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Master Robert (Butch) Hill Whatever name you call him (barbed wire, or scrap iron would be a good fit) or whatever rank you identify him with; this is one tough hombre. This is in no way meant to be a joke or make light of a tragic situation, but if Butch had been on one of those planes, they would have had to remove from the terrorist those knives and box cutters from where the Afghanistan sun doesn’t shine. I think that is a fair and accurate description of Butch’s ability. On the other hand this is not the dominant characteristic of the man himself. To get that you have to look beneath the rock hard, cool exterior and the few measured words and really look and listen. He will mostly tell you what he knows, not what he thinks. He will always tell you what he believes, because he is a true believer. His spiritual beliefs and values are the basis for all the rest. Yet your beliefs and feeling seem always of interest to him and he is one of the last great listeners. He is a self made man. Self educated, with the widest variety of knowledge (not information) of anyone you will ever know. He is an innovator. He will never be the type person to become trapped in someone else’s dogma and especially not his own. So that makes him a searcher of the bigger, better, quicker and more efficient. He is a progressive that pushes the envelope while many of us are still trying to develop useless bunki from a kata form brought through four countries, in eight languages, by sixteen different guys, as told to eight marines as told to me as told to you. Butch understands how many people were going to St. Ives. In other words he is pretty good at knowing the difference between a riddle and slamming your confused butt on the mat. Some of my best days lately have been working out with him. I stay with my parents in Nashville when I visit. They always ask if I’m going to visit that guy who hurts me all the time. The last time I was up at three in the morning with a hot rag on my neck. My mother came in and said "I still don’t see what kind of fun or friendship that is. "It’s great fun and a great friendship. The fact that all of us are whacked and deeply disturbed is beside the point. I didn’t tell her that. She’s my mother; I think she knows... The first time I met Butch was on a nice spring day in 1976. He rolled up in front of the dojo with wife Patricia on a big Harley. He was a site; long hair, wild beard, leathers, chains, and that look in his eye. The look is still there but the rest has changed. He and Patricia (who looked good) came in and Butch started to inquire about enrollment. I told him not looking like that. It wasn’t that kind of place. He said he’d clean it up so I enrolled him in the morning class. He had taken judo at Bushido so he had some footwork and striking skills. His first class we matched and he punched me in the throat. That was only the beginning of the times Butch would send me to the ice and hot packs. Butch was and is one of the all time super dojo fighters. The real kind..... I can’t take the credit for Butch’s progress. That goes to Phil McElroy. I left Nashville in 77, and moved to Anderson. From that shaky start and transition from Hells Angel to martial artist, Butch just kept taking giant strides. He eventually took over the school and kept the Nashville tradition alive and well. He is a member of the Hall of Fame, and president of the IIKA. Butch is a nationally known Master and his seminars are not to be missed. I predict that his creativity, innovative ability and knowledge will take him to some new places where we may all want to go. I’m pretty sure my mother will forgive him when he is rich and famous. To me he is already rich and famous. Rich in knowledge, and famous for being a good friend. Master Denny Shaffer, Ku-Dan |
