HARRY G. SMITH

Smith rewarded for his lifelong hobby-Karate
BY BOB BLACK OF THE PATRIOT-NEWS

Harry G. Smith is not exactly the instructor from "The Karate Kid."  He's taller and would never be mistaken for a look-alike.  Even his own son, 10-year-old Jordan D. Smith, can't be equated with the popular movie and its ensuing sequels.  He is younger and smaller.  But, as far as karate goes in central Pennsylvania, the Smiths — father and son — are about as good as it gets — especially Harry G.

Harry G. is a 61-year-old former Marine who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Karate Hall of Fame in December of 1994.  Early last month he became the first American to be, inducted into the Okinawan Karate Hall of Fame.

At the same time Harry G. was being inducted into the Okinawan Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at the Dobbins House in Gettysburg, Jordan D. was being presented a green belt by Angi Uezu, a 10th degree black belt, for defeating other green belts while he was still a lower-ranked white belt.

As a father-and-son team, the two combine to teach Isshin Ryu karate at a pair of midstate locations — In Elizabethville and Hershey.  There is also a third school with a limited membership located in Lemoyne.

According to Smith, the term Isshin Ryu means "One Heart, One Mind, School."

Isshin Ryu karate is a rigid, hard style of karate which uses the theory of dynamic tension to obtain the results to perform properly.  It requires serious stretching warm up exercises to get ready for the class.

Smith's roots in karate go way back.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and was sub sequently sent to Okinawa during his tour of duty.

Although he had previous training at Parris Island in South Carolina, it was in Okinawa during the 1950s that Smith got his first real taste of karate, studying under Master Tatsuo Shimabukuro.  "When I was sent to Okinawa, there was very little to do," said Smith.  "So I started studying karate more seriously and was fortunate enough to have some very good Okinawan instructors."  The sport requires tremendous dedication and discipline.

After studying in Okinawa, Smith returned to the United States and opened the first karate school on the East Coast in uptown Harrisburg.  He later opened another school, in Pittsburgh, which he operated until his re-enlistment in the Marines during the Vietnam War.

At his Guardian Karate Institutes in Elizabethville, Hershey and Lemoyne, Smith stresses self-defense, self-control and self-confidence.  He takes care of most of the adult training and he lets his son Jordan help out with the kids' classes.

"My outlets from karate are fishing and baseball," said Smith.  "When you're studying karate, it requires complete concentration.  But, it's important to have other in terests, too.  When I'm not teaching it, I try to relax as much as I can.  And I do that best with fishing."