Author: Dell Sharpe
I was asked by a friend to write an article on my Sensei, Jack Stern. He said, "Who alive knows more about this man than you? Good or Bad." I have had the honor of sitting at my house on many nights picking his brain in a quest for knowledge, and I'd like to clear a lot of things up.
Born Jackie Albert Stern, affectionately known as "Papasan," he started his Martial Arts career in 1947 while in the US Military in Chinhae, Korea, in Korean Yudo under Sensei Tae Ju Chung who was killed during the Korean conflict. After one year, Stern's unit was moved to Northern Luzon in the Philippines where he trained under Berabe Paragas in “Stick Fighting” for 2 years. Then he was transferred again, this time to Okinawa and Japan where he trained under O'Sensei Yamaguchi Gogen in Goju Ryu Karate for 8 months. In Japan, he also trained at the Kodokan under Mifune Kyuzo and earned his black belt in Judo, as well as trained in Kyokushinkai Karate under Grandmaster Mas Oyama at the main Hombu in Tokyo. In 1956, he was discharged from the military and stayed in Japan, living with the Otani Family while continuing his studies in the arts. In 1958 he returned to the states due to his mother being sick.
Born Jackie Albert Stern, affectionately known as "Papasan," he started his Martial Arts career in 1947 while in the US Military in Chinhae, Korea, in Korean Yudo under Sensei Tae Ju Chung who was killed during the Korean conflict. After one year, Stern's unit was moved to Northern Luzon in the Philippines where he trained under Berabe Paragas in “Stick Fighting” for 2 years. Then he was transferred again, this time to Okinawa and Japan where he trained under O'Sensei Yamaguchi Gogen in Goju Ryu Karate for 8 months. In Japan, he also trained at the Kodokan under Mifune Kyuzo and earned his black belt in Judo, as well as trained in Kyokushinkai Karate under Grandmaster Mas Oyama at the main Hombu in Tokyo. In 1956, he was discharged from the military and stayed in Japan, living with the Otani Family while continuing his studies in the arts. In 1958 he returned to the states due to his mother being sick.
1964 World Fair (Jack Stern seated far left) After returning to the States, he continued to study under Bong Yul Shin, Sung Jae Park and Soo Hwag. In 1960, he opened Paja Dojo in New York and started creating the art of Kojido Jitsu. In my opinion, Kojido Jitsu is a culmination of every system he had ever learned, and there is a little of every one of his instructors. Soon after, he met Grandmaster Naraki Hara and started training in Nippon Goshindo Kenpo and Hakko Ryu, later receiving a 3rd Dan under Grandmaster Hara. He was also part of Grandmaster Hara's demo team at the Japanese Pavilion at the 1964 Worlds Fair alongside such famous practitioners as Michael DePasquale, Sr., Ronald Duncan and Moses Powell.
From his Paja Dojo, Stern started the Korean Yudo Association in the late 1960s, and started gathering members into a brotherhood of martial artists. It wasn't long before he also started getting inquiries from Hapkido practitioners, so he added Hakido to name of the organization and it became the Korean Yudo & Hapkido Association. However, after a few years there was a conflict with another Organization and he revised the name once more to what we now know as the World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts (WOMA). The oldest records I have from the original organization date to 1971.
From his Paja Dojo, Stern started the Korean Yudo Association in the late 1960s, and started gathering members into a brotherhood of martial artists. It wasn't long before he also started getting inquiries from Hapkido practitioners, so he added Hakido to name of the organization and it became the Korean Yudo & Hapkido Association. However, after a few years there was a conflict with another Organization and he revised the name once more to what we now know as the World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts (WOMA). The oldest records I have from the original organization date to 1971.
Mas Oyama & Jack Stern So what do we know about Jack Stern? Regardless of how many try to say otherwise, all that is above can be verified through certificates, pictures and letters. Papasan was only controversial because of how he approached things, and I myself asked him on many occasions "Why both the Korean and Japanese systems?" I never received a direct answer, but after many long conversations with him, Jack Stern had 5 true loves in his life:
I think he wanted to pay his respects to them all, and he did so the only way he knew how. At the time, the Japanese systems were so close-minded and prejudiced against what Stern called "round eyes" that it was hard to get your foot through the door. The Korean arts were simply easier to register with, but that’s just my opinion. Grandmaster Stern was called many things over the years and he made a lot of mistakes at his own admission. The last thing of substance I can remember him telling me before he passed is this. "Don’t be like me. You have to be better than I was. Do what you do and do it well, and you don’t have to pat yourself on the back Others will do it for you."
Now Jack Stern, Papasan, Jackie, Mr. Stern or whatever you choose to call him has been called many things over the years, some not great, and he himself knew it. But if everyone could've seen what I have, and had the information that I have in my possession, even his critics couldn’t call him fake. He would be the first to tell you he did a lot of things wrong. But when it came to martial arts, he died giving back to his martial arts family.
My Sensei and Friend, you are gone but will never be forgotten !!!
Respectfully, Shihan Dell Sharpe
- Martial Arts as a whole
- Korean Martial Arts (was the seed that started it all)
- Japanese Martial Arts (The true foundation of Kojido Jitsu)
- WOMA (World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts)
- And his Wife and Family
I think he wanted to pay his respects to them all, and he did so the only way he knew how. At the time, the Japanese systems were so close-minded and prejudiced against what Stern called "round eyes" that it was hard to get your foot through the door. The Korean arts were simply easier to register with, but that’s just my opinion. Grandmaster Stern was called many things over the years and he made a lot of mistakes at his own admission. The last thing of substance I can remember him telling me before he passed is this. "Don’t be like me. You have to be better than I was. Do what you do and do it well, and you don’t have to pat yourself on the back Others will do it for you."
Now Jack Stern, Papasan, Jackie, Mr. Stern or whatever you choose to call him has been called many things over the years, some not great, and he himself knew it. But if everyone could've seen what I have, and had the information that I have in my possession, even his critics couldn’t call him fake. He would be the first to tell you he did a lot of things wrong. But when it came to martial arts, he died giving back to his martial arts family.
My Sensei and Friend, you are gone but will never be forgotten !!!
Respectfully, Shihan Dell Sharpe
 Hara Naraki and students, 1963  Sharpe with Stern at an award ceremony |  Sung Jae Park presenting Stern with a KYA pennant, 1964  Steven Hatfield with Stern, Florida seminar 2009 |
EDIT by Bret Gordon (August 6, 2020) - Further evidence has been released to support Jack Stern's martial arts background, specifically his training in Kodokan Judo under Mifune Kyuzo. The photograph below was sent to us from the Kodokan directly, listed as "Mifune Sensei and his foreign students," when we contacted them to verify his training credentials.
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