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12/19/2006 Archived Entry: "‘Chicago Amateur Boxing’ a Real Treasure Trove on Windy City Golden Gloves!"
‘Chicago Amateur Boxing’ a Real Treasure Trove on Windy City Golden Gloves!
By Juan C. Ayllon
JOE Mantegna said it best in the foreword: “While I can recall the early bouts of fighters such as the young Cassius Clay from Louisville who went on to become the great Muhammad Ali, it was the local boys from Chicago that provided that extra thrill of watching home-town boys do good.”
And, thus, Sean Curtin and J.J. Johnston’s book, Chicago Amateur Boxing does a tremendous job of highlighting Chicago Golden Gloves tournaments from the 30’s up through 2005.
The style is a delightful and lean narrative coupled with hundreds of terrific black and white photos.
It is packed with such nuggets as a photograph with future professional Middleweight Champion of the world, Tony Zale, on the 1934 Chicago Golden Gloves team. Next to it, the caption notes, “At the intercity meet, he lost to future light heavyweight champion Melio Bettina on a split decision and was outweighed by 14 pounds. Chicago light heavyweight champion Joe Louis had been arrested on trump charges, and could not make the trip, so Tony Zale volunteered to take his place and move up in weight.”
That's priceless.
You can also view photos of future professional contenders Mike “Fly” Garcia, Fres Oquendo, Johnny Lira, Reynaldo Snipes, and John Collins. Others include: future cruiserweight champion LeRoy Murphy, heavyweight champs Ernie Terrell and Oliver McCall, multiple weight champion Jesus Chavez (then known as Gabriel Sandoval), longtime contender Harold Brazier, future 96 Olympian and WBC Interim Lightweight Champion David Diaz, Jose Hernandez, and heavyweight contender Vaughan Bean.
Additionally, in the appendix it gives a listing of Chicago Golden Gloves champions from 1941-2005.
If you love Chicago boxing and you want a special treat, look no further! This is a veritable treasure trove worthy of any boxing aficionado’s collection.
* * *
Curtin, Sean and J.J. Johnston. Chicago Amateur Boxing.
Arcadia Publishing, Chicago, 2006.
ISBN No. 0-7385-4138-9
