Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
The picture of Cornelius O’Keefe in the book, In The Line of Duty: St. Louis Police Officers Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice by Barbara Miksicek, David McElreath and Major Stephen Pollihan, struck me the first time I saw it. With his hair parted down the middle and a big mustache, I could see him walking the streets of Downtown St. Louis
On Christmas Eve, 1937, the second Mr. Moto film, Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937) staring Peter Lorre, debuted. International Agent Mr. Moto strives to protect Chinese cultural treasures from international criminals. The Seven Scrolls will reveal the hiding place for the Tomb of Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan’s warriors reportedly buried great treasure with their dead leader. Mr. Moto’s friend Prince
On October 12, 1853, 23 year-old John Morrissey would meet 40 year-old “Yankee” Sullivan for the American and possibly World Heavyweight Prizefighting Championship. Sullivan had been considered the champion since Tom Hyer, who had beaten Sullivan previously, retired instead of fighting Sullivan in a rematch. Sullivan claimed the title and was backed by Hyer, who had made peace with Sullivan.
Dangerous Money (1946) is the second to last Charlie Chan film starring Sidney Toler from Monogram Pictures. After Sidney Toler’s death, Roland Winters would take over the role for nine more films. This film allows us to appreciate Toler’s portrayal of Inspector Chan for close to the last time. This film was the tenth for Monogram and his twenty-first portrayal
Uncle Oscar Von Burg and Aunt Dorothy Von Burg nee Mosblech were my grandparents’ closest friends. Grandma Ellis and Aunt Dorothy were sisters separated in age by about a year and a half. Grandpa Ellis and Uncle Oscar became close friends when they were dating the sisters. Neither Uncle Oscar nor Grandpa danced, so they would escort Grandma and Aunt
On April 7, 1939, Twentieth Century-Fox released the seventh of eight Mr. Moto “B” movies. Mr. Moto in Danger Island begins with Mr. Moto on a ship headed to Puerto Rico. Mr. Moto, played by Peter Lorre, and several passengers are watching a wrestling match. Twister McGurk, played by Warren Hymer, is wrestling Sailor Sam, played by Ward Bond. Mr. Moto
On November 7, 1890, Chief of Detectives William Desmond brought in Pat Kennedy, a low-level St. Louis crook, who was suspected of stealing 20 cents from a cigar store on North 9th Street. A 3rd District St. Louis Police Officer captured Kennedy after he robbed a Miss Minnie Mullaney at 16th Street and Franklin Avenue. Kennedy proved a first-rate coward,
Despite its worldwide popularity and it’s rank as the most popular martial art in the United States, (TKD) is beginning to lose some of it’s luster due to its perceived lack of success in Mixed Martial Arts. (MMA) is the biggest thing to hit the martial arts world since Jigaro Kano decided to go to a colored and black belt system to denote rank within his school,
In July 1854, the World Bareknuckle Prizefighting Champion John Morrissey, who also severed as Tammany Hall enforcer, challenged William “Bill the Butcher” Poole to a no holds barred street fight. The result was a terrible beating and several month recovery for John Morrissey. Morrissey would have likely won a bareknuckle prizefight with Poole, a part-time prizefighter himself. Morrissey made a
Arthur C. Clemmings was born on Thursday, April 3, 1913 in St. Louis, MO. At the start of World War II, Uncle Art enlisted in the United States Army as a private. He was assigned as a semi-skilled metal worker. His term of enlistment, which began on September 2, 1942, was for the duration of the war plus six months.