DURING THEIR TIME THEIR in 1966 and 1967

After training and training, They went to see some schools and talked about the martial arts business over dinner and how the martial arts would someday peak especially the number of schools in the greater Chicago area. See my father explains "the World Karate Federation is a Federation of black belts under one umbrella" they all had their own schools. But it was a tough thing to do, especially with the different stylists who really didn't respect each other. So John had a rough go at it from the start.

I talked to my father about time frame something that Floyd Webb has mentioned,

he explain it like this. When you talk about "The Rangers" and Hamilton and
Seale and the "Panthers", they weren't their over night. The Chicago city
especially in the central projects in Chicago they had well oiled well versed
soldiers as gang members. The gangs ran everything and they probably still
do,These gang are really a spin off of the cultural revolution out of the 60's
in a way, ask Russel Brown at the time he was a cop in Chicago he'll tell you.
But those's guys in the 60's and 70's were infrantry men from Vietnam hardcore
grunts. They were the fathers of the modern street gang in Chicago. They didn't
like going from a snake pit to another so they fought back the it was along
struggle. Floyd and anyone living in Chicago dealt with one way or another with
those huge projects their

.

Listen their were the Blackstone Rangers under Jeff Fort and their was the "Vice Lords" and the "Disciples" at the run by Larry Hoover and David Barksdale. They were out of the Lawndale area at the time. People seem to think that John was exclusive to the Rangers he wasn't if their was money to be made, John went to make the money and thats it. See John walked a fine line , you got to understand the situation in Chicago at the time. You couldn't work the streets with out being involved one way or another with the gangs.

Most of the militant blacks were coming to John and his black belts to use the
art in the struggle. And John understood that. These street gang were different,
the 60's street gangs in Chicago had community out reach programs and free
lunches in their neighborhoods

.

My father wants me to put this up.

John was a good old boy, people need to respect his accomplishments, did he
bullshit, ya most people do, did he have a loud mouth most people do. Did he
make stupid mistakes and make really bad judgements, ya he did. But the mind of
the man was so articulate with his business presentations and the way he carried
himself. No one could match him.

John Keehan and William V Aguiar Jr how they met.

In 1965 William V Aguiar Jr was training at the Mount Hope Judo Club. With Chip Camara , Paul Barbosa, Paul Bilsky and John F Creeden Jr. They all worked at Raytheon in Newport, Rhode Island on the Newport Navy base. They were also training with a Korean Black Belt named Heil Cho out of Providence, Rhode Island. And they also trained with a Kempo black belt named Nick Cerio and another Kempo Black belt named Billy Marsharelli who at the time owned an attack dog service in the area. It was Billy Marsharelli who jumped up at the Taunton death matches and challenged Keehan/Dante to a match.

On a lazy Saturday a childhood friend of William V Aguiar Jr named Miguel Luigi DiFonzo came by for some beers and to catch up on old times at the new Rock street school that William V Aguiar Jr had just opened. While talking William Jr was reading a Chicago newspaper that DiFonzo brought with him and he saw an ad for the 1965 championships. Billy at the time was teaching a mixed martial arts style that was frowned upon by the purists, namely Fred Vallari and Charlie Url.

So he mailed a letter to 1132 West Thorndale. It took about a week to get a reply. But John Keehan letter was more like a challenge than an invitation. They exchanged several more letters and in the coming months in 1966, 5 Black belts from New England visited John Keehan at the 8111 South Asland school. They were John F Creeden Jr, Paul Sousa, Don Wood, Joe Lamothe and William V Aguiar Jr.

John Keehan was so impressed that he laughed uncontrollably for 5 minutes, and Don Wood asked why. Keehan replied no ones never showed up never. They stood their for a couple of months living out of the school and training 3 times a day and partying at Keehans apartment in Tiara Apartments. That's when they met Andy Wilson, Edward Miller, Robert Gore, Jim Konsevice, Jane Orr, Tom Sexton and James Cheetam. and many others. And they would travel to Chicago another 30 times.

My farther laughs and said we won't even speak of New Jersey with Kareem Allah. A good friend of my fathers.

It was in these months that Aguiar jr and Creeden Jr were introduced to some people Keehan knew from the Woodlawn area.Who eventually would form the Black Stone P nation. And they were introduced to Keehan partner Marc Lully who owned a series of porno house and adult book stores in Chicago. { Billy III still has lighting equipment with Lully's name on it} My father was surprised that a white man has such sway with the black street gangs. That's were so violent and militant towards white establishment. But John Keehan walked as a friend and businessman and teacher amongst the black community. And at least for a time well respected in 1966.
These were crazy times especially in Chicago at the time . I put the picture of Malcom X on because it shows to me that the sign of the times in America were extremely volatile and violent. Lets face it my fathers said a black man at the time needed to defend himself by any means necessary for self preservation. He stated that they could go to Vietnam and get killed, but you couldn't walk down the street.

And my father want everone to know this. look at all your books and championship flyers.

Count Dante's address for the U.S. GUNG FU SOCIETY

1718 west 51st street Chicago Illinios

It was a grocery store, a front for over 67 businesses that John Keehan and other investors, like the wigs companies the car lots and other overseas investments. That haven't been covered at all.

I've kept my father up to long, goodnight