A legend in boxing knowledge and research archives, Hank Kaplan has passed away at age 88.
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A legend in boxing knowledge and research archives, Hank Kaplan has passed away at age 88.
i just read about this and came over here to offer my condolences. sorry for the loss. i know what he meant to this site.
I offer my condolences as well
To his loved ones and family
To his family and the CBZ family
May you all live as long...
Kaplan, member of boxing Hall of Fame, dies at 88
By Dan Rafael
Hank Kaplan, one of the foremost boxing historians in the world, died Friday morning at his home in Kendall, Fla., after a brief illness. He was 88.
Kaplan was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y., in 2006. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native's rise came in the 1950s doing publicity for brothers Angelo and Chris Dundee, fellow future Hall of Famers, at Miami's famed Fifth Street Gym. During this time, Kaplan began to amass one of the largest private collections of boxing archives, including photographs, documents and memorabilia, on his way to being recognized as one of the sport's most important historians.
Kaplan was the founder and editor of Boxing Digest and served as a boxing consultant to various media outlets. He wrote for The Ring magazine and published boxing features and historical pieces for boxing journals around the word.
Kaplan boxed in several amateur bouts and won his only professional fight. He joined the Coast Guard during World War II, choosing the military branch in which one of his idols, former heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, had served.
Kaplan received the James J. Walker Award for long and meritorious service to boxing from the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2002.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced that its flags will fly at half-staff in his memory.
"Hank Kaplan loved the sport of boxing, its history and, most importantly, the boxers," said Edward Brophy, the Hall of Fame's executive director. "The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of our friend."
A funeral is planned for Monday at Mount Nebo Memorial Gardens in Kendall, Fla.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
I was introduced to Hank by Enrique Encinosa here in Miami some years ago. Enrique introduced me as a native of Peru and an avid researcher of Peruvian boxing. Hank listened to my stories of Mauro Mina and the Peruvian boxing scene of the 40s-50s with the fascination of a newcomer to the sport. Therein lies his greatness, for all the unparallel and vast knowledge he possesse he was one guy who would always rather listen and learn.
Everytime I met him after that I tried to let him do all the talking, but it was fruitless, he always wanted to know more about Mina, Artie Towne's fights in Lima, etc...
R.I.P dear HANK.
The CBZ will forever be indebted to Hank. If you look at our masthead for 13 years it has listed Hank as: "SPIRITUAL ADVISOR ON ALL MATTERS FISTIC: Hank Kaplan
Hank gave us instant credibility in the boxing world. When the CBZ started back in '94 boxing people didn't know or give a shit about the internet. Hank went out of his way to promote us to the boxing cogneceti. He also contributed articles as well as ALWAYS being available with sagacious advice.
Basically, without Hank the CBZ just wouldn't be what it is today. This is really a sad day for us ... & this is just going to kill my partner, Mike DeLisa, who is in Venezuela, when he finds out. Hank & Mike were VERY close friends.
I want to give you guys an example about how special Hank's boxing knowledge was. About 8-9 years ago I was writing a short bio of former 1920's feather & jr. light champ, Benny "Little Fish" Bass.
I kept reading different reports about his height ranging from 4'11 to 5'3. I called Hank up & asked him if he knew how tall Benny actually was. He said (& I'm paraphrasing} Me & Dempsey went down to see Benny fight in Philly in 1923. I stood right next to him at the weigh in. I'm 5'3 & he was a solid inch shorter than me so I'd say he was 5'2.
Guys, who the hell else could have given me information like that other than Hank???
Selah ... Rest In Peace My Dear Friend.
GorDoom
Rest In peace Mr Kaplan.
RIP Hank...
My condolences to his friends and family. We're thankful that he was able to share his knowledge with so many.
Oh my God what horrible news. Hank Kaplan is a person that you would pray to live forever. One of the few. He simply cannot be replaced. I wish so much he would have written thousands of pages of what he has seen. I would have been glued to every word. He sounded like such a great guy. I shake my head at this great loss. It sounds like God is getting a great guy. My condolences also to all of his family and friends also. Very very sad and we are the poorer for this mans passing.
Just so sad, he loved boxing as much as anyone who ever lived.
Angelo Dundee and me talked about him all the time through the years.
RIP Hank, you were and are boxing's best friend.
Ron
I first corresponded with Hank more than a decade ago, and we finally met in person a few years later. He always remembered that I live in Alberta and collect items related to the career of George Chuvalo. From the first time we spoke, he told me he would keep his eyes open for items to add to my collection. We chatted again at Canastota last June (where he referred to George as "one of my all-time favorite fight guys"), and a few weeks later a large package arrived from Florida, containing two on-site posters (Chuvalo-Alongi and Chuvalo-Besmanoff) and handbills for three other Chuvalo fights. When I called to thank him, Hank brushed it off and instead wanted to talk about the induction weekend. When I called again a few weeks ago, he told me he'd just returned home from his hip operation and was feeling much better. As always, he asked me to give his best to former Canadian heavyweight champ Ken Lakusta. (Hank promoted the Lakusta-Trevor Berbick British Commonwealth title fight in Edmonton in the early '80s.)
This is a sad, sad day for the boxing fraternity. My sincerest condolences to Hank's friends and family.
Murray
talk about a kick in the gut. i just found out by logging in here. now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put my fist thru the wall and drink a toast to my good friend. RIP Hank
A great man of boxing, indeed.
May he reast in peace.
great picture maxiesgal, thanks.
I have 1 hank story. I once asked him not to get angry, but did he ever meet jack johnson. He started to growl "jesus, how old do you think i am", then he paused, then he said "wait a minute, I did meet jack once when I was young, at a carnival".
If the apocalypse were happening, Hank would stop and calmly light his pipe.
The greatest historian, fan, and gentleman boxing ever had. RIP
Very sad day and my sympathies to his family and the obvious deep pool of friends on this board and throughout the boxing world.
Very sad news... my condolences to Mr. Kaplan's friends and family.
the Golden Age of Boxing (mid-30s to early-50s), is slowly but most steadily becoming the very, very distant past. With the passing of Hank Kaplan and his peer's, most of whom are already gone, the great stories and facts still yet to be revealed are slipping into 'forever gone'...
I'm still clinging to the hope of meeting 2 or 3 Kaplan type individuals to blow open the case for my Ol' Granda, which would prove to be one of the greatest cases in British sporting history.
Rest in peace Sir and say hello to all the great Champs and Contenders.
Jim.
Requiescat In Pace Hank Kaplan
Hall of Fame boxing historian Hank Kaplan died Friday, leaving behind archives that dated to the 1800s. He was 88. Kaplan died after battling cancer for nearly a year, his daughter, Barbara Haar-Kaplan, said. His archives include books, letters and newspaper clippings. "Boxing was his life, and my dad kept everything he stored in such pristine condition," Haar-Kaplan said. Kaplan was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y., in 2006
Rest in peace, Hank Kaplan, an irreparable loss to boxing
HANK KAPLAN
Hall of Fame boxing historian Hank Kaplan died Friday, December 14, 2007 leaving behind archives that dated to the 1800s. He was 88.
Hank died after battling cancer for nearly a year, his daughter, Barbara Haar-Kaplan, said. His archives include books, letters and newspaper clippings.
"Boxing was his life, and my dad kept everything he stored in such pristine condition," Haar-Kaplan said. "But not only was he dedicated to his sport, he had a genuine concern for people."
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Kaplan moved to Miami in the early 1950s. He worked as quarantine officer with the Centers of Disease Control for 30 years while maintaining ties to boxing.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. native's rise came in the 1950s doing publicity for brothers Angelo and Chris Dundee, fellow future Hall of Famers, at Miami's famed Fifth Street Gym. During this time, Kaplan began to amass one of the largest private collections of boxing archives, including photographs, documents and memorabilia, on his way to being recognized as one of the sport's most important historians.
Hank was a charter member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO). IBRO’s director, Dan Cuoco, called Hank ‘The God Father of boxing historians.”
"One of the nicest things that happened to the sport of boxing was Hank Kaplan," said trainer Angelo Dundee, who first met Kaplan in 1951. "I know he did favors for millions of people."
He helped maintain the legacy of once-revered champions and accompanied former world champions Beau Jack and Kid Gavilan to functions decades after their careers.
Kaplan was the founder and editor of Boxing Digest and served as a boxing consultant to various media outlets. He wrote for The Ring magazine and published boxing features and historical pieces for boxing journals around the word.
Kaplan boxed in several amateur bouts and won his only professional fight. He joined the Coast Guard during World War II, choosing the military branch in which one of his idols, former heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, had served.
Kaplan received the James J. Walker Award for long and meritorious service to boxing from the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2002.
Kaplan was on the screening committee that helped approved members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y.
"He was finally convinced to remove himself from the screening committee so his name could be submitted for nomination," said Ed Brophy, the Hall of Fame's executive director. "Hank was always thinking of others who were worthy of being selected."
Kaplan was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y., in 2006.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced that its flags will fly at half-staff in his memory.
"Hank Kaplan loved the sport of boxing, its history and, most importantly, the boxers," said Edward Brophy, the Hall of Fame's executive director. "The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of our friend."
Rest in Peace!
Hank Kaplan with fellow IBRO members in Canastota, NY - June 2007
Back row: Steve Canton, Jack Sheehan, John Ochs, Ted Sares, John DiSanto, Hank Kaplan, Chuck Hasson, Bob Caico and Don Koss.
Front row: Phil Shea, Dave Bergin, Dan Cuoco, Don Cogswell and Denis Nolan
Last edited by Dan1213; 12-16-2007 at 01:14 PM.
I've had only a couple occasions to converse with Hank, but each time I came away feeling 100 times smarter than before I Spoke with him.
Another link to the past has moved on.
Next time you guys have a drink in your hand, raise it up and say a toast.
I know I will.
Cheers Hank!
Hawk
Gotta tell ya, Danny, looking at that great pic of the IBRO gang I suddenly realised that even at 88, Hank was better looking & handsomer than all you bums put together!
GorDoom
How right you are! Hank was one of a kind.Originally Posted by GorDoom
I hope that Hank's family and friends accept my condolences.
- Chuck Johnston
My sincerest condolences.
A great loss to a sport we all here love but an even bigger loss to his close friends and family. Rest in peace Old Timer.
does anyone have contact details for Denis Nolan, I think he was the man I met at the very end of the WBHOF induction weekend and he wanted to know more about Gilroy, I gave him a book and Disc of his Scrapbook. I'd like to contact him to follow up.
Thanks, Jim.
Sorry NOT Denis Nolan, but rather Don Koss.
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