Was the summer of 1948 … remember it well, since a few months earlier at the New
York "Fighting 69th" Regiment armory at 4th avenue, I claimed a few seconds of
fame in winning the NYC Parks Dept. featherweight title - and younger brother
Paddy took home the 90lb bauble.
Joe Waxman, my coach at McCarren Park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn had sent me to Ben
Jeby’s pro gym at NYC’s 2nd Ave at 7th Street to improve on the skills … another
reason was to claim the stipend for offering manager Nat Lehrer another lamb
ready and willing to be fed to the lions.
Been there a few months before tiring of hearing the repetitious trainer-manager
idiocy to several club level pros, to watch Seymour the gym mascot on how to put
them combinations together … and then one nite I had enough.
Convinced Lehrer to let Seymour mascot go a few rounds with my brother Paddy one
morning for the entertainment of the fighters at the gym … never mentioned Paddy
had recently won a city title at 90 pounds … Seymour weighed a little less but
had the look of a second coming of Robinson or Pep, while working the bags and
shadowboxing.
Lehrer agreed - terrible mistake - during the subway ride to Manhattan I
repeatedly reminded my kid bro’ that I wanted Seymour on his keister immediately
after the opening bell.
All ring activity ceased as both 12 year-olds readied for combat … then the bell
and Paddy quickly moving to Seymour who looked as if in a trance … no bounce, no
hand speed, but a very noticeable look of fear in the eyes.
In a wham-bam flurry there was Seymour sitting on the canvas with no intention
of getting up … could say the mascot’s moment of truth had finally, and
inadvertently arrived, giving the entire fistic gentry in attendance a valuable
lesson - on how to land on the butt without incurring injury.
Point of the story is a reminder to all fight fans to not only look before you
leap but to also think, before sending to the recycle bin some of what we hear
over the magic lantern.
Examples: Delete as an advantage any reference to one fighter having beaten
another as amateurs. The duel as youngsters, and wearing protective headgear and
oversize mittens while battling over three rounds duration, has zero relativity
to a ten or twelve rounder carrying "championship rounds."
Ignore the "edge" factor because of one fighter having much
longer amateur career than opponent. Feelings here is, if anything, the edge
goes to the one with the shorter amateur pedigree.
GEL
