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Professor
Jacob's love affair with the martial arts began
when he was only nine years old, growing up
on the rough streets of a Port of Spain ghetto
on the small island of Trinidad in the West
Indies.
A fighter by nature, the young Don Jacob badly
needed a positive outlet for his energetic and
aggressive personality, and he found it - in
the form of judo lessons from Sensei Clyde Thomas.
He quickly became one of his teacher's best
students, and after earning his black belt,
he got the opportunity to travel to New York
where he met and trained with jiu-jitsu practitioner
, the Late Grandmaster Moses Powell.
 Professor
Jacob spent several years teaching, traveling,
and studying various styles of martial arts,
including traditional styles like karate, which
he learned from his second teacher, MASTER
Tusui Yoshitaka (seen with Professor Jacob
to the left).
In 1969, at the tender age of 15, Professor
Jacob set about realizing his dream of turning
his special talent into a rewarding career.
In the humble neighborhood of Westbury Lane
in Belmont, Trinidad, he founded his first Martial
arts academy, under the name which was to become,
over the years, a household word, and synonymous
with a school of competitors unparalleled in
Caribbean history - PURPLE DRAGON. In the years
following the opening of his first school, Professor
Jacob traveled extensively all over the world,
performing and teaching Don Jitsu-Ryu.
What is most noteworthy about Purple Dragon's
early beginning is that it was accomplished
at a time when non-Orientals were virtually
forbidden to open any new systems of martial
arts - even more so in the Third World. Despite
the initial opposition and disapproval of his
innovative system, however, Professor Jacob
forged ahead, making a name for himself and
for PURPLE DRAGON. His persistence and determination
have not failed him. PURPLE DRAGON now operates
a growing number of schools in Trinidad, and
is thriving and growing internationally in other
Caribbean islands such as the Cayman, Tortola,
Antigua, Ireland and Grenada, as well as in
the US, Canada and Australia as well. The video
entitled "Unstoppable Force" is one
of the best sellers bearing the success story
of the life and times of this awesome warrior.
This video is available as a must for all students.
 An
outstanding accomplishment? Undoubtedly yes,
but then Professor is no stranger to hard work
and success.
His incredible self-defense skills have brought
him many fine moments in his illustrious 44-year
career. Here are just some of his outstanding
achievements:
 1970 Purple Dragon was given
it's official name. The original Location
were at #14A
Westbury Lane in Belmont Trinidad, it was called the
'hell yard' because of the rigorous training .
At the time there were only two other
karate schools on the Island, run by the Parris
Brothers and the Chin-Leung Brothers. There
were also
two Judo schools run by Sensei Clyde
Thomas and Charley Wu Ling.
There were boxing and wrestling long before
karate judo and Jiu-Jitsu in Trinidad and
Tobago.
1972 Jacob hosted the
1st open
international Karate championship at Queens
Hall Port Of Spain Trinidad WI
1974 Purple Dragon started it's first
ever international branch in Grenada, headed
by Sensei Johnny Madrid (now Shihan)
1975
Don Jitsu Ryu was born in Trinidad and Tobago
1977 Won the
Joyce Santa Maria Empire State Self
Defense grand championships in New York
1978 Won the Canadian National Exhibition
world Jiu-Jitsu Self Defense Championships
hosted by the Canadian Jiu Jitsu Association
and hosted by Master Ron Forrester. At
the same tournament he also coached the
Trinidad and Tobago Purple Dragon Sparring
Team to 2nd place victory. The team
members were: Anthony Dillon, Carlyle
Thorne, Anthony Thompson, Johnny Madrid, and
David Raphael
1980 - Became the first Trinidadian
to perform at the Madison Square Gardens Oriental
World of Self-Defense in front of 28,000 cheering
spectators. His performance was later
featured on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
1980 While performing at Jim Wilson's
Independent Shotokan Karate Championship in
London, England, he became the first Black
martial artist to be featured on the cover
of the English
magazine: "Karate and Oriental Arts"
1985 Became the first known Black martial
artist to publish a book on the art of
jiu-jitsu - "High Impact Jiu-jitsu"
1986
The first and only Trinidadian to be
mentioned in Al Weiss' Book, "The
Official History of Karate in America -
The Golden Ages 1968 -1986".
1988 Professor Jacob, Shihan Anthony
Thompson AND Herbert Norville were made Honorary Citizens of Alameda
California when they were touring and
performing in that area
Since in the 70's to present Professor Jacob was
has consistently coached and produced world champions
and top instructors who have won coveted
National Black Belt League (N.B.L.)
and other World Championship Titles:
Shihan Anthony Thompson, Ludwin Jacob, Ayana
Cooper, Arnold King, Natalie Sankar, Nicole
Thomas, Albert Andrews and Daniel Jacob to
name a few.
1991 Professor Jacob and Shihan Anthony
Thompson were the first Trinidadians to be
featured in the World martial Arts Hall Of
Fame in Akron Ohio
1994 Was featured on the cover of
SMASH
Sport Karate Magazine as "World Champion
Coach"
1996 Featured in
"Black Heroes
of the Martial Arts" - by Ron Van Clef
1997
May-June - Featured with
Professor Wally Jay in "World of Martial
Arts magazine".
1997
Filmed by Trans World Sports and featured by
Pan Am Airlines on their in-flight
entertainment films to over 90 countries
2000
Purple Dragon World Karate team excelled
in Australia
2003
US Open World Karate Championships,
Purple Dragon Sensei Albert Andrews
was featured on ESPN PORTS
2004
US Open world Karate Championships
Purple Dragon Sensei Arnold King was
featured on ESPN PORTS
2005
US Open world Championships, held July
2-3 the Purple Dragon World Karate
team again, Sensei Arnold King was
featured on ESPN PORTS and Sensei
Nicole Thomas.
2006
Featured in Inside Kung-Fu Magazine,
Article by Daniel I. Rauch on
page 70, celebrating Professor Wally Jay
90th birthday in California present was
Sensei Daniel Jacob, Sensei Albert Andrews
and Inst, Candia Fischer.
2007
The Purple Dragon had more huge success in
July at Canadian Grand Slam Karate
Championships
With
such an impressive personal record:
With such an impressive personal record of
professional accomplishments, it is no wonder
that Professor Jacob's present travel itinerary
calls for overseas trips virtually every month
of the year. In addition to being the founder
of over 40 schools world wide,
Professor Jacob is also the producer of
several instructional videotapes, author of
numerous books and supplies martial arts
equipment to many of the top Martial
Arts schools in the Caribbean. He is also the
organizer and host of the Caribbean Grand Slam
- a very popular International
Competition held annually in Trinidad that
attracts more world class competitors than
main events in some first world countries.
What's on the agenda for PURPLE DRAGON
in the near future? As Professor Jacob would
say, "The Best Is Yet To Come." In the year
2010 PURPLE DRAGON is preparing
for many events in the
name of his late son, Sensei Antonio
Jacob, WHICH INCLUDES
The world All Style
sport Karate Championship and docu/film in
Trinidad and Tobago
July 17th-18th
2010 at the
Jean Pierre Sports complex He is also looking forward to the further strengthening all
of the Purple Dragon branches and its
affiliates around the world.
The
2005 US Open World Championship
By
Mike Sawyer and Mike McCoy:
The 2005 US Open was, well, unprecedented. A
larger than expected turnout, an incredibly
international panel of competition and, of
course, the Night of Champions show -
broadcast on ESPN2 - combined to make this
year's event, held July 2-3, 2005 in
Orlando, Florida, one of the best years ever
for promoters Mike Sawyer and Mike McCoy.
This year, the event was held in the new
convention center at the Coronado Springs
resort in Disneyworld and the larger area
allowed for all of the 35+ rings in one room
so the true size of the event could be
easily gauged. The result was competitors
and spectators as far as the eye could see
as thousands thronged into the convention
center for the competition. Teams from as
far as Turkey showed up along with teams and
competitors from Lichtenstein, Germany,
Guatemala, Mexico, Scotland, Ireland, Great
Britain, the Bahamas, France, Purple Dragon
Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Canada,
the Cayman Islands, Antigua, the Dominican
Republic, Venezuela, and St. Lucia as well
as other countries. By far the largest
supporters were the competitors from the
Purple Dragon schools, outfitted in yellow
and purple uniforms, who showed up with over
200 competitors. Needless to say, Purple
Dragon won the most supportive school award
for the tournament.
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