Training for Life, Training is Life
Roger Carpenter with the late Mike Inay
1973-FIGHT TURNS INTO A SLAUGHTER
In Wichita Kansas in 1973 Roger Carpenter battled John Bal’ee. This bout started off under the agreed upon rules but soon developed into a full fledged street fight in the ring. Bal’ee was cut across the face and most Boxing and Kickboxing matches would have called the fight but not here. The bout had to go to knockout. Carpenter elbowed his foe in the face further opening the gash and then continually kneed his foe in the face. A knee sent Bal’ee through the ropes and referee Jim Harrison did not start counting until Bal’ee was back in the ring. This happened several times. 3000 nauseated spectators witnessed the bout which turned out to be a slaughter. The referee asked Bal’ee if he could continue and he barely nodded no. The fight was stopped and Bal’ee was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Roger Carpenter has taught martial arts in the Wichita area for over forty years. This includes men, women, and children of all ages. Holding a 9th degree Black Belt, Roger Carpenter received his credentials from the founding father of Kenpo Karate, George Pesare, on the East Coast, Providence, Rhode Island. This 9th degree, Grandmaster level of achievement is one of the highest in the country.
Roger Carpenter began his martial arts career during his military years as a Navy survival instructor. This lead to instructor credentials in Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Aikido, and Eskrima. These martial arts ratings were accompanied with college degrees in Education, Science and a State of Kansas Teaching Certification.
Mr. Carpenter has represented Kansas world-wide since 1963 as a martial arts competitor including being a member of the United States team a the First World Tae Kwon Do Championships in Seoul, Korea, Captain of the First United States Team Champions, Three Time All American Heavy Weight Champion, and winner in 1973’s first “Bare Knuckle-Anything Goes” competition which became popular in 1994.
Roger Carpenter has been featured in numerous martial arts magazines including Official Karate, Karate Illustrated, the first Who’s Who in Martial Arts, and in the 2003 Black Belt Magazines “Dirty Dozen”, the 2003 Encyclopedia of Martial Arts and the 1995 cover feature for Europe’s Budo International Spring Edition. In addition, he has trained two World Kick-Boxing Champions and a multitude of Regional, State, and Local champions in all ranks and classes.
Since 1997 Roger Carpenter has been a World Peacekeeper, working and teaching police tactics and martial arts in Eastern Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, currently on a third tour in Iraq. Roger specializes in high risk close protection, firearms, and defensive tactics for police.
Roger survives in harsh environments and trains those in need from the skills given to him by his teachers. Roger thanks: George Pesare, for the strength of Kenpo/Kempo, Mike Inay for the blade skills of Eskrima, Ted Olson for the Korean arts, Joe Burgess for Japanese Judo, Robert Mclawhorn for sword skills of Kendo, the Hallacy Brothers for boxing, and last but not least, Jim Harrison, for mixed martial arts-street oriented.
