COLORADO SPRINGS, Αγκαλιά. (Νοέμβριος 25, 2019) – Arkansas boxing icon Ray Rodgershas successfully dealt with more cuts than most surgeons, all the way into the USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame, in which he’ll be inducted on Friday night, Δεκέμβριος 13, during a special Class of 2019 ceremony, at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, Λουιζιάνα.
The HOF reception is being held in conjunction with the 2020 Η.Π.Α.. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing and 2019 Πανελλήνιο Πρωτάθλημα, Δεκέμβριος. 7-15, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The finals of the Olympic Trials will be held Sunday, Δεκέμβριος. 15, at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Καζίνο. Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein from Showtime Sports will serve as the event’s emcee for the third year in a row.
The USA Boxing Alumni Association’s third HOF class also includes three Olympic gold-medalists, “Μεγάλος” George Foreman, “Smokin'” Joe Frazier και Mark Breland, as well as legendary coach Αλ Μίτσελ.
Sen. John McCain will be posthumously presented a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work to protect boxers and elevate the sport.
There isn’t much in boxing, if anything, that Rodgers hasn’t done: πυγμάχος, official, προπονητής, administrator and, φυσικά, άνθρωπος περικοπή. “I’m a boxing guy,” Rodgers said in his Southern twang. “I’ve been around the block, several times. But I don’t say I’m a cut man, I’m a laceration management specialist.”
Rodgers first got into boxing when he was in the fifth grade, back in Oklahoma, where he was born. A memo was sent around that there would be a tryout for boxing held the next day at the local high school gym. His parents gave their permission to let him tryout, the first chapter of his incredible boxing career.
“From the first moment,” the charming boxing character remembered, “Ήμουν γαντζώθηκε. I still have the letter I received in boxing. That was in 1947 and I’m still in boxing. I’m very proud of that.”
Rodgers has worked 39 world championship fights in professional boxing, as a cut man (he only trains amateur boxers) for the likes of world champions Jermaine Taylor, Wayne McCollough και Τόμι Μόρισον.
“It’s been beyond belief for a regular old boxing guy like me,” Rodgers said about his life in boxing. “I’ve traveled all over the world, many times, as a cut man.”
He was the first national official of both the Golden Gloves and Silver Gloves. Περισσότερο, he’s already been inducted in three Hall of Fames: Silver Gloves, Golden Gloves and Arkansas Sports HOF.
“Ray’s sacrifice to countless youth as a coach, μέντορας, άνθρωπος περικοπή, and leader throughout the amateur boxing community is inspirational,” σχολίασε Κρις Κούλιαρι, Εκτελεστικός Διευθυντής της Ένωσης Αποφοίτων Πυγμαχίας των ΗΠΑ. “His years of service and the knowledge he has passed on to other generations is what makes him a Hall of Famer, and we look forward to honoring him in December.”
Rodgers hasn’t slowed down, despite recently celebrating his 83RD γενέθλια. He still owns and operates Ray Rodgers Boxing Club in West Little Rock, Αρκάνσας, in addition to serving as director of the Arkansas Golden Gloves and Mid-South Tournament, which includes Louisiana, Μισισιπής, Western Tennessee and Arkansas. And he’s also the vice-president of the National Golden Gloves and chairman of the National Silver Gloves.
“At my age, I’m happy to have any birthday,” Rodgers joked. “I’m hoping to live another 10-12 χρόνια, Lord willing. It’s all in the Lord’s hands; controlling the flow of blood, αν και, is in my hands.”
Confirmed special guests include 1988 Χρυσό Ολυμπιακό μετάλλιο Andrew Maynard, three-time National AAU Coach of the Year (1972-76-77) Joe Clough, 1984 Χρυσό Ολυμπιακό μετάλλιο Frank Tate και ο αδελφός του Θωμάς, 1972 Ολυμπίου Tim Dement, 2002 Εθνικό Golden Gloves πρωταθλητής Jaidon Codringtion, 1980 Olympic Qualifier Jackie Beard, 1981 Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες Εφήβων Glen Modicue, four-time National champion Eric Kelly, 1988 Eastern Olympic Qualifier champion John Scully, Obie Beard, Mark Lanton και οStephens brothers – Donald, Αντώνιος και Καθίκι.
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE USA BOXING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Created to champion a lifelong, αμοιβαία επωφελείς σχέσεις μεταξύ του USA Boxing και των αποφοίτων του, –μπόξερ, αξιωματούχοι, προπονητές και λάτρεις της πυγμαχίας — Ο Σύλλογος Αποφοίτων συνδέει γενιές πρωταθλητών, εμπνέει και δίνει πίσω στους μελλοντικούς πρωταθλητές πυγμαχίας της USA Boxing, μέσα και έξω από το δακτύλιο.
Η Ένωση Αποφοίτων Πυγμαχίας των ΗΠΑ είναι ανοιχτή σε οποιονδήποτε έχει αγάπη για την πυγμαχία και θέλει να παραμείνει συνδεδεμένος με την ερασιτεχνική πυγμαχία. Τα μέλη έχουν πρόσβαση σε μια μεγάλη ποικιλία ειδικών εκδηλώσεων που διοργανώνει η Ένωση Αποφοίτων, including the USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame reception.
Για ένταξη στον Σύλλογο Αποφοίτων, απλά εγγραφείτε στο alumni@usaboxing.org για ένα $40.00 ετησίως συνδρομή μέλους. Τα νέα μέλη θα λάβουν ένα μπλουζάκι, μπρελόκ και ηλεκτρονικό πορτοφόλι.
ΚΑΤΗΓΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ 2017: The charter class was headed by Muhammad Ali και Evander Holyfield, in addition to veteran coaches Roosevelt Sanders και Tom Coulter.
ΚΑΤΗΓΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ 2018: Η.Π.Α.. Olympic Team medalists and world (επαγγελματίας) champions Roy Jones, Jr., Andre Ward και Claressa Shields, as well as former USA Boxing National Director of Coaching Emanuel Steward and veteran USA Boxing official Tom Cleary.