Passed Away: On Tuesday February 26, 2002 at 2:00 pm, Grand Master
John McSweeney, at the age of 74, passed away from a massive heart
attack. This happened at his home in Fort Meyers Florida. His wife, Mary
Ann, called 911 and he was rushed to the hospital. The doctors could not
help him.
Link to Grandmaster
John
McSweeney's website.
Master McSweeney introduced Karate to Ireland and to England thru his
teaching. Kenpo Karate arrived in the U.K. by the most unlikely route
when an Irish student who had studied the art of Kenpo in Dublin under
one of the late Grand Master Ed Parker's Black Belts, a Mr John
McSweeney. chose to settle in Swindon in 1966. He joined forces with
Peter Presswell, Martin Sleeman and Phil Haggerty, to form the first
U.K. Kenpo Karate Club. This club later affiliated itself to Wado Ryu,
at which time Phil Haggerty who had reached 1st Kyu Brown Belt moved to
Landrake in Cornwall, and set up a small village club, clung steadfastly
to the Kenpo Style.
The first certificate issued by the IKKA was to John McSweeney, as
Shodan, dated September 27, 1962. However, Chuck Sullivan, who was
secretary of the IKKA was promoted to "First Degree Black
Belt" about two weeks earlier in September, 1962, and received a
KKAA certificate. Likewise, Dave Hebler, who was promoted to Shodan in
October 1962 received a KKAA certificate, as did Sterling Peacock, Steve
Fox who were promoted the following year. And Ralph Castro recalls that
Ed Parker had sent Will Tracy to talk to him about joining the IKKA in
December 1963.
The IKKA was the brainchild of Mills Crenshaw who was one of Ed's
early students. Mills was the dynamic force behind Ed Parker's Salt Lake
City school that Mills opened about 1963.
Ed had talked to Mills and some of his other black belts about
forming a new organization, but Ed had reservations over an organization
he could not control. Miles, however, was completely loyal to Ed, and
only looked at the IKKA as a vehicle for making Ed's organization truly
international. John McSweeney (Ed Parker's 8 Shodan) had gone to Ireland
in December 1962, and opened a school there the following year. The
Kenpo Karate Association of America was not a name the Irish cared for,
and John wanted an organization that was truly international.
Kenpo Karate is best known as the Ed Parker system because many of
heads of kenpo today trained at one time or another directly under this
great martial artists. James Ibrao was Ed Parker's first Shodan,
followed by Rich Montgomery, Rick Flores, Ed Tabian, Al Tracy, Jim
Tracy, and John McSweeney. Ralph Castro, Bill Ryusaki, Tino Tuiolosega
and many others also trained with Ed Parker, and went on to teach his
own system of kenpo.
Ed Parker was also a prolific writer and Hollywood celebrity
whosepersonality attracted the famous. But Ed died at the age of 59 on
December 15, 1990, leaving his system without a successor. Within months
American Kenpo was hopelessly divided, and less than eight years after
Ed's death there are over 50 different kenpo karate organizations.
WHITE TIGER KENPO KARATE - The art of Master John McSweeney (10th
degree) and Thomas Saviano (5th degree). White Tiger springs from the
training of Mr. Saviano and Mr McSweeney. Mr McSweeney was first
introduced to martial arts through the military and he trained in Judo
at the Kodokan in Tokyo (1952).
After returning state-side, he was introduced to Ed Parker and began
training with him in 1959. Through Mr Parker, he also trained with many
Kung Fu stylists, such as Jimmy Woo (Parker's assistant for some time)
and James Lee (Bruce Lee's future training partner). Mr McSweeney
trained in both Parker's Kenpo and White Crane Kung Fu (under Woo). He
received his black belt from Mr. Parker in 1962. This combined with many
street confrontations, turned into Mr McSweeney's style. Mr Saviano,
also, trained in traditional Karate and forms of Northern Kung Fu. All
this was combined into White Tiger Kenpo. If your looking for references
to back this up, look up the AKKA (American Kenpo Karate Association).
Mr McSweeney is Chairman and Mr Saviano is President.
Over 60 of the most senior and highest ranking "Kenpo
Masters" from all over the world hosted the largest gathering of
Kenpo/Kempo and Kenpo based styles practitioners in the long history of
Kenpo. Over 1000 were in attendance in Las Vegas, Feb 5,6,7 at what was
truly billed a "Once in a Lifetime" experience. To call
yourself a "Master" is one thing! To be accepted as a
"Master" by the gathering of masters indeed establishes one's
true credentials. All the Kenpo masters and their representatives were
given an opportunity conduct seminars and let everyone present could
witness their (kenpo spirit), knowledge, ability, and contribution to
the art!
