Benjamin Peacock

Benjamin Peacock Quick Facts

Main Areas: Self Perservation
Career Focus: Author, Speaker, Business Owner
Affiliation: 87th Street Stony Island Chamber of Commerce, K.A.R.A.T.E. Administration, Martial Arts Karate Association

SHIHAN MASTER BENJAMIN J. PEACOCK

Shihan Master Benjamin J. Peacock is a Hachidan, or Eighth Degree black belt in UNIVERSAL SHOREI-GOJU - JAPANESE-AMERICAN STYLE of Karate. Ben became interested in Martial Arts in October 1966 when three assailants approached him and his friend one night and took sentimental items from him. Ben’s friend escaped, but failed alert anyone of Ben’s situation and possible danger. After completing the robbery, the assailants released Ben as a concerned neighbor who saw the incident called the Police. Ben realized at that moment that he must depend only on himself for survival and self-defense if he was to continue his career in Chicago. Not wanting to purchase a gun, Ben decided to seek another form of self preservation. He went to boxing gyms and other survival training centers and found the instructions were not to his satisfaction. Finally he decided that Karate would be the best survival training for the Chicago area as it considered all parts of the body as possible weapons, considering the crime rate at the time.

Through detailed evaluation of several survival training centers, Ben found that Karate was the ultimate of all the defense arts he researched. He then searched North, East, and West to locate a Karate center that could give him the kind of training he felt he needed to combat possible attackers in the area where he lived. Ben’s investigation took him to approximately fifteen Martial Arts centers where he was turned down because of his race, size, and financial limitations. He was told at one Center that if he wanted to learn Karate he’d better find a Black instructor because they wouldn't teach him there. Before leaving the Center, however, one of the instructors took Ben aside and told him that if it was up to him he would gladly train him as he felt a true Martial Artist has no colors. The instructor disclosed to Ben information concerning an instructor on the South Side of Chicago who he felt was the most qualified instructor in the Midwest area. Ben felt at first the instructor was simply trying to get rid of him and wasn’t giving him good sound advice.

 

However, upon visiting the South Side training center, Ben was astonished at the training atmosphere in which the classes were conducted. The instructor, Master James A. Jones, Jr., (9th Dan), who at the time was a Shodan, or First Degree black belt with many honors in the Martial Arts, explained to Ben that in order to succeed he would have to work and train three times as hard to match up with other fighters and experts in the Midwest who were both taller and stronger. Ben was no stranger to hard work and knew he wanted to be successful.

Having a desire to pattern himself after Master Jones, Ben worked diligently and very hard at all three aspects of the Martial Arts and advanced rapidly in class, becoming one of the top Kata, sparring and weapons competitors in the Midwest region.
Master Ben Peacock holds the record for entering twenty-one tournaments in the United States and receiving First Place in Kata form and placing first or second in sparring and first in weapons. These wins are accredited to Master Jones, who helped Ben develop into a Karate stylist of a form known as “the serpent”, or “snake” form. To further validate this form and style, five Kata’s were designed by Master Jones, Ben Peacock, and Tayari Cassell. Master Jones’ coaching and Ben’s demonstration and performance of these Kata’s resulted in total acceptance of the forms and style of Karate as he constantly won performing them. The forms became so famous that various schools even now attempt to work and duplicate them. The forms were very new to the Martial Arts environment and were performed close to perfection by Ben. Ben believed that doing his best was the secret to success, and his best would always win for him, even in stiff competition.

On September 24, 1968, Ben received his Shodan, or First Degree black belt, in Karate and began seeking higher fulfillment in the Martial Arts. He became the assistant instructor at Sears YMCA under Master Preston Baker (one of his fellow Karate-Kas). Master Preston Baker encouraged Ben and personally critiqued his techniques, strategies, and training demeanor. Master Preston Baker is credited for increasing Ben’s level of application to an all new level of expertise. After teaching at Sears for two years, Ben left to assist Master Jones at Hyde Park YMCA. Master Jones decided to leave Hyde Park YMCA to pioneer a better means of teaching and provide quality Martial Arts to all income brackets and walks of life. Ben became the head instructor at Hyde Park and began building a reputation for quality instruction and an ability to develop excellent students. Ben taught at Hyde Park for two years and had approximately seventy (70) students enrolled in class at one time. Ben’s reputation as a teacher and competitor spread quickly throughout the Midwest region becoming one of the authorities in martial arts training.

At the top of his Martial Arts career, Master Jones called Ben to assist him once again as head instructor at a new establishment called J. J. Karate, Ltd. Ben was both assistant manager and head instructor at the training center.
Continuing his career in the Martial Arts, Ben held honors such as the World Champion in Kata and Sparring for 4-1/2 years until his defeat by one of his own students, Jerry Norsworthy. Ben then began to concentrate on managing the training center located at 7600 S. Cottage Grove, where he developed numerous champions in 7-1/2 years. J. J. Karate, Ltd. opened in April 1972 and became the number one training facility in the Chicago area for Martial Arts.

On September 23, 1973, Master Jones hosted the Tournament of the Century at the Arie Crown Theatre in Chicago, which was the most publicized and promoted tournament ever held in the Midwest region. There were competitors from all over the world, including Ron Van Clief from New York and Jim Kelly, who starred in the movie, “Enter the Dragon”, along with Bruce Lee, Bong Yu. James McLain,Tadashi Vamashita, Bill Wallace, Bob Yarnall, Hidy Ochiai and many others. Ben took high honors at this tournament, placing First in weapons Kata, Second in Kata forms, and Second in Grand Champion fighting, only losing to Shorty Mills. The spectators were astonished at Ben’s performance and awarded him an additional honor by proclaiming him “THE BLACK BRUCE LEE”.

Ben is now the top ranking Master in the Universal Shorei-Goju System and manager/owner of his own Martial Arts establishment located in Chicago on Stony Island Avenue. Master Peacock has owned various Martial Arts training centers in the Chicago area—one located in the Western Suburbs; one on the far North side of Chicago, and one on 87th Street, Chicago South Side. Ben’s career has been a very respectable one, winning or receiving over 2,500 trophies and honors during his competition participation.

Ben’s focus is now on developing other students to carry the torch for the Universal Shorei-Goju System to a level of perfection in personal security.

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