Brick City Boxing

“Around The Ring”

By: Bobby Breen

Oct. 6th 2009. The New Jersey Diamond Gloves begin this weekend with a show scheduled for 3pm at the Salvation Army at 699 Springfield Ave. Newark, NJ. This show is hosted by the IBN Ali Boxing Club of Newark, NJ.

Started in 1933, this boxing tournament used to be attended by huge numbers of boxing fans in the thousands during the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. Some of the greatest names in boxing and sports and entertainment would attend including; Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, James Braddock, Benny Leonard, and Barney Ross to watch and even guest referee. Yankee great Joe Dimaggio, TV stars and comedians Abbott and Costello (of which the boxing gym Lou Costello Boxing Club was named) and George Raft movie star would also attend.

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The NJ Diamond Gloves is another breeding ground for NJ amateur boxers. This tournament includes Sub-Novice, Novice, Open, and Junior Olympic boxers both male and female. It’s a great tournament that has produced some of the premier boxer’s from New Jersey over the last seven decades. Produced and coordinated by Henry Hascup, who does a lot for the sport of boxing, the Diamonds have a flavor all their own. They permit the youth of NJ who are involved in amateur boxing to maintain peak competition level, prepare them for other tournaments, earn a coveted pair of Diamond Gloves, and most of all keeps our young boxer’s off the streets and in the gym. Henry does a helluva job multi-tasking as a one-stop do-it-all, coordinator, match-maker, announcer, and tournament director. In his spare time Henry runs the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame and if that’s not enough, a baseball league, as well as announces on the professional boxing circuit. He serves as a subject matter expert on not only boxing, but Sports Trivia. Thanks Henry for all you and your lovely wife Joyce do for boxing and the youth of New Jersey. Come on out to the NJ Diamond Gloves, you will not be disappointed.

Speaking of the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame, mark the date. Thursday November 12th the NJBHOF will be having their 2009 annual induction ceremony. It takes place at the Venetian Caterers (the food is outstanding!) located at 546 River Drive in Garfield, NJ 07026 Tel (973) 546-2250. Check out this year’s lineup; Dave Anderson, Nino Del Buono, Buster Drayton, Kathy Duva, World Class Referees Benjy Esteves, Jr., and Wayne Hedgepeth, Junior Jones, Darren Maciunski, Mario Maldonado, and Lindsey Tucker of the IBF. Tickets are $80.00 and can be obtained by contacting Henry at (973) 471-2458 or by e-mail; hhascup@yahoo.com

The complete schedule for the 2009 NJ Diamond Gloves;
1) Saturday Oct. 10th IBN Ali BC @ 699 Springfield Ave. Newark, NJ (Salvation Army) 3PM
2) Friday Oct. 16th Mother Seton School 1501 New York Ave. Union City, NJ 7:30PM
3) Saturday Oct. 24th Dover Boxing Club 79-B Bassett Hwy. Dover, NJ 3PM
4) Saturday Oct. 31st Orange High School Orange, NJ Time TBA
5) Saturday Nov. 7th KofC South River 88 Jackson St. So. River, NJ 7:30PM
6) Friday Nov. 13th Linden HS St. Georges Ave. Linden, NJ 7:30PM Finals!