41. A Batalha 30-9-37. The “prova de sufficiencia” between Helio Gracie and Oninho took place either September 30 or October 1, 1937. The newspaper report is not unambiguous (A Batalha 30-9-37). But given that the George Gracie versus Oninho fight was held on October 2, a more likely date for the prova would be September 30.
42. Diario de Noticias 3-10-37.
43. Diario Carioca 12-11-37 [“em varias phases da primeira luta dominou amplamente o nosso patricio, chegando a derrubal-o espectacularment cerca de 20 vezes”].
44. O Imparcial 3-1-37.
45. Diario de Noticias 3-10-37.
46. O Imparcial 16-10-37; Diario de Noticias 17-10-37.
47. A Batalha 17-10-37; Diario de Noticias.17-10-37 [“Ono em situação perigosa, applica soccos no rosto de George….George Grecie [sic] venceu Ono foi desclassificado no 6 round“].
48. Carlos Pereira’s son, Eduardo, claimed that his father had been a student of Geo Omori (Pereira 1998). Carlos never mentioned Omori at the time. It is possible that Eduardo was mistaken, or may even have hoped to suggest a non-Gracie lineage for his family (in particular, a non-Helio-Rorion lineage).
49. Diario Carioca 12-11-37 [“George Gracie leva uma enorme vantagem de peso, tem muito mais experincia de ring….o japonez, pequenino, novo ainda no ring, mas dotado de um aggressividade desconcertante”].
50. O Imparcial 13-11-37 [“O meu adversario foi beneficiado pela sorte na primeira vez, agora sera vencido Eu o liquiarei, mas, sómente depois de derrubar-o umas doze vezes, conforme ja declarei“].
51. A Batalha 14-11-37 [“Durante os 60 minutos de luta não ficou definida uma superioridade….O empate seria a decisão mais logica….A decisão for recebida com apupos do publica….A decisão for recebida com apupos do publica”].
52. A Noite 20-11-37.
53. Gazeta de Noticias 9-12-37.
54. Correio Paulistano 16-11-37. Voss had been Gastão’s student and demonstration partner since at least May 1936 (Correio de S. Paulo 14-5-36).
55. A Batalha 2-12-37.
56. Diario de Noticias 5-10-35 [“quando entro no tablado é para vencer e vencer o mais breve possivel”].
57 O Imparcial. 30-11-37.
58. Jornal do Brasil 9-12-37 [“Quer uma vitoria esmagadora, que deixe claramente demonstrada a sua superioridade sobre o campeão portugues”].
59. Diario de Noticias 12-12-37.
60. O Imparcial 12-12-37.
61. O Imparcial 12-12-37 said the referee was Armando Ingle.
62. A Batalha 15-12-37.
63. A Batalha 15-12-37; Diario de Noticias 16-12-37.
64. Diario de Noticias 17-12-37. Round 1: “O primeiro assalto trancorreu movimento e interessante. Os dois lutadores se empregaram com violenta, nãe [sic] longrando, porem decidirem a luta”]. Round 2: “O Segundo assalto é iniciade com forto offensiva de Grillo que atira Gracie fóra do ring…[Grillo foi desclassificado e George Gracie proclamado vencedor”. In the boxing match, Loffredinho defeated Pena on points.
65. Atlas made his Brazil debut on November 11, 1937 against the little known [não conhecem] but “aggressive” German wrestler Eberle Haubert. (Diario de Noticias 11-11-37). Atlas won by shoulder pin in 18 minutes (Diario de Noticias 12-1-37).
66. Atlas generally weighed around 99 kilos (Diario de Noticias 8-7-38); Yano was generally somewhere near 70 kilos.
67. A Noite 17-12-37; Correio Paulistano 22-12-37. Oswaldo either threatened to punch Atlas, or actually did punch him [“Oswaldo Gracie foi obrigado a vibrar um socco no queixo de Jim para soltar a gravata”].
68. A Batalha15-12-37.
69. O Imparcial 25-12-37.
70. Diario Carioca 23-12-37 [“Naoiti Ono pode vencer Manoel Grillo”].
71. Roberts 2010, chapters 5-6.
72. Diario Carioca 23-12-37.
73. It sometimes happened that fight results were reported in more detail just prior to a rematch (if there was one), which might be several years away. It this case, the result of Oninho versus Grillo was reported before Oninho’s match with Carlos Pereira in April 1940 (A Noite 26-4-40).
.
Chapter 18
1938
1. Diario de Noticias 15-10-37.
2. Diario Carioca 9-1-38. [Ono Quer Lutar. Disposto a enfrentar qualquer adversario].
3. Brasil Ring was organized by Bernardo Wull to promote boxing at Estadio Brasil. Its first show was held in July 17, 1937, with Brasilino versus Carboniani, and Mesquita versus Barzola, and Tigre Jack versus Gabriel Pena, plus three amateur boxing matches. By November 11, the company had included catch in its menus, with Brazilian champion Dudú versus world champion Len Hall. Brasil Ring promoted the George Gracie versus Oninho rematch two days later, on November 13, 1937.
4. O Imparcial 12-1 38 [“com kimonos, muitas vezes, os contendores agarram a roupa do adversario e ficam estudando a applição efficiente, attitude que nem todos comprehendem. Sem kimonos os lutadores terão que se empregar mais activamente, os golpes se succederão com maior frequencia e a luta será mais emocionante”].
5. O Imparcial 13-1-38.
6. A Batalha 12-1-38 [“George correrá grave risco e difficulmente evitairá uma derrota”].
7. A Batalha 14-1-38.
8. Correio da Manhã 22-1-38.
9. Jornal do Brasil 19-1-38; Gazeta de Noticias 19-1-38.
10. A Batalha 29-1-38; Jornal do Brasil 29-1-38.
11. Jornal do Brasil 12-2-38.
12. Diario da Noite 17-2-38.
13. Also spelled Setuko, Kotuko, and Kotuke, in some reports
14. Called Kinko in some reports.
15. A Noite Illustrada 22-2-3.
16. Correio Paulistano 23-2-38.
17. Correio Paulistano 4-3-38.
18. Diario de Noite 3-3-38.
19. Jornal do Brasil 4-3-38.
20. Diario de Noite 21-2-38.
21. Diario de Noite 3-3-38 [“os lutadores pisam diariamente o campo das competições sportivas“].
22. Diario de Noite 3-3-38. [“não deixou recursos financeiros”].
23. Diario de Noite 4-3-38.
24. Diario de Noite 18-3-38. The Queirolo brothers donated “conto o setenta e cinco mil reis”.
25. Correio Paulistano 1-3-38.
26. Correio Paulistano 1-5-38.
27. Correio Paulistano 5-5-38 [“Tenho lutado constantemente e até hoje não perdi uma luta siquer”].
28. Correio Paulistano 3-4-38.
29. Correio Paulistano 6-5-38 [“Atraves de minhas 60 e tantas luta nunca fui vencido. Chegou a empatar quartos vezes, mas ainda não cahi”]. On August 30, 1934, at Stadium Riachuelo in Rio, Suleiman suffered a broken rib and bruised left arm in a luta livre match with Antonio Mossoró. The report did not mention that he lost as a result, so perhaps this was one of his four draws (Diario Carioca 31-8-34).
30. Diario Carioca 27-6-34. There were several fighters named Herminio active at the time. One was a former football player who also tried his hand at luta livre.
31. Correio Paulistano 8-5-38 [“A luta final foi rapida. Ono em poucos mais de um minuto derrotou Sulleiman, applicando-Ihe quatro golpes violentos e technicos”].
32. Correio Paulistano 26-5-38.
33. Correio da Manhã 2-7-31.
34. Correio Paulistano 3-6-38.
35. Correio Paulistano 12-6-38.
36. Diario Carioca 8-5-34.
37. Diario Carioca 18-5-34.
38. Diario Carioca 1-6-34.
39. Diario Carioca 1-6-34.
40. O Paiz 12-5-34.
41. Jornal do Brasil 28-7-38.
42. Diario da Noite 28-7-38 [“As habitaes ‘palhaçadas’ de Jack Russell terão que ser abolidas na noite de hoje”].
43. Diario Carioca 2-8-38 [“ficarei de pé, ate o fim do ultimo round, se não terminar antes fazendo sentir o amargor da derrota!”].
44. A Batalha 2-8-38.
45. A Batalha 3-8-38.
46. Diario Carioca 3-8-38.
47. Diario Carioca 7-8-38.
48. A Batalha 13-8-38 [“Jack Russell não resistirá ao conhecimentos de jiu-jitsu do nosso patricio”].
49. Diario Carioca 13-8-38.
50. A Batalha 14-8-38.
51. A Batalha 24-8-38 [“Estou em condicões de vencer Campbell”].
52. A Batalha 23-8-38 [“Campbell deverá vencer George Gracie”].
53. A Batalha 23-8-38.
54. Diario Carioca 26-8-38; Diario de Noticias 26-8-38 [“apos um round monotono, no segundo, a peleja se torna mais interessante e Gracie acaba vencendo por desistencia, com um “arm-lock” in the 3rd round].
55. Diario Carioca 26-8-38.
56. A Batalha 27-8-38.
57. Construction work could be dangerous in Brazil, as a 25 year old carpenter named Antonio de Andrade discovered when he was decapitated by an elevator at a site on Rua Julio Castilho, n. 83 in Copacabana (Diario Carioca 31-8-34). Fighting, especially luta livre, was much safer.
58. Diario de Noticias 2-9-38. Jack Russell defeated Joe Campbell in the second round by desistencia. Adencoa and Cernadas drew.
59. A Noite 24-9-38.
60. A Noite 24-9-38.
61. Bullock1993, chp. 14.
62. Diario de Noticias 25-8-38 [“por grande margem de quedas apos demonstrar nitida superioridade sobre o seu contendor”]. Karol Nowina defeated Jack Russell in the third round with a shoulder pin.
63. Correio da Manha 4-10-38 [“Yano venceu novamente Jorge Gracie”].
64. Correio Paulistano 15-10-38 [“Yassuiti não leverá muita vantagem, não”].
65. Correio Paulistano 18-10-38 [“Se Peres permanecasse lutando até o ultimo assalto, devia lhe caber a Victoria”].
66. Correio Paulistano 18-10-38. Either Nizaki’s name was mis-spelled, or another fighter, Mazuke, was substituted. Either was entirely possible. Nizaki’s name was seldom spelled the same way twice, and last minute substitutions, particularly in the preliminary matches, was almost expected. Mazuke might have been Mazuko Tossio, who, like Braz Gomes, was a student of Yassuiti Ono.
67. According to Correio Paulistano 2-2-39, “Tarzan” weighed 98 kilos.
68. Correio Paulistano 27-10-38.
69. Correio da Manhã 20-10-38.
70. Correio da Manhã 23-10-38.
71.Correio Paulistano 25-10-38,
72.Correio da Manhã 1-11-38.
73. Information about the death of Dudú comes from A Noite (29-7-35); A Noite (11-11-38); Diario Carioca (5-11-38); O Imparcial (5-11-38), and www.santacasarj.org.br/#
74. O Globo Sportivo 26-11-38. [“O garoto sorri e faz um gesto de Tarzan, batendo no pieto “Ė. Tambem vou ser campeão”].
.
Chapter 19
1939
1. Correio da Manhã 27-1-39.
2. Correio Paulistano 7-2-39.
3. Correio Paulistano 3-2-39.
4. Correio Paulistano 7-2-39. George won by estrangulamento in the 10th round.
5. Correio Paulistano 8-2-39.
6. Correio Paulistano 1-4-38 Some of Ono’s students became well-known teachers, competitors or both, such as Jose Roberto Macedo Soares, Milton Ferreira, and Mazuko Tossio.
7. Correio Paulistano11-3-39. He might even have been close to George in age, although that is uncertain. Alberto Suleiman was at various times described as a student of the Gracie Academy, but it is more likely that he, like a number of other luta livre, luta romana, catch wrestlers, and weightlifters, simply “represented” the academy from time to time for publicity purposes. The labels of student and rival could change overnight as promotional needs dictated.
8. Correio Paulistano 11-3-39.
9. Correio Paulistano 10-5-39.
10. A Noite 10-6-39.
11. According to Diario de Noticias (16-6-39) and Jornal do Brasil (17-6-39), it was luta de jiu-jitsu. Correio de Manhã 20-6-39 reported it as a luta livre match, but also used the word estrangulamento to describe how Ulsemer won. “Estrangulamento”, generally, but not always, implied a gi choke.
12. Correio Paulistano 14-12-40.
13. Diario de Noticias 28-7-39. Ulsemer was described as "recente vencedor de Ono e Yano”.
14. Diario de Noticias 4-10-41 [“Ulsener conseguiu empatar com Ono, otimo proffisional nipponico, em S. Paulo”].
15. Academia Delauney was boxing gym operated by Fred Delauney. Fred Delauney was a boxer who immigrated to São Paulo from Italy in late 1921 or early 1922. His real name was Adriano Malgarini. He taught boxing for amateurs in São Paulo in 1926 at Academia Paulista de Pugilismo on avenida Rangel Pestana (O Paiz 21-10-26; O Paiz 7-11-26). George Gracie had an interest in boxing, or at least, enough to enter an amateur tournament in 1927 (although there is no indication that he participated) and knew the names of the local boxing gyms. He may have acquired some basic boxing skills from Delauney. If not, there were several other boxing gyms in São Paulo during the 1920’s, including Brasil American Boxing on rua do Seminario, directed by Kid Pratt, Academia Dubois, Academia Central de Box, and courses offered by various clubs such as the Club de Regatas Tieté and the Associação Christa de Moços, among others.
16. Correio Paulistano 12-7-39; 15-7-39.
17. A Noite 10-7-39.
18. A Noite 10-7-39 [“Oswaldo Gracie….resolvou dar por nula a partida, decretando a derrota de dois contendores, Yano por knock-out, Weber por desistencia….Pela primeira vez na historia do ring dois lutadores venceram ao mesmo tempo foram vencido um pelo outro”]. One report assumed that Yano fainted as a result of unbearable from pain [desmaiara de dor]. Judging from the description, Yano’s leglock must have been something like a heelhook.
19. Correio Paulistano 11-7-39.
20. Correio Paulistano 14-7-39 [“Consequira Oswaldo vingar a derrota do irmão George?”…Ruhmann affirma que não”].
21. A Noite 21-4-37. Oswaldo had been on a dinner date with a dancer [bailarina] when two adolescents [rapazes] made him so jealous [exasperado de ciumes] that he lost his self-control and without so much as saying “agua vae” attacked the boys with chokes, shoulder throws, and other jiu-jitsu techniques, and finally ejected them from the establishment. After recovering their senses, the boys went to the police station and filed a complaint.
22. Correio Paulistano, 16-7-39 [“no momento que sentiu o corpo do seu opponente seguro, não titubeou em recorrer a sua musculature de athleta. A chave de rins volante alliada a su famoso gravata…este foi o primeiro e unico golpe que o vencedor de Oswaldo applicou em attitude de atacante….venceu Oswaldo Gracie no terceiro assalto por perda dos sentidos”].
23. Correio Paulistano 19-7-39. Ono’s background in Brazil was not described in detail in earlier reports, such as Correio de S. Paulo (5-1-34) and Correio Paulistano (1-4-38). He came to Brazil in 1931, spent three years in the “interior” of São Paulo, which included places like Marilia, before moving to São Paulo with a group of nine other adults, two adolescents, and two young children, including his younger brother Oninho (Naoiti Ono) who must have been about 13 years old at the time. As an immigrant from Japan, at that time, Marilia or somewhere nearby, would have been a likely first destination. The Ono brothers may have had family or friends still there.
24. Correio Paulistano 20-7-39; 22-7-39.
25. Correio Paulistano 22-7-39.
26. Correio Paulistano 22-7-39 [“Para vencer George Gracie em ‘jiu-jitsu’ é preciso que se nascesse no Japão e aprendesse o scientifico esporte nipponico, desde tenra edade, com mestres consumados…. difficilmente, como (sic) kimono, os Gracies serão abatidos….Desafiel-o para um ‘match’ luta-livre porque estou crente que o vencerei”].
27 Correio Paulistano 25-7-39.
28. Correio Paulistano 18-8-39.
29. Correio Paulistano 20-8-39.
30. Some reports referred to it as jiu-jitsu, most spelled judo as “jiudo” [“O ‘jiudo’que tamben e conhecido pelo nome de ‘jiu-jitsu’ chamou-se em tempos remotos”] (Gazeta de Noticias 1-8-39).
31. A Batalha 2-8-39 According to A Noite (2-8-39), the participan
ts were Shojiro Higuchi, Seisei Fucikeya, and Tokenzo Terezoki.
32. Gazeta de Noticias 1-8-39.
33. A Batalha 2-8-39. [Helio Gracie…não teve duvida em classifical-os como authenticos mestres].
34. The jiu-jitsu people eventually adopted almost every other feature of Kano Jigaro’s Kodokan judo system, beginning with belts. Incidentally, as Hoare (2011) points out, the Kodokan was not the only judo organization in Japan. The decision to continue using the term “jiu-jitsu” in Brazil seems to have been influenced by marketing considerations. But by the middle 1950’s Brazilians associated judo with the throwing oriented sport, and jiu-jitsu with self-defense and ground grappling (in a kimono). In 1958 for example, Takeo Yano was in Rio teaching “Jiu-Jitsu, Judô, and Defesa Pessoal” indicating clearly that potential students at least regarded them as different (Diairo de Noticias. 15-10-58).
35. The 30 floor Martinelli Building was (and in 2014 still is) bordered by Avenida São João, Avenida São Bento, and Rua Libero Badaró. At one time it was the tallest building in South America (www.prediomartinelli.com.br).
36. Katsu (活) is defined by Kenkyusha (1958-1982) as “the art of resuscitation” and provides two examples:活を入れる“apply the [judo] art of resuscitation, and活で息を吹き返す“be brought to life by the judo art of resuscitation.” In general “katsu” referred to the Chinese concept of transferring energy (or life force), and had no more connection to jiu-jitsu than first-aid had to boxing.
37. Correio Paulistano 2-9-39.
38. Correio Paulistano 17-9-39 [“o jiu-jitsu do tablado tem a mesma efficiencia, porém, por um caminho diverso; o alumno tem que aprender os golpes e pratical-os com o seu instructor. Taes treinos de lutas corporaes devem ser systematicos e methodicos, do contrario, o alumno nada aproveita e esquece o mecanismo das ‘chaves’ e das quedas que aprendera”].
39. Correio Paulistano 2-9-39.
40. Correio Paulistano 3-9-39.
41. Correio Paulistano 13-9-39.
42. Jornal do Brasil 2-9-39. “The ad read as follows: “Precisa-se de aprendiz de monitor de jiu-jitsu (idade maximo 25 anos), peso minimos 65 kilos. Academia Gracie, a rua Marquez de Abrantes, n. 117.”
43. Tracy kenpo did the same thing during the early 1970’s. The author can recall being perplexed as to why the Tracys would recruit absolute novices to work as kenpo instructors (their ad specified “no experience” necessary”), or for that matter how a novice could teach kenpo. Out of sheer curiosity, the author, then a beginning Goju-ryu karate student went to the Tracy studio. The answer immediately became obvious. There was a line of young men a block long waiting to fill out “job” applications. Perhaps some of them ended up enrolling in kenpo lessons. Or perhaps there was fee for learning how to be an instructor. In any event, Tracy kenpo got the word out about their product to a precisely targeted demographic, at the inexpensive cost of a single help wanted ad.
Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) Page 57