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06/19/2008 Archived Entry: "Railcats Baseball Stadium to Host Live Pro Boxing August 2nd"
Railcats Baseball Stadium to Host Live Pro Boxing August 2nd
Press Release
GARY, Ind., June 18 -- When an event like the upcoming August 2nd, "Steelyard Brawl" comes around it gives an opportunity for fans to look back and remember the boxing days of old, it is a throwback event to Championship Boxing at a Professional Baseball Stadium.
For native Chicagoans it has been over four decades since the last time baseball and Championship Boxing crossed paths. On September 25, 1962 Sonny Liston came to challenge Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship at Comiskey Park, it was a highly anticipated and long awaited bout of the era.
Another piece of the historical Comiskey Park Fight Card that night was a prospect from Chicago and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World Ernie Terrell. He fought the touted Cuban Reiniero Rey Lopez, which Terrell knocked out Lopez in the third round of their bout.
For the former Heavyweight Champion and Boxing Hall of Famer Ernie Terrell having had an opportunity to fight on the last Championship card to be held at a baseball stadium in Chicago and now being part of the "Steelyard Brawl" almost 45 years later is a real treat. Since his boxing days Ernie Terrell has continued to be successful and has helped to continue to be an active part of the area.
One of the closest bonds made has been with the President/ CEO of One In A Million Inc. Octavius James. When speaking about James, "Octavius has continued to go about boxing the right way, he has done the right things to help build boxing. I always told him life and boxing are the same; everyone has their own style, all I tried was to add to the style he already had brought to boxing." When talking about the upcoming event, "Anything I can do to help him, I will always continue to do so, it is great to see an event like this going on."
James said, "Ernie (Terrell) has been my mentor in boxing since I have begun in the sport. He has always offered the guidance and encouragement to help me develop to where I am today. So being able to finally have an opportunity to work this closely on an event and promote side by side together is really just a big deal to me. Knowing that Ernie is a direct part of the history we are bringing back to the region adds to the significance of this event. So, August 2nd I look forward to sitting and talking with Ernie and Mr. Curtain and getting a direct comparison to that last event at Comiskey Park so many years ago. I think with Ernie being a direct part of what we are doing August 2nd is that extra encouragement to do our best to bring back that electricity and classic ambiance of the Championship Boxing and Baseball combination of old."
Also in attendance at the historic 1962 event was boxing historian Sean Curtain. When asked about that memorable night at Comiskey Curtain recalled the night vividly, "It was a tremendous event, Ernie had a great win over Rey Lopez that night, but the most memorable part of the night was the fighter introductions for the Main Event after Liston and Patterson were in the ring they called the stars in attendance up, Archie Moore wearing his over the top outfits was wearing a cape that night, Rocky Marciano pleased the crowd with his presence, and the then Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali came in the ring being the show man he was shook Floyd Patterson's hand and then walked up to Liston and began pretending to shake in fear ran out of the ring, it was really something. The only real disappointment was Patterson being knocked out in the first round of that fight."
In regards to the upcoming August 2nd "Steelyard Brawl" Curtain said, "It is terrific, it brings back the old times in boxing. The 1st legalized bout held in Chicago after the creation of the Illinois Boxing Commission was in 1926 when Rocky Kansas fought Sammy Mandell for the World Lightweight Title, where was that bout held... Comiskey Park."
In the history of the sport there has been a rich tradition of Championship Boxing and baseball working hand in hand displaying some of the very best matches of the century at historic parks like Yankee Stadium, Comiskey Park, the Polo Grounds, and Wrigley Field to name a few.
For the Chicagoland area Championship Boxing has graced the fields of baseball for decades bringing some of the most memorable historical fights and fighters right to the region.
In 1937, the "Cinderella Man" James J. Braddock defended his Heavyweight Title against the "Brown Bomber" Joe Louis right in Chicago at Comiskey Park and with Louis' victory making him the Heavyweight Champion of the World history was made helping break the color barrier in professional sports opening the doors for integration in mainstream athletics.
Greats like Joey Maxim, Tony Zale, Bernard Docusen, and Willie Pep have graced the fields of Comiskey and Wrigley. Legendary Boxing match ups like Ezzard Charles vs. "Jersey" Joe Walcott and the one of the most memorable rivalries in boxing took place at Comiskey Field, when "Sugar" Ray Robinson faced the "Bronx Bull" Jake Lamotta for the 5th time in their Hall of Fame careers, with an astounding crowd of 14,755 in attendance.
The long-standing partnership of Championship Boxing and baseball is being ignited again on August 2nd for the first time on over four decades when NABC World Champion Mary McGee steps into the ring to defend her title verse the rugged Tonya Gallegos. Be a part of history as boxing comes to Railcats Stadium as the "Steelyard Brawl" looks to bring fireworks to Chicagoland fight fans once again.
Visit Us at: www.OneInAMillionBoxing.com.
For more information on the August 2nd Event or Heavyweight Champion Ernie Terrell call (866) 438-7372.
