Remembering the Tufts Club: 1967-1969

We got a great comment on one of our YouTube videos recently and with permission of the author, Martha Grant, we thought we’d share it and a selection of the subsequent email exchange with everyone! The comment was on the video “Shotokan Karate Master Kazumi Tabata Early Footage Partner Work and Kicking” https://youtu.be/bJRDTzVhu0g

“I was in the Tufts Karate Club in 1967 – 69 led by Mr. Tabata, Mr. Muoroka [sic: we think “Maruoka”] and Mr. Kowabura. Mr. Kowabura didn’t know what to do with me, the only girl.”

So we immediately messaged her and asked for any stories she might like to share!

“Stories? I may have a few. Mr. Muroaka was the only one of the three sensei who could speak English well, but one day while sparring, he was kicked in the jaw, breaking it. Instead of speaking well he could hardly speak at all with his jaw wired.

Then there was the time when we were sparring and I missed and actually hit him. He (Mr. Muroaka) just bopped me back right on the nose. I learned my lesson!

The last time I saw Mr. Muroaka was at a good-bye party just before he left in a VW bus with the intention of driving to South America looking for diamonds. I’ve always wondered how far he got.

Several of us went to Mr. Tabata’s apartment one evening and drank sake with him. I clearly remember him rolling the windows down on the drive home so that he could yell at all the pretty girls he saw on the street.

I remember the discipline, standing in a kibadachi stance with someone on my shoulders for fifteen minutes. As the only girl in the club I was very proud when I defeated all the boys in a round robin tournament and got to be Captain of the club.

Unfortunately I left Tufts half way through my third year. I tried other karate classes over the years, but never found a sensei as inspirational as Mr. Tabata.”