Green Dragon Studios

[Ving Sing]

Speaking of conspiracy theories there seems to a few about his predicament.

My family and freinds know of him through Hop Sing, Art of Desire, grew up with or were just freinds of him. I never met him myself but it seems that ever one in Akron has a D. Pitts story or two, he seems to be a local legend.

I would not say local legend but more like local *******!
I have seen all the jokers in action, and yes ole pitts used to send his monkeys to the local bars to pick on the drunks....The sad thing is half the time they got there a@@ beat. The only thing they had going for them was they had good leg strenght, and where used to getting beat on. Some of you think i may be full of it, but i have been to there school, sparred with alot of them, accutally fought some of them, hell i was over on brown st. in akron where they had there SECRET SOCIETY meetings at Kraus's house. All the characters mentioned in this thread are the main reason martial arts in Ohio have a bad name..

[MonkeyKingUSA]

Since my buddy Mike opened the box so to speak...
According to my past brother-in-law (the Summit Co. deputy sheriff who knew Richard and transported him to prison) Richard's plea bargain for his last incarceration was 20 years. That was the best deal he got.
He ended up hanging himself with his socks in solitary confinement.
A very sad ending to a tragic story. May God have mercy on his soul!

[RAF]

I knew Richard Pitts outside of the martial arts circles through someone who knew him quite well. I had lunch with him once or twice and met him over conversations maybe 10 times or so in the mid to late 80s.

I can only tell you what he conveyed to me and to my friend who was extremely close to him:

"I'll take five punches/kicks to get my one in and that will destroy you!"

"Not one of my underground fights lasted more than a minute!"

His strategy was to attempt to break the leg as quickly as possible.

He would do anything to win, including biting you ear off--not unknown among some martial artists.

He had baby blue eyes and blond hair--loved to go into bars and get mistaken for being gay---in the sense that they thought he was a push over and would challenge him--their mistake.

However, his death in prison, supposedly suicide---hung himself while in solitary confinement--really wasn't his style.

Wayne Schultz once took him to Jou Tsung Hwa's Zhang San Fang festival. Richard decided to try pushing hands---in two seconds he kicked the guy and got him on the ground. He got disqualified and he couldn't understand why sincing winning was the outcome and he dominated! LOL

[MonkeyKingUSA]

RAF wrote:
"I'll take five punches/kicks to get my one in and that will destroy you!"

Yep, that is the Richard that I knew! And the festival incident doesn't surprise me at all.

BTW, two FBI agents tried to arrest him in a bar out of state. He kicked their a$$es and walked out of the bar.

I can't imagine mistaking Richard for a pushover. He was as wide as he was tall. My Dad said that he believed he played center for the University of Akron Zips (football). Does anyone know if this is true?

As far as suicide being out of character, looking at twenty years in prison and time in soli would do some nasty things to your head.

I wonder if Art of Desire still has the hole I kicked in the wall (near the stairs) where I missed one of his student's head and hit the wall instead? Richard was not very happy about that incident, but hey, they were all bigger than little 'ol me.

Anyone ever hear from Joe, Perk, or "oops I lost my contact" Marvin (another funny story)?

[Akronviper]

However, his death in prison, supposedly suicide---hung himself while in solitary confinement--really wasn't his style.

Thats kind of what I was wondering, alot of people belive getting caught transporting someone elses drugs and them being out a lot of money makes for a conspiracy. Some dont think it was self inflicted but then agin Elvis is alive too. Adds to the legend I guess. Love him or hate him one of the few in Akron that many still talk about.

Ving Sing was this about a secret society? Sounds fun .

Monky King you think any of those books are floating around or were they like a limited supply thing way back when. Sounds interesting.

[RAF]

The story goes that when they found Richard, he was hanging in some meditative like pose. I can't remember his name but it might be Marvin---about 5 or 6 years ago he came to our school and trained in baji---he was a bouncer---maybe 5'8" but stocky and strong. Extremely polite and likeable. I think Richard was like a father to him---and he told us what I just wrote. However, again, someone outside of all these martial arts circles told a similar tale. Rumors? Legend building? I don't know. They say there was a detective who really had it hard for Richard---very hard and obsessive.

I am looking at Richard's Volume II: Keur Wong: An Introduction to Fighting Techniques.

Its copyright is 1986 and he was 33 at the time. He graduated from the University of Akron with a certified teaching degree in physical education. He was 5'11" and 198 pounds. Says he uses Iron Palm, The Nine Times and meditates with tai chi.

I think that ends about all I can say--again, whether accurate or not, Richard says he had no fear of Gene Chicoine and wouldn't even waste a breath about Allen. I got to the area around 1985 and what a legend Femon Ong was. He significantly influenced both Chicoine and Allen---Some people swear by them others curse them.

I knew a neighbor of Femon Ong and he trained his small body techniques. A friend met someone who had trained the small body techniques who lived in Florida and we also knew someone who was currently teaching it---all three were pretty different in the practice regarding meat, sex and the actual tempo of the exercises.

Who can say what changed and didn't change?

[JDK]

LOL! Apparently not. Say hello to P.T. for me!

Ok ..I give, you win.

Im not going to convince you, so what doyou say a call a truce ?

JD

[MonkeyKingUSA]

RAF wrote:
The story goes that when they found Richard, he was hanging in some meditative like pose. I can't remember his name but it might be Marvin---about 5 or 6 years ago he came to our school and trained in baji---he was a bouncer---maybe 5'8" but stocky and strong. Extremely polite and likeable. I think Richard was like a father to him---and he told us what I just wrote.

I didn't hear anything about a meditative type pose.
The Marvin that I was referring to was African American and had been a police officer. He lost his job due to his connection with D. Pitts Jr.. I know this because years later I ran into him when he was working as a security guard and he told me about losing his job.

I am looking at Richard's Volume II: Keur Wong: An Introduction to Fighting Techniques.


Yes, that would be the book that I was talking about. 1986 was when I moved back to Akron, so that would be the time frame.

Akronviper,
Richard gave me a copy, but I no longer have it. I don't know how many copies he had made. I wish that I still had a copy. Just for sentimental value. Richard and I went very different paths, but I treasured his friendship and appreciated the hospitality that he showed me and my students.

I never knew about Richard's illegal activities until after his arrest. When I first met Richard, he had a spiritual side to him. I remember that he had shown me some of his philosophical writings. He seemed proud of his Catholic faith. He was proud of his wife and loved his son. I always wondered what changed him.

The positive things that still remain from this time period are my friends, Mike Biggie and Wayne Schultz. I am pleased to see the men and martial artists that they have grown to be.

Richard A. Tolson

Sometime maybe we can delve into my early recollections of a young Tony Yang. An outstanding martial artist from the Akron area!

[Akronviper]

Thanks for sharing your stories guys, I just love this topic and about local martial artist for some reason.

If I find the book Ill let you guys know where. I'm gonna try I've been looking for old demo videos from the local area (Ong, Chicoine, Kruger, Allen) just seems that every one is getting old and all there is is conflicting stories and legends I figure I better start looking around now or they may be gone forever and soon so will the people who know too.

Thanks again and if any one has a cool story feel free to share.

[kal]

Just how did Green Dragon get such a high profile and mystique abou them in the 80s/90s? Was it just very good marketing? Was it because of their association with Inside Kung Fu magazine? They seemed to come out of nowhere and got famous overnight.

[JDK]

RAF wrote:
[B]......The positive things that still remain from this time period are my friends, Mike Biggie and Wayne Schultz. I am pleased to see the men and martial artists that they have grown to be.

Richard A. Tolson

Sometime maybe we can delve into my early recollections of a young Tony Yang. An outstanding martial artist from the Akron area!

Hey Rich, I studied with Sifu Yang about 10 years ago...and more recently with one of his student/teachers Dave Shenk who owns and operates
http://www.bodymindharmony.com/index.php

The teaching was a little too mystical for me as a christian...so I stopped attending. Sifu and I did develop a good friendship at the time..and he is a really good guy.

He and Master Yang have since had a falling out...and Tony moved his School from Canton to Arlingnton St in Akron http://www.wutangcenter.com/

Id love to here any early stories of Sifu that you have....

Here are some pictures http://www.wutangcenter.com/wt/index.html

JD

[MonkeyKingUSA]

Akron Friends,
It sounds like we need a reunion! Anyone that is interested, please let me know.

Kal,
I think their fame stemmed from their ads and the fact that they were offering knowledge that many were not. Then stories to IKF were sent in by/about Allen and Chicoine. I cringed when I started seeing stories about Chicoine because everyone in the Akron area knew the kind of character that he was.
One of my kung fu brothers had his school "visited" by some of Chicoine's students. They wanted to fight him. However, my friend was working that particular night and only his students were there. I also had another engagement that night. Those that were there at the next class that I attended probably remember how angry I was when I heard about it. I tried to send a message back to come "visit" my school, but never got a response.
Years later I had a student who was interested in Shuai Jiao. He asked about training with Chicoine. I told him everything that I had heard about him, but he went for an "interview" anyways. After Chicoine bragged to him about sending students to my kung fu brothers' school to beat him up, my student wisely chose not to study with Chicoine and reported what Chicoine had told him. BTW, in case you might question my student's integrity in reporting the events, he is no flunky but rather a superintendant of a local school system.

[RAF]

Prior to 1997 Tony was primarily involved in his family business--Genghis Kahn Restaurant. He taught on weekends. An article a year or two back was written in Inside Kungfu (sorry Gene) about Tony's early days in the United States and the usefulness of his praying mantis training. He and Thomas W. Ruff worked as bouncers at Fireside bar in Canton, Ohio.

After 1997 he opened his school up in Akron and we have our annual tournament (10 years now).

Overall, I don't think we have very many interesting stories to tell--Just trying to pay the rent and make a decent livin. LOL, really.

[MonkeyKingUSA]

Prior to 1997 Tony was primarily involved in his family business--Genghis Kahn Restaurant. He taught on weekends. An article a year or two back was written in Inside Kungfu (sorry Gene) about Tony's early days in the United States and the usefulness of his praying mantis training. He and Thomas W. Ruff worked as bouncers at Fireside bar in Canton, Ohio.

After 1997 he opened his school up in Akron and we have our annual tournament (10 years now).

Overall, I don't think we have very many interesting stories to tell--Just trying to pay the rent and make a decent livin. LOL, really.

RAF & JDK,
I met Tony in 1986 after I had moved back to Akron. Tony's family was part owners of a restaurant named, The Great Wall. IMHO it was the best Chinese restaurant in the North Canton area. Tony and I used to talk about martial arts during my family's visits to the restaurant. I remember an elderly gentleman used to greet us and bid us farewell. My little girl loved seeing him everytime we went there to eat. She also loved the big fish tanks.
By this time Tony had already done the videotapes for WTN Productions. He was quite proud about the nice payment that he had received. I was kicking myself because they had contacted me when I was selling my Hung Gar tapes in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and I wasn't interested in having them distribute my tapes. Poor business choice on my part.
Tony struck me as a very kind and humble man. Success does not seem to have changed him any.
When I first met Tony, he was teaching many students in his backyard. He once invited me to watch a workout and I was impressed.
Now Tony has the main school on Arlington Rd., a very nice facility, and a few branch locations. Like Tony, his studio instructors are very kind and down to earth men. Everytime I see them I am impressed with the caliber of men Tony has raised up.
Tony runs a very nice tournament every year that serves as a memorial to Master Liu. It seems that Tony has never forgotten his martial roots and shows proper respect to the man who was his mentor.
I felt honored that Tony invited me to perform our Monkey style in one of the Master's Demonstrations at his tournament and to act as a judge. Especially since the tournament is attended by instructors and students from throughout the US and foreign lands. This past years tournament had competitors from as far as Alaska and Qingdao, CHINA.

I met Dave Shenk through his health store near Tallmadge Ave.. When I first met him I believe he was still one of Tony's students and was present at the class Tony held in his backyard decades ago. Though I don't really know Dave personally, and am not sure if he would even know me by name, he was very cordial the times that we did talk.

Well, this is all my old brain can remember for now.

Friends,
For those of you not involved in these old stories, I hope you are seeing that many of us in NE Ohio have tried to work together as friends and even as brothers. Don't let some of the bad things you might have heard of our area color your opinion of all of us.
Richard A. Tolson

[iron tiger]

I remember seeing Allen and his top three students who were all women (how the hell does that work???)

He explains that pretty thoroughly on the Q&A tapes.