Rank: 10th Dan
School: Bayonne AOKA Inc
Presentation on Grand Master Donald H. Nagle
On August 23, 1999, the death of Donald H. Nagle, a native of
Jersey City, New Jersey, brought an end to an era of excellence
in the global world of the martial Arts. After four decades of
teaching Isshinryu karate, both in the United States Marine Corps
and as a civilian, Don Nagle, acknowledged by his peers and other
masters as the Grand Master of Isshinryu, had become a legend.
Indeed, such were his skills that a myriad of his students also
became well known competitors and Senseis. His students number in
the thousands and his stature and presence will remain as long as
there is an Isshinryu school, where stories of his awesome skills
and matches will be told. There was never anyone quite like
"our teacher" and it will be many decades before we see
his like again.
In late 1955, Sensei Nagle began his study of Isshinryu karate,
under it's founder, Tatsuo Shimabuku, on the island of Okinawa.
The founder or Soke was undoubtedly quick to realize that Sensei
Nagle was a heaven sent student, since it was always evident that
Sensei Nagle was a natural to Isshinryu, as much as Ted Williams,
was to baseball. At that time, the other teachers on Okinawa
would not accept Isshinryu as a legitimate style, for Soke
Shimabuku had created a unique martial art, which incorporated
many innovative techniques that eventually became the very core
of it's success. In fact, the relationship between Soke Shimabuku
and his brother became strained by this situation .
Isshinryu set a new standard. For this reason, Don Nagle, a young
Marine, at 5'8" and 123 lbs., was sent to the other dojos to
fight the best of the Okinawans, as Soke had done in the past. As
a white belt or beginner, Cpl. Nagle's skills embarrassed the
other Senseis in their own schools. The ultimate embarrassment
came when Soke Shimabuku entered Mr. Nagle in the annual Okinawan
Grand Championship. A white belt or beginner against Okinawa's
top black belts, Sensei Nagle won the championship. Events such
as these gave Isshinryu stature and it was now an undeniable
presence on Okinawa. Prior to leaving Okinawa, Soke Shimabuku
presented Mr. Nagle with his personal obi and ranked him as a
fifth degree black belt.
Upon returning to the United States, Sensei Nagle became a
partner in the dojo that Sgt. Ernie Cates had previously
established on New Bridge Street, Jacksonville, North Carolina.
This was just outside Camp Lejeune, the home of the Second Marine
Division. Sensei Cates, was the eight time winner of the
All-Marine Judo Championship. Ernie was also the first foreigner
to be awarded the rank of Sixth Degree Black Belt from the
prestigious Kodokan Center in Tokyo, Japan. He was later
commissioned and promoted to Captain, in VietNam, prior to
retiring from the Corps. The dojo was inhabited by Marines of all
ranks, who were there to learn, no matter how hard the training
and it was tough even by Marine Corps standards. In the 50's and
60's, there was no protective equipment and the punches and kicks
were not pulled. However, the feeling was that if we were hurt
badly enough, the Corps would put us on no duty status. In
actuality, that meant we had the time to go to training sessions
during the day and at night. On any deck where Sensei Nagle
walked, there would be tough, sometimes brutal fighting, it was
expected and those of us who became his favorite fighters, took
it with pride and without whining. To be his student was an
element of wonder, pride in your survival and joy in the
slightest nod of approval. There was never a night when at the
end of the drills he did not take on every student in the school,
without a break and often fought several of his best students
several times. If you were among the students that he fought
several times, or for longer periods, you felt privileged and
were seen to be special by the other students. What it took to be
"special" was a student who worked harder than
expected, learned quickly from watching others, sought advise
from other students and fought without being told to fight.
Aggressive fighting, ability to fight with injury or pain and
with skill, rather than strength, were the qualities that
impressed Sensei Nagle.
Upon his discharge, he opened his first civilian dojo on Mercer
Street in Jersey City, New Jersey, followed by his next dojo at
Broadway, Bayonne, which remained his dojo until his death. All
of his schools turned out extraordinary students, fighters and
future teachers, who have gained renown in their own right. This
is another indication of his ability to teach and inspire his
students.
He joined the Jersey City Police Department, in 1967, becoming
one of it's most respected and highly decorated narcotics
detectives in the history of the department. Speaking to his
former partners about his exploits in the field, is like reading
a dime novel about Wyatt Earp. They relate the numerous times
that he faced entire groups of armed drug dealers and subdued
them without resorting to the use of weapons, other than his
super human ability at Isshinryu karate. Even his partners held
him in awe and the ones that I met were a tough bunch of police
officers in their own right.
In 1966, during a two week visit by Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku, Master
Nagle was promoted to eighth degree black belt and twenty years
later, with the ultimate honor bestowed upon him by his peers. In
1986, at the Hall of Fame Tournament of Master Harold Long,
Master Don Nagle, in the presence of over thirty of the highest
ranking black belts in Isshinryu, from all over the United
States, Canada, Mexico and Europe, was acclaimed for the title of
Grand Master of Isshinryu karate and proudly accepted this great
honor. Master Harold Long stated at the event, "Master Nagle
deserves this honor because he is the finest example of an
Isshinryu fighter and teacher that we have ever had in the United
States". For Grand Master Nagle, their was no better
compliment you could pay him, than simply to call him a fighter.
This was followed in his heart by his pride in being a member of
the Jersey City Police Force, where he eventually proved to be
the finest narcotics detective, in the history of the force and a
highly recognized hero police officer. The stories of his courage
and ability, told by his fellow officers, were astounding and his
admirers in the force legion. One of his partners told me that
Sensei Nagle would often charge in before anyone else, on a raid,
and subdue six to seven people, before anyone reached the room.
He stated that he often did this, without use of his weapon, to
save bloodshed. After his retirement, his career in law
enforcement culminated in an appointment as a Federal Marshal. I
thought that he would finally settle down after his retirement
and was astounded by his sheer joy at being assigned a Marshal.
It was as though he had begun again.
Despite all of the excitement and honors in his life, I knew him
as a humble, gentle and caring man, who didn't see himself as a
legend, but as a teacher who loved to be with the young people
who wanted to learn his art. They loved him in return and will
remember him forever.