IWishToLearn said:
Dr. Chapel,
I had read somewhere you were involved with the foundations of the BKF as well; do you still have any involvement with the BKF organization today? (I had an opportunity to meet SGM Mohammed and Bishop Williams at the IKCA West Coast Kenpo Confederation a couple days after I stopped by MSU--just curiosity speaking here
.)
It is not generally known, but the original idea for the BKF came from Ed Parker who suggested it to me. I bounced the idea off of my college room mate Cliff Stewart and our friend Jerry Smith. We all had schools and where teaching at the time. After much discussion, the three of us founded, named, and created the BKF at my apartment one Saturday after a training session. Also present was AL (Hot Dog) Harvey.
At the time there were a number of people getting together on the weekend to train at Manual Arts High School, (where I was assigned) so we had access to the facilities and gym. There were people from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Tang Soo Do, Taw Kwon Do, Shotokan, Hapkido, Five Animal Gung fu, Lima Lama, Okinawa te, and Kenpo were all represented. We brought the organization idea to the group one Saturday that included Steve Sanders and a host of others. We had an election and made Steve the president of the first board of directors. Vice President was Jerry Smith and Cliff was Executive Secretary. The consensus was I should be the Technical Historian, and I wrote their first curriculum. Much later Curtis Pulliam, Carl Armelin, and Donnie Williams were also added to the Board.
All of this was done with Mr. Parker's suggestion and blessing. He even expressed approval of the name, and patch before it was seen in public. Personally dissatisfied with the lack of organization and direction, I and the other founders broke official ties after a couple of years. We all still remain cordial with many of its members but have no official relationship.
