Jerry Piddington graced the 1974 issue of Karate Illustrated Magazine described in that article by his fellow karateka as "one crazy dude."
A lifelong rebel who purportedly won one match by flustering his opponent with a kiss, Mr. Piddington is still turning heads with his long hair and bushy beard, which earned him the nickname "The Untamed Lion."
As a pioneer of American Sport Karate, Jerry Piddington traveled all over the country placing and/or winning every major tournament in the United States from 1972 to 1976, not only in fighting, but in kata competitions as well. He began his competitive career in 1969, winning the Four Seasons Karate Championships as a brown belt. He later captained the five-man team which triumphed over the highly successful Chuck-Norris led team at the 1974 International Karate Championships in Long Beach, California.
Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com