Bob Bradley a well known Judoka in the 1970's has died following an accident at his home he was just 67 years old. Bob a Superheavy Player had won every Judo Associations National Judo Championships and represented all of them at International Level, he was also an International Free Style Wrestler and Sambo Player.
Bob was very much my Bogey man I fought him on several occasions during the 1970's although I beat him a few times he had bested me more time the I beat him. Looking back I felt I was the better player but every now and then you come up against someone who just syches you out and Bob was that one for me. I think it was because when I was 22/23 nobody was beating me and that made me arrogant, then along came Bob who beat me, this obviously knocked my confidence especially as Bob was a showman and would parade after a win, this humiliated me as well. Funnily enough this defeat made me train harder and I got a lot better but I just could not get over the defeat against Bob every time I met him.
My last match with him was in the BJA 1978 Southern Area Open because I had joined the BJA from the BJC I was not particularly like by the hierarchy in the Southern Area BJA and to top it all me the so called inferior judoka from another organisation had the cheek to win the British Trials. Refereeing in those days was slightly political so I was prepared for some shall we say some suspect refereeing. I lost on a rather dubious penalty score. I never competed in that event again.
Bob was a large man and was well respected and his Harai Makikomi was awesome, he was not a Starbrook, Jacks or Adams but those who followed grappling will remember him with affection and respect
Martin Clarke
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