Lovelace Lee III Asks Where Are Sensei Scott Ingram and Si-Hing Cornell Smith?

June 22, 2008 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES—Former martial artist Lovelace Lee III seeks to find two martial arts comrades from his past who helped shaped his martial arts career: Sensei Scott Ingram and Si-Hing Cornell Smith. “I’ve gotten old enough to appreciate old friends and those that introduced me to martial arts, “said Lee. Sometime in 1972 Lee met Cornell Smith, a student of gung fu. Lee and Smith sparred several times that day and Lee remembers, “I couldn’t even touch him. And he decked me several times.” Cornell Smith was just a superior martial artist doing things Lee had never seen. At the time Lee was still practicing karate. “Back then Cornell and his family lived in the Robert Taylor Homes Projects,” Lee recalls. He and Smith remained close until Lee left for college in the fall of 1973.
  Once at Hampton Institute (now University) Lee quickly fell in with the martial artists on campus. Most were at about his level or below. And then he met Sensei Scott Ingram. “Scott Ingram was without a doubt the most incredible martial artist I had ever seen in my life,” Lee recalls. And Lee had met hundreds of martial artists. “As cocky as I was back then (and I would fight anyone breathing) the thought of sparring with him never even crossed my mind. And it wasn’t even about the respect I should have had for the man… I just couldn’t ever see his kicks or punches. It was insane.” Lee admits he even sparred with then 6th degree black belt Sensei Frank Hargrove—and took an awful beating. Lee studied Goju Ryu Karate under Sensei Ingram for a few months on campus. Lee left Hampton in 1974 and returned on business in 1978 but couldn’t locate Ingram anywhere. “It was as if he just vanished.”
  Back in Chicago Lee once convinced Smith to meet his master Sifu Karl W. Knoble in about 1980. “Cornell was so cocky. He asked to spar Sifu who was much smaller than he was. I saw Sifu throw Cornell around the school like a baby. A shocked Cornell humbled himself and asked to become Sifu Knoble’s student on the spot. I’ll never forget that day. It was something to tell my grandchildren.” Lee saw Smith last about 1983. “I was told Cornell left Chicago to pursue filmmaking in Los Angeles. I’ve been here since 1984—working to do the same thing and have never seen him—or met anyone who’s met him.”
  Lee sorely misses his two friends. “In all these years someone must know the whereabouts of these two dynamic men,” Lee said. I want to know how they are, what they’re doing and to tell them how much they influenced my life.” Sensei Ingram would be about 54. Smith, who was a few years Lee’s junior, about 48 and an avid filmmaker. “Expect both of them to be in better shape than anyone else in the gym—regardless of age.” Lee pleads with readers, “Please help me find my dear friends.”

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