Jump to content

Harold Sharp

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harold Sharp
Born1927
Died2021
StyleJudo
Rank10th Dan Judo

Harold "Hal" Sharp (1927 – March 21, 2021) was an American judoka and author of books on judo.

Personal life

[edit]

Sharp was born in 1927.[1] Sharp was deployed with the army in 1945 to Japan and learned about martial arts.[2] He attended Los Angeles State College.[3]

Judo competition

[edit]

He earned his first black belt from the Kodokan.[3] In Japan, he was assigned as being a body guard of Emperor Hirohito.[4] He was a student of Takahiko Ishikawa. He was the winner of the first Foreign Judo Championships in 1954.[2] He became captain of the 1955 US Goodwill Team.[5] Sharp though stated that the Captain was John Osaka and he was a member of the team.[6]

Author

[edit]

He co-authored The Sport of Judo,[7] Boys' Judo: Sport, Defense,[8] and The Techniques of Judo (Tuttle Martial Arts).[9] These books sold over 250,000 copies. [10] He served as a technical advisor for "Mrs Judo", a movie about Keiko Fukuda.[11] He is a 10th dan in Judo, promoted by the Nanka Judo Yudanshakai on October 31, 2020. His final book was "The Road To Black Belt".

Judo career

[edit]

Sharp had a number of Judo friends including that of Charles Palmer (judoka)[12] He also served as instructor for Star Trek's William Shatner.[12]

Honors

[edit]

Sharp was inducted into the USA Judo Hall of Fame in 2019.[13] Sharp died on March 21, 2021.[1][14]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b https://www.usjf.com/2018/02/harold-hal-sharp/
  2. ^ a b "A Martial Arts Love Affair - Fight Times Magazine". Magazine.fighttimes.com. 2004-12-01. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  3. ^ a b Inc, Active Interest Media (1 November 1964). "Black Belt". Active Interest Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/harold-sharp-obituary?id=6699283
  5. ^ "Black Belt January 1965 - Google Books". January 1965. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  6. ^ "Black Belt February 1965 - Google Books". February 1965. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  7. ^ "Harold E. Sharp: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle". Amazon.com. 1989-12-15. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  8. ^ Sharp, Harold E.; Cook C Hadly JR (October 2011). Boys' Judo: Sport, Defense: Harold E. Sharp, Cook C. Hadly Jr., Bob Owen: 9781258128371: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 978-1258128371.
  9. ^ The Techniques of Judo (Tuttle Martial Arts): Shinzo Takagaki, Harold E. Sharp: 0676251821123: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 0804821127.
  10. ^ https://www.usjf.com/2018/02/harold-hal-sharp/
  11. ^ "L.A. Screening of 'Mrs. Judo'". Rafu.com. 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  12. ^ a b https://blackbeltmag.com/hal-sharp-judo
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ http://www.nankajudo.com/the-life-of-harold-e-sharp-judo-icon-and-beloved-member-of-nanka-judo-yudanshakai/