WASHBURN, Maine — James “Chico” Hernandez received acknowledgement in the introduction and appears in photographs inside in the newly-published “Sambo Encyclopedia: The Throws, Holds and Submission Techniques of Russia’s Fighting Sport.”
The book was published by Turtle Press and written by Steve Scott, a member of the U.S. Sambo Association Hall of Fame for his 30-plus years as a competitor and coach.
Hernandez, a Washburn resident and head coach of the Caribou varsity wrestling team, appears in eight photographs demonstrating a Body Lock Lifting Throw (As A Counter To A 2-on-1 Grip) on pages 88 and 89 of the book, which is billed as “the largest and most comprehensive Sambo book available in the English language.”
Hernandez is a native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. He is a member of numerous halls of fame, including the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and the UMPI Athletic Hall of Fame, and owns 44 international titles and 34 national titles in Freestyle, Greco Roman, American Folkstyle, Submission Grappling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Combat Sambo and Sport Sambo.
The 61-year-old still competes in national and international events and is next planning to travel to Las Vegas for the Open Wrestling Championships in May.
