In the spring of 1959, eighteen-year-old Bruce Lee returned to San Francisco, the city of his birth, and quickly inserted himself into the West Coast’s fledgling martial arts culture. Even though Asian fighting styles were widely unknown to mainstream America, Bruce encountered a robust fight culture in a San Francisco Bay area that was populated with talented and trailblazing practitioners such as Lau Bun, Chinatown’s aging kung fu patriarch; Wally Jay, the innovative Hawaiian jujitsu master; and James Lee, the no-nonsense Oakland street fighter. Regarded by some as a brash loudmouth and by others as a dynamic visionary, Bruce spent his first few years back in America advocating a more modern approach to the martial arts and showing little regard for the damaged egos left in his wake. In the Chinese calendar, 1964 was the Year of the Green Dragon. It would be a challenging and eventful year for Bruce. He would broadcast his dissenting view before the first great international martial arts gathering and then defend it by facing down Chinatown’s young ace kung fu practitioner in a legendary behind-closed-doors high noon–style showdown. The Year of the Green Dragon saw the dawn of martial arts in America and the rise of an icon. Drawing on more than one hundred original interviews and an eclectic array of sources, Striking Distance is an engrossing narrative chronicling San Francisco Bay’s pioneering martial arts scene as it thrived in the early 1960s and offers an in-depth look at a widely unknown chapter of Bruce Lee’s iconic life.

lgli/Russo, Charles - Striking Distance: Bruce Lee and the Dawn of Martial Arts in America (2016, University of Nebraska Press).pdf

zlib/Sports, Hobbies & Games/Martial Arts/Russo, Charles/Striking Distance: Bruce Lee and the Dawn of Martial Arts in America_18333466.pdf

9780803269606.pdf

Charles Russo

alage2

Bison Books

United States, United States of America

Lincoln [Nebraska, 2016

lg2225931

producers:
Acrobat Distiller 15.0 (Windows)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-222) and index.

In The Spring Of 1959, Eighteen-year-old Bruce Lee Returned To San Francisco, The City Of His Birth, And Quickly Inserted Himself Into The West Coasts Fledgling Martial Arts Culture. Even Though Asian Fighting Styles Were Widely Unknown To Mainstream America, Bruce Encountered A Robust Fight Culture In A San Francisco Bay Area That Was Populated With Talented And Trailblazing Practitioners Such As Lau Bun, Chinatowns Aging Kung Fu Patriarch; Wally Jay, The Innovative Hawaiian Jujitsu Master; And James Lee, The No-nonsense Oakland Street Fighter. Regarded By Some As A Brash Loudmouth And By Others As A Dynamic Visionary, Bruce Spent His First Few Years Back In America Advocating A More Modern Approach To The Martial Arts And Showing Little Regard For The Damaged Egos Left In His Wake. In The Chinese Calendar, 1964 Was The Year Of The Green Dragon. It Would Be A Challenging And Eventful Year For Bruce. He Would Broadcast His Dissenting View Before The First Great International Martial Arts Gathering And Then Defend It By Facing Down Chinatowns Young Ace Kung Fu Practitioner In A Legendary Behind-closed-doors High Noonstyle Showdown. The Year Of The Green Dragon Saw The Dawn Of Martial Arts In America And The Rise Of An Icon. Part 1. San Francisco. The Patriarch -- Native Son -- The Good Long Fist -- The Little Dragon -- The Soft Arts -- Three Moves Or Less. Part 2. Oakland. The Innovator -- The Hawaiian Connection (part One) -- The Hawaiian Connection (part Two) -- Way Of The Integrated Fist. Part 3. 1964. Year Of The Green Dragon -- Long Beach -- Incident At The Sun Sing Theater -- Exchanging Hands -- Aftermath -- Epilogue: Screen Test. Charles Russo. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

In the spring of 1959, eighteen-year-old Bruce Lee returned to San Francisco, the city of his birth. Although the martial arts were widely unknown in America, Bruce encountered a robust fight culture in the Bay Area, populated with talented and trailblazing practitioners such as Lau Bun, Chinatowns aging kung fu patriarch; Wally Jay, the innovative Hawaiian jujitsu master; and James Lee, the Oakland street fighter. Regarded by some as a brash loudmouth and by others as a dynamic visionary, Bruce spent his first few years back in America advocating for a modern approach to the martial arts, and showing little regard for the damaged egos left in his wake.
The year of 1964 would be an eventful one for Bruce, in which he would broadcast his dissenting worldview before the first great international martial arts gathering, and then defend it by facing down Wong Jack ManChinatowns young kung fu acein a legendary behind-closed-doors showdown. These events were a catalyst to the dawn of martial arts in America and a prelude to an icon.
Based on over one hundred original interviews, Striking Distance chronicles Bruce Lees formative days amid the heated martial arts proving ground that thrived on San Francisco Bay in the early 1960s.

Cover 1
Title Page 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 8
PROLOGUE: The Dissident 10
PART 1. SAN FRANCISCO 20
1. The Patriarch 22
2. Native Son 37
3. The Good Long Fist 46
4. The Little Dragon 56
5. The Soft Arts 68
6. Three Moves or Less 74
PART 2. OAKLAND 104
7. The Innovator 106
8. The Hawaiian Connection (Part One) 117
9. The Hawaiian Connection (Part Two) 126
10. Way of the Integrated Fist 130
PART 3. 1964 138
11. Year of the Green Dragon 140
12. Long Beach 148
13. Incident at the Sun Sing Theater 156
14. Exchanging Hands 170
15. Aftermath 175
Epilogue: Screen Test 184
Acknowledgments 188
Author’s Note 192
Notes 194
Bibliography 246
Index 256

An early and largely unknown chapter of Bruce Lee’s career anchors this in-depth chronicle of the trailblazing martial arts scene on San Francisco Bay during the early 1960s.

2021-12-12