Let There Be Music In The Gym

This is what the gym looks like now that the walls and posts have been painted and the floor has been waxed.  The place looks brighter.

But alas, the same old challenges remain.  Only Marine and Angel showed up yesterday (Talky and Tough opted to rehearse for the Black History Month assembly that took place later that day).  Marine and Angel know they should be coming to the teen class, not the kids' class; they said it themselves.  The only way I can think of to convince them to show up later is to point out that they won't get any sparring practice if they remain in the kids' class.

I've talked to all of the kids about the upcoming Chicago City-Wide Boxing tournament.  They have yet to give me an answer about what day they want to go weigh in.  Time is short.  A bus has to be arranged to take us over to Curie High School for the weigh-ins, and I can't afford to deal with the usual hemming and hawing out of most of the kids.

I found it odd that Tough, who's so quick to defend herself verbally, couldn't speak in front of the audience at the Black History Month assembly.  She tried twice -- she was supposed to talk about Muhammad Ali -- and ended up crying during the second attempt.  Talky didn't get through her speech about Laila Ali because she kept stumbling over the words.  I was the only one who completed my short speech about Ernie Terrell, and I winged it based on what I remembered reading about him.  I also got a chance to talk to the few parents who showed up about the boxing program.

While pricing speakers yesterday, I noticed there are a lot of wireless ones.  It seems hard to find the regular stereo speakers that are hooked up by wires.  I threw the old speakers out, and also a radio I found which did not work.  There needs to be music in the gym.  I'm considering buying an inexpensive radio.  If it gets stolen, I'll be ticked, but not as much if the radio is not a name brand with advanced features on it.  I'd rather have the speakers, however, because there is a stereo component already set up in the gym that works.  A trip to some pawn and thrift shops may be in order to find the type of speakers I want.

I also need a cornerman's jacket.  I have a lovely one that Amy brought me while I was still at Loyola Park.  But it has the name of that gym on the back of it.  I could do like some coaches and put tape over the name, but that wouldn't look right.  It might be better to have a jacket with "Coach Hillari" on the back of it, or just "Boxing" on the back of it, so I can wear it to more places.  I'm anticipating helping out in the corners of the boxers from other clubs or who are not affiliated with a club (especially at the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament).

They Reminisce Over You

I had taped the documentary Facing Ali (2009) when Spike TV showed it a couple of weeks ago.  This past Saturday, I finally got around to watching it.  I've seen plenty of news stories and other documentaries about Muhammad Ali, but this was the most heartfelt of the ones I've seen.  Ten boxers who faced Ali in the ring -- Joe Frazier, Henry Cooper, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers, George Foreman, Ernie Terrell, Leon Spinks, George Chuvalo, Ken Norton and Larry Holmes -- talk about the experience of fighting the man known as "the greatest of all time".


They also talk about how they feel about him.  Some did not agree with Ali's alliance with the Nation of Islam, and some were not cool with his anti-Vietnam War stance.  Terrell and Frazier, in particular, talk about how they didn't appreciate Ali insulting them before, during, and after their fights.  As time has gone by, a lot of the old grudges have faded, however.  Some of the boxers -- especially Chuvalo and Norton -- had some hard times after their fighting days were over.  But the boxers have ongoing respect and affection for Ali.  Frazier, in reference to Ali's current state of health, tears up when he expresses a wish that Ali "gets to live like we all live. . .he's earned it." 

This is a great documentary, that tells another side of Ali's story, from the perspective of his opponents.  

Meeting The Big Man

Mort had a second preliminary fight last night. I taped it with the use of Mike's digital camera. Mort got a TKO, so he is solidly in the semi-finals. He seemed to be very light on his feet the entire time. Mort had a lot of support from the audience, as well. Several guys sitting near me were boisterously cheering him on.

Immediately after Mort's win, I introduced myself to Ernie Terrell, who was sitting at the judges' tables. Terrell had a famous 12 round match against Muhammad Ali in 1967, and his sister, Jean, sang with The Supremes in the years immediately following Diana Ross' depature. He is a big man; his hand completely enveloped mine. I learned later that he is six foot six tall. I had seen him in attendance at many fights, but never had a chance to say hello until last night.

Unfortunately, Mike lost his fight; it was a close decision. Both Mike and his opponent were gassed out in the 2nd round, but continued battling in the 3rd round. Mike got off the cleaner and more decisive shots, but the judges did not go his way. Some members of the audience booed the judges' decision. "That was bullshit!" Mort snapped.

I overheard the guys running the glove table asking each other if they had seen Kitchens, the ring photographer. I was looking for him myself; he took a picture of me with a politician friend of my late dad's some time ago, and I wanted to buy it from him. The guys said they hadn't seen him. It was unusual because he's always at the Gloves.

I was feeling out of sorts on the way home. Two days of eating the junk food being sold at the Gloves had taken it's toll. "I'm stopping at the health food store tomorrow and buying good snacks to bring down to the tournament," I told Steve.