top of page

TIMELINE

1930 Born February 18, Paget Bermuda

 

1945 First martial art boxing, Bermuda

 

1947 Moved to New York

 

1950-3 Served in U. S. Army, boxer

 

1955-67 Merchant seaman U S. merchant marine.

Studied karate in the Manila, Philippines with Latino Gonzalez

Studied karate in Kobe, Japan

Studied karate with principal teacher, Peter Urban, New York

Studied and trained with Chuck Merriman and Frank Ruiz, New York

 

1967-9 Bouncer and karate performer at "the Scene" run by Steve Paul in New York

 

1969 Auxiliary policeman, New York: citation

 

1970 Returned to Bermuda, founded Bermuda Karate Institute

 

1972 Promoted first karate tournament in Bermuda

 

1973 Organized the first Bermuda Karate Federation aimed at international competition and recognized by Government, promoted first public demonstration of self-defense in Bermuda

 

1974 Presented first kung-fu/wu-shu exhibition in Bermuda with students of Alan Lee

 

1975 Headed first Bermuda team in competition abroad - S. HenryCho's tournament, headed first Bermuda team in WUKO (now WKF)

 

1976 Promoted first international team competition in Bermuda

 

1980 Entered and won his first open kata competition at the Battle of the Zodiac in Jamaica, New York

 

1983 Promoted the first Bermuda Open Karate Championships (to be celebrated for the 32nd time in 2014), which has attracted competitors from the U S . Canada, England, Germany Austria and Argentina

 

1985-8 Promoted the BIG (Bermuda International Grandchampionships), the first international professional karate competition in Bermuda which was voted into the PKL (Professional Karate League) Hall of Fame as the best tournament in North America in 1988; the years of BIG provided a substantial economic benefit to Bermuda through the estimated 250 people who came to the island each year for the event, some of whom became repeat visitors

 

1987 Served as Assistant Coach of the Atlantic Karate Team, with Assistant Coach Tokey Hill a former WUKO world champion, and Head Coach Chuck Merriman who coached the U S. team to several gold and silver medals in WUKO competition

 

1988-90 Continued as Assistant Coach of the Trans World Oil Karate Team, which grew from the Atlantic Karate Team, composed of top martial arts champions from the U S and Canada, achieving an outstanding unbeaten team and individual record throughout their competitive history

 

1988 Ranked sixth in senior kata by PKL on the North American open circuit - the only Bermudian ever to achieve a rating; first and only Bermudian featured on the cover of an international martial arts magazine September "BLACK BELT" Skipper has also been written up in martial arts magazines in Italy, Malaysia and India.

 

1989 Division winner and grandchampion runner-up at LAMA Nationals in Chicago beating among others Kevin Thompson, 3 times triple world champion In WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations)

 

1991 Coached first Bermuda team in WAKO competition in London in October, including first Bermudian to win a medal in international martial arts competition - David Simons bronze soft forms; placed fifth in hard weapons in open kata division

 

1992 Coached first Bermuda team in World Karate Organization (WKO - formerly WKF in Mestre, Italy winning gold medal for senior kata - as a result of this performance 20 English and 2 Argentine competitors attended the 11th Bermuda Open Karate Championships the following year

 

1993 First place in senior kata division (for 9th and 10th dans only) at Gotay's All Goju Invitational in New York.

 

1994 April Second in senior forms at the Battle of Boston a performance which was highlighted in "SPORT KARATE" magazine; also first place of 15 masters in the senior kata division of Al Gotay's All Golu Invitational In New York

 

1994 May Received Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honor in the Queen's Birthday List for his contributions to martial arts in Bermuda, first Bermudian martial artist to receive this distinction; he sent an honorary black belt to Queen Elizabeth on this occasion

 

1994 October Coached the first Bermuda team to include a gold medal winner in sparring in international competition, Gladwin "Roots" Phillips in men's traditional sparring under 66 kg at the 2nd WKO World Championships in Buenos Aires Argentina. also in October won a gold medal in senior forms at the Goodwill Tournament of the Miyagi Chojun Festival in Niantic, Connecticut, and received an award from the organizing committee recognizing him as the founder of karate in Bermuda and for his international achievements

 

1995 June Won first place in over-35 kata at the Nisei Goju Open in New York, went on to win kata grandchampionship, beating under-35 winners in Okinawan/Japanese, Goju, Tae Kwon Do and Jiu-jitsu divisions September inducted into Hall of Fame of the World Head of Family Sokeship Council with headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida November Placed first in grandmasters (over 45) kata at Welch's All Okinawan/Japanese Traditional Karate Tournament in Washington, D. C.

 

1996 May Won first place in over-35 kata at Canadian Karate Organization Open Championships in Hamilton, Ontario, where son Zenji took gold in men's kata and bronze in weapons

 

1996 Featured in Ron Van Clief's book "The Black Heroes of the Martial Arts" and cover article in "Traditional Karate" magazine

 

1997 May  Won first place in senior masters kata at the House of the Samurai Invitational in Londonderry, New Hampshire, with Kent Simmons in second

 

1997 November Promoted 2nd World Karate Organization Panamerican Karate Championships, bringing to Bermuda teams from Algeria, Brazil, Canada, and USA

 

1998 September First in over 50 kata at Battle of Boston

 

1999 February Headed Bermuda Karate Organization Team at WKO event in Curitiba, Brazil with 11 golds; senior forms grandchampion; junior BKO team member Talia Iris triple gold; featured in "The Bermudian" on the occasion of his 70th birthday

 

1999 May First masters kata House of Samurai Londonderry, New Hampshire

 

1999 September First over 50 forms and third over 40 weapons Battle of Boston

 

2000 May Second masters forms Ocean State Grand Nationals, Providence, Rhode Island

 

2001 January Winner mens' forms over 40 John Chung's World Cup Finals, Washington, DC

 

2001 July Headed BKI delegation attending Miyazato Eiichi memorial seminar and demonstration, Okinawa, Japan

 

2001 September Second masters forms Battle of Atlanta

 

2002 January Winner men's forms over 40 John Chung's World Cup finals, Washington, DC

 

2002 April Runnerup men's forms over 50 Don Rodrigues' Ocean State Grandnationals, Providence, Rhode Island

 

2003 April Third over 50 forms Ocean State Grand Nationals, June fourth over 50 forms Bluegrass Nationals August headed Bermuda delegation at Okinawa Karate & Kobudo World Tournament/Seminar and Jundokan Dojo 50th Anniversary

 

2004 January First over 50 forms and forms grandchampion John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Organization Finals

 

2004 August Tested to seventh dan in Okinawa by committee of Okinawa Gojuryu Karatedo Kyokai under Iha Koshin; Kristina Ingham graded to fifth dan

 

2005 January First over 40 forms John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Organization Finals

 

2006 April Received lifetime achievement award from USA Goju as one of Grandmaster Peter Urban's early students

 

2007 January Skipper and Kristina received John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Final Championship (WCMAOFC) "Promoters of the Year" award for the 2006 Bermuda Open Karate Championships; at the same event Skipper placed third in a field of nine for men's over 40 forms

 

2007 April First place senior forms at Gary Alexander's IAMA, one of the longest running competitions in the USA

 

2007 September Inducted into Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame

 

2008 March Participated in European Gasshuku of Okinawa Goju-ryu Kyokai (OGKK) in Murcia, Spain

 

2008 April Repeated his first place in senior forms and Gary Alexander's IAMA

 

2009 April Placed second among men 5th dan and above at Al Gotay's World Goju Karate Championships in New Rochelle, New York, after tying for first; repeated a first place finish at Gary Alexander's 47th IAMA Championships in Piscataway, New Jersey

 

2009 August Participated in Okinawa Traditional Karate World Tournament and OGKK 40th anniversary gasshuku, as well as training with HIchiya Yoshio

 

2009 November Placed third at Rick Diaz' Karate Tournament of Champions in Queens, New York, after a three way tie for first

 

2010 January Placed second at John Chung's WCMAOFC in Reston, Virginia

 

2010 April First in men's forms over 35 (fourth consecutive year) and forms grandchampion at Gary Alexander's 47th IAMA tournament, Piscataway, New Jersey

 

2010 October Placed second in men's kata 5th dan and above at Don Warrener's WKO Worlds in Brantford, Ontario, Canada 

 

2011 January placed second men's traditional forms over 40 at John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Finals

 

2012 January placed second men's men's traditional forms over 40 at John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Finals

 

2014 January placed third men's men's traditional forms over 40 at John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Finals

 

2015 January placed first men's men's traditional forms over 40 and cograndchampion at John Chung's World Cup Martial Arts Finals

 

bottom of page