1st westener to beat a thai?

[kevinedler]

lol

my dad is "Ray 'Machine Gun' Edler" lol haha finally found something on him

[Tom Yum]

Up to this time period it has been noted that a few American's were so disrespectful to their Thai teachers that they would eventually challenge their instructors to a fight. Needless to say, the Americans would usually end up on their back wondering what hit them!"

Nice post.

Well, think back to the late 70's and early 80's and even today. Imagine you're a 6' 190 lb in shape GI with a mean streak. You meet a meager, short and thin tanned asian dude who says he teaches a brutal fighting art. Your confidence and skepticism make you think you can bully the dude...

some of those little guys can fold heavy bags with their kicks!! Its downright scary how much power and toughness they can develop. Not to mention the 1,000s of rounds of sparring over the years.

Thanks again for the story.

[chalambok]

A Little History

I had the pleasure of meeting Dale Kvalheim while I was training at the Buddhai Swan. One day myself, Rick Sollo, Troy Ninedorfer and Bryan Popejoy got off the #5 Airbus by the 7-11, crossed on the pedestrian bridge, and started to walk back to the school. Bryan, looking at a poster on the wall of SE Asian University, said something along the order of "hey, isn't that the guy in that book?" Lo and behold, Dale was teaching right next to where we were living, next door to the Buddhai Swan! So, we walked over that afternoon and asked to talk with him. I visited him several times over the next few months, and talked a lot with him about muay Thai. I put a thread here a while back with his training schedule, but no one seemed to know who he was...lol Dale also had some problems with his instructors, and modified his training so he could fight at a heavier weight than tradition called for. He did more roadwork and less sparring, for instance. As far as I know, he still is in Bangkok. In 1995 he told me he might move back to Okanogan WA, but I tried to write him there at his sister's house and got no reply. He still works out 3 or 4 times a week, for free, he told me, because the trainers loved having an 'old farang come into the school and slaughter the banana bags to show the youngsters how it should be done.' Some years after Dale Kvalheim trained and fought in the NE of Thailand, another Washingtonian, Ray 'Machine Gun' Edler of Pasco trained and fought in Thailand. He also was held in respect by the Thai. I was told by his father a few years ago that he was working for the State Department at the US Embassy in Singapore. I contacted him about doing a story for a martial arts magazine; on he, Dale, and one other 70s American fighter (also from WA) whose name I cannot remember, sorry. He was not interested in having it become public knowledge that he had fought muay Thai in his youth, although he also still kicks the pads and the bag. The first Thais to come to America specifically for muay Thai were sent to the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. As far as I know, Master Chai was the first to take an American team to the International Championships, but could only do it after he had been teaching in the United States for 15 years. As is the case with Jeet Kune Do, the Pacific Northwest connection to the early years of muay Thai in the United States is incredible. Master Chai's first-ever Thai Boxing seminar was done in Salem OR. He was disrespected and challenged by the seminar host and broke the host's leg in the ensuing confrontation. It is certainly serendipitous that when we finally started the Pacific Northwest Muay Thai Camp the only place we could find was located 20 miles East of Salem. And again, as usual, I am too wordy

[pat-amag]

any comment on this?
"From 1972 to 1975 an American GI based in Udorn Thani, Thailand by the name of Dale Kvalheim was one of the first American's to be accepted seriously by Thai teachers. Kvalheim (from Seattle) had 35 bouts winning 25 and earning the ring name of "The Golden Haired Executioner". At one time he was rated number 10 in his weight division, and he was the Champion of Northeast Thailand. He was one of the first Caucasion foreigners who was taken seriously in this art by the Thais. Up until Kvalheim's participation in the sport, Thai teachers had been frustrated at the lack of commitment and respect from American's (more specifically GI's) who wanted to learn and then fight Muay Thai in the ring. Up to this time period it has been noted that a few American's were so disrespectful to their Thai teachers that they would eventually challenge their instructors to a fight. Needless to say, the Americans would usually end up on their back wondering what hit them!"

i heard that Ajarn Chai took a team to thailand in 82, how did they do? Did anyone do that b4 him?

regards

Pat Davies
www.amag.org.uk