The Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame (IHOF) is both an annual event of recognized Isshin-ryū

Isshin-ryu

is a style of Okinawan karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku 　and named by him on 15 January 1956. Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means, literally, "one heart method"...

 practitioners and the associated list of past inductees. The annual event includes a karate tournament of Isshin-ryu practitioners.

History

The IHOF was originally called the IIKA Hall of Fame. It was created in 1979 by the International Isshin-ryū Karate Association, a group of Isshin-ryū karateka headed by milestone American servicemembers who trained with Master Shimabuku

Shimabuku Tatsuo

Tatsuo Shimabuku was the founder of Isshin-ryū karate.-Family:Tatsuo Shimabuku was born in Kyan [Chan] village, Okinawa, on September 19, 1908. He was the first of ten children born into a farming family. By the age of 12, he had a strong desire to study martial arts...

 in Okinawa and brought Isshin-ryū to the United States. However, the Hall of Fame was later dissociated from the IIKA to keep it neutral from the many Isshin-ryū organizations and allow them all to have recognized members. As such, in 1981, Harold Long

Harold G. Long

Harold G. Long was a Isshin-Ryu Karate instructor from Tennessee.- Biography :He was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, on September 3, 1930, one of thirteen children born of Bessie Marie Fance Long and John Riley Long. His family moved from Rockwood to Morgan County in 1934 where he attended elementary...

 formed the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame. Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, the creator of Isshin-ryū, was the first inductee.

Currently

Where some hall of fame lists allow persons to nominate themselves for induction, the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame requires nomination by someone else and the nominations are voted on for induction by a Board made up of 12 members of the Isshin-ryū community.

Each year, Isshin-ryū practitioners take part in the IHOF tournament and awards ceremony. The tournament includes kumite

Kumite

Kumite means sparring, and is one of the three main sections of karate training, along with kata and kihon. Kumite is the part of karate in which you train against an adversary, using the techniques learned from the kihon and kata....

, hand kata

Kata

is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....

, and weapon kata

Okinawan kobudo

Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...

 competitions subdivided by age group and rank. After the tournament is an awards ceremony for the tournament winners. There are also awards for Sensei of the Year and Isshin-ryū Service Award, among others.

List of Inductees by Year

Inductees of the Isshin-ryū Hall of Fame

Year Name 1980 Tatsuo Shimabuku Shimabuku Tatsuo Tatsuo Shimabuku was the founder of Isshin-ryū karate.-Family:Tatsuo Shimabuku was born in Kyan [Chan] village, Okinawa, on September 19, 1908. He was the first of ten children born into a farming family. By the age of 12, he had a strong desire to study martial arts... 1981 Harold Long Harold G. Long Harold G. Long was a Isshin-Ryu Karate instructor from Tennessee.- Biography :He was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, on September 3, 1930, one of thirteen children born of Bessie Marie Fance Long and John Riley Long. His family moved from Rockwood to Morgan County in 1934 where he attended elementary... 1982 Mike Hammonds Harold Mitchum Harold M. Mitchum Harold Marion Mitchum is a tenth degree black belt in the Isshin-ryū karate system. He learned under the founder of Isshin-ryū, Shimabuku Tatsuo, while serving three tours in Okinawa with the U.S. Marines. Though Mitchum himself claims that he was on Okinawa and trained under Shimabuku for... 1983 Don Nagle Allen Wheeler 1984 J.C. Burris Cas Cox Denny Shaffer 1985 Steve Armstrong 1986 none 1987 Willie Adams Joel Buchholtz Philip McElroy 1988 Nick Adler Toby Cooling Rick Niemira Tommy True 1989 James Chapman Lewis Lizotte 1990 George Chilton Dale Jenkins Doug Noxon Sam Santilli 1991 Jim McDonald 1992 Phil Little 1993 none

Year Name 1994 Harry Acklin Ed McGrath Ralph Passero Arnold R. Sandubrae 1995 Joel Chandler James Maples Maurice G. Msarsa 1996 Barry Smith 1997 Angi Uezu Angi Uezu Angi Uezu is the former head of one of the major Isshin-ryu karate organizations, the Okinawan Isshin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Association . He is the son-in-law of the system's founder, Shimabuku Tatsuo, and is a 10th degree black belt.He was born in Chiyaranka City on the island of Saipan... Butch Hill 1998 Don Bohan Carol Burris Norbert Donnelly Aubrey "Bud" Ewing Marilyn Fierro David Gabbard Clyde Stanley 1999 John Lennox Glen Webb 2000 William Duessel Lonnie Workman 2001 Sherman J. Harrill Robert L. White 2002 Danny Glover Melbert Lee, Sr. 2002 Pete Mills

Year Name 2003 Diane E. Ortenzio-Cooling Mitch Kobylanski Isham Latimer Kelly Markham Carl Martin Sandra Strong Willie G. Wilson 2004 Terry Creamer James Ogle 2005 Chester Holubecki Robert Kristensen Reese Rigby Scott Shamblin Jerry Smith Dennis Wright Steve Young 2006 Karen Bronson Tom Lewis Albert Mady 2007 Don Bordinger John Ingram George Shin Sr Eugene Woods James Bond