The author was born and raised in the greater L.A. area (Compton, Ramona Gardens, Inglewood, S. Central & S. West L.A.), during the unrest of the early 60's. He attributes his fathers concern for his survivability as the catalyst for his own interest into fighting. His father was an avid boxer and a neighborhood pugilist. In the Blue family, boxing was the first and foremost activity and entertainment.
He recalls when uncles would gather to watch Ali, Frazier, Norton, Liston and all the other greats. These gatherings, and various days of the week found him being coached and sparring with uncles and relations. This has remained a vivid impression, and inspiration to this day.
It was not until 1973 that his father would introduce him to the formal martial arts. He attributes this decision to his multi-ethnic make-up. Mr. Blue considers himself a HEINZ 57, with a familial history of mixed marriages (Louisiana/Mississippi Cajun-black, Chinese, Cherokee, Spanish, Arabic and Caucasian); this alone caused him to have numerous altercations throughout his life.
It was during the early 70's that he began training in Shotokan Karate and later Hung Gar Gung Fu.
He relocated a few years later to the Redlands area. During the mid- seventies he began training in the Jido Kwon style of Taekwondo and Yudo under Pu Gil Gwon. As he describes this was an epoch of raging hormones. I not only fought for mating rites, and self-identity; there were also tournaments, school rivalries, the street, socioeconomic racism, and those who just did not like me (teens and adults alike).
It was not until 77' that he and a friend discovered that Tim Tackett lived in Redlands. He has been with the group for nearly thirty years. He left for a few of those years to serve as a trooper and an advisor; after the service he continued his study of engineering. Having missed the action, he would return to duty for brief stints, and then go into law enforcement and executive protection.
He has since gone on to secure degrees in business administration management, psychology, and at present is interning in bio-medicine, as well Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
His martial arts experience is vast and diverse. He possesses many of the same pieces of paper on his wall (not exactly his wall), that all the celebrated contemporaries share.
