Passing of Master Steven Abbate

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

From Johnny Tsai's website

Grand Master Steven G. Abbate

Tsai's Kung Fu International is deeply sorry to announce the passing of Grand Master Steven G. Abbate on August 19, 2007.
Click here to read his bio

A Wake will be held on Friday 08/25/07 from 4-8pm at:

Meadows Funeral Home
3615 Kirchoff Road
Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008
847-253-0224

http://www.tsaiskungfu.net/news/

Back before everyone here knew me as Royal Dragon, Master Abbate and Rock Lombardo used to have a school across the street from the apartment I lived in, in River Grove, so naturally it was not long before I was taking lessons from him. Soon after I found myself in the middle of a divorce so i was not able to continue, but he left a big impression on me.

I was there for about 9 months or so and got in shape really fast. I have some of my fondest Kung Fu Memories from that time.

The school office was inviting, and set up like a living room complete with a couch, coffee table and big screen TV. There were allways photos everywhere of students, family at major events, parties and gatherings. I decided a long time ago that if I ever got a school, I would build it out with the same theme.

Training was hard as hell, and some of the toughest workouts I have ever done in my life, but after, the atmosphere was like being over at a friends house to hang out.

I was out of work for a while during my time there, and used to go to the 11:00 AM class during the weekdays...which was heavily populated by Elmwood Pk and River Grove police officers. That was the first time I ever saw someone get launched over head with a throw, and land on a hard wood floor with no mats, or body protection of any kind. For someone with only a few years experience then, it was an awe inspiring site. Another impressive site was the fact that Master Abbate and Master Rocky would fill the small heavy bag with concrete...and pound it to dust....just for fun. Unfortunetly, I missed the demo's where be broke baseball bats with his shins. I heard about it plenty though.

R.I.P

RD

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Master Abbate started his career in the Art of Kung Fu at age 16 in Chicago’s Chinatown. In 1962 he formally trained under Master Fu Lun Cho from Hong Kong, studying the arts of Tai Kit Kuen (Grand Snake Fist style) and Northern Shaolin 7-Star Praying Mantis.

In 1964 after graduation from Elmwood Park High School, Master Abbate joined the United States Marine Corps. In 1965 Master Abbate was sent to Vietnam, while serving as a recon scout with the 4th Marine Brigade out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. In Vietnam, he was part of the original Marines landing at Chu Lai. During his tour he was highly decorated and med-evaced in late 1966. In the course of his military career he went through Green Beret school and advanced Jump School training.

After his honorable discharge in 1968, Master Abbate joined the 24th Marines stationed in Waukegan, Illinois, where he taught Hand-to-Hand combat and guerilla jungle warfare. Master Abbate went on extended active duty and became a recruiter for the Marines.

In 1969, Master Abbate became a Police Officer in Rolling Meadows with the Rolling Meadows Police Department.

He was introduced to Grandmaster Chi Yuan Tsai, under whom he trained in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. Grandmaster Tsai formally trained Master Abbate for his ring fighting career, where he competed on the international circuit, fighting Full-Contact in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Okinawa and the U.S., winning many titles in 10 years. Master Abbate was also introduced to Kwong Ming Loy, a Master in the Northern Shaolin 7-Star Praying Mantis system and a direct student of Grandmaster Fu Lun Cho, who had returned to Hong Kong soon after Master Abbate enlisted with the marines. In addition to his previous and ongoing training, Master Abbate studied under Master Wu of the Mei Wah system, Plum Flower Combat Tai Chi.

Master Abbate taught thousands of students and gave many seminars and demonstrations. In September of 2002, Master Abbate received his 10th level black sash from Grandmaster Tsai in an award ceremony at his school which was attended by pioneers of Kung Fu and Karate, such as Ken Knutson, Joe Gangi, Bob Schirmer, Tom Saviano, Tom Heriaud, and others from Florida and California.

Master Abbate held black belts in Kempo, Karate, and Gong Yuen Kung Fu and was associated with the American Karate Association, World Kuoshu Republic of China, Chinese Kuoshu Martial Arts Federation, Tsai's Kung Fu International, Tai Boxing Commission, Midwest Circuit, and was President of the American Martial Artists Association. Master Abbate was also the Midwest representative for Chuck Norris' Kick (Karate International Council of Kickboxing).

He attended Seminars and trained with Ed Parker, Bill Wallace, and Bruce Lee, received over 300 awards for Full-Contact kickboxing, and Sport Contact Karate and taught and trained under Grandmaster Chi Yuan Tsai.

http://www.tsaiskungfu.net/grand-master-abbate/

[TaichiMantis]

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and kung family.

[Mas Judt]

How did he die?

[Johnny Tsai]

Grandmaster dth hospital after he had surgery. My understanding is that he had gotten an infection after the surgery.

He had fought lukemia for the past 7 years and was teaching up to his very last days. Just two weeks ago he held a promotion for his students.

I will miss him dearly as he meant alot to me as he did to many others out there.

My father considered him one of his best and favorite friends and students.

Grandmaster was one of the toughest men that I have ever met. May he rest in peace.


All the best-


Waysun Johnny Tsai

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Grandmaster was one of the toughest men that I have ever met. May he rest in peace.

Reply]
Agreed, absolutely without question.

[Oso]

I hope someone is scrutinizing the surgery. I'm very sorry to hear of his passing. May he rest in peace.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Somewhere online there was an artical about his fight in Vietnam. I wish I could find it, it was very well written.

To make a long story shot, he was alone, out of ammo and facing a good number of Vietcong. He managed to kill them all with only his KA BAR.

I have the flyer from the old school somewhere, I may have to dig it up and post a photo of the basic description of the incedent.

[Mas Judt]

Well, my condolences to his family and friends. Another piece of the Chicago CMA scene is gone, I hope he has students who stand out and can keep his efforts going.

Best,
Mas judt

[rogerclf1]

Hey RD, I trained at the school in River Grove for a while too. Studied under Rocky Lombardo and Kenny Tsai. Everything you said about the teachers and the school was right on. I am sorry to hear about Abbate. I never got the chance to meet him, but had heard a lot about him.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

It sounds like you were there a few years after me. I used to live in the apartment across the street from the school, South East corner, second building.

Training there was an experience. It was one of those things you just had to go through to appreciate. Unfortunetly I was never privileged to become one of his serious students. I am sure they are hurting a great deal more than me.

I wish I had his website address....if he still has one. He used to post all of the event photos on it.

[Shaolinlueb]

dont know the guy but my prayers go out to his family. he battled leukemia, he was a tough guy.

[Johnny Tsai]

Well, my condolences to his family and friends. Another piece of the Chicago CMA scene is gone, I hope he has students who stand out and can keep his efforts going.

Best,
Mas judt


I have personally given my word to the Tai Kit Kuen family that I wil do everything that I have to keep the Cobra Kai Club alive. The senior black sashes will be meeting over the next few weeks to decided where they will train and have classes. Some will come by me.

Aside from myself, GM had a couple of students that go back over 25 years and have stuck with him ever since. There were probably about 40 of his black sashes at his wake.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

That is good to hear. Where are they all located? Maybe they can pool thier oney and open a new school?

Also, one thing I would like to see is all of the decades of photos Master Abbate collected get put up on a website for all of us to sift through. I know it would be a massive undertaking, but there are a lot of memories there.

[Jow_Ga]

Well, I'm sorry for The loss of a teacher. No matter the style, liniage, or record, all Masters should be revered as more than that. A master.


My saluter to the Grand Master.

And his family.
:(

[Johnny Tsai]

That is good to hear. Where are they all located? Maybe they can pool thier oney and open a new school?"

All options are currently being considered.

"Also, one thing I would like to see is all of the decades of photos Master Abbate collected get put up on a website for all of us to sift through. I know it would be a massive undertaking, but there are a lot of memories there.

AS far as pics go, Gm literally had 10's of thousands in his garage that he has collected and kept over at least 40 years. most martial arts and marine stuff.

I will speak to my brothers in Tai Kit Kuen about openly posting a couple, but not alot. People on the internet tend to disect stuff and crap talk no mater how awesome a person or his art may be, and I will not allow that to happen to Gm.

Anyone truly interested in learnign, can call up some of the blacksashes and see if a visit can be aranged to one of the schools. to take a look around at all of this awesome stuff. it's like a museum, really.


either way, it's all at his home and his family is grieving, so nothing like that will happen in the near future. thank you to everyone for their kind words and support.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I will speak to my brothers in Tai Kit Kuen about openly posting a couple, but not alot. People on the internet tend to disect stuff and crap talk no mater how awesome a person or his art may be, and I will not allow that to happen to Gm.

Reply]
Yeah, you are right. I have done some of that myself. Maybe just post pics from various social events, like the Christmas parties and such, so there is nothing to critique, just memories shared.

[GeneChing]

My latest feature for Den of Geek: The Real History of Cobra Kai (https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-real-history-of-cobra-kai/)

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cobra-kai-season-2.jpg?resize=768%2C432

Thanks to our veteran forum member Gian for his help with this one.

threads
Cobra-Kai (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70392-Cobra-Kai)
Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?47765-Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate)

[Royal Dragon Pi]

NICE!!

Very well done!

Theres lots more to the story though. You really need to talk to guys who were with him for years and years. I was only there for 8 or 9 months. My divorce put an end to Kung Fu for a while.

I have a tribute reel of various footage I found on the internet over the years.

If anyone wants to see what Cobra Kai looked like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h_9U84riKw&t=1190s




My latest feature for Den of Geek: The Real History of Cobra Kai (https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-real-history-of-cobra-kai/)

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cobra-kai-season-2.jpg?resize=768%2C432

Thanks to our veteran forum member Gian for his help with this one.

threads
Cobra-Kai (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70392-Cobra-Kai)
Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?47765-Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate)

[GeneChing]

Good to have you back here on the forums. You've had the weirdest journey with forum membership than any other member. ;)

[Royal Dragon Pi]

LOL!

No Kidding!

I think what happened is I got on the wrong side of a very green moderator. That guy went into the Kung Fu forum and found some weird obscure way to ban people, and then couldn't remember how he did it to un-ban me....and no one was able to figure out how it was done.

So a 3 day ban became like 15+ forever years, but ONLY on the main forum. Everything else I had access to.

So somewhere, buried deep in some hard to find 'un-thought of' forum admin menu is a little box missing a check mark, and no one knows how to find it.

Then I lost the password to my RD Alias-1A replacement profile, and its connected to a dead e-mail address... I cant reboot it.

So yeah, its been a wild ride.

[GeneChing]

Local Kung Fu Training Group Has Strange Connections to Netflix’ Cobra Kai (https://northfortynews.com/category/columns/local-kung-fu-training-group-has-strange-connections-to-netflix-cobra-kai/)
February 2, 2021 Steven Bonifazi

https://northfortynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-29-at-11.50.55-AM-490x381.png
Grandmaster Steven G. Abbate. Photo courtesy of Tracey Buchanan.
By Tracey Buchanan

Kung Fu Master James C. Likens never thought twice about his GrandMaster’s legacy until he began noticing strange coincidences watching Netflix’s Cobra Kai with his three youngest daughters.

“Everyone loves the Karate Kid,” said Master Likens, a seventh-degree black belt. “So when we heard about Cobra Kai, we thought it would be fun to watch, being a Kung fu family and all.”

That’s when the strangeness started. “I knew there was an actual Cobra Kai Karate dojo out of Chicago because it was run by one of my Grandmaster’s top students,” said Master Likens. “His name was Steve Abbate, and he was a decorated Vietnam veteran, Marine Force Recon, and the recipient of the Silver Star,” Master Likens said. “He was known for his “no mercy” philosophy and for being particularly brutal on his students, just like the Cobra Kai Master John Kreese in the series,” said Master Likens.

Master Likens got a few opportunities to train under Master Abbate at his Grandmaster John Tsai’s seminars, and Abbate actually signed Likens’ Master Certificate, which hangs on his dojo wall. “When Abbate taught, it was never conceptual,” said Master Likens. “I have video of him from a seminar demonstrating techniques, and he went through about 4 or 5 students in one demonstration,” Master Likens said.

But the uncanny connections don’t end there, as Master Likens’ legacy in his hometown of Indianapolis is one of shared spirit with Abbate’s teachings.

“When I was training students in Indy, I was very concerned with giving them skills that would serve them in an actual street fight,” said Master Likens. Most of my inner circle students were law enforcement like myself, and they needed to be prepared for the average 4 fights a week,” Master Likens said.

But as Master Likens points out, it’s actually the untrained officer that ends up using excessive force out of fear. As a police officer, he was known for his fairness in the street, and neither he nor any of the officers he trained ever went to internal affairs for civil rights violations or excessive force.

“That’s the true meaning of being a peacekeeper, having the confidence to end a fight before it starts because your wits are about you,” said Master Likens. “If you’re afraid, you overreact, but if you’re confident in your ability to handle a fight, that calmness allows for compassion,” Master Likens said.

As a result of this philosophy, several members of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office train under Master Likens to this day.

“Only a trained warrior can choose to be truly peaceful, for indeed it’s all about having a choice. If you have the ability to fight, you can truly choose peace; that is a stance that means something,” said Master Likens. “Training gives you self confidence that ends violence before it begins, and therein is the paradox and meaning behind the Cobra Kai philosophy,” Master Likens said.

Master Likens has taught a hard/soft martial arts philosophy for over 30 years, with two large dojos and one underground fight club during the ’90s in Indianapolis, IN. He has trained MMA champions for the legendary Integrated Fighting gym, which has had several UFC contracts over the years. He also taught defensive tactics at the Indianapolis Police Academy and even did a stint teaching Criminal Justice at Front Range Community College’s Fort Collins Campus.

“After years of training, I strongly recommend a hard/soft style martial art. That’s truly the way to go,” said Master Likens, “It’s that balance that gives you the capacity for peaceful resolution,” Master Likens said.

Master Likens currently teaches a tiny closed-door Kung Fu group but would like to open a dojo large enough to train multiple classes and age groups.

“Bag rounds and cardio kickboxing will certainly get you in shape, but those skills are no good in a fight,” said Master Likens. “I’d like to have a place big enough to do that and the funding to make it happen,” Master Likens said. “If you know a guy, let me know,” said Master Likens with a laugh.

James C Likens was also a Larimer County Ranger for a number of years and recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal during the High Park Fire as well as a Sheriff’s Letter of Commendation for his lifesaving role in putting out an arson fire in the Deer Park neighborhood west of Horsetooth Reservoir.

“I’ve spent 10 years in the Fort Collins area training students, and I finally have the black belts I need to start passing on the lineage,” said Master Likens. “There are some amazingly talented Senseis in other martial arts disciplines here in Fort Collins, and I’d love to give them space to do their thing as well,” Master Likens said. “The American Shaolin Temple has always been in the Midwest and the West Coast, but I say the Front Range is the future of American martial arts,” said Master Likens.

For more information regarding Steven G. Abbat and Cobra Kai, visit: https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/the-real-history-of-cobra-kai/

Cool that they cited my article.

threads
Cobra-Kai (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70392-Cobra-Kai)
Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?47765-Passing-of-Master-Steven-Abbate)