Donn F. Draeger

Born 1922-04-15, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died 1982-10-20, Honolulu, Hawaii

Also known as

Donald Frederick Draeger

Description

American martial artist, author, and pioneer in the study of Asian martial arts, first non-Japanese in Katori Shinto-ryu

Teachers (3)

  • Shimizu Takaji
    sports_martial_artsShindō Musō-ryū Probable
    Probable
    Single source.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    (1959)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Single source.
    “Early non-Japanese students included Donn Draeger (1922–1982), Jon Bluming (1933–), and Bill Fuller (dates unknown), all of whom began training with Shimizu during 1959–1960.”
    — Green, Thomas A.; Svinth, Joseph R.. (2010). Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation info
  • Ōtake Risuke
    sports_martial_artsTenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū Probable
    Probable
    First non-Japanese practitioner to enter Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu in 1967 under Risuke Otake, achieving instructor grade, as documented in Aiki-Kohai article
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    (1967)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    First non-Japanese practitioner to enter Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu in 1967 under Risuke Otake, achieving instructor grade, as documented in Aiki-Kohai article
    “A partir de 1967, Il sera ensuite la premier pratiquant non japonais à entrer dans l'école Tenshin shoden Katori Shinto ryu alors sous la direction du célèbre Risuke Otake shihan, achevant son parcours dans cette école par l'obtention d'un grade d'instructeur.”
    — Tatsusjin : la chronique abrégée de Donn F. Draeger (Aïki-Kohaï)link
  • Wang Shujin
    sports_martial_artsBaguazhang Probable
    Probable
    Trained in Chinese martial arts (xingyiquan and baguazhang) under Wang Shujin at Meiji Shrine in Japan, as documented in KogenBudo article
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Trained in Chinese martial arts (xingyiquan and baguazhang) under Wang Shujin at Meiji Shrine in Japan, as documented in KogenBudo article
    “There was a famous xingyiquan and baguazhang teacher in Japan in those days, named Wang Shujin [...] Donn (and a number of other of his associates) began training with Wang on the grounds of the Meiji Shrine”
    — Donn Draeger & Robert Smith: Their Intersection Concerning Chinese Martial Arts (KogenBudo)link

Lineage

Ranks (4)

  • military_tech5 dan Probable
    Probable
    Single source.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    Dan-Kyu System
    granted by Kodokan
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Single source.
    “Draeger, fascinated by the martial spirit of budo, first trained in judo and became one of the earliest non-Japanese to gain a coveted Kodokan 5th dan grade.”
    — Brian N. Watson. (2008). Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kanoinfo
  • military_tech7 dan Probable
    Probable
    Single source.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    Dan-Kyu System
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Single source.
    “He later earned a 7th dan in kendo, a 7th dan in iai-do, (art of sword-drawing) and a 7th dan in jodo (stick fighting).”
    — Brian N. Watson. (2008). Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kanoinfo
  • military_tech7 dan Probable
    Probable
    Single source.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    Dan-Kyu System
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Single source.
    “He later earned a 7th dan in kendo, a 7th dan in iai-do, (art of sword-drawing) and a 7th dan in jodo (stick fighting).”
    — Brian N. Watson. (2008). Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kanoinfo
  • military_tech7 dan Probable
    Probable
    Single source.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    Dan-Kyu System
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Single source.
    “He later earned a 7th dan in kendo, a 7th dan in iai-do, (art of sword-drawing) and a 7th dan in jodo (stick fighting).”
    — Brian N. Watson. (2008). Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kanoinfo

Students (1)

  • Jon Bluming
    sports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō Probable
    Probable
    Bluming's biography and interview state Donn Draeger trained him in judo in Tokyo from March 1959 to 1961, managed his weight gain from 79 to 102 kilos and proposed him for the Kenshusei class; own account only
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    (1959–1961)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    2 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    Bluming's biography and interview state Donn Draeger trained him in judo in Tokyo from March 1959 to 1961, managed his weight gain from 79 to 102 kilos and proposed him for the Kenshusei class; own account only
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “when Draeger (Donn Draeger) started training me, in March 1959, by November I was a solid 102 kilos. [...] He was the best; he could run circles around all the top Judoka in the Kodokan, all the 8th and 9th and 10th dans.”
    — Mann, WR. Jon Bluming, Europe's First Mixed Martial Artist - Realfightinglink history info
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “Back in Tokyo he started under the guidance of the famous Donn Dreager again with weight training for judo and karate and became finally what he always wanted heavyweight at 102 kilo solid from 79 kilo in Canada”
    — Ruhe, Bert. Biography of Jon Bluming - jonbluming.nllink history info

Sources

Identifiers

https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SF

Cite and reuse

CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Donn F. Draeger. In Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SF - CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SF, author = {Muñoz, Frederico}, title = {Donn F. Draeger}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url = {https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1SF}, urldate = {ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }

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