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| New KIDO RYU logo 2009 |
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| Professor Ruben Torres/Executive Director |
Hi, my name is Ruben Torres.
I was born in Brooklyn,
New York in 1955.
The second of five children,
born to Modesto & Carmen
Valle Torres.
Modesto came from Caye, Puerto Rico and mom
came from La Playa Puerto Nuevo, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.
She was the youngest of 11 children. Her father was named Baudillio
Valle and her mother was Pastora Jimenez Valle.
Papa lived to be 105 years of age. Abuela passed soon after him, I do not remember
how old she was. (approx. 93)
Papi (that's what I called my father) served
in the
United State Army and was one of 4000 Borinquenos that answered
the call to fight for this country during the Korean Conflict. Of those 4,000 men from Puerto Rico, only 250 ever returned.
Here is what I could read off his separation papers from the service:
Torres, Modesto Coto
Birthday: November 4, 1927
Place of Birth: Cayey, Puerto Rico
service #: us 51 113 614
grade-rate-rank+BPL(T) 26MAR53
CLASS: AUS ENGRS
EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPARATION: 18JUNE53
Selective seervice number: 50 8 27 862
Inducted: 17JULY51
DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, COMMENDATIONS AND CAMPAIGN RIBBONS AWARDED OR AUTHORIZED
KOREAN SERVICE MEDAL W/3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS
UNITED NATIONS SERVICE MEDAL
COMM RIB W/MET PENDT SEC i 00 139 11APRIL53
CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY
DISBURSING OFFICERS NAME
MICHAEL COHEN LT COL FC 215-318 VOU
MOST SIGNIFICANT ASSIGNMENT:
1729/CO A 185 ENGR C BN
FOREIGN AND OR SEA SERVICE
1 YEAR 3 MONTHS 16 DAYS
I started martial training in 1970, in Brooklyn,
New York at the age of 15, under
Sambonim William Fletcher Velez. When I stared with
Willie, he was about 19 years of age, and only a Shodan.
Chung Lee, his master had just passed
away that year he turned 19. I met him before his passing. Most of the visits I stayed outside and waited
till Willie came out again.
We trained in Prospect Park, Boston
University, St. Agnes, St. Augustine's, St. Francis Xavier Lyceum, any where.
(believe it or not we visited and crossed trained in many dojo in all
the 5 boros of New York).
For example: Professor Florendo Visitacion's Vee Jitsu Ryu,
Shihan John Manniels" Kar Do Jitsu Ryu,
George Coffield's Tong Dojo, P.C. Chang's Tae kwon do in Boston,
Tiger Kim's Tae kwon do, (86 st.) just to name a few.
I even remember visiting Aaron Banks Dojo on 26th Street
or 23rd St.? We saw Sensei Little John fight at the Madison Square Garden, I think it was
Tayari Casel? Shotokan Karate vs Kung Fu the first major promotion of these styles against each other
with a noted fighter of each style. I saw Sensei Louis Neglia's two different championship fights at the
garden too. I actually thought he lost both fights? Especially when he got his nose broke. Richard
Barathy was breaking things on fire in his american flag ghi, Amelia Dacascos
was performing her beautiful and rare kung fu forms, David Carradine had just filmed the
Kung Fu series instead of Bruce Lee. Imagine that, an actor with a dance background
chosen over a real martial artist. Don't get me wrong, I grew up watching the series, and the next generation, and loved
it! But, that was just WRONG! William Louie was doing his Bruce Lee Act. William Oliver
was in the air at the first International's in Japan, for Nakamura's New Seido Organization, so much talent at that time;
Peter Urban, Hidy Ochi, Bong Soo Han, Chuck Norris, Chuck Merrimen, Gary Alexander was taking it in international competition,
it was a very interesting time in the arts. They don't even need martial artists anymore just choreographers
and stunt men and wires and cameras. I remember reading Richard Kim's articles in Black Belt and Karate Illustrated,
do you?
The Dragon Karate Dojang, (1971) where
you could learn
the art of Hapkido/Tae
kwon do,
We finally had a Dojo of our own, it was located
on Union street between 5th & 6th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York. It had a little cut out window with a
hinge on it so sometimes Willie would open it up and let the people listening outside have a peak. It couldn't have
been more than 2" x 2" square. And people use to crowd their faces together trying to peak at the action. You
could clearly hear the sounds of training outside.
In those days, classes were $1.00 per class,
and each class was 3 hours long. That's right, $30.00 per month. We wore black ghi pants up to our shin's. And
no tops for the guys.
In 1976 the Dragon Karate Dojang became the
KIDO Martial Arts Center and moved from Union street between 5th &
6th avenue, to President Street and Smith Street .
In 1976, Sambonim travelled with his KIDO Team
(a & b) to all the events we could get to, in order to test, try
and prove KIDO Martial Arts. There were twenty eight of us left
at that time. (we started with 100 students) I remember that number because we use to split the class in half
to do drills. ie) one side high section punch, one side overhead block, remember those days?)
We fought in Madison Square Garden, LIU, Gleason's
Gym, Westinghouse, The Grand Prospect Hall, Westinghouse, just to name a few places here in New York.
The combination art of KIDO was taught here
exclusively.
In 1982 I became the active Director/Chief Instructor for the KIDO Martial Arts Center. This is a Work in Progress!
Grandmaster Ruben Torres/KIDO RYU International Director- Uke for Grandmaster
Christopher Francis/Black Hawks Martial Arts Network, Trinindad, West Indies. The World Karate Union Hall of Fame Day of Seminars
2007.
Master Willie Mason/Karate 5, Grand Master Willie Garfield Wilson/Karate 5/Tennessee,
Grand Master Ruben Torres/KIDO RYU Int.,
Grand Master Lisa McManus/Military Arnis/U.S. Navy R.O.T.C. pose together at the
World Karate Union Hall of Fame Banquet.
There is so much that has happened since 1982. work in progress!!!
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