by Stilman Davis | Feb 26, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
Toshiaki Inouye Inducted 1994 Inouye Sensei was born on March 9, 1925, in Hilo, Hawaii. His lifelong pursuit of Judo began at the age of 9 in 1934. He received the rank of Shodan on November 10, 1941 at the age 16. On April 5, 1994, he was inducted into the US Judo...
by Stilman Davis | Feb 26, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
Sam Hamai Inducted 1994 On January 27, 1994, the Judo community lost one of its leaders when Isamu (Sam) Hamai passed away at the age of 72 at his home in Palo Alto, California. Hamai Sensei was survived his wife Emiko, son Harold and wife Laura, and his two...
by Stilman Davis | Feb 26, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
Vince Tamura Inducted 1994 Vince Tamura was born in Fife, Washington, one of eleven children. It was there in a Japanese-American community, that he first became interested in Judo. At the age of five, Vince stepped on Judo mat for the first time. After residing...
by Stilman Davis | Feb 25, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
Donn Draeger Class of 1994 Donn Draeger Draeger reportedly began his involvement in the martial arts while living in the Chicago area, at around the age of 7 or 8. His first training was in jujutsu, but he soon changed to judo and by age 10, he reportedly achieved the...
by Stilman Davis | Feb 25, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
George Wilson Inducted 1994 George was born on April 2, 1928, in Brookings, South Dakota. He graduated from Highline High School in 1945 and then joined the United States Marine Corps where he served in the Marine Aircraft Group Fifteen while stationed in Honolulu,...
by Stilman Davis | Feb 25, 2018 | Class of 1994, Hall of Fame Class
Eddie Yamaki Inducted 1994 In 2002 the fiftieth anniversary was celebrated with a book of USJF history. In it were a number of biographies. including this: PROFESSOR EDDIE B. YAMAKI Hawaii State Judo Association Date of Birth March 6, 1919 Shunyo Kan Judo Club...
