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Encyclopedia Dubuque

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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.




BOXING

From Encyclopedia Dubuque
Revision as of 04:56, 10 November 2018 by Randylyon (talk | contribs)
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Boxing program. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding
Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

BOXING. Paying four dollars, eager spectators in 1868 took the ferry to Dunleith (East Dubuque, Illinois) and then the train to Menominee. The area's first boxing match--a bare-fisted, illegal contest--was fought outside by Johnny Bernard, age 22 at 147 pounds and Peter Toohey, age 20 weighing 134 pounds. As described in the December 1868 issue of the Dubuque Herald, the fighters took "rattlers" to the jaw, "roasters" to the face, and drew "claret." Bernard eventually won the bout on a foul.

Amateur bouts were popular. Photo courtesy: Paul Lembke

In 1871, Dubuque promoters hosted their first bout between Mike O'Connor and Danny Carr, both local men. The bruising slug-fest lasted an incredible fifty-seven rounds. A round, in those days, ended when a participant was knocked down or put his knee to the ground. John L. Sullivan, the only boxer who visited Dubuque while he was champion, gave a three-round exhibition in 1883.

C.Y.O. boxing matches brought many fighters to public attention. General admission seats cost twenty-five cents with reserved seating costing forty cents. Children were admitted for fifteen cents. A typical evening of sixteen bouts--each three rounds--began with the first bell at 8:00 p.m.

Arch WARD, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, started the idea of the Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament. The program was designed to help youth and promote amateur competition. The only material reward was a small golden glove, symbol of amateur championship, awarded to the winner of each weight division. The first Golden Gloves tournament was held in 1923.

In 1936 the Cedar Rapids Golden Gloves was started. Young men sponsored by the YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION (Y.M.C.A.), American Legion, C.Y.O.,DUBUQUE BOYS' CLUB, and private business trained in several facilities throughout the Dubuque area. Names like Clement KELLY, Milt AARONSON, Marv CLENDEN. Roger WELTY, Mark BURDS, and Bobby SLATTERY began appearing on sanctioned boxing cards and in newspapers throughout the United States.

In Dubuque, the 40 and 8 group of the American Legion began sponsoring a Dubuque boxing program in 1955. The training was carried out on the second floor of the American Legion building at the corner of Fourth and Locust, the later site of the SHOT TOWER INN (THE).

The American Legion ended its boxing program in 1963. Frankie Farrell, a former boxer, took over the program in a number of locations including an upstairs location across the street from the ORPHEUM, a club on Pinard Street, and the old Y.M.C.A. building on Eighth and Iowa. Farrell continued the program until his death.

John GLYNN and Mark BURDS have been credited with reviving the sport in Dubuque around 1969 with training at the new Y.M.C.A./Y.W.C.A. From 1975 until 1978, Marv Clenden ran a boxing club in a building he had constructed for the purpose. The Boys' Club began a program in 1974. The original instructors and coaches included Mark Burds, Ralph Bolsinger, and Marv Clenden.

Recent boxing history in Dubuque included Scott LINDECKER, Tom RUSK, and Pat Swan, the only professional boxer in Dubuque in 1997 with a record of fifteen wins and only three losses. Pete Henkels, Dave Hess, and Fran BECHEN were the only active state boxing officials from Dubuque. Henkels worked as a judge for amateur boxing matches; Hess was a supervisor of the Iowa Boxing Association and was an active judge in the NABF, USBA, WBO, and the IBC.