Great Grand Master Jhoon Rhee, brought Korean martial arts to America in 1957

Great Grand Master Rhee with his 1st American black belt Grand Master Allen R. Steen

Mr. Allen R. Steen

Mr. Steen's first black belt Grand Master J. Pat Burleson, Mr. Ritchie's first karate teacher.

Mr. George Minshew promoted Mr. Ritchie to 1st black

Mr. Joe Lewis promoted Mr. Ritchie to 3rd and 4th Dan

Mr. Burleson promoted Mr. Ritchie to 6th Dan in 1997

Date Line:

1957  Jhone Rhee comes to the U.S. to attend college

1959  Allen Steen starts studying under Rhee in Austin

1962 Steen opens first school in Dallas as a brown belt

1962 Rhee promotes Steen to black belt

1963 Steen promotes his first black belt, J. Pat Burleson

1965 Larry Ritchie joins Mr. Burleson's karate school in Ft. Worth

1967 tested for blue belt before Hong Hi Choi, Jhoon Rhee, Allen Steen, Pat Burleson, Skipper Mullins

1972 at the rank of 1st Brown, Mr. Ritchie moves to Houston to operate one of Mr. Minshew's schools

1978  Mr. Minshew promotes Mr. Ritchie to black belt

1985  Mr. Lewis promotes Mr. Ritchie to 3rd and then 4th Dan.  Mr Ritchie fights Mr. Lewis on 4th Dan test.

1997  His first teacher, Mr. Burleson promotes Mr. Ritchie to 6th Dan, Master rank

1999 Mr. Ritchie one of the Living Legends honored by Gary Lee