John Critzos II

Last updated
John Critzos, II
Born Norfolk, VA, US
Other names"Wild Horse", from C.S. Kim of Pittsburgh
Nationality Greek-American
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
DivisionHeavyweight
StyleKarate-do
Fighting out ofKim Studio Silver Spring, MD
Trainer Kim Ki Whang
Rank8th degree black belt
Years active1973–1994
Website http://www.critzos.com

John Critzos II is an American martial arts fighter, champion, and instructor [1] [2] [3] who teaches martial arts at the United States Naval Academy. [4] He is also a practicing personal injury lawyer. [5]

Contents

Biography

Critzos was the last champion [6] trained by Kim Ki Whang, and was known for his close relationship to Kim (most [7] believe him to be the son Kim never had and that Kim became his surrogate father [8] ). Critzos gave the eulogy at Kim's funeral at the request of Kim's wife and daughter. Today, Kim's uniform, training sticks and belt hang in Critzos' private dojo, along with two authentic 19th century Samurai coats of armor and a Samurai sword from the 1800s. Critzos began his training with Kim on September 4, 1973. He continued under Kim's tutelage until September 16, 1993, when Kim died. Presently, he is the coach of the United States Naval Academy Karate-do team, a program he founded in 1992. Further, he is an attorney practicing law in the Washington, D.C. area. [9] He concentrates his practice on serious personal injuries and auto accidents, and is the head of his firm which has two offices in the D.C. area.

Competition career

During his competition career, Critzos was successful in the traditional martial arts circuit from 1979 to 1985 when he retired amid controversy which was written about by Black Belt Magazine in an article entitled "Traditional Controversy". [10] The article exposed the widely known, but rarely talked about judging flaws and abuses that existed on the traditional circuit. It also led to changes to curb the abuses. As explained in the article, when faced with the alternatives of maintaining a higher standard or turning a blind eye for the sake of winning, Critzos chose the higher road. Today, he stands by his decision. He came out of retirement in 1989 for a single appearance and won the All American Open in Madison Square Garden for the 5th time as Heavyweight Champion. This was the last year that the All American was held in Madison Square Garden and therefore, Critzos was the last heavyweight champion to win in the Garden. He came out of retirement again in 1994 to win the U.S. Open for the 5th time as Heavyweight/Grand Champion at the age of 39. [8] During his career, he also won the All American Invitational 5 times as Heavyweight Champion/2 time Grand Champion; the All American Open 5 times as Heavyweight Champion; the U.S. Open 5 times as Heavyweight Champion/Grand Champion, the Eastern Regionals twice as Heavyweight Champion/Grand Champion; the North American Championships as Heavyweight Champion/Grand Champion; the Keystone State Championships, Ki Yun Yi's National Championships, and numerous other traditional style contests as Heavyweight Champion/Grand Champion. He did not compete on the American Circuit, but rather confined his career to the Traditional Circuit which he believed had a higher level of competition. He has been inducted into Henry Cho's All American Open Hall of Fame, The United States Naval Academy Karate-do Hall of Fame, The Keystone State Championships Hall of Fame, the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame (Outstanding Player & Outstanding Leadership), and the Hellenic Hall of Fame, [11] which is the largest ethnic hall of fame in the world.[ citation needed ] He was featured on the cover of Official Karate Magazine [12] in which he demonstrated some of his winning techniques. Presently, he is the head instructor of the United States Naval Academy Karate-do Team, which he founded in 1992. [13] He is the only student of Kim that has chosen to progress in belt rank one degree at a time as opposed to jumping degrees in an effort to speed the enhancement of his standing,[ citation needed ] and is an 8th degree black belt. Further, he has only accepted his advancement from contemporaries of his instructor. His first 5 Black Belt Degrees were awarded by Kim. After Kim's death on September 16, 1993, he was awarded a 6th degree by S. Henry Cho and a 7th degree by Sok Ho Kang. The 7th degree was awarded in April 2009 at an examination that was held at the United States Naval Academy and is the highest rank to ever have been awarded at one of the Military Academies in the United States. [7] This examination was attended by numerous dignitaries from around the country as well as the Commandant of Midshipmen. Grand Master Jon Chung Kim of Allentown, Pennsylvania awarded him an 8th degree in 2014. He has followed in his instructor's footsteps in that he has produced numerous champions, [14] still adheres to the traditional style of focused training and advances the philosophical perspective of the warrior.

Education

Critzos graduated the University of Maryland in 1980 with a BA in Economics and a BS in Finance. He was a double degree major. He went on to George Washington University and enrolled in the MBA program focusing on Finance. Prior to completing his master's degree, he was accepted into George Mason University's School of Law. He accepted the invitation and graduated with his Juris Doctor degree in 1984.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Naval Academy</span> U.S. Navy federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland

The United States Naval Academy is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies and it educates midshipmen for service in the officer corps of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The 338-acre (137 ha) campus is located on the former grounds of Fort Severn at the confluence of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County, 33 miles (53 km) east of Washington, D.C., and 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Baltimore. The entire campus, known colloquially as the Yard, is a National Historic Landmark and home to many historic sites, buildings, and monuments. It replaced Philadelphia Naval Asylum in Philadelphia that had served as the first United States Naval Academy from 1838 to 1845 when the Naval Academy formed in Annapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Kenpo</span> American Martial arts derived from Karate

American Kenpo Karate is a syncretic martial arts self-defense combat system founded and codified by Ed Parker synthesized mainly from Japanese martial arts such as Kenpo Karate and judo. As Senior Grandmaster, Parker did not name a successor to his art but instead entrusted his senior students to continue his teachings in their own ways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Trias</span> American karateka

Robert A. Trias was an American karate pioneer, founding the first karate school in the mainland United States and becoming one of the first known American black belts. He also developed Shuri-ryū karate, an eclectic style with roots in Chinese kung-fu, and indirectly some Okinawan karate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Lewis (martial artist)</span> American martial artist and actor (1944–2012)

Joseph Henry Lewis was an American martial artist, actor, karateka, and kickboxer. As a fighter, Lewis gained fame for his matches in the 1960s and 1970s, and was nicknamed "the Muhammad Ali of karate." He has twice been voted the greatest fighter in karate history, having won innumerable karate tournaments, and has attained the titles of "United States Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion," "World Heavyweight Full Contact Karate Champion," and "United States National Black Belt Kata Champion."

Richard Kim was an American martial artist. He was an instructor of various disciplines, including Okinawan Kobudo and Shōrinji-ryū Karate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navy Midshipmen</span> Sports teams of the United States Naval Academy

The Navy Midshipmen are the athletic teams that represent the United States Naval Academy. The academy sponsors 33 varsity sports teams and 12 club sport teams. Both men's and women's teams are called Navy Midshipmen or "Mids". They participate in the NCAA's Division I, as a non-football member of the Patriot League, a football-only member of the American Athletic Conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and a member of the Collegiate Sprint Football League (men), Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (men), Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges, Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League (men), Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference (men) and Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. Navy is also one of approximately 300 members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Mitchell Bobrow is a former martial arts fighter who was trained by Ki Whang Kim in the early 1960s. Bobrow was known for his continuous attacks using a unique combinations of kicks, punches and sweeps including his Trademark Jump Back Kick that scored on his opponents with either leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat E. Johnson</span> American martial artist

Pat E. Johnson is a 9th degree black belt in the art of American Tang Soo Do. He is the president of the National Tang Soo Do Congress, which was originally created by Chuck Norris in 1973. Johnson is famous for the martial arts choreography in the Karate Kid series in which he also starred as the All Valley Karate Tournament head referee, and has been involved in many films, as choreographer and actor including Enter the Dragon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mortal Kombat, Green Street Hooligans, and Punisher: War Zone. He is the 1995 Black Belt Magazine Instructor of the Year.

Kim Pyung-soo, also known as Kim Soo, is a South Korean taekwondo practitioner.

Anthony Young is an American martial artist, teacher, and practitioner of the Goju Ryu Karate style and founder of the Tony Young All-Star Karate Academy. He is also a sport karate competitor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yoshukai Karate</span> Branch discipline of the Japanese/Okinawan martial art, Karate–dō

Yoshukai is a Japanese style of Karate–dō. Karate-do. Karate-do translates as "Way of the Empty Hand." The three kanji that make up the word Yoshukai literally translate as "Training Hall of Continued Improvement." However, the standardized English translation is "Striving for Excellence." Yoshukai Karate has been featured in Black Belt Magazine. Yoshukai karate is separate Japanese style from Chito-ryu. Kata, kobudo, kumite, and all karate aspects are drawn from the Founder, Mamoru Yamamoto. Yoshukai is a newer derivative Japanese style.

Joe Corley is an American karate and kickboxing competitor, instructor, broadcaster and promoter who helped achieve the success of the Professional Karate Association and the early establishment of professional kickboxing in the United States. Joe Corley is CEO of PKA Worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Spiro Thanos</span>


George Spiro Thanos is a martial artist champion. Thanos was born in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1952. He began his martial arts training at the Kim Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1965 at the age of 13.

Simeone George Pesare was an American martial artist born in Providence, Rhode Island. He was a 10th-degree black belt and had high-degree black belts in additional martial arts including judo, taewkondo, eskrima, and aikido. Pesare was a successful karate and judo competitor. He was a member of the New England Black Belt Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Murphy (martial artist)</span> American martial artist

Kathleen Murphy, known as Katie Murphy, is an American martial artist. She is a twenty-two time World Champion in karate, a fifteen-time U.S. National Champion, and a ten-time New York State Champion.

Roy D. Kurban is a 10th degree American Taekwondo martial arts grandmaster and former Karate national competitor. He lives in Strawn, Texas. Considered to be one of the greatest competitors of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun-hwan Chung</span> South Korean martial artist

Sun-hwan Chung, also known as James Sun-hwan Chung, is one of the highest-ranking Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, and taekwondo grandmasters in the world. He is founder of the Moo Sool Do form of martial arts and is president of the World Academy of Martial Arts, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Arnett</span> American Grandmaster of Wing Chun Kung Fu

Anthony Arnett is an American martial artist specializing in Chinese martial arts, particularly Wing Chun. He is a direct disciple of Australian Wing Chun pioneer William Cheung and is founder of his own system, Arnett Sport Kung Fu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karate in the United States</span> Overview of American Karate in U.S.

Karate was first introduced to American service men after World War II by Japanese and Okinawan karate masters.

References

  1. ↑ "All American Open". Henrycho.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  2. ↑ "All American Open". Henrycho.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  3. ↑ "All American Open". Henrycho.com. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  4. ↑ "USNA Karate-Do". www.usna.edu. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "John Critzos, II is an experienced Personal Injury attorney with offices in Annapolis MD and Oxon Hill MD". John Critzos, II. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  6. ↑ Inc, Active Interest Media (1987-01-01). Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc.{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. 1 2 "Interview with Master John Critzos, II". www.taekwondo-ameris.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 Inc, Active Interest Media (1995-05-01). Black Belt. Active Interest Media, Inc.{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ↑ "John Critzos, II is an experienced Personal Injury attorney with offices in Annapolis MD and Oxon Hill MD". John Critzos, II. Archived from the original on 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  10. ↑ "Welcome to nginx". lklawson.isa-geek.org. Archived from the original on 28 June 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Athletics newsprint article" (PDF). Usadojo.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  12. ↑ "Official Karate Special" (JPG). Ma-mags.com. 1984. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  13. ↑ "Karate-do Team Lineage". www.usna.edu. Archived from the original on 8 May 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Karate: Kicking their way into a new year". www.dcmilitary.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.