QUARRY FAMILY TO DISCONNECT LIFE  SUPPORT

With Jerry Quarry near death in a Southern California hospital, family members decided on Friday afternoon, that they would cut off the Life Support measures that are currently keeping the 53 year old former heavyweight contender alive.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Pneumonia he was hospitalized for on December 28th, was compounded when Jerry's heart stopped that night at 9:30 PM PT. His lungs then shut down all together, and the battler known as "Irish" Jerry Quarry essentially died at that point.

FUNERAL SERVICES ARE BEING PLANNED

According to brother James, Jerry will be laid to rest in Shafter, CA with the exact day still forthcoming.

GOOD GUY WITH THE FANS

Whenever boxing's Walter Winchell ran into Quarry, be it at the fights in the Los Angeles area, or in Las Vegas, I found him to be extremely pleasant. And with not only the media, but with the fans also.

For even though the autograph and picture seekers were plentiful, I never saw Jerry turn anybody down unlike some other athletes.

CRUISER PLAN

Around the middle of 1989, Jerry was looking at coming back as a cruiserweight (190 lbs.) He looked trim when I saw him at the grand opening of the Mirage Hotel in December. The occasion was Leonard-Duran III, and I was looking for shelter in the cold.

LOOKED DAPPER

I remember he was dressed in a two piece suit when our paths crossed ringside. "Hell yeah, I'm still coming back. I'm in better shape than when you last saw me," said Quarry.

"Holyfield is now fighting heavyweight (from cruiserweight). I'd like to fight somebody for the cruiserweight title. Make 190 lbs.? I'm 203 right now."

LAST QUARRY RING TALK APPEARANCE

It was in mid to late 1989. As I walked up on him, Jerry was in the process of ordering another a pop with a punch at the LA Forum. When I sat down next to him and the bartender approached, Jerry ordered a non alcohol beverage. We talked for a few minutes, and I asked him if we could tape an interview.

And like always, Jerry agreed. As I stood there in a nearly abandoned setting with the main event principles being announced, microphone in hand I proceeded to conduct an interview of two and a half minutes.

DROPPED THE BOMB, IN DENIAL

Just before concluding matters, I said that I smelled the aroma of an alcoholic beverage on his breathe. "I haven't had a beer in months. Five months," he said.

HE WASN'T EVEN SLIGHTLY TIPSY

Of course, he was lying about having not drank in a while. But I watched him as he balanced himself and the soft drink with one hand from the bar to his ringside seat, talking all the while, and acknowledging the many "Hey Jerry. That's Jerry Quarry, " that people were yelling from the stands.

SOUNDED DRUNK, BUT IN REALITY PUNCH METER WAS SOUNDING OFF

But as he clearly demonstrated, Jerry wasn't sauced. What was affecting him was that Jerry was showing the signs of Dementia Pugilistica, the effects of taking too many punches. A cruder term would be to call it the Punch Drunk syndrome.

THOUGHT IT WAS OFF

When he didn't fight in the next year or so, I thought for sure this notion of a comeback had been dismissed entirely. But in 1992, former heavyweight contender Jerry would fight once more. The results were catastrophic.

NO COMMISSION IN COLORADO

This sleazeball promoter that had been working in Bakersfield, CA, conned Jerry into coming back in a six rounder in Aurora, CO fighting what was supposed to be an easy mark that would fall from the force of the vaunted Quarry power.

At 46, his power and the skills were no more and Ron Cramner beat the living daylights out of Jerry for six rounds and a lousy $1,050. Afterwards, Quarry's face looked like a crazy quilt it had so many stitches in it.

But it was the damage that you couldn't see with the naked eye that was the most serious.

DEMENTIA PUGILISTICA

Something was wrong with Quarry when he took a 1983 Cat Scan, the results indicated. But Jerry still sounded coherent, thus he couldn't believe the recommendation that he not box again.

IDLE FROM DECEMBER '83 TO SAD FINALE IN '92

Jerry Quarry couldn't get a license in California, and that's why he at the age of 46, just six years ago fought Cramner in Colorado, then a state with no Boxing Commission.

QUARRY WEB SITE

Check out www.jerryquarry.com for some for further insight into Jerry Quarry and his brothers, also fighters, and who like Jerry are suffering Neurological disorders from boxing.

HEREDITARY

There's something in the Quarry genes that make them apt to suffer depilating effects from blows to the cranium as two other Quarry's suffer from various disorders attributed to taking shots. For more see www.jerryquarry.com

PLUG TO BE PULLED SUNDAY

The family has decided to turn off the Life Support systems tomorrow.

REMEMBERING JERRY QUARRY

I'll remember him as a man who like a lot, gave more than he got back from boxing. As the guy who always had the time to take a picture with somebody.
NY TIMES WIZ

And lastly, as the only boxer I ever knew who could do the New York Times crossword puzzle. "And in 15 minutes," Jerry reminded me of the last time we spoke at length.

INDUCTED INTO BOTH HALLS

Quarry was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame prior to his 1995 enshrinement in Canestota's International Hall of Fame. I last saw Jerry and shook his hand in October of 1997 at the World Boxing Hall induction ceremonies in Los Angeles.

Pedro Fernandez

The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com and can be reached at flash@inow.com

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