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Smith rewarded for his lifelong hobby-Karate
BY BOB BLACK OF THE PATRIOT-NEWS
Harry G. Smith is not exactly the instructor from “The
Karate Kid.” He’s taller and would never be mis taken for a
look-alike. Even his own son, 10-year-old Jordan D. Smith,
can’t be equated with the popular movie and its ensuing
sequels. He is younger and smaller. But, as far as karate goes
in cen tral Pennsylvania, the Smiths — father and son — are
about as good as it gets — especially Harry G.
Harry G. is a 61-year-old former Marine who was inducted into
the Pennsylvania Karate Hall of Fame in December of 1994.
Early last month he became the first Ameri can to be, inducted
into the Okinawan Karate Hall of Fame.
At the same time Harry G. was being inducted into the Okinawan
Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at the Dobbins House in
Get tysburg, Jordan D. was being pres ented a green belt by
Angi Uezu, a 10th degree black belt, for defeating other green
belts while he was still a lower-ranked white belt.
As a father-and-son team, the two combine to teach Isshin Ryu
karate at a pair of midstate locations — In Elizabethville and
Hershey. There is also a third school with a limited
membership located in Lemoyne.
According to Smith, the term Isshin Ryu means “One Heart, One
Mind, School.”
Isshin Ryu karate is a rigid, hard style of karate which uses
the theory of dynamic tension to obtain the results to perform
properly. It re quires serious stretching warm up exercises to
get ready for the class.
Smith’s roots in karate go way back. He enlisted in the Marine
Corps at the age of 17 and was sub sequently sent to Okinawa
during his tour of duty.
Although he had previous training at Parris Island in South
Carolina, it was in Okinawa during the 1950s that Smith got
his first real taste of karate, studying under Master Tatsuo
Shimabukuro.“When I was sent to Okinawa, there was very little
to do,” said Smith. “So I started studying karate more
seriously and was fortunate enough to have some very good
Okinawan instructors.“The sport requires tremendous dedication
and discipline.
After studying in Okinawa, Smith returned to the United States
and opened the first karate school on the East Coast in uptown
Harris burg. He later opened another school, in Pittsburgh,
which he operated until his re-enlistment in the Marines
during the Vietnam War.
At his Guardian Karate Institutes in Elizabethville, Hershey
and Le moyne, Smith stresses self-defense, self-control and
self-confidence. He takes care of most of the adult training
and he lets his son Jordan help out with the kids’ classes.
“My outlets from karate are fishing and baseball,” said Smith.
“When you’re studying karate, it requires complete
concentration. But, it’s important to have other in terests,
too. When I’m not teaching it, I try to relax as much as I
can. And I do that best with fishing.” |
