by “Dave McLaughlin”
When “Lee Taylor” & I first started rooming together I saw his Judo Gi and asked him about it and then asked if he would teach me. We proceeded to workout in our own time and slowly gathered other cadets from our own class and other classes. When I wasn’t swimming or playing water polo we were practicing Judo. We had formed quite a good club but it was not “Official”. After several petitions the Comm. finally authorized us as a full competitive sports club in Sept 1961, with the proviso that we did not enter any competition. The Supt. and the Comm. figures that we were a new club without any experience and did not want us to make the Academy look bad.
We were invited to the Easter Collegiate Championships and Lee took weekend leave and entered, eventually taking 1st place individual. Lee presented the trophy to the Comm. who could not say much about it as Lee had won. A short time after that we were invited to the New York Metropolitan Championships and Lee and I took weekend leave and entered. Lee again took 1st place individual and together we somehow won 1st place team. Again what could the Supt. and Comm. say. We were now well established and upon graduation left the team in good hands.
Apparently the Club has continued to grow and prosper. They are the 2011 National Champions and is currently the three time defending Eastern Collegiate Champions. Their web site is http://allforthecorps.com/ Their OIC, LTC Hector Morales I know from meeting him at the National Championships several years ago in Houston. He has invited Lee and myself to help him “Belt” 8 members of the class of 2012 with their Black Belts while up there for our 50th which, of course, is the Club’s 50th also. Details still to be worked out.
For What They Gave on Saturday Afternoon 