Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums is trying to reclaim some of his city’s history, hoping to gain landmark status for Bruce Lee’s famous Oakland martial arts studio, which has been an auto dealership for the last 25 years. The studio was long ago the site of hand-to-hand combat between a 24-year-old Lee and fellow Bay Area instructor Wong Jack Man, who was enraged that Lee accepted Caucasian students. It was the moment that Lee began to become famous. The following is excerpt from a Bay Citizen article about the encounter. (Thanks to boing boing.)

“It’s a Toyota dealership now. But 45 years ago, 4175 Broadway was the site of a kung fu showdown that changed martial arts forever. Bruce Lee, a 24 year-old dropout from the University of Washington had recently landed in North Oakland, where he opened a martial arts studio not far from Oakland Technical High School. The school quickly attracted students. It also made enemies. The Bay Area’s martial arts establishment vilified Lee for accepting non-Chinese pupils.

The beef came to blows when Wong Jack Man crossed the bay from San Francisco to fight in a pre-arranged match with Lee’s livelihood at stake. If Lee lost the bout, he’d have to close the studio. Depending on whose account you believe, Lee either won the fight, or it ended in a draw. But it was because of his experiences during this duel that Lee later developed the fighting style that would make him a worldwide legend, the style of no style.”

More Featured Videos:

• Bruce Lee screen test. (1964)
• Joseph Siegenthaler’s “Busta LeGros” (2004)
• The most horrifying PSA ever.
• Cruise ship interior during storm.
• Iranian guy washes lion on city sidewalk.
• Color film footage from 1922.
• Bulldog watching Family Guy.
• Ryan smack talks your significant other.
• Ryan smack talks the funny way you walk.
• Nick Gomez, aspiring comedian.
• Bay Area self-help video.
• Karate keyboard man.
• Jaw-dropping Glamour Boyz music video from the ’80s.
• Steven Lee really likes guns.
• Rejuvenique Beauty Mask infomercial.
• Kermit the Frog sings LCD Soundsystem.
• Freedomland Amusement Park in the Bronx. (1963)
• Guy in dog make-up sings about Jesus.
• George Bernard Shaw in Miami in 1936,
• Peter Lemongello sings in 1976.
• Teaching English swear words.
• Breakdancing in NYC in 1898.
• Polanski weds Tate in London. (1968)
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle interview.
• Handsome guy mask.
• Mean jerks mock girls.
• Cringe-worthy 1978 telethon performance.
• School for aspiring beatniks. (1961)
• Phil Levine has been collecting cool crap for 52 years.
• Tiny Tim sings about the apocalypse to small children.
• Patti Smith sings Debby Boone on a children’s show in 1979.
• Ridiculously large vending machine in France.
• Ricky Gervais hassles Elmo.