Chinen Sensei knows a lot of Judo. But I know Chinen Sensei as a Goju Ryu student.
FWIW Chinen Sensei's teacher was an 8th dan in Judo as well as a Goju Ryu 10th dan. Robey Reed was invited by Chinen Sensei to teach at his Goju Ryu Gasshuku. I believe one of the stories told in the dojo was Mr. Reed was to be on the 64 Olympic team but he broke his leg. Again, Mr. Reed is a wealth of knowledge.
I'm an old Judo guy myself but if you study under Chinen Sensei for any length of time you will absorb some Judo from Sensei's oyo I wish Sensei would use mats more often were getting old you know.
Ed Boyd
Robey Reed was a great Judo competitor when I was also involved in 1960-62. He was especially good at standing arm bars and/or flying chokes, as we called it. He and Ron Hubbard were in the pre-Olympic trials in 1963 and were on the list as possible Olympians, but Ron's wife threatened to kill him and Robey got hurt. Last I saw him was sometime in the 1970's at some dumb Judo meeting and he was in great shape then. Someone old me he had health issues or maybe dementia or something. He is at least 5 years older than me and that puts him at 80.
Great person, Robey, great Judoka as well. We shared one Judo sensei, Miyasato Eiichi, who was also 8th dan (1960) sensei in Gojuryu. He later went on to 10th dan Gojuryu and 8th dan Judo before passing sometime in the late 1990's.
Sadly, Robey has become unable to maintain his own home, but is looked after by his loyal (former) students. He is greatly loved by the communtiy in general and his former students. When he was still able to operate the Judo club in his dojo, his students were feared in tournaments. Here is a picture from an old seminar, and the 2nd is the last one I have from a couple years ago at his 80th birthday celebration. People came from all over for that one. The other fellow in the pic is just me.
I love that man. He taught me so much.
Thanks for sharing! Great pictures. My Sensei spoke highly of this gentleman.
- Anthony Nehls
I was saddened to read Robey Reed's obit in the Spokesman last week. As a teenager I met him at Seiki Kan in the 1960s, and he was awesome.
Memory Eternal.
Ed Boyd