Judo in the United States however, the lecture had little effect on mainstream judo growth. The first American to actually study judo was Prof. Ladd from Yale University, in 1889. He trained at the Kodokan in Japan for about ten years; by 1908 about 13 Americans were training there. In 1919, Prof. John Dewey of Columbia University came to visit Prof. Ladd and Master Kano, many years later he took his knowledge back to Columbia and began the first U.S. college judo program. While some students were training in Japan there was some action in the U.S. Perhaps one of the most important figures in
Jim Webb (judo) in Japan. He was a long-time student of 9th Dan Vince Tamura. Dr. Webb was educated at West Point, the University of Dallas, MIT, Southern Methodist University, and the University of Maryland. He subsequently provided leadership to such prominent consulting firms as Price Waterhouse, Deloitte & Touche and A.T. Kearney. Prior to his strategy consulting career, he served as a Special Forces commanding officer. He is currently a professor and program director at Southern Methodist University. Jim Webb (judo) James R. Webb is an American businessman who is a former President of the United States Judo Association elected in 2006.