Donn F. Draeger bio

[A. Bakken]

Has anyone written a biography on Donn F. Draeger?

[allan]

I think that Major George Bristol of the US Marine Corp (I seem to remember that he is a student of Hunter Armstrong) is working on one.

Regards,

[don]

Has anyone written a biography on Donn F. Draeger?

Robert Smith writes much of him in Martial Musings.

I found a series of letters by/to Draeger somewhere on the net once. Spoke a lot about judo fakers, bloodsucking publishers, and poverty.

Search the boards and Google if you haven't. You'll be surprised at how much is out there.

Good luck.

[Andy Watson]

Aage

I have a copy of Martial Musings if you want to borrow it. I can bring it to Bologna. Well worth a read.

[A. Bakken]

That's very kind of you Andy. Unfortunately, it's far from certain that I will make it to Bologna this year. In any case, I'll be sure to pick it up at first opportunity. I found an excerpt from the book at koryu.com, by the way: http://www.koryubooks.com/library/rsmith1.html I liked the anecdote about practicing jodo on a "dark night with no moon". I'll probably be wise not to try that myself!

[Bruce Mitchell]

I enjoyed Martial Musings in spite of it's author. Keep in mind that Smith is an extremely baised writer who does not seem capable of any objectivity. He writes some nice things about Draeger, but ends it with a ridiculous antecdote that is an off sides swipe at Draeger and an ad nauseum endorsement of Smith's teacher.

I had a friend of the late Bill Paul read Smith's section on him, and he said that Smith's account of his (Smith's) influence on Paul was greatly exaggerated.

Major Bristol has been working on a bio of Draeger, but world affairs have probably slowed that project down some. I look forward to it's completion at some point in the future.

[Dan Harden]

It is also worthy of note that a few people who were there training with him are curiously missing from his book. Some of these people we all know. I am left to ask "Why that is?"
I most certainly consider it a biased read. And his style of writing is really odd at times, not that I have any right to critisize someones writing, I am barely legible. Neither do I fault him for the big focus on the Chinese stuff. That was clearly what captured his attention. I just wish he had the ability to be more even handed and inclusive of his own experiences with those whom he trained with, and where he "fit in" in that era and with those men. Surely, that would have been a more interesting read.

Cheers
Dan

[budoka_ch]

Robert Smith writes much of him in Martial Musings.

I found a series of letters by/to Draeger somewhere on the net once. Spoke a lot about judo fakers, bloodsucking publishers, and poverty.

Search the boards and Google if you haven't. You'll be surprised at how much is out there.

Good luck.

Mr. Bakken, I'd like to step in and 2nd this recommendation. I believe that going to http://www.ejmas.com and typing in "the great enablers" AND Draeger (quotes included) will get you some of what you seek. A great series of insights into the mind of a fascinating individual and pioneer of martial arts research. Wish I'd known the man/he'd lived a bit longer. As it is, I was all of the tender age of 7 when he died.

Some more info can be found here: http://faculty.washington.edu/kendo/draeger.html (don't know how factual it all is. The links are great, though, and I had a chance to check out the 2nd part of his/Relnick sensei's sumotori prints exhibit at SAAM. Just fascinating stuff.)