David Ross
Earlier in this thread, I mentioned "Iron Head" and how he told us he'd beaten all the coaches in "sparring" except for Chan Tai san, that was because to him "sparring" was light almost point sparring and you didn't play with Chan Tai San unless you wanted to get hurt...

Sifu Chan was always ready with a story about how HE got beat up. He told us the story about Jyu Chyuhn beating him, Mok Ching Gui beating him, Cheung Lai Chung beating him, etc... funny thing was, he seldom talked about his victories... we would sometimes get a glimmer from him, but many times we'd get stories from others. This is one we got that is definitely not PC and has freaked quite a lot out...

A frienf of Sifu Chan's told us this story one afternoon while Sifu Chan was preoccupied with something. I guess it is not on Sifu's top 10 stories to get out, you'll see why later. It was later told to me almost identically by another teacher in SF who knew Sifu Chan...

Sifu Chan first joined the military at 17 in 1937. He fought in both World War II and the Chinese civil war. In the communist, post war era, he remained in the military and in the 1960's, already in his 40's, Sifu Chan Tai San was an all military sparring champion.

Sifu Chan did tell us about the sparring championships inside the military. Very little rules, very small gloves, like MMA gloves. We all knew he was a champion and considered a very good fighter inside the military.

The rest is the story Sifu Chan did not tell us, but we heard from his two friends...

In the 1970's, Sifu Chan was in his 50's. I guess compared to a guy in his 20's, Sifu Chan was considered an "old man", but to Sifu Chan, he was still the best fighter in the army and no one was going to say otherwise...

One day, Sifu Chan overheard two guys talking about a young army officer. They were talking about him, praising his skill, one suggested he might be better than Chan Tai San. Try to remember that the actual guy in question was not bragging, this was two guys sitting at a table eating rice talking a little too loud for their own good.

Having overheard the claim that this young officer was "better" than Chan Tai San, Sifu Chan approached these two guys and told them to set up a match between him and this young guy.

I also said earlier in this thread, Sifu Chan had skills I will NEVER have. He had hardened his hands, his claws dug into vital points, his chops were heavier than any blows I'd ever felt (or felt since). He knew things about fighting I will never know. It is that simple.

As I tell you what he did, don't ask me how he did it, I don't know. Dont' ask me "could I do it"? I couldn't. But I have no reason not to believe the story. It was told to me by two separate guys, guys who didn't know eachother, guys who both had brought it up without me asking, just in passing. And it fit right in with what "Iron Head" said about NO ONE going anywhere near Chan Tai San

The match was set up. I don't know if the younger guy had any idea what had been said or why Sifu Chan wanted to fight him. For all I know, he showed up expecting a friendly sparring match. For all I know, he may have actually like and admired Chan Tai San.

What was pretty apparent was, Sifu Chan was determined to keep his reputation...

It wasn't a long match, Sifu's friend said that the younger guy maybe landed a kick. The other teacher in SF made it sound very one side, like Sifu Chan went BOOM and it was over. Both agreed how it ended. Sifu Chan knew he'd done some sort of internal damage, and while the young guy was lying on the floor at sifu's feet, Sifu screamed at the two guys who had set up the match...

"don't ever say that anyone is better than Chan Tai San....."

The young guy died. A few years after I had heard the story again (ie in SF), I got up enough courage to ask Sifu Chan about it. Sifu Chan didn't get mad, he just matter-of-fact manner said he'd used a technique to rupture an internal organ, knowing it would likely kill the guy.

Did the guy really die? I asked?

"Yes, he died" Sifu Chan said....