03/24/2025
50+ Years of Martial Arts History in Savannah
One of my working brain cells was activated this weekend and I started thinking about the history of martial arts in Savannah. Given the current state, with many dojos/gyms in our area, I thought sharing where it all began might be interesting.
For me, it began in Las Cruces, NM in 1968 with Sensei Fred Absher. After moving to Savannah, the first order of business was to find another dojo. My mom made some calls and found there was a class at the YMCA. We visited and found ‘The Cave’ at the YMCA - 1969-70. Class was being taught by Sensei Don Ogle. There were a couple of stalwarts there (Don Kearns, Tom KcEwen, Carson Watts) that helped keep things interesting.
In 1970, Sensei Ogle found a location at 31st St. and Waters Ave that became the Tai Chi Karate Club. Carson had been promoted to black belt before we moved and I was a brown belt, so we helped with the teaching when needed. While here, I was promoted to black belt and several others that became long time students. Tom was still there, and Mike Robbins, Don Goggins, Bob Loy and others began training here as well. Cliff Yawn and his family to include his son, Glen – who became a noted lightweight fighter nationwide – also studied with us.
After almost two years, we moved down the street to 36th St. and Waters Ave. and renamed the dojo the Tora Kin Karate Club. We picked up a few more hardcore students and eventually met Hanshi James L. Semmes, Jr. who had just ETS’d from the Army where he was in Okinawa and Korea. At the same time, I had formed the
Windsor Forest (High School) Karate Club and ran it until I graduated. Jeff Driggers and Victor Butler) took it over and did a great job for a couple more years.
Around 1972, Hanshi Semmes founded the Armstrong (State College) Karate Club. With the help of Tom McEwen, Bill Baker and me, we taught classes the daily for about three years.
In early 1975, Hanshi Semmes asked an old Army Buddy if he was interested in opening a dojo in Savannah. Enter Neil Erlich and the Savannah Karate Institute was born. We promoted a couple of black belts when we were there that included Benny Bacon and Ricky Johnson. After almost two years we closed the doors. Hanshi Semmes moved to Valdosta and Neil returned to Washington DC.
In short order, I opened the Southern Black Belt Academy on the corner of 41st St. St and Lincoln St. We stayed there a while and then moved to several other locations over the years. With the help of the likes of Bobby Roose, Steve Saba, Donna Jackson, Dave Sauer, and many others, the Southern Black Belt Academy has been a viable dojo for many years. Our current location is at Cave’s Gym in Bloomingdale
So, if you do the math, we were the first and oldest martial arts school in the area. We are responsible for the initial and ongoing training of several top martial artists and for as well as bringing the martial arts to countless others.
Sometime this year, I will be publishing a book about my martial arts training. My Martial Arts Journey has some great stories and pictures of a 57 year trek through some of the best times of my life.
