SUNDAY. JULY 10, 1.80
8 A.
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE.
Popularity off Little-ECnown
Sport
Doorcases
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WHOOPSI Wondering just exactly
what has happened is Instructor Tom Ball
Jr., head of the Medford Judo academy, who
has been flipped by his sister,. 17-year-old
Stephanie Ball. Ball, a senior at Southern
Oregon college with a science major, is re
ferred to as a "Second degree black belt"
instructor. The white judo jacket shown is
standard as is the black belt. By noticing
the color of a judoist's belt, one is able to
tell his experience. The darker the belt the
more experince. Actually, Ball confirms, it
doesn't hurt him to fall as he is doing, since
the fall is half of the judo and ju-jitsu skill.
Being able to fall and roll is about as easy
as sitting down in a chair, he adds.
(Nolte photo)
Local Judo Academy
Holds Classes on
Regular Schedule
By JIM FRAKE
Mail Tribune) Stalf Writer
America's security is suid to lie in the strength of lis
people. Perhaps one yardstick to measure tills strength is In
the physical power of the common man.
Most authorities will agree that participation in sports
and athletics is the key to physical fitness. Activities that
one may indulge in include golf, tennis, track, football, bas
ketball, wrestling, swimming, baseball, and many others.
Probably the least known sport or activity in this area
is judo and ju-jitsu. instructed locally by Tom Ball Jr., and
ins assistants, Larry Nolte and Mike Bryne.
Many Introduced to Sport
Many people have been introduced o this sport, and
weapon, and at the same time assisted in the time of need.
Besides being a spectator sport, judo has three distinct uses
off the mat for self protection, for protection of others, and
for when odds are uneven, according to Ball.
Ball and his colleagues operate under the title of the Med
ford Judo academy currently holding its meetings on the
front lawn at the home of its head, Tom Ball, Jr. When inves
tigating the movements of the academy, one is cautioned that
tne seating capacity at the forested location is not too great,
and is advised to await the opening of their new gymnasium
at Phoenix in a couple of weeks.
Nevertheless, judo and -ju-jitsu are currently being recog
nized as an up-and-coming activity and with simple under
standing most sports-minded citizens can realize the value
ana oenetits of it.
DIVE Shown taking a dive for the mat
Is Larry Nolte (left) who has just been
thrown by Mike Byrne, both active par
ticipants at the Medford Judo Academy.
Also wrestling are Ben Graves (right, fac
ing camera) and Dr. P. H. Rutter. The toss
itself is called the "Seoi Nagie." Note the
stance which is used for the throw.
(Nolte photo)
i i 1 , 1
MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE?
Either trying out a new
dance step or advocating 20th
century togetherness are Lar
ry Nolte (left) and Tom Ball
Jr., both members of the Med
ford Judo academy. They are
pictured in the defense posi
tion for a stomach bump call
ed the Saganuki. This is one
of the many different parts
and phases of judo and ju
Jltsu. .......
(-Nolle photo)
UPSIDE DOWNI Being thrown upside down by Tom Ball
is Larry Nolte. The picture shows typically how a judo ex
pert may toss his opponent quickly and with considerable
ease. On the other hand, if the one being thrown knows the
skills of judo, he can fall and roll without being injured.
By hitting the mat or ground with certain precautions, the
taller will actually not feel it any more than he would by
sitting down easy in a chair. (Nolte photo)
17-Year-Old Remandc1 To District Court
A 17-year-old Central Pol
boy was ordered remanded
district court following a ji
venile court hearing Friday,
according to Mrs. Kay Crow-
ell, juvenile department director.
The youth was remanded on
.Iglnal charges of violation
f probation. The district at
orney will have to make out
a new complaint charging for
gery, it was explained.
The youth was arrested by
sheriff's deputies and admit
ted forging checks.
Actually, one skilled in the
arts of ju-jitsu is able to sub
due an attacker without kill
ing, maiming, or injuring him
People throughout the United
States as well as the world
are finding this out every day.
Although it is possible to kill
a man, or seriously injure
him, judo is not designed for
that purpose.
Simply the Japanese art of
self defense, judo has devel
oped from exclusive military
use by the Chinese and Japa
nese empires during the Chris
tian era. It's history is declar
ed a long and honorable one.
Judo is said to date back over
4,000 years and its arts have
not changed significantly.
No doubt the unenlightened
would hesitate to associate the
sport and the techniques they
teach with gentleness. To the
casual and uninformed observ
er, it actually looks rough.
On the contrary, judo literally
means "the gentle way."
Meaning of Judo
Broken down, ju means gen
tle or to give way; do means
way or principle. Thus, judo
indicates the gentle way or
the principle of giving way.
As the president of the
American Judo and Ju-jitsu
federation puts it: "Judo is
one of the mildest and gentlest
sports I know. There are few
er persons injured practicing
judo than any other sport that
I can name unless perhaps it
be possibly chess or cross
word puzzles."
Many people consider judo
"bone - shattering," although
the experts claim it is a clean,
safe sport. Besides, the partic
ipants say it is even "fun." Ex
perts testify that a throw re
ceived by a judo expert is
about as rough as sitting down
easy in a chair.
What is the difference be
tween judo and ju-jitsu? Is
judo the same as ju-jitsu, or is
ju-jitsu a form of judo?
Difference Noted '
Technically, judo is to ju
jitsu as baseball is to sports.
Ju-jitsu, being a large group
of skills and meaning perfec
tion, includes judo, karate
(self defense arts of the empty
hand), savate (french foot
fighting), kendo (sword and
quarter-staff), kapo (resusci
tation arts), and lomi-lomi
(Hawaiian foot massage). Judo
itself has some 3,000 arts
which each have about IS var
iations, according to the local
participants.
According to the local in
structor, there are some 40
arts of judo to perfect while
still being classified as a be
ginner. Following perfection
of these arts the judo student
is considered a "green belt"
student.
While watching a judo dem
onstration or match, one may
observe that there are differ
ent colors of belts worn by
the contestants. They may be
white, green, brown, or black,
with many degrees of color
range in between. By just ob
serving this difference a spec
tator can judge the experience
and skill of the participant.
Color Is Symbol
The belt itself Is called a
"obi" (oh-bee), and is used to
secure the judo jacket. The
color is an outward symbol of
the student's rank. Theoret
ically, the darker the belt, the
more experienced the wearer.
Beginners wear a white
bell; they are then called
white belt participants. Be
fore advancement they must
prove their skill and per
fection of form. Among
other arts to perfect
are the yawara (hand arts)
and the nago no kata (throw
ing arts). The next step is the
green belt rank. Completion
ui inese requirements take an
average of three months of
hard training.
To become a brown belt
participant, as well as higher
ranks, is not as easy as the
bystander may imagine, the
local group points out. Be
cause a person's rank symbol
izes experience and skill, the
different degrees or ranks arc
not given casually. Following
the green belt rank, the stu
dent advances through three
degrees or brown belt, rang
ing from third to first. Black
belt participants are consid
ered the elite and most skilled.
There are 10 degrees of black
belt, with titles to go along
with them. Students ranking
first and second degree black
belt are considered instruc
tors; those with three degree
black belts, masters; and those
boasting fourth through 10th
degree black belts, professors.
Tom Ball Jr., is a second de
gree black belt and qualifies
as an instructor. Ball has gone
through judo training at Chico
State college. Nolte is a first
degree brown belt, and Byrne,
a green belt.
It should bo noted that thesu
ranks lira Just for Judo and
not (or Ju-jitsu. It Is also Im
portant to realize that upon
advancement, a Judo student
Is responsible for his own con
duct on or off the mat, as he
symbolizes the elite.
Besides this, ho Is responsi
ble for tho conduct of the oth
er students who are his equal
or below him In rank; there
fore the higher the rating the
greater the responsibility.
Perilitent Practice
Bull has emphasized that
continual and persistent prac
tice is important. Also basic is
strength and employing regu
larly calisthenics. It has been
snicf that when u student has
performed an art one thou
sand times, he may begin to
understand 1 1, physically.
This however, does not neces
sarily imply that he will also
understand all of the princi
ples behind the art.
In learning judo, tho stu
dent first starts with mat eti
quette and the basic judo roll
and full. One of the next steps
is to learn "yawara," n system
of hand arts and escapes.
The philosophy behind judo
nas been called unique and
complicated, although it Is
really using the opponent's
weight and size to the other's
advantage. The ways of giv
ing way in order to gain ulti
mate vlotory are numerous;
however, all are keyed to the
principle of seeming to give
in to the opponent and his
wishes, while at the same
time utilizing his efforts and
energies to gain victory and
aid the defendant's aims.
Having learned to roll and
full satisfactorily, the student
then practices various arts of
throwing. Throughout tho In
struction, safety and sports
manship ore emphasized.
In mastering the various
arts of choking, throwing, and
holding there are specific and
individual fundamentals that
have to be perfected, accord
lug to Ball.
Perhaps two of the most
common and important phases
of Judo are "kata" and "ran
dorl." Kata is considered the
formal practice of judo, while
randori is the Judo contest.
Kata, being also the basis
of knowledge on or perfection
of form, is named one of the
most enjoyable parts of judo
since, in it, ideas are tried out,
many questions asked, and
specific results are estimated.
In kata, the student learns
step by step the why's and
how's of each judo fundamental.
The students learn the rela
tionships of one art to an
other and how to employ their
basic skills to Improvise when
such nn improvisation Is need
ed. Heflexes urn formed III
kata so emergency , actions
during a match will come nut
n rally, After complete com
prehension, the judo student
then progresses Into tho art
and practice of randori.
Hundorl Is defined us a free
style of practice In which the
students attempt to defeat
ouch other by the use of
throws, chokes, hold-downs,
locks and burs. This practice,
although It may sound rough,
Is declared relaxing and en
joyable. Any actions which
are dangerous or harmful are
outlawed. The mental process
in randori is Important and
success depends much on how
the knowledge Is used.
Bull explains that randori Is
much like a game of chess, the
object being not so much to
win, but to outmummver and
outhink tho rival. Too, the
participants are usually of
equal physical power and may
bo reasonably equal In knowl
edge of the arts. The way that
they use this knowledge Is the
important thing in randori.
ftundori, of course, can bo In
volved If the mental gymnas
tics used are considered.
When a throwing urt Is ex
ecuted, the person is actually
tripped. The thrown student
will protect himself by going
into a full which consists of a
continuous series of actions
that can be explained as "es
tablished" physical laws. They
are, and appear to be, natural.
When a student lands on the
mat or ground ho Isn't hurt
because he Is positioned prop
erly and relaxed.
A judo mutch Is similar to
a wrestling match, although
somewhat mora technical and
psychological. For partici
pants under the black belt de
gree, they last three minutes.
For black belters, they arc
five minutes. Ball advises that
one point wins the match.
This Is gained by n good, clean
throw or complete control of
the mat. If neither ot the par
ticipants scores in the ullotcd
time, the match may be
judged on technique or may
be extended for another min
ute. As in elaborate wrestling,
bowing Is a part of formal
Judo. This Is a sign of respect.
In discussing regional judo
and Ju-jitsu activity, Ball
noted that there are judo
academies in Salem, Ore., and
Dorris, Yrcko, and Arcadia,
Calif. During this month there
is to be a judo mutch in Oak-
hind. Local piii-llclpallon
ranges from 2! to ;it) men and
women from IS years of
ago up.
Ways Coniklered
Hull emphasizes that Judo
nnd Ju-JII.su can be considered
in three ways-as a manner of
defense, as a sport, and us ul
timate perfection. Tho local
group advocates also tho de
velopment of the body, the
mind, and the spirit. Hall adds
that courtesy, confidence, anil
consideration are, also ob
served. Basically, character build
ing is a chief goal or ulm of
Judo participants or "Judo
kus," tho technical name for
contestants. It Is a nwYiil ob
ligation and duly of each Ju
Jlt.su and Judo participant to
live up to these standards,
Dull stresses.
Locally, Medford residents
have had Judo training of
fered to them for about u year
and a half. The Medford nead
emy's officers Include Hall, ni
president; Nolle, as treasurer;
and llyrne, as secretary. An
administrating council consist!
of Hie officers plus Dr. P. H.
Holler, I'hoenlx.
Nationally. Judo Interest has -Increased
dynamically In Ilia
last few years with tint Amer
ican Judo and Ju-JllHii federa
tion being founded In 11)20.
Tom Hull Jr., Larry Nolle,
and Mlko llyrne are handing
a stuff of athletes whu are on
gaged In one of tho most un
usual mid interesting activi
ties available In the liogua
valley; one that Is easily rec
ognized us one of Importance
and value. Proof lies In the)
activities of Hie Medford Judo
academy.
It Is this strength of the)
American pcoplo that la 10
desired.
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