Category: Sports and Leisure

Canastota, New York is home to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Canastota is also the birthplace of Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus. In Title Town USA, Boxing In Upstate New York, Mark Allen Baker tells the story of Carmen Basilio, Billy Backus and a host of other boxers. Q – I guess it almost goes without saying, you’re a big boxing fan. A – Yes, sir. I’m a big boxing fan. My grandfather was a club boxer in Binghamton, New York where my parents were from. I would go…

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Can you even imagine what it was like to be in Mike Tyson’s corner at the beginning of his career? No imagining on Kevin Rooney’s part. He was there. We caught up with Kevin Rooney recently to ask him about those days and his new gig—–playing host at The Laugh Factory comedy club’s “Punch lines” for sports writers and fighters. Q – Kevin, what’s this “Punch line” Show all about? Is it something like the old Dean Martin t.v. “Roasts” where famous people would get up and insult each other…

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It was back in 1969 that famed boxing instructor Stephen Acunto, along with Rocky Marciano, formed the American Association for the Improvement of Boxing. The AAIB has just released The Definitive Instructional Boxing Video titled “Boxing, More Than a Sport, How to Box, How the Champs Train, and Tips on Style and Technique.” It’s available for $35 from the AAIB, 86 Fletcher Ave., Mount Vernon, NY 10552. Tele: (914) 664-4571. Mr. Acunto spoke with us about his organization and the sport of boxing. Q – Mr. Acunto, why did you…

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He is the Chairman of The Board of Top Rank, Inc. and one of boxing’s leading promoters. He is Bob Arum. Bob graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office under Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He made a name for himself, as one of the more outstanding tax attorneys in the government, winning landmark decisions against Con Edison, Standard Oil, National City Bank, and shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. After President Kennedy’s death, Bob left the govern­ment and entered private practice. One of his clients, Lester…

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He was born Werner Groebli, but the world knows him as “Mr. Frick”. Born in Basil, Switzerland in 1915, Werner Groebli came to the United States in 1937 with Hans Mauch and together they formed “Frick and Frack”. They became two of the highest paid skaters of the time. Eventually, Werner Groebli would go solo, known to Ice Follies fans as “Mr. Frick”. He is most famous for his cantilever spread-eagle. “Mr. Frick” spoke with us about his life both on and off the ice. Q – “Mr. Frick” what…

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