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Rare original program for the 1969 National Karate Championship held at the Washington D.C. Armory on May 10 and 11, 1969, 16 pages, 8.5 x 11, signed nicely on the front cover in blue ballpoint by Bruce Lee, who, being close friends with event organizer Jhoon Ree, acted as a guest judge for the event and is pictured several times within the program. In very good to fine condition, with a few light stains, a small area of surface loss to the top edge, and interior pages detached from the cover (but all present). Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services and an original color glossy 7 x 5 photo of Lee at the event, which shows him seated and smiling at a signing event between athletes Joe Lewis and Jhoon Ree. The reverse of the photo bears “A Kodak Paper” watermarks and is annotated “Original Photo, Bruce Lee Signing at 1969 National Karate Championship.”
During his lifetime, Bruce Lee appeared at select tournaments as a special guest, judge, or performer. Jhoon Rhee, the father of American Tae Kwon Do, first met Bruce Lee in 1964 at Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Championships and, impressed with Lee’s showmanship, invited the young martial artist to collaborate on future projects and events. Lee appeared at several Jhoon Rhee national championships where he famously performed feats like his two-finger push-up and his one-inch punch and served as either a special guest or a celebrity judge.
