Donald “Buck” Irving Lindsey
Don Buck was both kind and powerful. He spent his life helping others and teaching the martial arts. His close friend and teacher, Mas Oyama gave Don Buck the title “Fierce Tiger”.
As a child, Don and a few other children stayed at a daycare center supervised by an Indian Yogi. Whenever Don and the other children were unruly, the Yogi would hypnotize them and place them in a trance. They would sit quietly against the wall until allowed to resume playing. This early experience gave Don special insight into the power and usefulness of hypnotism. Later, he extensively studied hypnotism (known in Japanese as sai ming jitsu) in conjunction with karate. Sensei had a natural gift for sai ming, which he considered a part of Chi-Gong practice. It was said that he could hypnotize you with a stare (see photograph to the right). Thoughout his life, he used this power constructively to help others.
In his youth, Don Buck grew up on the tough streets of San Francisco. He was very athletic and spent hours practicing gymnastics in Golden Gate Park.
During WW II, he served in the Admiralty Islands where he taught hand-to-hand combat. While in the military, he became a boxing champion. While not on duty, he practiced other martial arts including knife fighting.
After the war, in 1945, he returned to the San Francisco Bay Area where he resumed weight lifting and began to train under Duke Moore in Judo and Jujitsu.
In 1955, Don Buck was contacted by karate legend Mas Oyama. Sensei Buck began a lifelong friendship with the founder of Kyokushin karate. According to Don Buck, “We trained together for hours.” This workout included karate as well as boxing, judo and jujitsu techniques. Both men were extremely aggressive and strong. They were also highly trained in the mental and physical aspects of the martial arts. On trips to America, Mas Oyama would make a point of staying with his friend Don Buck.
Don Buck made several trips to China and Japan to increase the depth of his knowledge and to share his expertise with others. He was awarded the honorary degree of M.D.T.C.M. (doctor of traditional Chinese medicine) by the Hong Kong Naturopathy Association. He also trained with other high-ranking martial artists who had immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Don Buck was instrumental in founding the AAU for Karate and Kung fu. He was the founder of his own school known as the “School of the Tiger”. He trained many outstanding karate Sensei, including his wife, Marriette Buck, Alice Eguchi, his 2 sons, Fred Buck and Don Buck Jr., Steve Senne, Larry Giordano, Birney Jarvis, John Pell and Mike Dayton (former Mr. America). In 1989, he encouraged his student, friend, and personal physician, Dr. Daniel Andrews to start teaching karate to the public (prior to this, Dr. Andrews only taught family members).
Buck believed that “all of the arts are one.”
Hanshi passed away in September of 1998. His contributions to the martial arts will never be forgotten.
Larry F. Giordano
Hanshi Larry F. Giordano is Director and Chief Instructor of the Methuen Karate Association (School of the Rooster) and president of the New England Kyokushin Karate Organization. The N.E.K.K.O main headquarters is in Methuen, Massachusetts and was established in 1968. Methuen Karate Association. was established in 1968 and has an enrollment of 300 students as well as five associate schools.
Hanshi Giordano started his formal karate training in 1963 with Sensei Norbit Faye, a German national, studying Shotokan while in the military service. In 1970, Hanshi Giordano began his study of Kyokushin under the tutelage of Sensei Stephen Senne, of California, attaining the rank of Shodan. He then started training with Sensei Donald I. Buck, 8’th Dan (School of the Tiger), of San Francisco, California. Sensei Buck is a Kyokushin Organization affiliate of Master Mas Oyama, Japan.
Hanshi Giordano received his Branch Chief certificate and his 2’nd Dan from Master Mas Oyama Kyokushin, of Japan, on August 2, 1976, and his 5’th Dan in September 1988 from Sensei Donald I. Buck. In January 1993, he was awarded his 6’th Dan from his instructor, Sensei Buck, in recognition of his many years of dedication to the art of karate.
In 1981, he made his first of 5 trips to Japan. In March of 1990, Hanshi Giordano, representing Sensei Donald I. Buck, traveled to Japan as the U.S.A. representative to the World Branch Chief meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
N.E.K.K.O. has promoted forty three black belts. Six of them have opened their own schools, teaching the True Art of Karate, assuring the traditional Kyokushin Karate will be maintained throughout the U.S.A. In May 1991, a dojo opened in Puerto Rico, the following in Lawrence, one in New Hampshire, and one in Maine, the Arizona dojo was opened in 1976. All Dojos were opened by his black belts.
Hanshi Giordano was employed as a police officer for the Town of Methuen (1972-1986), as a K-9 officer, and a member of the Tactical Division – on call. He is now actively involved in self-defense for women. During the past 22 years, he has taught numerous courses as the junior and senior high school levels. Hanshi Giordano has been asked to speak to many local women’s and senior citizen groups interested in this field of self-defense. He has his own monthly TV program and has been putting on programs for women.
Hanshi Giordano was for 2 1/2 years the Massachusetts Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety. With his very impressive background with martial arts and other related activities he has been licensed as a judge for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Boxing Commission also the International Boxing Federation/USA Boxing Association. As a judge for the Mass Boxing Commission he has experienced judging of world championship fights.
As chairman of the N.E.A.A.U. for eight years, he has been instrumental in organizing this growing organization and has helped bring Karate to the foreground as a major amateur participation sport in this region and country.
Hanshi Giordano retired from the Methuen Police Department with 22 years of service in 1996. He is now devoted to teaching full time at his school in Methuen and has been traveling to his student Dojos to keep the true spirit of Kyokushin alive in New England. Hanshi Giordano has also started to teach after school programs in the Methuen and Lawrence Public Schools and for private organizations. He has now been teaching karate full time after 37 years, and the school in Methuen has been open for 52 years.
Hanshi was presented his seventh Degree Black Belt by his instructor Sensei Don Buck before his passing. Sensei Don Buck was like a father to Hanshi Giordano who was very saddened by his passing. Sensei Buck is missed by all his students OSU.