[Silverback Chuck passed away recently. He was never a big part of my life, but he stirred memories in many other Silverbacks. SB SM]
Silverback Ted
When I was a youngster, my cousin Josephine was dating a very impressive young man in the neighborhood. His name was Wieland Norris, and he was a rising martial arts star.
But he died while serving in Vietnam, killed during an ambush. Even so, he managed to save the lives of his platoon mates by his bravery. He earned a Silver Star and a Purple Heart posthumously.
You know him as the brother of Chuck Norris. Chuck later dedicated all his ‘Missing In Action’ films to Wieland.
When this happened back in 1970, I didn’t know anything about Chuck Norris. I just knew about Wieland, and his talent and bravery. It was shocking that someone so strong and valiant could leave us so suddenly.
I thought the same thing when I learned of Chuck Norris’s death this week. People like him seem invincible. But, like the rest of us, they only have a short allotted time with us. We admire them because they tried to make the most of it. And, if we’re lucky, they give us inspiration to try to do the same.
Silverback Jim
While I was away, Grandmaster Chuck Norris finally died. I heard that he died 20 years ago, but Death was afraid to go get him. I write to say something nice about the guy, not just to tell jokes, though. I met him in an elevator at my Tae Kwon Do school in 1974, in downtown D.C. He was there as a guest instructor.
I just stared at him for a while and then these words came out: “Hey! You’re Chuck Norris!” He looked himself up and down and said “Yes, I believe I am!” with a friendly smile.
So we laughed, and I kept track of his career over the years. He was at several tournaments that I attended. And he had just started film work – with Bruce Lee – in 1972’s “The Way of the Dragon.”
Over all those years, everything I ever heard about him on the tournament circuit and in my school was good. Great teacher, never bad mouthed anybody, always had something positive to say, supported rising stars in the martial arts world, worked as a volunteer on lots of causes (especially with gang members), didn’t even cuss.
I heard he accepted a challenge to a battle from Superman, and the bet was that the loser would have to wear his underpants on the outside.
AND – just last year, he counted to infinity – twice.
(I know what you’re thinking – “Jim didn’t mention his politics!” That’s right. I didn’t.)
Silverback Mark: I interviewed him in about ’80-81 for a really bad movie in which he tried to do more acting and had a sex scene.
He was indeed a very nice guy, and claimed his kicks were as good as ever, and explained to me that he used visualizations to prepare for film work. This was hippy-dippy stuff at the time.
Like many actors he was shorter than I thought he would be.
Silverback Ed: Like others among us, I have vivid memories of May Day ’70 on the New Haven Green.
One of these memories is standing fairly close to the stage from which people were speaking.
Standing to the side behind the speakers was someone introduced as a martial arts expert helping to make sure that participants in the May Day demonstration remained non-violent.
When Chuck Norris started coming to prominence in movies, I recognized him as the martial arts expert on the May Day stage standing not far from Abbie Hoffman.
This memory was still clear in my mind when I learned of his death a few days…
Silverback Jim (again): Ed, yer goldurn memory is fer shit, pal! The guy on the stand on May Day, 1970, is Black Panther bodyguard (for the white guys), and one of the folks who got martial artists from all over CT to come and keep the peace that day, is David Hunter, PhD candidate in psych at Yale. (Shortly before May Day, he kicked Chuck Norris’ ass and took his place.) And I was David’s backup tough guy fool.
Silverback SM: He’ll always be “Walker, Texas Ranger” to me.
Walker never started a fight, but he sure seemed to enjoy finishing them:
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