Hall of Fame 2019: There’s No Place Like Home…
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By Brian “The Beret” Young
Tis the season, the season for the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York to announce the names of those who will be enshrined alongside the immortals of boxing on the second weekend of June 2019. Tis also the season when travel plans are made by people all around the globe who will converge on the little Central New York Village and spend four glorious days immersed in the sport they love.
Before we even begin I want to extend a big congratulation to the class of 2019, Donald “Lone Star Cobra” Curry, James “Buddy” McGirt, Julian “The Hawk” Jackson along with Tony DeMarco, Don Elbaum, Guy Jutras, Lee Samuels, Teddy Atlas and posthumously Mario Rivera Martino. A well-deserved honor gentleman.
The Hall of Fame has been a big part of my life for over 20 years now. Every year since we were very young men my brother and I make the trek to Canastota. We literally grew up with the Hall of Fame. Luckily the Hall has aged better than we have. While it gets better with age, we on the other hand…well, that’s another story. The Hall of Fame has come to mean more to us than just a celebration of the greats of our favorite sport.
It has become tradition, it has become almost a pilgrimage, and most importantly it has come to be like a family reunion. Boxing fans share a bond, a passion for what is, in essence, a blood sport, but whose fans don’t want to see serious injury. Who appreciate the skill and heart as much as the big KO’s. The casual fan can watch a fight and enjoy the savagery, but true boxing fans see the beauty and grace in the savagery. And once a year they get together in mass and spend a weekend surrounded by likeminded people, instant friends, and in some cases a make-shift extended family.
As for myself (and my brother who I assume doesn’t mind if I speak for him) that is what the Hall of Fame has become to us. Friends from around the world who we only get to see once a year. People that have become so close to our hearts that we do consider them family. If you don’t mind indulging this middle-aged and sentimental writer, I would like to talk a little about my extended family.
Over the last 20+ years we have been lucky enough to become quite close to several people involved in the sport, former and current fighters, referees, broadcasters, you name it. I am especially thankful that we were able to form a close friendship with a man who was not only a hero to me, but became a sort of mentor, Mr. Bert Randolph Sugar. Some of my fondest memories in life were the times I was lucky enough to spend with Bert, having a cigar, exchanging stories (well, usually just listening to his stories). I can honestly say, I don’t care what the commercial says, I knew the real most interesting man in the world. And I miss him, every day of my life. This article, however, is about the non-famous, the people who are fans, the people who we look most forward to seeing now.
First there is Justin who flies in almost every year from Australia to attend. I know when I walk on the grounds of the Hall and I see Justin I will be greeted with a big smile and he’ll tell me “Your Lions suck!” This is a reference to The Brisbane Lions of the Australian Rules Football League. I am a diehard fan of the team and their record has been dismal the last decade or so. I look forward to hearing the jokes about the Lions because I know, even though it’s true, it is said out of love.
Then there is “Boom Boom”, Andy, from Manchester UK, or as I always call him the only person in Manchester who hates football (soccer). Boom Boom is such a fight fan I often joke he spends more time in the USA than I do. Every time I hear from him it’s “Flying to Vegas for this fight” or “flying to California for that fight”. Andy’s passion for this sport is second to none, and if you can get him to talk (he is a bit shy) you will be able to engage in some of the best boxing debates you will ever have.
Our first year at the HOF my brother and I met another young man who was a walking encyclopedia of boxing, my brother even said to me, “Wow, I thought you knew this sport!” His name is Lee Groves, and I am happy to say he has been able to make a living in the sport he loves thanks in large part to the connections made at the HOF. Lee now travels the world doing Compubox, has authored multiple books about boxing, including the fascinating Muhammad Ali: By The Numbers (which should be a Christmas gift for any boxing fan this season) and is a writer for Ring Magazine. And when anyone needs a question about boxing answered they go directly to Lee.
When you have what can only be described as an “odd” sense of humor it isn’t often you meet people who “get it” let alone have that same sense of humor. That is where Bob and Dan come in. The first time we ever spoke to Bob and Dan my brother and I looked at each other and realized we found friends for life. We were exactly alike (outside of height as I am 6’5 my brother 6’2 and Bob and Dan could fit in our pockets). After several years of us hanging out all weekend two more came into the mix, their friend Doug and Bob’s wife Maria came up one year and hasn’t missed a year since. I’ll never forget the first year Maria (or sissy as we call her as Kevin and I are sure she is our long-lost sister!) came out to dinner with us. Kevin made some joke, more than likely very off color, and her mouth dropped. She then looked at Bob and said, “Did you hear what he said?” and Bob’s response was, “I know, I told you, they are just like us!!” to which she replied, “I love these guys”. And sissy, the feeling is mutual, we love you guys too!
As I said, the HOF is a special place for many reasons. Spending time with fighters and people in and around boxing for four days every year. Meeting heroes, hearing stories, getting up close and personal with these people, unlike any other HOF where the fans are roped off and just in the audience. The International Boxing Hall of Fame realizes that what makes boxing so special is the human bond. The bond between fans and fighters and they go out of their way to make it a very interactive experience for all. But to me above all else, what makes the HOF weekend so special is seeing my extended family and spending a few days every year laughing and smiling and just having a great time with these, and many other wonderful people who I have come to care so much for. I’ll see you in June my friends
Feel free to drop me an email with your Hall of Fame memories or if you have any question or comments, plus remember to submit questions for my Q&A article.
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