| It is commonly held that Gichin Funakoshi brought | | | | when he was young and impetuous, perfected his art |
| karate to the modern world. Well, he could be | | | | in the violent red light districts of his island home. This |
| considered to have done so, except that something | | | | history, and a daily regimen of makiwara pounding, |
| happened a century ago, that presents a different | | | | served him in good stead. One punch later Motobu |
| version of karate history. We've got to give | | | | climbed out of the ring, the Russian strongman lay |
| Funakoshi credit for what he did, but was his karate | | | | sprawled and doing the one punch snooze. Reporters |
| the true art? I know what I write here is not going | | | | were delighted, they wrote colorful stories, and |
| to be what a lot of people want to hear, there will | | | | handed them in. Editors were delighted, and, since |
| be a few people who are going to want to take me | | | | they didn't have any images of Motobu, they popped |
| to task. However, the story that I am about to relay | | | | in a picture they did have of a guy who was doing |
| really happened, it is the truth. That said, please | | | | karate. Gichin Funakoshi, a nondescript teacher from |
| know that I do respect Gichin Funakoshi, he is pivotal | | | | Okinawa, was held up as the guy who did the violent |
| to Karate. In turn of the century, last century, Japan, | | | | knock out performed by Motobu Choki. And Motobu, |
| people, same as people all over, loved the human | | | | though he did teach karate and was responsible for |
| cockfight. It wasn't uncommon for people to gather | | | | spreading the art, because the media did such a bang |
| to watch gladiatorial contests between different arts | | | | up job of investigating, received virtually no credit. |
| and artists. Certain of these gladiators even offered | | | | And Funakoshi is became famous and shared Karate |
| open challenges to the audience, step up if you think | | | | with the world, yet, it wouldn't have happened if |
| you can beat me. One night a Russian strongman | | | | Motobu hadn't had the one punch one kill ability. Now, |
| threw down the gauntlet to the Japanese audience. | | | | you have to ask yourself who has the real karate, a |
| One can imagine the outraged audience, and the | | | | school teacher who benefited from the wrong |
| surprise when a frumpy, old Okinawan stepped up to | | | | picture, or a rough cob who got the job done. No, |
| the ring and prepared to fight. The year was 1921, | | | | Funakoshi's karate is not bad, and generations of |
| and Karate was about to become famous. Motobu | | | | karateka have contributed to the art. However, |
| Ch?ki was 52 years old when he climbed through the | | | | there is still that one blot, a hundred years ago, |
| ropes that night. He had studied with virtually every | | | | provided by a man whoknew one punch one kill, |
| Karate master on the island of Okinawa, and he had, | | | | which argues the concept of who had the True Art. |