Richard P. Baillargeon

I first met Soke Richard P. Baillargeon in November 1973. It was at his dojo in Valdosta, GA.  Soke "B" was a Rokudan in Motobu Ha Shito Ryu and the U.S. Honbucho for the Seishin Kai Karate Union of Osaka, Japan. He  had just retired from the USAF. Soke "B" was also a Yondan in Goshin Budo Jiu Jitsu, so he decided to teach us a little Jiu Jitsu. He was awesome. We had never seen Jiu Jitsu before and it was incredible how we could get out of different attacks. During one such attack, full nelson, Sensei Bentley twisted unexpectedly and hit Soke "B" in the side of the head with his elbow. Soke "B" was stunned, but quickly regained composure. Sensei Bentley bowed very low!

Soke "B" was a marathon runner and often ran as much as 20 miles. After WWII Soke B was stationed in Japan the US attaché on a Japanese airbase close to Osaka. There was 10,000 Japanese and Baillargeon San. After hours Soke B would explore the area by running. One evening he was running and happened by the Seishin Kai Karate Dojo of Osaka owned by Kosei Kokuba. He heard kiais and stopped to watch. Afterward he returned with his interpreter and asked about learning Karate. It was explained that Karate was for Japanese only and he would not be admitted. Soke B told his interpreter to explain who he was and that they would make a lot of trouble for their countrymen at the airbase. So it was decided to allow him a free lesson and if he could complete the class he would be admitted. Soke B agreed and began. They taught him how to step, punch, and turn. They began with 42 black belts and Baillargeon San. After  a very long time of simply stepping, punching, turning and repeating it over and over again, Black Belts overcome with fatigue began dropping out of the training. Still commands were called and the class continued to step punch, turn, step, punch, turn and return....Others began to drop out until after turning there was five black belts and Baillargeon san.... Punch, step, turn and two more black belts drop out. Step, punch, step, punch all the way down the length of the dojo, Turn, and another black belt drops out.... Now only Baillargeon and two black belts remain... stepping, punching to the other end, turn and yet another black belt drops out leaving only 1 black belt and Baillargeon.

By this time the attention of the senior masters had been aroused, Teruo Hayashi then Senior Master was now watching intently as Baillargeon and 1 black belt came stepping, punching down the dojo floor. Soke B confided that when they reached the other end He was going to sit down and that would be the end of his Karate career. When they reached the other end, Hayashi Soke yelled Yami' (finish). All the other black belts returned to class  and they began teaching again, with Baillargeon being accepted as a student. This was the price of admission and Baillargeon had passed the test.

From then on, US service men who saw Baillargeon training would ask him if he could get them into the school. His reply was always, "I can get you a trial lesson!" Many other "trial" lessons were given and for a long time no one passed. Baillargeon had used his "wind" from running all those miles to help him pass this test.

After training at the Seishin Kai Hombu Dojo for over ten years, Baillargeon returned to the US and opened the first US Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate branch and the US Seishin Kai Organization of which he was Honbucho (US Director) from 1964-1974 and the formulation of the National Karate Jiu Jitsu Union.

Baillargeon was a true martial artist. I have many fond memories and training stories from over the years. The martial arts lost a true master of karate in 1989 when Baillargeon passed away from the effects of stomach cancer.