From the files of Bushido Karate Dojo – Honbu

These are stories from the very early days of my dojo and insight into martial arts, warrior spirit, and how we trained during the 1960s and forward.  This installment is entitled  Crossing Paths with Grand Master Joseph Hess.

 I met Joseph Hess in 1972.  A group of students and I went to Wildwood, NJ, for a weekend of training on the beach.  Before this, I had heard of Joe Hess. I had hoped to stop by his dojo for some training.  Our first stop was the local police station.  We were carrying nunchakus, and I had heard that this was an issued piece of equipment for the police in Wildwood.  The desk sergeant told us not to carry them, and by the way, Joe Hess was in the building.

 In real life, Joe looked as big as his martial arts accomplishments.  We talked, and he invited us to train with him after his shift.  We took in some sun and waited for Joe to finish work.  We exchanged kata tips, and then he sparred with each of us three times.  No one was able to get a point.  I watched his legs, as huge as tree trunks, fly around my head. He had to leave to work a police special detail but said that we could continue training in the morning. 

 The following day, I had the opportunity to do a ride-along with Joe—my first time in a police car.  Driving around Wildwood, he talked about martial arts and law enforcement.  Later, we had a great training class, and then it was back to North Jersey for us.

 Over the next few years, Joe and I would meet at various tournaments in and around New York City.  I had joined the police force in Livingston, and he was now the world champion.  In time, I lost contact with him as I continued to train, dividing my time between martial arts and my new career in law enforcement.

 In 1982, I met up with Joe again.  This time, it was in Florida.  I was now working in law enforcement in Broward County, and Joe was the chief defensive tactics instructor at the Broward Police Academy.  I was taking an advanced nightstick course, and there he was.  Joe was the instructor.  He was as friendly and funny as I remembered.  By now, Joe had become one of the world's most well-known and best law enforcement defensive tactics instructors.

Whenever I was at the Academy, I would stop to see him.  He was still amazing.  He would spar with each student in the class and do this for each academy class each year.  He had not lost his championship qualities. 

In 1998, I was assigned to the Academy as the Instructor coordinator, and there he still was.  I became certified as a Florida Department of Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics instructor with Joe as my instructor.  We talked about my trips to Japan, and we constantly exchanged techniques.  My training improved.  Soon, I was studying with him and assisting him in teaching the recruits. 

 My wife, an accomplished black belt instructor, began teaching at one of Joe's dojo, and soon, she was promoted to 4th-degree black belt with Joe signing her certificate. 

 This friendship continued until this day.  I retired from law enforcement in 2007, and there he was.  He and his wife, Brenda, attended my retirement party.  It was an absolute honor.  From 1972 on, Grand Master Joseph Hess has been a true friend and mentor to the students of Bushido Karate Dojo and me personally. 

 This is what the martial arts community is all about.