Larry Caster

Dateline: Garland/Ft.Worth, Texas – 4/18-19/2008

Larry Caster and the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame is as natural as apple pie and melted cheese or ham and eggs or peaches and cream. With the induction of this great old martial artist, the hall, itself, and Texas martial arts on the whole are both better for the experience.

Larry Caster is truly one of a kind. He not only is one of the early pioneers of Texas karate but he is a genuinely good person and well liked by all his peers, as well. For well over 40 years, Mr. Caster’s influence has hung heavy over much of what has transpired in Martial Arts in the great Lone Star State.

The talented fire-plug of a man struck fear into the hearts of those who had to face him in a fight in the early ‘blood and guts’ days of the newborn Texas karate fighting phenomenon. The blood and guts days were well named for a reason. People like Allen Steen, Skipper Mullins, David Moon, Ed Daniels, J.Pat Burleson, Chuck Loven and Mr. Caster were the stalwarts in the Texas fighting machine which took second to no other state in the union when it came to the fighting game. With her disarming smile, Joy Turberville, one of Texas’ legendary female fighters laments that “A Texan fighting comes as natural as Babe Ruth swinging a bat”. This, coming from a lady who teaches kick boxing, is something that should be listened too, because she certainly knows what she is talking about. Ms Turberville, long a terror on the Texas fighting circuit in her earlier days, continues to teach her love, kick boxing, even at her advanced age of over sixty young years. She is quite a phenom in her own right.

It was Joy Turberville, who upon hearing of the induction of Mr. Caster being held in Fort Worth and knowing that another legendary martial artist was in town to honor the inductee, stepping forward and offering her new school in Garland, Texas (Joy Turberville’s World Black Belt Academy) as a place for the old warrior Jim (Ronin) Harrison to give one of his pattented knife defense seminars.

Mr. Harrison was in town to help honor his old friend, Larry Caster on the following night. Yet, as always, even though he is over seventy years of age and not in the best of health, he displayed his love for the martial arts, once again, and stayed true to his course in seldom passing up an opportunity to share some of his knowledge with others. Thus came about the knife defense seminar which drew students from as far away as Breckenridge, Texas. The list of those attending the seminar read almost like a ‘Who’s Who of Texas karate in its own right. Grand Master Keith Yates, the founder and head of A-kato was there along with Danny Passmore, the leader of the HOF committee and former Austin star martial artist, Jose Santa Maria. Many noted fighters and other great names were also in attendance. Duane Ethington, founder of Iss-Hogai, An American Jujitsu and long-time writer, fighter and announcer was there along with legendary fighters Raymond McCallum and Tim Kirby and Mr. Caster’s own two fighting black belt sons, Scott and David Caster along with Tim Vaught and Rick Hardy.

Jim Harrison applying technique to Scott Caster

Roy Kurban, Chuck Norris and Guy Metzger, who would attend the induction were due to attend but were called out of town at the last moment on Full Contact Fighting business in Orlando.

Ms Turberville, one of the nation’s premier full contact coaches was beaming with glee as she admitted seeing these folks and having Mr. Harrison at her school was not only an honor, but a “whole bunch of fun” too. Slowed a bit by age and sporting his white hair, Mr. Harrison never-the-less kept the crowd dazzled with his knowledge of knife fighting and knife and gun defenses. He put the students through more than an hour and a half of a ‘learning session’ that they soon would not be forgetting. It was especially awesome to see Mr. Harrison take people like 270 pound Scott Caster and 240 pound David Caster and the ever-tough world champ Raymond McCallum and throw them around like perverbial rag dolls. However, that is what jujitsu is all about. Strength means very little in the overall sceme of things. The grimaces of slight pain on the faces of those on the receiving end of Mr. Harrison’s techniques spoke volumes as to the prowess of the old warrior as he ‘showed his stuff’.

It was late when Mr. Harrison, Ms Turberville, the Caster brothers and the others graciously posed for pictures. Considering the full day of events awaiting on Saturday, the group finally broke up and went their separate ways, even though you could tell in their eyes that it was a reluctant parting. This is the sign of a true martial artist; a person who lives the arts rather than just takes martial arts classes along with a dozen other things they might be involved in at the moment.

Saturday proved to be something very special. People came from seemingly everywhere to honor this old warrior who has touched so many lives during his long and dedicated career. Larry Caster will, and rightfully should, be remembered for years to come for all that he has contributed to the Texas martial arts scene.

Standing (L to R) Larry Caster, Duane Ethington, Roy Kurban

Saturday began with a session of interviews for Television and Pod casts held at the Fossil Creek Radison Hotel in Fort Worth. Among the interviewees were world and United States martial arts champions Judge Roy Kurban; Fred Wren, Johnny Nash, Ed Daniels and Jim Harrison along with Mr. Caster and his son, Scott. The subject of the interviews seemed to center around accomplishments and influences of Larry Caster on Texas and American karate. As always, though, when a group of old friends who happen to be some of the greatest martial artists the nation has ever seen get together, the subject evolved into stories of memorable fights (sanctioned and non-sanctioned) and highlights of their long-time friendships. Admittedly, the stories of the old ‘blood and guts’ days made most of the stories of modern day bouts sound like jaunts in water ballet in comparison. As any of the old-timers can recall, the fights in the schools often were better than some of the championship fights in some of the nations largest tournaments. This writer/fighter can remember when the top ten fighters in the entire nation included 4 or 5 from Allen Steen’s Texas Karate Institute alone. Roy Kurban, Skipper Mullins, Fred Wren, Demetrius Havanas and Chuck Loven were all rated nationally at the same time. Later it was the Raymond McCallums,Joy Turberville’s, Tim Kirbys, Jim Millers and Ishmael Robles’ with dozens and dozens more representing our sport.

Later that evening, the ‘MAIN’ event took place; the well deserved induction of a true pioneering champion, LARRY CASTER into the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame. The event, itself, was held at Joe Garcia’s Restaurant near the famous Fort Worth Stock Yards. Somehow it seemed fitting to be honoring a true Texas gunfighter near a legendary spot in Texas history like the stockyards.

Just who is this ‘Man of the hour’? This name that seems to fit so easily into what Texas Martial Arts is all about?

A native Texan, Larry Caster began his martial arts training in 1959 while in the United States Navy. While on the east coast he studied Chinese Kenpo and boxed on the Navy team. After the stint for Uncle Sam, Mr. Caster returned to Dallas. He earned his black belt in 1966 in one of Allen Steen’s very demanding tests and was taking the first steps to becoming a legend himself in the arts, although he didn’t know it at the time.

As stated before, he struck fear in many hearts of the fighters who faced him in the ring. His matches with the likes of Jim Harrison, Joe Lewis, Roger Carpenter and Fred Wren were stuff that movies are made of. Since then, Mr. Caster has become a very well respected coach, teacher, friend and consultant to countless people. Larry Caster’s own black belt exams have earned the dubious distinction of being the most brutal anywhere. People who make black belt under Mr. Caster deserve to take a back seat to nobody in the country.

The champions who have been coached by Larry Caster are a mini-who’s who in their own right and include people such as Roy Kurban, Joy Turberville, Raymond McCallum, Demetrius (The Golden Greek) Havanas, Ishmael Robles, Phil Wilemon, Billy Jackson and this writer just to name a few. Demetrius Havanas, the Golden Greek, leads a parade of tough Texas martial artists who consider Mr. Caster as the one who began the moldinig of them and spirited them to whatever success they might have accomplished.

David Caster and Duane Ethington

Larry Caster was the coach of the first Texas Full Contact team which featured Roy Kurban and Demetrius Havanas and the the first team to beat Benny (the Jet) Urquidez’s Los Angeles Stars team. Some of Mr. Caster’s other accomplishments include being appointed to the Board of Directors of Chuck Norris’ International Council of Kickboxing (KICK) and being named coach of the Dallas/Fort Worth Texans and serving as liason between KICK and the National boxing commissions. Larry Caster also founded the AKO (Ameature Kickboxing Organization) and has had a hand in vertually every aspect of martial arts in Texas for years. Mr. Caster also is credited with bringing the Ridge Hand technique (from his Kenpo training) to the Texas fight scene, which had been dominated by Tae Kwon Do people up to that time. To prove how powerful and devastating this technique really was, Larry Caster would demonstrate by breaking up to six concrete blocks with his ridge hand strike. Upon seeing these demonstrations, only the foolish would be in doubt although Mr. Caster would readily prove otherwise to those type of folks.

The actual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies were an awesome happenstance in themselves as everyone understood just how significant it was for this great Texas Martial Artist to be so honored. Serving as Master of Ceremonies, Grand Master Roy D. Kurban, one of Larry Caster’s students and closest friends kept the program flowing with his accustomed brilliance. Several of the ‘old timers’ noted that the last time there were this many important Texas martial artists together in one place was at Allen Steen’s sixtieth birthday party. One by one, the impressive group of legends stepped to the podium to give speeches honoring the inductee. Speaking were Roy Kurban, Ed Daniels, Fred Wren, Joy Turberville, Pat Burleson, Jim Harrison, Ishmael Robles, Raymond McCallum, and Johnny Nash, just to mention a few. The underlying theme of the entire evening seemed to center on but one thing; the overwhelming influence that Larry Caster has, indeed, had on Texas Karate in particular and American martial arts, in general. It was not uncommon to see more than one of these great martial artist overcome with emotion to the point of interrupting and, in some cases, even being unable to finish their speeches concerning what Mr. Caster meant to them. It was clear that Larry Caster was much more than simply their teacher. He was their father-figure and their friend, as well.

Danny Passmore, president of the Hall of Fame, did the honors of welcoming Larry Caster into the prestigeous group of forerunners. Then, after waiting several minutes for the applause to die down, Grand Master Caster gave a spellbinding acceptance speech. In this tribute, Mr. Caster recognized his own two sons – Scott and David Caster- and Roy Kurban for their efforts to insure that this event was to happen without any hitches whatsoever. Mr. Caster also thanked his many friends for their lifelong support and ended with a touching sentiment to his precious wife of 46 years, Francis, for her unwavering love and support through all the years.

(L to R) David Caster, Danny Passman, Joy Tuberville, Scott Caster and Jim Harrison

What took place following the ceremony was akin to a giant family reunion where nobody wanted to be the first to leave or, indeed, even leave. To listen to the stories and see the genuine comradery between these legends of the Texas ‘blood and guts’ era of karate was indescribable. Truly this was much more than a simple Hall of Fame induction. It was a living testimony to a ‘life’ of giving to the martial arts with no thought of any return but then seeing more returns than anyone could imagine.

Texas martial arts and, indeed, American martial arts will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Larry Caster for his contribution.

Osa Sensei.

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