4-12-2016
My father was a fighter and boxed after high school until he was married in 1934. He fought some of his matches at the YMCA and others in Golden Glove matches. He always listened to Friday night fight on the radio and then watched them when television became popular. With his boxing background, he applied for a Massachusetts Sports Referee License for both boxing and wrestling. He would referee boxing matches and wrestling matches at the Hyde Park Municipal Building on weekends. This encouraged me to take boxing lessons at the age of thirteen at the Hyde Park YMCA and follow in my fathers’ footsteps as a boxer.
I would attend the boxing and wrestling matches with my father. It was interesting to sit in on a pre-match discussion in the arenas backrooms and listen to how the bout or match was to end. The business decided who would win and who would lose. For an upcoming young fighter or wrestler with talent to maybe becoming a professional, the business on his future. Before each match the referee and the opponents sat down and choreographed their match. Which participant would take the fall, in business terms, take a dive and lose the match. A lot of the decision depended on how the crowd rooted and cheered for the boxers.
My father continued to referee until at the age of 41 he had a heart attack. We continued to go to the matches on occasion. Dad enjoyed the sport and made many friends in the Massachusetts Sports.
