20. A Epoca 5-4-13.
21. A Batalha 27-4-33.
22. A Epoca 5-4-13.
23. A Epoca 7-4-13.
24. O Paiz 9-4-13.
25. Roberts 2003, pp. 11, 16. Dempsey originally fought under the name of Kid Blackie.
26. O Imparcial 8-5-13.
27. A Epoca 1-5-13.
28. A Epoca 3-5-13.
29. Both incidents were reported in A Epoca 3-5-13.
30. O Imparcial 1-9-14. Club de Regatas Boqueirão do Passeio was a sports club, originally (like most other sports clubs) focused on rowing and sailing.
31. A Epoca 14-3-13.
32. “Elle [Mario Aleixo] como todos sabem, é um dos mais profundos conhecedores dos jogos que vae leccionar”] O Imparcial 1-9-14.
33. Maeda’s name in Japanese is前田光世[Maeda Mitsuyo]. In Brazil he was Conde Koma de Maeda, and some other names, but usually simply Conde Koma.
.
Chapter 5
1914
1. Correio Paulistano 23-9-14 [“Estréa da afamada troupe de luctadores Japonezes Jiu-Jitsu dirigida por campeão mundial Conde Koma….O jiu-jitsu é uma lucta absolutamente differente e bem distincta de qualquer outra; é a verdadeira arte de DEFESA PESSOAL e da CULTURA PHYSICA no Japão”].
2. Spelling of the Japanese names was highly variable.
3. Confusingly Correio Paulistano 23-10-14 announced that the debut would be Thursday (“5.a-feira, 24 de Setembro de 1914”). Either that was an error, or the debut was postponed one day. Contrary to what some historians have claimed, Conde Koma did not first enter Brazil at Porto Alegre on November 14, 1914 (Souza 2010, citing Rildo Heros Barbosa de Medeiros). As Choque reveals, Koma was already performing in São Paulo on September 25, 1914. If Koma had entered via Porto Alegre it could only mean that he had left after October 20 and then come back on November 14, suggesting a brief stay in Montevideo or Buenas Aires.
4. Mr. Galant (also spelled Mr. Gallant) was the Russian luta romana world champion.
5. Segreto’s theaters included Theatro S. Jose, Theatro S. Pedro, and Cinema-Theatro Carlos Gomes, Moulin Rouge, Theatro Maison Moderne, Pavilhão Internacional in Rio, the Cinema Rio in Nictheroy [Niteroi]), Theatro Apollo in São Paulo, Theatro Fluminense in Petropolis, as well as Theatro Variedades and others.
6. Corrieo Paulistano 26-9-14.
7. Corrieo Paulistano 26-9-14. A Conflagração Europea was a continuing film news report about the First World War (although no one knew at the time that it was a “world” war or the first of two) that had just commenced the previous month (Howard 2002).
8. Pacotilha 12-8-15.
9. O Imparcial 30-3-15; Gazeta de Noticias 2-4-15.
10. Such offers were already a standard device from the earliest days of professional jiu-jitsu in Europe, designed to attract press coverage and amateur challengers. See Gutierrez & Esparteo 2003.
11. Correio Paulistano 3-10-14.
12. Correio Paulistano 4-9-14.
13. Correio Paulistano 4-10-14.
14. Correio Paulistano 7-10-14.
15. Correio Paulistano 9-10-14.
16. Correio Paulistano 11-10-14.
17. Correio Paulistano 12-10-14.
18. Correio Paulistano 13-10-14.
19. Correio Paulistano 18-10-14.
20. Correio Paulistano14, 19, 21-10-14.
21. Correio Paulistano 29-12-14.
..
Chapter 6
1915
1. Gazeta de Noticias 11-3-15 [“troupe de lutadores de jiu-jitsu que se acha em S. Paulo]. Akiyama (champion of North America) was already in Rio [“já se acha no Rio”].
2. Correia da Manhã 4-4-15.
3. Correio Paulistano 3-9-15.
4. Gazeta de Noticias 4-8-15.
5. Gazeta de Noticias 11-3-15.
6. Gazeta de Noticias 11-3-15.
7. Correio de Manhã 4-4-15.
8. A Epoca 5-4-15 [“Antes do inicio do campeonato, o conde Koma offerecerá uma sessão especial dedicada a class medica e a imprensa, afim de explicar, minuciosamente, os effeitos dos terrivels golpes de ataque e de defesa”].
9. A Noite 8-4-15 [“O conde Koma, chefe da “troupe” de “jiu-jitsu”, ora entre nos, visitou o sr. ministro do Japão, que hontem lhe retribuiu a vista no theatro Carlos Gomes”].
10. O Seculo 8-4-15. Ceinture á rebours en tourbillon meant picking the man up and rotating him backwards. Prise de hanches en tête was squeezing the head with the legs. Ceinture en souplesse was a back throw (a supplex).
11. Gazeta de Noticias 6-4-15 [“dentro de poucos dias mostará os seus profundos conhecimentos do sport Greco-romana”].
12. O Impracial 24-4-15. Rio and Nictheroy [Niteroi] were connected by a bridge in 1974. The ferry took about 15 minutes. Traveling on land however, was a trip of 100 kilometers, according to www.tramz.com/br/ni/ni.html.
13. A Noite 30-4-15 [“Inicia-se amanhã, no Carlos Gomes, o campeonato de <
14. Gazeta de Noticias 1-5-15. Jeolas was spelled Giolage in Diario de Noticias. In subsequent reports, Joaquim Guadencio Alves’ was usually referred to by his nickname of “o Lisboa” or “o Lisboeta.”
15. Gazeta de Noticias 2-5-15; O Paiz 2-5-15.
16. Gazeta de Noticias 2-5-15.
17. A Noite 2-5-15.
18. Gazeta de Noticias 2-5-15 [“não causou boa impressão, aos amadores de jiu-jitsu, que se apresentaram para disputer o premio offerecido pelo conde Koma, a rapida defesa dos golpes, applicada por este campãeo”]. It isn’t clear who the Gazeta de Noticias writer was referring to since the amateur challenges were not scheduled until May 10 and no results had been reported. However, when the fights did take place, the results were about as the observer apparently expected.
19. O Paiz 4-5-15.
20. Gazeta de Noticias 4-5-15 [“Cesareo, que sem entender deste genero de sport, e occupar a logar de juiz, muito concorrou com as suas descabidas decisões, para ser desrespeitado”].
21. With the possible exception of Raku, whose background is unclear.
22. Gazeta de Noticias 4-5-15 [“Satake, o menor da ‘troupe’ é bastante nervosa, e na luta, torna-se as vezes violento”].
23. Gazete de Noticias 4-5-15.
24. O Paiz 4-5-15. Goldbach weighed 100 kilos in February (Correio da Manhã 26-2-15).
25. Gazeta de Noticias 5-5-15.
26. A Epoca 6-5-15 [“Sataxa [sic], no quatro ‘round’ applicando uma chave auto-collar em Matuchevich, levatou a Victoria co mgrande [sic] espanto da assembléa”].
27. O Seculo 5-5-15 [“Sensacionaes encontros dos campeãos de lucta Greco-romana com os luctadores de JIU-JITSU”].
28. O Imparcial 6, 7, 8, 9-5-15.
29. Jornal do Brasil 9-5-15.
30. O Paiz 9-5-15.
31. A Epoca 10-5-15; Gazeta de Noticias 10-5-15 [“Satake, afinal, sempre decidiu a sua “poule” com o agil e corajoso Achimizu [sic, Shimizu], depois de haver applicado uma infinidade de golpes anatomicos. Satake venceu, no quarto “round,” por uma vigorosa chave de perna, mas manda a verdade dizer, não foi sem pequena difficuldade. Com effeito, Schmizu, si não fóra a infelicidade da “prise,” ter-se-ia feito o vencedor da “poule,” que já vem empatada ha tres dias”].
32. O Seculo 10-5-15; Corrieo da Manhã 10-5-15 [“Inicio das lutas entre os amadores de jin-jtsu [sic] e o conde de Koma”].
33. Gazeta de Noticias 15-5-15. Paulo Jeolas was undoubtedly the same as Paulo Giolage, one of the four amateurs who accepted Conde Koma’s challenge and signed up in hopes of winning the 5,000 francos.
34. A Epoca 10-5-15.
35. O Paiz 11-5-15 [“foi realizado o encontro de jiu-jitsu entre o campeão mundial conde Koma e um dos espectadores presentes [Paulo Jeolas], sendo este facilmente vencido pelo conde”].
36. A Epoca 11-5-15.
37. O Paiz 10-5-15; O Seculo 10-5-15.
38. Gazeta de Noticias 12-5-15. The date of the Raku versus Okura match was not mentioned, only “at the time scheduled for jiu-jitsu, Raku and Okusa [Okura] fought” [“na hora destinada as disputas dos assaltos de ‘jiu-jitsu’ lutaram Raku e Okusa”]. As fight results were generally reported the following day, a reasonable guess is that it was Monday May 11.
39. O Paiz 13-5-15.
40. O Paiz 14-5-15 [“O campeonato de jiu-jitsu luctaram o Conde Koma e, vencendo o Conde, no 2º round, por uma chave de pé”].
41. A Epoca 15-5-15.
42. O Paiz 14, 16-5-15; O Imparcial 17-5-15; Correio de Manhã 18-5-15.
43. O Paiz 19-5-15.
44. A Epoca 15-5-15 [“Teremos por ahi um outro Cyriaco?”].
45. A Noite 18-5-15.
46. A Noite 19-5-15.
47. A Epocha 20-5-15 [“O Cyriaco já é morto e os outros ‘capoeiras’ que existem entre nós não se querem dar ao trabalho de lutar em publico, razão por que o ‘jiu-jitsu’ conseguirá triumphar”].
48. Gazeta de Noticias 22-5-15 [“Já não offerecem grande interesse as lutas de ‘jiu-jitsu’, que estão sendo disputadas no Theatro Carlos Gomes, devido ao grande numero de amadores que se apresentam para disputer o premio offerecido pelo conde Koma. Até agora nenhum dos amadores tem resistido por muito tempo e isso ainda não serviu de exemplo aos que pretendem lutar com of campeao mundial do sport nipponico. Hontem um amadore, o sr. Benjamin Constant Azevedo, acceitou o desfaio lançada pelo conde Koma, apresentado-se para a lutar. O sr. Benjamin, apesar de ter dito a varios pessoas que iria “engazopar” o seu adversario, não deixando que elle Ihe agarrase, foi todavia vencido em 4 minutos, sem ter ao menos, neste curto espaço de tempo, applicado um só golpe no seu contendor, mostrando não ter algum conhecimento sa regras do jiu-jitsu”].
49. Gazeta de Noticias 22-5-15 [Por ter lutado com a amador, o conde Koma não pode disputer o ‘match’ com Satake, como estava annunciado. Foi alternado a programma, lutando Satake e Okura…..Este ‘match’ terminou pelo victoria de Satake, sendo Okura vencido no 5th ‘round’ por uma chave de braço”].
50. O Paiz 21-5-15.
51. O Paiz 5-6-15 [“Embarca amanhã, a noite, para Bello Horizonte, onde vai se exhibir no theatro Cassino, a troupe de luctadores japonezes do conde Koma, que tanto successo alançou ultimamente no theatro Carlos Gomes”].
52. O Pharol 25-6-15 [“Estrou hontem no Polytheama, como lutador de ju-jitsu [sic], o conde Koma”].
53. O Paiz 1-7-15 [“Estréa hoje no Polytheama, conhecido casa de diversoes deste cidade, a afamada troupe japoneza de jiu-jitsu, dirigida pelo campeao conde Koma, que offerece a quantia de cinco mil francos a quem vencer, sem distincção de peso ou tamanho”].
54. Jornal do Brasil 15-7-15; 17-7-15.
55. O Municipio 1-8-15 [“Determinou o dr. Aurelino Leal, chefe de policia do Districto Federal que o ensino de jiu-jitsu fosse ministrado á guarda civil. Esta encarregado disso o professor japonez conde de Koma”].
56. Gazeta de Noticias 4-8-15. Sekinus was undoubtedly Shimizu, a name that Brazilian reporters seemed to have special difficulty spelling. It is unknown who Ito was.
57. A Provincia 27-8-15; Jornal de Recife 26-8-15. Koma’s offer was 5,000 francos to anyone who could beat him and 500 to any amateur who could last 15 minutes. Bowler was aiming low, probably thinking that his chances of lasting 15 minutes were better than his chances of beating Conde Koma in a jiu-jitsu match.
58. Jornal de Recife 27-8-15 [“O campeão mexicano [Raku], após 12 minutos de uma lucta intensamente violenta foi vencido pelo seu college new-yorkino [Satake]”].
59. A Provincia 29-8-15.
60. Provincia 30-8-15.
61. A Provincia 28-8-15 [“na proxima segunda feira [August 30, 1915] tera logar neste Theatro um grande match de jiu-jitsu entre os campeões Alfredo Bowlser e conde Koma”].
62. Correio Paulistano 3-9-15.
63. Jornal do Recife 1-9-15.
64. A Provincia 4-9-15. It is unclear how Bianor de Oliveira could have been a Koma student at that point. One possibility is that he met Koma previously. Another is that he had just recently become a student of Koma.
65. A Provincia 6-9-15.
66. Between November 18 and December 5, several newspapers published reports from Pará commenting on Conde Koma and his Troupe’s performances at “Bar” (Bar Paraenses) in Belém and specifically his refusal to fight “real” capoeiras. In O Imparcial (18-11-25) it was reported that the Japanese had fought a number of hillbillies, who didn’t come out advantageously [“Os paraenses têm assistido a varios encontros entre os lutadores japonezes e os caipiras patricios que, infelizimente não têm obtido grandes vantagens”]. A Federação (2-12-15) reported that the ‘patriots’ who confronted the ‘Troupe’ weren’t capoeiras; they were strong and agile, but they didn’t know the first thing about capoeira [“Os ‘patriotas’ que-se têm arriscado contra a ‘troupe’ do Bar, não são capoeiras, serão ageis, serão fortes, mas de capoeira não entendem nem o primeiro passo.” The last report, in O Imparcial (5-12-15) was most critical. “The famous jiu-jitsu player (Conde Koma) having been counter-challenged by a lowly capoeira [parauára], lacked the necessary courage to accept, perhaps fearing that the result would be a disaster” [“o famoso jogador de jiu-jitsu, tendo sido convidado a se bater com um humilde capoeira, parauára, não se achou com a precisa coragem de erguer a luva do desafio, convicto, talvez, de resultado infausto que teria a pugna para elle”].
67. Batalha 27-4-33.
68. Jack Hillson became famous for crossing Niagara Falls hanging on to a wire with his teeth. He also performed the act at Jardim Zoologico in Rio later in 1917, from tree to tree, passing over a enclosure for bears at a zoo Fon-Fon 3-3-17; O Paiz 30-3-17).
69. Pacotilha 29-22-15.
70. Pacotilha 3-12-15. [“deve chegar do Pará a troupe de Japoneses, com artistas de variedade,,,Lucta de Jiujtsiu “][sic].
71. Pacotilha 7-12-15. [“O Conde Koma e qualquer homem da sua troupe desafiam a quem quizer luctar, offerecendo um premio de 5,000 francos a quem os vencer e 500 ao amador que Ihes resistir na lucta durante 15 minutos”].
72. Pacotilha 8-12-15.
73. Pacotilha 7-12-15.
74. Pacotilha 8-12-15.
75. Pacotilha 9-12-15. A creoulo (or crioulo) was a Brazilian born black man (Conrad 1983, p. 490).
76. Pacotilha 10-12-15.
77. A Noticia 16/17-1-16. According to Souza (2010, p. 58) the troupe was in Manaus on December 18, 1915.
.
Chapter 7
1916-1927
1. A Noite 5-9-15.
2. O Imparcial 26-3-16.
3. Eu Sei Tudo October 1917, n. 5, pp. 79-80 [“Os systemas de luta actualmente mais conhecidos: luta livre, luta de calçao ou luta Suisse, luta Indiana, luta turco, luta na america do norte, <
4. Eu Sei Tudo November 1917, n. 6, pp. 125-126 [“na America do norte, a luta livre foi sempre practicada, mas tendo preferencia o systema indiano, catch as catch can, agarra como puderes, Ė usada nella uma carta torção de dedos qualificada de Americana, mas que se encontra tambem na luta dos indios e cujo fim é obrigar o adversario a ceder por effeito de dôr”].
5. Gazeta de Noticias 20-9-18 [“tal jogo, mixto de box, jiu-jitsu e da nossa velha capoeira”].
6. Revista da Semana 7-5-21.
7. A Noticia 18-7-19. Sada Miyako was written “Shada Miako”.
8. Carlos Gracie claimed to have learned from Conde Koma. Other people doubted that he did. Oswaldo Gracie also claimed on at least one occasion that he learned from Conde Koma.
9. Tesoura had variable meanings. Some used it to refer to the legs around “guard position.” Aleixo meant the position known in judo as kani-basami.
10. (Revista da Semana7-5-21). Aleixo referred to “Saga Mako”, but given how variable spelling was at the time, it is obvious that he was referring to Sada Miyako. He added that Saga-Mako made many men “kiss
the floor” in two seconds [“Em 1904, luctei em publico, durante tres noites, com o japonez Saga-Mako, que em dois segundos fez muita gente bôa beijar o pó do chão, aqui no Rio”].
11. Some of Rio’s most eminent jiu-jitsu and judo instructors started out as “auto-didacts”. Augusto Cordeiro was one example. The same was true of some capoeiragem instructors, including Sinhôzinho, Mario Aleixo himself, and the dubious case of Jayme Martins Ferreira (see chapter 1931).
12. A Noite 12-8-20 [“Ė mais uma contribuição ao desenvolvimento physico da nossa mocidade”].
13. Revista o Tico-Tico 9-6-20.
14. Boddy 2011, p. 432, citing Carpentier’s memoir.
15. O Paiz 5-12-19.
16. The 2012 purchasing power of Carpentier’s purse is $1,330,000 according to www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/relativevalue.php.
17. O Paiz 6-12-19.
18. Roberts 2003, chp. 6.
19. According to Gracie (2008, p. 75), “Desde adolescente, Carlos sentia uma enorme admiração pelo boxer americano Jack Dempsey e passou a acompanhar de perto a evolução do boxe”.
20. Correio da Manhã 2-2-21.
21. Gracie, 2008.
22. At least part of the way. One of the keys to Rickard’s success was his willingness to risk large amounts of money, as Jack Dempsey explained (Dempsey 1934; see also Roberts 2003). Carlos was generally hard-pressed to pay his rent, sometimes failing to, until he met Oscar Santa Maria. Financing a mega-fight promotion was entirely beyond his economic means, not to mention his organizational and abilities.
23. Correio da Manhã 24-3-22.
24. Brazilians did not want to be thought of or seen as stereotypical corrupt and violent Latin Americans (Bethell, 2010). The historian and diplomat Oliveira Lima wrote books explaining why the developed countries should understand that Brazil was different from the former Spanish colonies in South America (Brazilian Review 30-9-13, p. 1018).
25. There were some exceptions. Boddy, 2011; Reiss, 1985.
Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) Page 51