21. Jornal de Noticias 30-10-46.
22. A Noite 15-11-46 [“mais tarde soube-se que o heroico salvador fora o professor de cultura fisica Helio Gracie”]. The incident later became part of the “Gracie myth”. According to Pat Jordan’s 1989 Playboy article about Rorion Gracie, “Once, Helio dived into the turbulent, shark-infested Atlantic Ocean to save a man from drowning and was given his nation’s Medal of Honour for his heroism” (The medal of honor [the Honra ao Merito displayed in the Gracie Academy], was dated April 9, 1952. and was awarded by the Standard Oil Company). According to Rorion Gracie’s 2006 A História do Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the superman [super-homem] Helio Gracie won the medal of Honor [medalha de Honra ao Mérito] by jumping into a shark-infested Atlantic Ocean to save a drowning man [pular nas águas infestadas de tubarões]. Reila Gracie (2008, p. 219-220), adds a previously unmentioned detail. After quoting an interview with Helio published in Correio de Ceará on March 27, 1947, she reveals that Carlos Gracie was also on the ship. Carlos was unable to save the man himself, because he was sea-sick, but persuaded Helio to do it by foretelling that the sharks would not attack him. The original A Noite article did not mention anything about sharks or oceanic turbulence, but perhaps jumping into the ocean to save a stranger is heroic enough by everyday standards. Research shows that most people would do nothing, even when there is no risk to themselves (let alone sharks) which is why it is newsworthy when someone does do something.
23. Jornal de Noticias 4-12-46.
24. Mundo Esportivo 20-12-46; Jornal de Noticias 19-12-46; 20-12-46.
25. Masuda 2011, p. 335.
.
Chapter 24
1947
1. Jornal de Noticias 8-1-47.
2. Correio da Manha 10-1-47.
3. Jornal de Noticias 15-1-47.
4. Jornal de Noticias 18-1-47.
5. Jornal de Noticias 22-1-47.
6. Jornal de Noticias 24-1-47.
7. Mundo Esportivo 7-2-47,
8. Mundo Esportivo 7-2-47; 21-2-47.
9. Mundo Esportivo 7-2-47: Jornal de Noticias 8-2-47.
10. Jornal de Noticias 26-2-47.
11. Mundo Esportivo 28-2-47.
12. Jornal de Noticias 5-3-47.
13. A Noite 7-3-47.
14. Jornal de Noticias 8-3-47. It is not unlikely that all of the jiu-jitsu stylists were Ono students. Giro Matsui may have been a variant spelling of Ono’s student Seizo Matsuy. Jin Assahira was probably the same as Jun Assahama.
15. Diario Carioca 2-12-47.
16. Esporte Illustrado 11-9-47.
17. Jornal de Noticias 12-3-47.
18. Mundo Esportivo 14-3-47
19. Jornal de Noticias 18-3-47.
20. Mundo Esportivo 21-3-47.
21. Jornal de Noticias, 22-3-47.
22. Jornal de Noticias 28-3-47.
23. Jornal de Noticias 1-4-47; 2-4-47.
24. Mundo Esportivo 18-4-47.
25. Jornal de Noticias 19-4-47.
26. Diario de Noticias 3-6-47.
27. Joe Louis successfully and consecutively defended his title 26 times. At the time of his challenge of Joe Louis, Helio Gracie’s career record was twelve matches of various types, winning six, losing one, and drawing five (6-1-5). Two of the matches permitted striking. Neither of the two strikers (Antonio Portugal and Dudú) was remotely of the caliber of Joe Louis. Helio might have beaten Joe Louis, but his reasons for thinking he could were entirely theoretical.
28. Bethell 2010.
29. Roberts 2003, chp. 9.
30. Jornal de Noticias 4-1-47; 31-1-47.
31. Jornal de Noticias 25-2-47.
32. If it was true that a Japanese academy certified Helio prior to June 1947, it was not reported before or since.
33. Lavoura e Comercio 30-7-43. The article said that an “amateur boxer had defeated a jiu-jitsu stylist [“um ‘boxeur’ amador norte-americano e um praticante de ‘jiu-jitsu’, luta que terminara com a vitoria do primerio”]. It could not have been referring to the Sam MacVea versus Matsuda fight, because MacVea was a professional boxer.
34. A Noite 6-6-47.
35. A Noite 19-6-47.
36. See Choque Vol. 2, forthcoming.
37. Jornal de Noticias 6-7-47; 8-7-47 Braz (also spelled Bras) was a frequent participant in the Pacaembú preliminaries. Godofredo was as well. It is not absolutely certain that the Braz (Bras) was Braz Gomes (or even Braz II). There was an amateur fighter from Portugal named João Braz (A Manhã 25-11-47; 27-11-47). The “Braz” in question may have been either one, or a third entirely different individual. Jiu-jitsu matches were identified as such, otherwise a luta livre match was assumed. On July 10, Bras faced Miranda, and Godofredo faced Kian. Godofredo confronted Miranda on January 13, 1948 (Jornal de Noticias 13-1-48).
38. A Manhã 20-11-47; 29-11-47 Correio da Manhã 22-11-47; Diario Carioca 21-11-47.
39. A Noite 20-11-47.
40. Gazeta de Noticias 27-7-48.
41. Gazeta de Noticias 31-7-48.
.
Chapter 25
1948
1. Jornal de Noticias 15-1-48. Nick Policeman was also referred to as “Nick the Policeman”. His real name was Nicholas Blazza Ellich. Adorée’s real name was Alberto Bafert (Gazeta de Noticias 31-7-48). Zbyscko’s and Strika’s names and almost everyone else’s, were also spelled in many different ways.
2. Jornal de Noticias 29-1-48; 3-1-48; 1-2-48.
3. Mundo Esportivo 25-10-46.
4. Jornal de Noticias 12-2-48.
5. Jornal do Brasil 29-1-48.
6. Diario de S. Luiz 21-2-48.
7. Diario de Noticias 24-7-34.
8. Jornal de Noticias 18-2-48.
9. Diario de Noticias 21-2-48; Jornal de Noticias 21-2-48. Rocca’s name was also written Roca and Rocha.
10. Jornal de Noticias 3-3-48). Brutus’ brother Tony also engaged in professional catch wrestling. He performed with several former heavyweight boxers, including Primo Carnera in New Jersey (O Globo Sportivo 3-9-48). Tony was well-known in Brazilian sports circles from his days as a boxer. One famous Brazilian boxer, Loffredinho, even adopted Tony’s training method of drinking beer (O Globo Sportivo 13-4-40). Tony was affectionately, or derisively, known as “Gordo Cervejeiro,” and “Barril de Chopp,” [roughly meaning “Fat Bartender” and “Beer Barrel Tony”] and other nicknames. Tony was not an artful boxer, but he could knock people out with one shot and any fighter who can do that is going to fill seats. Name-recognition in one field can sometimes be valuable in others. By 1946 Tony was working as a referee in catch wrestling matches, as did many other former boxers (O Globo Sportivo 13-12-46). As there was better pay for fighting than officiating, he also climbed between the ropes as a wrestler. Given his style of boxing and ring nicknames “The King of Fouls” [“O Rei dos Fouls”], and “Clown of Boxing” [“Palhaço do Pugilismo”] it was probably a natural transition for him. Tony continued catch wrestling until at least 1953 when he was in Brazil to face Antonio Rocca in series of matches in São Paulo (Diario Carioca 19-8-53). Catch probably paid less than boxing but in compensation he didn’t have to be punched in the face by people like Joe Louis and Max Baer. Even less painful was movie acting. Tony had a small but illustrious career in Hollywood, appearing with Marlon Brando (and two other Joe Louis KO victims, Tami Mauriello and Abe Simon), in Sindicato de Ladrões, or as it was called in North America, On the Waterfront (Cine Reporter 12-11-55). He also appeared in the musical comedy The Best Things in Life are Free (Cine Reporter 13-7-57), and the drama Wind across the Everglades (Cine Reporter 12-12-59). All three were major motion pictures and one was a certified classic. (Not bad for a man whose claims to fame were that he could throw a hard left hook and liked beer).
11. Jornal de Noticias 6-3-48.
12. Jornal de Noticias 10-3-48.
13. Jornal de Noticias 14-3-48,
14. Gazeta de Noticias 19-7-41; O Impracial 22-7-41; 24-7-41.
15. Jornal de Noticias 17-3-48.
16. In 1
946, or sometime before, Ruhmann suffered a serious arm injury [“há já algum tempo, sofreu perigosa fratura num dos braços”] and was not expected to be able to recover sufficiently to fight again [“houve quem pensasse que Rumã não pudesse mais exercer sua atividades de lutador”]. But he did (Mundo Esportivo 1-11-46).
17. Jornal de Noticias 20-3-48, Concerning Adhemar de Barros, see chapter 17.
18. A Noite 7-5-48. At the time Olaguivel (as spelled Olaguibel) was 32 years old and depending on the source and time, weighed between 112 and 150 kilos. He was 129 kilos at just about the time that George signed to meet him (Diario do Paraná 21-6-47).
19. Gracie 2008, chp. 28.
20. See chapter 14.
21. Diario Carioca 25-5-48, p. 11.
22. According to Gracie (2008, chp. 28), the book was divided into five chapters, titled Conhece-te a ti mesmo [Knowing Yourself], Mente sã, [mental health], Corpo sã, [physical health], Álcool, [alcohol] and O Fumo [smoking].
23. Gracie, 2008, p. 232.
24. Diario de Noticias 3-7-48.
25. Paranã-Norte 22-7-48. The article incorrectly stated that Yano was undefeated in South America. It also mentioned that he had enjoyed great success in Curitiba among other cities. In fact, the Torneio Internacional de Lutas Livres appeared in Curitiba at Pavilhão Olimpico from June 5, 1947 (Diario do Paraná 21-6-47). Evidence is lacking for how long the company remained in Curitiba but Yano’s next appearance was in Rio February of 1948.
26. Diario de Noticias, 31-7-48.
27. Diario de Noticias 31-7-48.
28. Gazeta de Noticias 31-7-48.
29. Diario de Noticias 31-7-48.
30. Boskovic 2005.
31. DaMatta 1984, cited in Duarte 2011, p. 35 See also Holston 2007 for discussion.
32. Diario de Noticias 31-8-48. Diario Carioca 31-8-38.
33. Diario Carioca 9-9-48. Some reports said that Karadagian was from Argentina, which was not unlikely. Many immigrants to Brazil first went to Argentina or other countries (Sanchez-Albornoz 1986, p. 128).
34. Correio da Manhã 6-11-71. The Brazilian press continued to use the name Cassius Clay in addition and in preference to “Muhammad Ali” throughout the 1970’s and even beyond (Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali after dethroning Sonny Liston fight in 1964). When Rickson Gracie, in the 1980’s, cited as an example of an excellent boxer, he mentioned “Cassius Clay”. Incidentally, it was not because he was afraid of wrestlers that Clay/Ali did respond to Karagadian’s challenge (if he noticed it at all, or took it seriously―he was after all the foremost master of attracting media attention by challenging people). He did fight a pro wrestler named Antonio Inoki (real name Inoki Kanji). Coincidentally or not, Inoki had lived in Brazil and his brother operated a karate school in Ipanema (Global-Training-Report.com/shotokan.htm).
35. Diario Carioca 14-9-28; Jornal do Brasil 14-9-48.
36. A Noite 20-9-48.
37. Diario Carioca 18-9-48.
38. Roberts 2010, p. 249.
39. Sports Illustrado 26-9-40. p. 29. In “Pugilismo: Victimas do Ring”, Alcides Peter Santos recalled some of boxers who lost their lives or otherwise suffered as a result of their ring activities. One example was the Brazilian boxer Belmiro Alves, who died sometime after his fight with Cabo Verde. However, he mentioned even more boxers who did not suffer after long careers and many who prospered. Ironically, one of those was Joe Louis, whose crushing financial problems were yet to come.
40. Diario Carioca 25-9-48.
41. Diario Carioca 25-9-48.
42. A Noite 9-1-0-48.
43. O Radical 12-7-41. Baronti made his debut on Saturday July 7, 1941, against North American Tom Hanley.
44. Diario Carioca 2-10-48.
45. A Manhã 3-10-48.
46. Diario Carioca 16-10-48.
47. Diario Nacional 12-9-28. [“o publico que frequenta a nossa casa não tem prazer em apreciar muitas vezes a mesma luta”].
48. Diario Carioca 23-10-48.
49. A Noite 25-10-48.
50. In December of 1947 George called Antonio Rocca a “fake champion and offered to fight him for free [de graça], behind closed doors [de portas fechadas], for the press (A Noite 4-12-47). He made the same offer to all other bichos papões [boogey-men, or “imaginary monsters”] who had the audacity to pretend to be authentic champions.
51. A Manhã 31-10-48. [“…tão brilhante figura fez quando da sua estréla na semana passada”].
52. A Noite 28-10-48.
53. A Manhã 31-10-48; A Noite 1-11-48.
54. A Manhã 31-10-48.
55. A Manha 5-11-48.
56. Diario Carioca 5-11-48.
57. Gazeta de Noticias 6-11-48.
58. Esporte Ilustrado 2-12-48, p. 6. [“Dá um beijinho nele, bojudo; senão tua mãe tebate [sic] por teres machucado o menino. Isso sim, não e marmelada. Ė uma luta familiar, pois esses dois baiacas são irmãos”].
59. A Noite 8-11-48.
..
Chapter 26
1949
1. A Noite 4-6-49 [“sua diffusão em nosso meio, porem, não foi metodiza, surgindo os aproveitadores que se incumbriam de desmoraliser a terrivel arma de defesa dos japoneses. Aos poucos o jiu-jitsu foi desaparecendo até chegar ao estado atual de quase esquecimento”].
2. A Noite 28-5-49; Diario da Noite 31-5-49.
3. A Noite Illustrada 12-7-49.
4. Diario Carioca 13-3-49, p. 4 [“Justamente quando os esportes do ringue tinham caido num ostracismo lamentavel reviveu a Federação Metropolitana de Pugilismo e entrou com disposição para recomeçar uma luta perdida, isto é, trabalhar pelo amadorismo, quer no pugilismo, quer na luta livre”].
5. Diario Carioca 13-3-49, p. 4 [“As temporadas internacionais de ‘catch-as-catch-can’ tiveram um objetivo de parte da Federação Metropolitana de Pugilismo: angariar fundos para difundir o pugilismo amador”].
6. Diario da Noite 21-11-49.
7. Diario Carioca 22-8-58.
8. See Hoare 2011 for an excellent discussion of this aspect of judo history.
9. Older forms of expression were “valer tudo” and “valendo tudo.” What they meant concretely depended on the contract for each particular match, but they always implied some degree of striking, either genuine or simulated, in addition to grappling, usually but not always sem kimono [without kimono].
10. “….at least since the late nineteenth century physical torture [in Brazil] has been routine in interrogating non-elite prisoners…..under normal police procedures suspects were treated according to their apparent social status” (Skidmore 1988, p. 125). Most fighters would fall under the classification of “non-elite”. Later, the security agencies stopped discriminating. They tortured everyone.
.
Epilogue
1. North Americans were aware that jiu-jitsu had essentially died out, and had been revived, reformed, and renamed by Jigaro Kano (The Times Dispatch [Richmond, VA], April 2, 1905.
2. The “diploma” was actually a farewell letter [sobetsunokotoba,送別の詞] written or signed by Masunaga Yokichi, the Nagasaki prefecture chief of police [Nagasaki-ken keibuchou,長崎県警部長]. It was not a diploma of any kind, much less a jiu-jitsu diploma, and did not qualify him as a “professor”. It also was not awarded by the Japanese government. However, O’Brien really had learned jiu-jitsu for a period of about two years, between 1898 and 1900, according to the sobetsunokotoba, which was dated明治三十三年一月二十日 (January 20, 1900). To be fair to O’Brien, it was not he himself who claimed to have the diploma, but rather John F. McDonald who did. McDonald was associated with something called American College of Physical Culture and Jiu-jitsu. McDonald wrote the introduction to John J. O’Brien’s book A Complete Course of Jiu-Jitsu and Physical Culture. The sobetsunokotoba was reproduced on the title page, untranslated. Americans who were unable to read Japanese (i.e., almost everyone) undoubtedly assumed that it was what it was claimed to be, a “Jiu-Jitsu Diploma, received from the Governor of Nagasaki, Japan
”. Coincidentally, American College of Physical Culture and Jiu-jitsu held the copyright to the book. There is also the possibility that O’Brien and John F. McDonald were the same individual.
3. O'Brien, J. (1902, March 10). Letter from John J. O'Brien to George B. Cortelyou. Theodore Roosevelt Papers, Manuscripts division. Library of Congress (www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org).
4. Roosevelt began his lessons sometime between March 10 and March 19, 1902. On March 20, an article appeared in The Evening World titled “How the President is taught Jiu-Jitsu” featuring John. O’Brien.
5. Yamashita was accompanied by Tsunejiro Tomita and Mitsuyo Maeda. All three had been teaching at Harvard University (The San Francisco Call, January 23, 1905, p. 6).
6. According to The Evening Star, September 16, 1904, p. 14, “The war between Japan and Russia has brought to notice what promises to be a most interesting and popular amusement all over the United States this coming winter, the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu, literally interpreted “the gentle art”, which until the present war brought it to general notice, has been jealously guarded as a national secret in Japan for more than two thousand years….before the war, by an imperial edict, the masters of jiu-jitsu were not allowed to teach it outside of Japan, and no foreigner has ever before received official instruction from one who has taken the highest degree in the science”.
7. The Evening Star, January 14, 1905, p. 8.
8. Advertisements for the Yabe School of Jiu-Jitsu, based in Rochester, New York, and articles about and interviews with Yabe were written in a prose style that was remarkably similar to that of John. F. McDonald (see note 2 above).
9. Black Belt, July, 1998, p. 60.
10. This is not a new phenomenon. See Heather 2009, and Norris 1990, for many and varied examples.
.
Appendix 1
Fighters
1. Conde Koma and his troupes sometimes appeared on stage the same day they arrived in the location. Other times they were in town for as long as a month before their stage debut. Koma and the first troupe were in São Paulo no later than Friday September 25, 1914, until at least October 20. Their precise movements are uncertain after that. They may have stayed in town or they may have ventured to nearby locations, together or separately, to perform or to attend to personal matters. They had already been in Ribeiro Preto, in São Paulo State, for at least several days by December 29, 1914. They were in Rio no later than Saturday April 3, 1915 until at least May 21. They were reported in Bello Horizonte in Minas, on June 6, and Juiz da Fóra in São Paulo State, on June 24. They were back in Rio by July 15. They left for Recife on August 3, traveling by ship, stopping off along the way, arriving on August 26. They closed out their show in Recife on September 6. They were in Belém do Pará from November 18, 1915 or earlier, until possibly as late as December 2, 1915. They were in São Luiz (in Maranhão) on December 7, and in Manaus by January 16, 1916. (According to Souza (2010, p. 58) the troupe was in Manaus on December 18, 1915.)
Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) Page 59