Some Judoka from the 1950's and 1960's

Here is an image of a 1958 USAF base newspaper with names listed:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30187082@N07/8618559863/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30187082@N07/8619665886/
Standing L2R: Nakabashi, ???, Ron Hubbard, Nelson Cross, ???, Jerry Reid
Kneeling L2R: Robrey Reed, Richard Whitcher, Tosh Senio, Joe Turchaino
Sitting L2RL ???, Paul Schaffer, James Jarvis, Leonard Shull

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30187082@N07/8618559875/
Standing L2R: Ron Hudson, Vito Vanoso, Bob Coffey, Nelson Cross, Jerry Reid
Kneeling L2R: Melendez, Robey Reed, Richard Whitcher, ???, Ron Hubbard
Sitting L2RL Dean Tower, James Jarvis, Joe Turchaino, Paul Schaffer, Tosh Senio, ???

Recognize anyone in these photos? A few I could never remember their names; sorry.

Going up from Okinawa to Japan proper and attending either Air Force tournaments or some special moments at the Kodokan was some of the more fun moments in my nearly 73 years. While only a 130-pound, 19 to 21 year old then, a few Judoka I worked out with were in a special class in their own. Our club at Naha Air Base was small but we would workout with the Kadena club now and then with all nidans and sandans: Bob Coffey, Dean Tower, Robey Reed, Richard Whitcher, and with years experience and weight over me. The Okinawans were more my size, but in those days were holy terrors on the tatami; our two sensei, Uehara and Miyazato, were all higher dans and had plenary of shiai experience.

In Japan we worked out at the Police Dojo, some famous dojo I forget the name, and the Kodokan where you would meet all kinds of Judoka -- mostly better than me. Some USAF guys; Ron Hudson, Nelson Cross et al, plus some really good Judo shiai guys; like a 17 year old high school student named Isao Okano, who was a Gold Medalist in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Who said that it wasn’t fair for us older American Judoka to go up against high school student in batsugan? Try it some time!

We all became friends and had the greatest time together. Many of the people in those photos wee my friends and competitors. Except for a few that passed on, I wonder where they are now.

A few I can not remember names, but does anyone out yonder remember those "???" in the photos?

That's cool. I bet those guys were no joke!