Sunday, March 30, 2008
Frank Ruiz, Hanshi Founder Nisei Gojuryu
Shihan Frank Ruiz was born on July 2, 1934 and grew up on the streets of New York City. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1951 to 1954, during the Korean War, He was highly decorated. A student of Master Peter Urban, a pioneer of American karate on the East Coast, Ruiz competed successfully in the first wave of tournaments promoted in his region. His credits as a fighter included the Gheez Championships, the 1961 Tri-State Championships, the 1962 New Jersey Championships, the 1963 U.S. International in Florida and the 1964 Staten Island Championships. in 1969 Shihan Ruiz, along with Harry Rosenstein, founded the Nisei Goju Organization, as a springboard to promote his personal style of karate. The association has enjoyed widespread appeal and has maintained branches in New York, Florida, Colorado, New Jersey, Texas, California, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. Shihan Ruiz is noted particularly for having trained some of the best-known fighters of the seventies. The veteran coach fostered the careers of former National Champion Louis Delgado and quite a number of other notables including: Ron Van Cleef, Malachi Lee, Owen Watson, Earl Monroe, Wilfredo Roldan and John Giordano.