Sport Karate History

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 The first karate tournament in the United States was held in 1955 by Robert Trias, the president of the United States Karate Association. This tournament, called the Arizona Karate Championships, took place in Phoenix and included participants from the Arizona Highway Patrol. Trias, who taught classes at the Boys' Club, had developed the first set of rules for U.S. karate competition, which are still used today with some updates. In the same year, Trias organized another tournament at the Phoenix Madison Square Garden with an estimated 80 to 100 competitors. In 1962, the North American Karate Championships took place at Madison Square Garden, marking a significant milestone for karate in the U.S. Mas Oyama, a renowned Japanese karate practitioner, made a solo appearance at this event. In 1963, the first U.S. Karate Championships were held in St. Louis, and later that year, the 1st World Karate Tournament was hosted in Chicago, attracting contestants and judges from across America. Ed Parker also played a significant role in the growth of sport karate with his event, The Internationals, in Long Beach, California. This event drew top fighters and forms competitors from all over the country and gained attention through coverage in BLACK BELT magazine. The demonstrations at The Internationals were particularly noteworthy, including a performance by Bruce Lee in 1964. In the Southwest, tournament karate gained momentum in 1962 thanks to the efforts of Allen Steen in Texas. Steen started the U.S. Karate Championships, which became one of the country's premier elimination events. Jhoon Rhee of Washington, D.C., introduced his National Karate Championships in 1964, becoming the first karate tournament to receive national television coverage. Team competition was introduced in 1967 by Aaron Banks in New York, and in 1970, Joe Corley and Chris McLoughlin organized the Battle of Atlanta, a major tournament in the South. These tournaments and the establishment of various leagues marked the birth of Sport Karate as we know it today. 

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