Alfie Gayle, who has died aged 85, was a fixture at The Budokwai for almost 60 years, seemingly as ever-present in the dojo as the pictures on the wall. Renowned for his limpet grip, his relentless fighting spirit and constant determination, he was still practising at the club until few weeks ago. His kosotogari was renowned. As Neil Adams, the 1981 world champion, said:"He could throw almost anyone with it." And he proved this true time after time. Tony Sweeney, the club President, recalls the South Korean national team training at the Budokwai and their head coach practising with Alfie, who promptly threw him. The Koreans look on in bemusement and when Alfie repeated the technique, they burst out laughing. So one of the coaches asked Alfie for a randori. He was dumped too.
Alvin Alexander Gayle was born and brought up in Jamaica. He came to London in the early 1960s and lived in Tooting an area where he was living with his long-time wife, Marlene, when he died on November 14. He had begun working on cranes shortly after his arrival in Britain, initially erecting them and then later driving them, a job that required him to climb up into the cabin and helped to develop his fearsome grip. Alfie used to regale both his work-mates and club members with his stories about his job, which he loved. He could explain exactly how they worked and was popular with his colleagues because he was always prepared to help them out. Often he would be asked to go to another site by the person in charge even if he were already working for the company elsewhere. He retired in 2004, a long stint on such an arduous job.
At The Budokwai, he will be remembered for his genial presence, his perseverance and those questioning words "Standing practice ?" You knew when you accepted the offer that you were in a for a torrid session.