Shorin-Ryu Karate in Satellite Beach, FL 1973-74

modified from similar history provided at: http://www.okinawan-shorinryu.com/palmer/sensei_palmer.html

I began karate training with Sensei Sam Palmer in 1973 in Satellite Beach, FL when I was in 10th grade at Satellite Beach High School. My Dad (USAF) got a one year remote assignment to Grand Bahama Island in his 17th year and this was as close as we could live to him. He visited every 4 to 6 weeks or so. I know Palmer Sensei was in the USAF and was a Sargent stationed at Patrick Air Force Base, but did not know he was retired. The Wichita Falls, TX (Sheppard AFB) dojo also sounds very familiar.

I began training as a white belt at the suggestion of my friend and neighbor Bob Tedder in late Fall 1973 after football season was over. My brother, Jerry, also trained. I remember feeling like I was never going to get it, but after 30 days, I think I began to catch on. I remember a brown belt instructor who was probably 17-18, wore a bowler hat and had no back seat in his old model car, just carpeting (maybe the guy John Unk.?) in the picture. I remember the woman Joyce being a policewoman, I think, and there was another guy who worked out alot and off normal class schedule who was a Brevard County Sheriff and real good with nunchucks.

I agree, Palmer Sensei was a Yon-Dan (4th Degree) and, the Head Instructor, United States of America, in the Okinawa ShorinRyu Karate Association at that time. In 1974 during Ueshiro Sensei's (NY) visit to FL, he was promoted to Go-Dan (5th Degree). This is evident in my Yon-Kyu (Green belt) promotional certificate dated 1 July 1974, where the "4" in the 4-DAN title under Samuel G. Palmer's signature is overwritten with a fine black marker "5".

I agree that Palmer Sensei had several children who trained as well. I specifically remember meeting his son in 1974 who at the time I think was nine and a brown belt. I don't remember his children working out with us. But I remember coming home from school, doing my homework, walking to dojo for 4pm beginner class, after a few months I'd stay for advanced class at 6:30pm. After awhile, I was there every day.

I remember going to a tournament in Clearwater in maybe May or June 1974 as a white belt and coming home with 2nd place kata and 1st place kumite and not being able to sleep on the bus ride home because of the adrenalin flow after fighting the guy next to you in a large circle that kept reducing in size by 1/2 every cycle until after nine fights there was just me and another guy left who tried to foot sweep me at least 5 times instead just kicked my horse stance calf so even after I beat him I couldn't walk for a week and didn't work out for two. That reminds me of his saying that whoever he fought, no matter how tough, even if both ended up in the hospital, he would go home first. Palmer Sensei took pictures, but I never got any copies of them.

Also another one, the bowler hat brown belt said if you are ever surrounded by 10 guys ready to beat you, punch one in the nose so hard that you break it, then thrust two fingers into his nostrils, rip his nose off, put it between your teeth and growl at the remaining nine guys and they will run away (in college, I was surrounded by 10 guys once and the smallest came out from underneath his taller friends, punched me in the nose, then they pulled my jacket over my head).

I lost contact with Palmer Sensei when my family moved back to Massachusetts in August of 1974 after my father's 1 year remote assigment to Grand Bahama Island was complete. I tried to stay for the rest of the Summer to continue working out, but it was time to go. Palmer Sensei was an important male role model for me that year and I will always remember him.

I returned to Satellite Beach to visit some friends in the Summer of 1975 and was very upset to see the Dojo gone and to learn Sensei Palmer had passed away of a heart attack. Details of his sudden heart attack in NY at a promotion board while performing Pinan Sandan came from http://www.okinawan-shorinryu.com/palmer/sensei_palmer.html . - In spite of resuscitation efforts he did not survive - . I agree, this was the way Palmer Sensei wanted to go, doing what he loved. His spirit survives in his students over 30 years later.

From: michael
To: "Christopher King"
Subject: Re: Shorin-Ryu Karate in Satellite Beach, FL 1973-74
Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2005 01:12:59 -0400
Chris, GOOD to hear from you!
Satellite Beach High School: I graduated from Satellite HS in 1972 so we were there at the same time. 73-74 I was at B.C.C.
Bowler Hat: Wasn't that Carroll Scofield right before he was promoted to Sho-Dan? I too remember the hat on somebody.
Brevard County Sheriff: (Something) Graziano. Recently died from cancer. I went to F.I.T. with his brother Mike Graziano.
Diploma: Mine too!
Family: Yeah they kinda wandered away. I have had no contact with them.
Tournament: I was at the same tournament with you (there was an Arby's across the street) as a green belt - got my butt kicked.
Chris, it's really good to hear from you. Come over to the dojo sometime and work out with us old-guys! Michael