Golden Life Achievement Award
W. D. "Bo" Randall-For him, it started very simply as a hobby. In the summer of 1937, he was taking a stroll near Walloon Lake in Michigan when he saw a fellow scraping paint from a boat with a distinctive looking knife. He wasn't much impressed with the man who was using such a fine tool so recklessly, but he sure liked the man's knife, which was standing up to some really tough use. So, Mr. Randall bought it.
As it turned out, the knife was handcrafted, the first handcrafted knife he had ever seen, by W. C. Scagel. Today, Bill Scagel is justly recognized as a pioneer in handmade knives. Back then however, his name wasn't widely known. But Mr. Randall was very impressed by what Scagel had created-at a time when virtually all knives were being mass produced. He challenged himself to make a knife that was just as good, or at least the best he could make. His first knife was a simple blade, ground from a file. But before long, he had a shop with a small forge and he began putting a lot of time into crafting knives that he would be proud to use himself. Before long, he began selling them at his father-in-law's clothing store in Orlando, Florida. As an outdoorsman, he took a lot of personal satisfaction in creating knives that were simple in design but very functional. A growing business evolved among friends, fellow sportsmen, and a few large sporting goods stores. Through it all, he managed his family's citrus groves and continued to think of his handmade knives as an avocation. After WWII, he produced more knives than ever before, with orders coming from all branches of the military for "Randall Made" knives, which stood for quality, durability, and dependability. To this day, those knives can be seen in private collections and museums across the nation. W. D. "Bo" Randall passed away December 25, 1989, at his home after visiting family earlier in the day.
International Knife Throwing Promoter of the Year
Mark Allen-is the founder of the Wild West Arts Club, a club keeping the Old West skills alive. These skills include roping, gun spinning, whipping, and the ever growing knife and tomahawk throwing. Mark works endlessly promoting these skills, enabling people to learn and compete at Annual National Conventions held in California, Las Vegas, and Oklahoma; Regional Conventions in Texas, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and New Jersey. Mark makes sure all of these skills are present for all conventions and has watched as knife and tomahawk
throwing has grown tenfold over the years. This fast growing sport has attracted veteran throwers, who bring their friends and turn them into new throwers. Thanks to all of the hard work and dedication of Mark Allen and his WWAC staff, the promotion of knife and tomahawk throwing is moving onward and upward. Mark Allen is not just any promoter, he is also an incredible performer. Mark is considered one of the leading western performers. Since early childhood, he is an accomplished gun spinner, trick roper, shooter, rider, whip cracker, and knife and tomahawk thrower. Originally from New York City, this cowboy has appeared all over the world. He has worked in a number of television shows, movies and videos. Mark is also the president of Western Stage Props. A mail order company with an inventory made up of prop guns, blank ammo, whips (the largest importer of Australian Whips into America), trick riding saddles, knives, tomahawks, and all types of ropes. His customers include many movie studios such as Paramount and Universal, theme parks such as MGM, Six Flags and Disney, stuntmen throughout the US and Canada, and TV networks and individuals from all over the world. His company has supplied the whips for the movies Underworld, Catwoman, Rundown, and Zorro.
National Knife Throwing Promoter of the Year
Master Bill Page was born in 1964. He actively trained, competed, and taught lessons in traditional Judo and Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts for over 30 years. He has been throwing knives for more than 10 years, mostly military blade throwing due to his martial arts background. He started conventional knife and tomahawk throwing in 2004 and joined the Knife Throwers Hall of Fame that same year. He then organized the first Southern US Knife and Tomahawk Throwing Tournament in February of 2005. Master Page placed 4th in the Men's Intermediate Knife Throwing, 2nd in Men's Intermediate Tomahawk
Throwing, and 1st in the Men's Overall Division at the First Southern US Knife and Tomahawk Throwing Tournament.
National Knife Maker of the Year
Joe "Brokenfeather" Darrah was born in 1957 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and was introduced to knife throwing at the age of 5 by his father, who as an ex-Airborne Ranger with the 101st Airborne was pretty good with his M-4 trench knife. At the age of 7, his brother-in-law gave him a set of 3 throwing knives and I was off to the races with throwing. I took the knives with me everywhere and when sleeping, they weren't very far away. Darrah has been throwing ever since. At the age of 19, he was hired as a Knife Thrower and Bullwhip artist with a small traveling circus.
This was also about the time he contacted and stayed in touch with Harry McEvoy, who helped design the first knife he had marketed. He also became the area director of the AKTA with a charter for the knife throwing club (True Flite Knife Throwing Team) granted by Harry McEvoy. He had never competed in a knife throwing tournament until visiting with John Bailey and David Adamovich. Both men said that Darrah was a good thrower and that he should compete. He attended his first tournament in Maine in September 2002 and took first place in several events. Since then, Darrah has traveled all over the country competing in tournaments with wins of 1st and 2nd place. "Brokenfeather" started making his own line of knives and has enjoyed the opportunity to have made some lifelong friends and met some of the nicest folks in the world. "I am honored by being nominated for the Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and I would like to thank everyone who I've ever thrown with and all of the people present for this historic occasion!"
Platinum Life Achievement Award
Sensei Arnold Sandubrae began his Isshinryu Karate training in 1973, under the instruction of Sensei Robert White and Sensei Sam Santilli, both students of Master Willie Adams. Several years later, he transferred to train directly under Master Adams because the dojo was located only blocks from Sandubrae's office. From 1973 until 1986, he amassed over 200 trophies in all categories: kata, kumite, weapons, and breaking. Sensei Sandubrae has had his own karate school since 1978.
That is when he retired from the business world and moved to his home in Palm Springs, CA. At that time, with the approval of Master Adams, he went under the leadership of Master Harold Long, Ju Dan. Sensei Sandubrae remained his student until Master Long's death in 1998. In June 2002, Sandebrae went under the direction of an old friend and Master Instructor, Joel Chandler, Ku Dan. For more than 20 years, Sensei Sandubrae donated all proceeds directly to the American Heart Association, an organization that he was a board member of for 21 years. He has appeared on many national television and radio shows furthering the art of Isshinryu Karate. For the past 18 years, Sensei Sandubrae has been a board member of the prestigious Isshinryu Karate Hall of Fame, and is an active board member of the Tatsuo-Kan Society. For many years, he was also a board member of the International Isshinryu Karate Association. Sensei Sandubrae has traveled, and continues to do so, to many places throughout the world, furthering his art by both attending and putting on training seminars in other countries. He is the artist of the Bronze Bust presented to the Isshinryu Hall of Fame of Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku, and is the writer and producer of the Isshinryu Song.
International Knife Maker of the Year
Harry "Der Werfer" Munroe-"I have been throwing knives about as long as I can remember. Of course, in the old days, it was small, poorly made throwing knives. If I was lucky, I would get some old files. Sometime in the mid 90's, I got on the internet and one of the first things I looked up was throwing knives. I was shocked to learn that there were other knife throwers and some really heavy Mountain Man type throwers. I think it was '95 or '96 when I threw in a contest under the old AKTA rules (one knife at one target, the others throw, everyone gets their knives and moves to the next target). Even today that is a pretty tough way to
throw. As far as I know, I am the only person to get 40 sticks without a drop or stepping over the fault line. In more modern times, I have grown distant from competitive throwing and have developed a keen interest in the Western Arts. Because I could not purchase the kinds of knives I really wanted I felt it was time to make my own. Not as big and heavy as those used by the sportsmen. I soon learned to enjoy making knives as much as throwing them except for the backaches. The circus trade has been very kind to me, making me one of their own. This has made it possible for me to have knives bearing my name in all corners of the world."
Wild West Knife & Tomahawk Performer of the Year
Cowboy Larry Zwickel has been entertaining audiences with his Wild West show for over 15 years. His award winning Bullwhip artistry leaves his spectators in awe of the skills that Larry has mastered. After being in his presence, you will feel as though you just stepped off of a stagecoach smack dab in the middle of the Wild, Wild West. This national award winning whip artist is the real deal when it comes to cowboys. Roping has become Larry's latest passion. His roping demonstrations and lessons have audience members roping like pros in minutes. Cowboy Larry works long and
and hard in promoting his newest production, "Cowboy Larry and Thomi Hawk's Wild Wild West Show." He spends endless hours closing deals with agents for all types of benefits, corporate and private venues. Larry enjoys fine tuning the many details involved in making this type of performance a sterling extravaganza. Larry was born and raised in Howell Township, N.J. This real life cowboy enjoys spending a great deal of time throwing knives and tomahawks. He devotes his free time to educating others in the safe handling and basic fundamentals of knife and tomahawk throwing. Cowboy Larry invented an original game he calls "Frontier 21," in which he entertains his audiences with their participation, gambling, and of course, knives. This great showman is a credit to knife and tomahawk throwing.
International Knife Thrower of the Year
Mike "Alamo" Bainton, Ph.D-In 2003, 2004 and 2005, Dr. Bainton was the uncontested Overall Knife Throwing World Champion and missed the 2006 World Championship by one point (won by 2006 World Champion Bob "Old Dog" Pyle). In addition to the three World Championships, as of March 10, 2007, he has 35 first place wins and numerous second place
wins, making him the most prolific thrower in the history of knife throwing. He is the only thrower to make a PERFECT score in impalement while at the World Championships in Claremore, OK. He is listed in the 2008 Guiness Book of World Records as the Most Knife Throwing World Titles Won. However, Dr. Bainton's greatest pride comes from the 130+ children that attend his award winning after-school martial arts program. Now in its 15th year of successful operation, South Austin Karate has become a touchstone by which other martial art schools and after-school programs are judged. By teaching the students life long values like respect for family and responsibility for education, he is creating a reward for himself and the community that will outlive any other honor he has or may achieve in his life.
Outstanding Female Competitor of the Year
Linda Brown-"It was through my martial arts training that I began military style knife throwing from one distance almost 5 years ago after taking a class conducted by Master Marlin Sims and Sa Bum Nim Bill Page. I earned my black belt in July of 2003 at The Martial Arts Center of Montgomery, AL (formerly Kuk Sool of Montgomery). I began learning to throw conventional style and using IKTHOF rules and distances in the fall of 2004 and competed in my first tournament in February of 2005.
I had the honor of competing with Joe Darrah and Mike Bainton in the Blade Show Tournament of Champions in June of 2005 in Atlanta. Also, I traveled to Greenville, Ohio in July of 2005 to compete in the WWAC Annie Oakley Days knife throwing event. I am a member of the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and of Feathers & Steel, Montgomery, Alabama's Knife Throwing and Archery Club. My favorite part of knife throwing is the camaraderie experienced by getting together with people who share an interest in knives, tomahawks, and other sharp, shiny objects and weapons. I look forward to traveling to numerous events in the future and competing in my first mountain man event."
Southeastern US Knife Throwing Championship-February 2005
Ladies Overall -First Place
Ladies Knife-First Place
Ladies Tomahawk-Second Place
Atlanta Blade Show Tournament of Champions-Third Place
Impalement Artist of the Year
Todd Abrams
National Competitor of the Year
David Smith
Outstanding Male Competitor of the Year
Dan Bromley
