend of mine and then we lost contact, but I have many of his black belt students, some were his top people in Wyoming that have joined our organization. In 1974, I approached Ron to assist me in helping Professor establish an organization for him to preserve the Kara-Ho System. He asked me what was in it for him, and I responded, having the taking the time to help sopmeone who has been important to us for all our martial arts training. He refused and the rest is history. Yes, Professor did not like him either but on the scale of 1-10 and 10 being the most hated, he was about a 3-4. Hey, at times I think I was in that range also. I remember once when I was training allot and he called me up and told me that he wanted to skip some ranks for me and wanted to promote me to 8th dan because he said it was my dedication and knowledge of his art. I refused and he started yelling at me over the phone. He sounded so angry that I postponed my trip back home till he called me about 7 months later and asked when I was coming home to train. I asked him if he was all right and he said yes, so I went home, but then he promoted me to 5th dan and I didn't refuse because I was so close to him. In his later years (70's and on) he believed in paperwork so that is when the notarizing of instructor's certificate came in and has continued even to this day.

Someone wrote that they thought that I was given the system because I was better off monetarily then Jacob and if you think raising 4 kids and a wife on a police salary is being rich, then you don't know nothing. Both Patsy and Dr. Perry signed a notarized a declaration for me that read that I was given this seat because that is what Professor Chow wanted to do because he felt I was the one with the knowledge, and I appreciated that. In 1988, the then Inside Kung Fu Magazine did a cover shot and an article and it read, The Reluctant Grandmaster. The editor was John Soet and he did allot of investigation and then came to me. I, indeed did not want the mantle and tried to get out of it several times and to be honest I sometimes wish that I never took it. It took them a year to convince me that I was denying Professor Chow's wishes and was being dishonorable to him. I certainly did not want to do that, but I did not franchise the schools as my attorneys advised me too but I just sunk my own money to help others find the truth and in the end my immediate family suffered for that decision...but we have never regretted that decision that I made many years ago. When we look at all the friends that we have made all these years and the joining of extended families, spending over $100,000 to do this and not getting it all back has been well worth it for me and my family.

Yes, Professor Chow had been humbled to picking up cans and recycled bottles but he did not have to do that as we had arranged a bank account for him in Hawaii whereas every month the bank was sending him money for his bills and essentials. All the money I collected from my 20-30 students each month went directly to this account and we continued to care for Patsy Chow after Professor passed on. Tell me where any of his students, past or present, did even half as much.....None, because they did not love that man like I did. He wanted my daughter named after him and so we gave her his middle name, Kwai Sun, and when we saw him 5 weeks before his passing he told her (3 years old then) that someday she would run his system, and till today she has always remembered those words and someday she will when I am gone and she will do him proud. It is to be noted that after his death, they found over $6,000 under his bed in US coins packed in shoe boxes (though the bank was giving him money each month, he did not trust them and also did not trust in paper money as he said rats could eat them. The truck that took this money to the bank was weighted to the springs and when someone asked Patsy where he got all this money from, she uttered, Samuel. I gave and gave and gave and when it hurt...I gave again...because I truly loved him. I'd like to see anyone else rebute that. Hope this answers allot of your questions....Sorry for it being so long but that was 7 long pages for me to go through all because of this dumb article, but if you've learned something from this...then it's worth all the time it's taken me to type this, which is about 5 hours.
Grandmaster Kuoha

 

[gmkuoha]

As far as this Jacob person is concerned, it states in the interview that Jacob wanted no rank or inherit the system he only did it out of love.

If that is the case then it's probably no wonder no one knows who this person is. He probably stopped after Chow passed on and didn't teach anyone.

Jacob was indeed a black belt and yes, he took that when it was offered, but Professor would always say that Jacob always got carried away, and that means he was a double O student....off and on. But from the ones that he had there, Jacob did keep coming back even in between his time offs.
Grandmaster Kuoha

 

[Ray]

Someone wrote that they thought that I was given the system because I was better off monetarily then Jacob and if you think raising 4 kids and a wife on a police salary is being rich, then you don't know nothing.

Sir, I meant no disrepect. I was repeating what I recalled from a 1996 conversation with Perkins {the author of the article}.

I will admit that I know nothing of kenpo's history first hand; and I'm indebted to people, like you, who were there and take the time to share your memories.