Also known as
Yamashita Teaches Theodore Roosevelt (1904)
Description
The judo instruction Theodore Roosevelt received from Yamashita Yoshiaki in
the White House. The naval attaché Isamu Takeshita arranged the meeting in March
1904; impressed by the demonstration, Roosevelt engaged Yamashita on the spot,
and during March and April 1904 he practiced judo three afternoons a week in a
ground floor White House office, then occasionally through the summer before the
elections. His training partners included his sons, his private secretary,
Takeshita, Secretary of War William Howard Taft, and Secretary of the Interior
Gifford Pinchot.
Participants (3)
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2 sources
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The Svinth article, drawing on Roosevelt's own letters and contemporary
press, documents Yamashita teaching Roosevelt three afternoons a week in the
White House during March and April 1904.
"in the words of the New York World, Yamashita and his partner "caused
Mr. Roosevelt to quit winking and gasp. They showed him what jiu-jitsu really is
and they were engaged on the spot.""
— Joseph R. Svinth, "Professor Yamashita Goes to
Washington", Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000link
"during March and April 1904, Roosevelt practiced judo three afternoons a
week, using a ground floor office in the White House as his workout space."
— Joseph R. Svinth, "Professor Yamashita Goes to
Washington", Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000link
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Roosevelt's own letters (quoted in Svinth) describe his training, bruises
and progress; his participation as the course's principal student is
unambiguous.
"I am very glad I have been doing this Japanese wrestling... Still I have
made good progress, and since you have left they have taught me three new throws
that are perfect corkers."
— Joseph R. Svinth, "Professor Yamashita Goes to
Washington", Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000link
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Takeshita arranged the meeting and took lessons alongside Roosevelt at the White
House
"we, Mr. Roosevelt and I, used to take lessons in jiu-jitsu very often in
his library on the second floor of the White House."
— Svinth, Joseph R.. (1999). Aikido Comes to America
- September 1935. Journal of Combative Sportlinkinfo
Tags
kodokanwhite-house
theodore-roosevelt
Sources
"in March 1904, he also arranged for Professor Yamashita to meet with
President Theodore Roosevelt in the White House."
— Joseph R. Svinth, "Professor Yamashita Goes to
Washington", Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000link
"So, during March and April 1904, Roosevelt practiced judo three afternoons
a week, using a ground floor office in the White House as his workout space.
Then, for the rest of the summer, he practiced occasionally. He stopped training
during the elections."
— Joseph R. Svinth, "Professor Yamashita Goes to
Washington", Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000link
Linked data
https://martial.is/entity/01M19SYYS3VTD98FGQQXEEMMJW