Blog Talk Radio – Kyoshi Bill Hayes

Interesting post. I have stumbled and twittered this for my friends. Hope others find it as interesting as I did.

The Night Sensei Bill Hayes defrocked a phoney Black Belt: January 1978. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC. I was witness to an ubelievable event regarding a phony Black Belt. I was a young 18 yr old Sailor and Ikkyu in Judo and Matsubayshi Ryu. I was the coach of the Judo club for the base. Most of the Martial Artists on the base usually gathered at the base gym to train and workout. Our Judo club was small and I was the highest ranking member at the time. When I arrived to train that night I noticed a long haired civilian wearing a Karate Gi and wearing a Black Belt. He was teaching a really obese civilian some kind of techniques that looked ridiculous. Sensei Hayes was watching intently and I noticed he was agitated, I think Sensei Doug Perry was present also. Anyway, I asked Sensei Hayes if he knew who those guys were, and he said he'd never seen them. I stood and watched a few more minutes and the next thing I knew Sensei Hayes walked on the mat and approached the civilian. I couldn't hear exactly what was said but the next thing I saw completely amazed me. Sensei Hayes did some kind of foot sweep on the guy and he went flying. He then got up and Sensei Hayes distinctly told him he was a fraud. The guy was backing away from him and Sensei told him take the belt off and the guy refused. Sensei then told him take it off or he would. or words to that effect. Sensei then kind of shoved him challenging him to spar. He foot sweeped him again and the guy laid on the floor in a defensive position. The next thing I saw was the guy removing the Black Belt, and Sensei said a lot of words to him. About this time a crowd had gathered made up martial artists. The guy and his student left in shame. There was no doubt in my mind and anyone elses that the civilian was a fraud. To this day I have never seen someone move so quickly as Sensei did. And I have seen many Masters all over the world. Even some of the olympic Judo players didn't have anything on Sensei Hayes foot sweep. About a year later I witnessed another amazing event. We had a local tournament, Sensei Hayes demonstrated defense against a groin kick. The opponent kicked Sensei with a very hard front snap kick to the groin. All the while Sensei Hayes was talking to the audience. If there ever was a true American Karate Master Sensei Bill Hayes is the one. He is one of those people that Bruce Lee talked about years ago. The Masters that stay out of the lime light and could bounce him off a wall. The only recognition Sensei Hayes receives is within an inner circle of worldwide martial artists. He doesn't seek rank, recognition, publicity or pictures on magazines. He's never bounced from style to style like one certain Hapkido teacher has done. And he is not a self proclaimed Grand Master. He is a GRAND MASTER.

Great story Tony - thank you for sharing! I wouldn't want to be in the same state as Hayes Sensei if he were angry at me. That civilian got off very lucky.

Your analysis of Hayes Sensei as one of the unspoken, out-of-the-limelight true masters couldn't be more accurate.

This is such a great post. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks for posting it

It's always great to here Hayes Sensei speaking. You can tell it comes straight from the heart.