By Gary Buiso
Great Grandmaster Aaron Banks has found religion—in the form of deft punches and powerful kicks. Banks—also a master promoter—likened his latest event, Aaron Banks 2007 Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden, to a veritable religious ceremony. “These people being inducted are like priests, rabbis, gurus, and imams,” he said. “They are helping the human race, regardless of religion” he continued, noting that martial arts nourishes the mental and spiritual side of life as well as the purely physical. The event will be held on January 28 at 7 p.m. “It is the first hall of fame in the history of martial arts,” Banks noted. Back in 1969, Banks said he held his first hall of fame event at the Waldorf Astoria. Next week’s event will feature renown martial artists like Shihan Lou Ferrer, Shihan Robert Ornes, Scott Shankar, world champion Louis Neglia and Grandmaster Pasquale Barberia, an expert in kata, a system of body positioning and movement exercises. For years, Banks has showcased the varied martial arts disciplines, as well as incredible displays of strength and agility in the form of live, in-your-face entertainment. The hall of fame, he said, is a culmination of his love and dedication to the sport. He has credited himself with being the spark behind reality television, introducing the world to talent like Ralf Bialla—a man who caught bullets with teeth. His shows have been held in esteemed venues like the Garden and Radio City Music Hall. He’s also dabbled in movies, appearing in films with Bruce Lee, Richard Roundtree, Roddy McDowall and Adolph Caesar in the 1970s. He doesn’t give much respect to modern day martial arts movie stars. “They are all out there trying to make a buck. The movie stars lose sight of the spirituality.” Banks, who said he will soon turn 78, said the martial arts have never been as popular. “In New York alone there are two million people studying it,” he said. He said he expects close to 1,000 people to attend his upcoming event. “In football, baseball and basketball you have the greatest athletes inducted into these hall of fames, and martial arts shouldn’t be an exception,” he said. Aaron Banks 2007 Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden will be held on Sunday, January 28 at 7 p.m. The event will be held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd streets. For more information, call 718-271-7997.
