CANASTOTA FAILS TO SEE "THE LIGHT"
The International Boxing Hall of Fame is headed by a nice man in Ed Brophy. But as time
ticks away on the clock of life, Brophy and company need to induct certain people before
they have left us for that big ring in the sky.
The four men that deserve enshrinement without further delay are writer Jack Fiske,
promoter Bob Arum, referee Jay Edson, and Canadian heavyweight champion George Chuvalo.
FISKE, THE GODFATHER OF BOXING WRITERS
Jack Fiske is the dean of the pugilistic press here in the United States. He is also an
historian who has donated a good number of items that are on display at the International
Hall of Fame, located in Canastota, a tiny community in upstate New York.
The twice weekly column Jacob Finklestein (Fiske's birth name) wrote for the San Francisco
Chronicle for over 35 years, was the most faxed and copied column in the world.
In 1989, Fiske was awarded the James J. Walker Award for outstanding and meritorious
service to the sport of boxing by the Boxing Writers of America.
Retired from the Chronicle, and in his late 70's, Jack Fiske is a boxing institution. A
journalist of impeccable standards, he is without question one of the greatest writers in
the history of pugilistic journalism.
TOP RANK PREZ BOB ARUM
Bob Arum has been a major player and one of the top promoters in the game for the most
part of three decades. His promotional firm, Top Rank Inc. has shown more cards on
television than any promoter in the past 20 years.
It was Arum, then a U.S. Attorney, who went to bat for Muhammad Ali, when the heavyweight
champion refused induction into the United States Army because of religious reasons. While
Ali was in exile, Arum fought to get him relicensed.
His current star is undefeated WBC welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya, the biggest
draw outside of the heavyweight division. De La Hoya, under Arum's arm made $32 million in
the last year.
The promoter has also turned De La Hoya into a marketing gem. A clear indication of that
is De La Hoya's now appearing on Levi's billboards alongside Hollywood legends like
Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.
"THE CANADIAN CRIPPLER"
After having met George Chuvalo at the 1992 Induction Ceremony in Canestota, I thought
that the former Canadian heavyweight champion was already enshrined. But I was sadly
mistaken.
Having learned of this injustice, seeing Chuvalo went 69-13, and faced every name
heavyweight in the mid 60's to mid 70's, I lobbied hard and George was inducted into the
World Boxing Hall of Fame last October in Los Angeles.
When George got the call to fight Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title, it was on 20
days notice. Pressing the action for 15 rounds that night, Chuvalo punished Ali's body
like no other opponent ever had, before dropping a unanimous duke.
Fighting guys like Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and beating solid #1 contender Jerry
Quarry surely rank Chuvalo as one of the best heavyweights in the divisions greatest era.
JAY "MR. NICE GUY" EDSON
There are some people that you meet in life who always seem to be beaming optimism. In the
boxing game, that's Jay Edson, a retired referee who began a 37 year stint as the third
man in the ring while serving in the U.S. Army in 1942.
In 1957, Edson was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Arizona State Athletic
Commission, a position he would hold for 17 years. Having refereed 49 world title bouts
beginning with the 1964 world flyweight battle in Tokyo between Japan's Fighting Harada,
and 1998 Hall of Fame inductee Miguel Canto, Edson has worked the world around.
Like the aforementioned Fiske, Jay received the prestigious James J. Walker Award by the
Boxing Writer's Association in 1991, after having been elected into the
Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in the
1970's as a referee.
Currently, Jay is employed by Top Rank as a fight site coordinator, a position he has held
since 1979. Mr. Nice Guy is without question one of the most admired, and respected
people in the fight game.
IN CLOSING
I could write about these four men for hours, all the while documenting the crime of their
not being recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame. But I won't.
Mr. Brophy and his crew in Canastota, need to realize the bottom line.
And that is being inducted posthumously means absolutely nothing (NADA) to the inductee.
It is my hope that the Hall of Fame people realize this before one of these fine men is no
longer here to accept enshrinement.
Hey, Canastota, the clock is ticking!
Pedro Fernandez
The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com and
can be reached at flash@inow.com