This is adapted from a comment I posted on Facebook in response to a friend and colleague's recalling the terrible events of September 11, 2001.
I watched the second tower of the World Trade Center's tallest buildings--its twin towers--fall. It was terrifying, even viewing it on television. The visual memories are still vivid in my mind, too. I remember hoping and praying that my nephew, who was just 2 years old at the time, and other small children were not watching the horrific spectacle unfold. I don't cry very often, but seeing the implosion of that building, and thinking of all of the people who must have been dying inside at it that very moment, moved me to tears in a way and intensity that I hadn't cried in a very long time.
I came very close to being in New York City--and specifically at the WTC--that day. Since I was considering making a stop in Manhattan, I intended to visit the WTC towers because I had only walked past them at ground level and was amazed by their size. Since my first visit to New York in 1986, I had wished to see the city from the top of one of those majestic towers. After attending a weekend conference on holistic law in northern Vermont, I was riding home on Amtrak's Vermonter train on Sunday, September 9, and was considering changing my ticket from my connection point in Springfield, MA and riding to NYC to visit some friends there.
Those friends were members of the New York Athletic Club's boxing team--the counterpart to the group of boxers we had assembled at the Chicago Athletic Association. I had attended a conference about Internet law in September 2000, and stayed at the NYAC, since my club had an arrangement with the NYAC that allowed members of each club to enjoy reciprocal privileges at the other club.
I met some great people and heard interesting presentations at the conference, which took place at a hotel just a few blocks from the NYAC. Although it was after the "dot-com bust," the other lawyers attending the conference expressed a lot of optimism about the seemingly boundless potential of the Internet for the expansion of commerce and as a tool for facilitating the practice of law. Indeed, back home in Chicago the previous week, I attended an "Internet street fair" just a few blocks from my old home in West Town. Business cards were rapidly changing hands, networking was happening with a lot of smiles and hopes for new connections that would yield incredible wealth; in short, the mood at the event was positively euphoric.
The boxers at the NYAC had rolled out the red carpet for me. Although I had only known them a short time, my NYAC friends--Dave F., John L., and John O.--treated me as if we had all been friends since boyhood. The team's coach and the other boxers welcomed me warmly and with a lot of enthusiasm, and I got a good workout. It was great to be treated so well by other enthusiasts of our sport, several of whom had met me for the first time that evening. Dave even invited me to box in the NYAC's event in May 2002, featuring all bouts between NYAC members and a few guests from other clubs with reciprocal arrangements. I was hoping to take him up on the offer--I think it would have been a blast--but some client matters prevented me from going to New York and participating.
Thus, I was keen to see Dave, John, and John again, and continuing on to New York would have put me in Manhattan on a Monday, one of the two days that all the guys trained together as a group. My spur-of-the-moment plan was to arrive in NYC on Sunday night, stay at the NYAC on Sunday and Monday nights, visit the WTC towers for what I hoped would be a spectacular view of New York in all its grandeur, and then take Amtrak home on Tuesday afternoon.
While riding the Vermonter, I had a strange experience as I was daydreaming about my possible visit to New York and seeing my friends again. Despite my enthusiasm about an impromptu visit to the city, a small voice inside me kept nagging at me to go straight home, insisting that I had a lot of work to do back in Chicago. That wasn't quite true, because, even though the first two quarters of 2001 had been quite prosperous for me, the end of the summer ushered in a relatively slow period in my law practice. Further, I really wanted to see my NYC friends and wanted to see the view from the top of the WTC, but I sensed something pulling me back home with an urgency that was totally illogical. To this day, that experience seems strange to me. I can't explain it.
While it may have been exaggerated, my inner sense of duty prevailed, so I listened to my gut and stuck with my original travel plans. I stayed on the train, picked up the Lakeshore Limited in Springfield, and rode the thousand or so miles home to Chicago. The ride was comfortable and scenic; I was traveling first class, so it was mostly an enjoyable ride, albeit a long one (close to 30 hours, due to a delay--the train ahead of the one I was riding had run out of fuel!). Unbeknown to me at the time, listening to my gut may well have saved my life, or at least protected me from a hell of a lot of shock and expensive inconvenience.
I arrived home the afternoon of September 10, filled with powerful and hopeful, if somewhat naive, ideas about peace, justice, reforming the practice of law, and evolving eventually into a society in which law would not even be necessary because people would operate out of love, mindfulness, and kindness toward one another and all beings. At the conference, I had prayed with a lawyer from upstate New York and I now realize that our prayer, and all these positive thoughts, were simply about facilitating the Kingdom of God on earth ("Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"). More briefly, I was renewed, refreshed, and psyched about the possibilities for myself and for all of humanity.
That vision suffered a stunning blow in the horrific happenings of the next morning. The striking contrast between Monday and Tuesday still sometimes startles me when I remember it. It was amazing how life, or at least my perception of it, could change so dramatically in just one day.
For a while, I second-guessed much of what I had experienced over the previous weekend. The lofty thoughts my holistically-oriented colleagues and I shared over the weekend were overshadowed by grim images from the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the flight that had crashed in a field Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard the airplane. Eventually, my goals of working for peace and justice returned, but they were marred by a cruel reality: as a society, we would have to accomplish those goals in a hostile environment that was far too often filled with hatred and violence.
Fast forward a little less than 10 years, to the night of May 1, 2011, when President Obama announced to the nation and the world that Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the September attacks, had been killed by a military operation in Pakistan. My first reaction was feeling like a huge burden had been removed from my mind; for a moment or two, I thought that the world would be safe from the plague of terrorism. That response was quickly displaced by a more realistic notion: one major terrorist is gone, but a lot of work remains to be done. Some of that work will be military, some political, some humanitarian, and some of it will be the ongoing attempt to reconcile some of the shocking and divisive differences that separate nations, cultures, and religions.
There was much rejoicing among my countrymen on the night of May 1. It reminded me of the spontaneous outburst of merriment in the movie, The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy, Glinda (the good witch), and the citizens of Munchkinland celebrate the demise of the Wicked Witch of the East by singing the song, "Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead!"
My reaction was considerably more muted. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't glad to see Mr. bin Laden gone; I experienced a considerable sense of relief at the news. On the other hand, I don't think we've seen the last of al-Qaeda, nor of terrorists bent on killing and maiming in the name of some other "cause."
I can't control what others do, and I've learned that it's folly even to attempt such manipulation. At the holistic law conference, many of my fellow lawyers reminded me several times, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
I am one man. My influence is limited, but it would be wrong to use that fact as an excuse not to leave the world a better place than it would have been without me. Like every other human being, I need to start from where I am and do what I can. I need to live the spirit expressed in the song by Jill Jackson Miller and Sy Miller that is sung so often in churches. In other words, "let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."
Showing posts with label Chicago Athletic Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago Athletic Association. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
A Rare Reprint: A Revised Emerald Gloves Report (originally posted in March, 2006)
Note about this blog entry: I'm not a big fan of reprints of previous blog posts. I've seen the practice on other blogs, and it strikes me as a lazy way of keeping visitors coming to a blog when the blogger is to busy to blog or has nothing new to say. It seems rather arrogant that bloggers assume that they have many posts that deserve a second (or third or fourth) publication.
In about 5 years of blogging here and approximately 457 blog entries, I'm making an exception for this one because it's one of my first posts here and I am adding some content to it. Also, to make a full disclosure, some of the links in the original story needed updating, so this revised version links to the right places (until, of course, they change again, as links on the web often do).
Also, I know large blocks of italicized text can get hard to read after a while, so while I'm italicizing the revisions, I'll keep them as short as I reasonably can.
On Thursday, March 16, 2006, the Chicago Athletic Association Boxing Club held its first annual Emerald Gloves International Boxing Tournament, featuring a team of boxers from the Chicago area competing with a team of boxers visiting from Ireland. I had the opportunity and privilege to box in this event. After a recap of my bout and the event, I'll share some photos of my match.
The event was a great time. I'm still feeling pumped up and in an extraordinarily good mood, a full 3 days after the match. It was a blast. My opponent and good friend, Tim O'Connor, Esq., boxed very well and showed excellent sportsmanship. While the match was a noncompetitive exhibition, Tim and I both worked hard to use good technique and make the match a crowd pleaser. We accomplished that. I know we did because of all the positive comments we got afterward.
The audience especially liked Round 2 because Tim and I really mixed it up in that round. We each landed quite a few good, hard punches and we got lots of applause and cheers. The bout went great and I was surprised at the seemingly endless stream of positive comments I was getting for the rest of the night.
I also got to spend some time with the Irish team; they're really friendly. The guys on the Chicago team were great, too. Most boxers don't fit the negative "thug" stereotype that much of society puts on them. From time to time, one meets someone he doesn't get along very well with, but by and large boxers have been some of the most cool, likeable people I've known.
Since this epic contest, Tim has become one of my closest friends. On top of being a skillful boxer, he's a great guy and I'm happy to see the growth of his young family and his prospering at the new two-lawyer firm he co-founded a few years ago.
After the bouts on Thursday, there was plenty of food which was great: traditional Irish cuisine. My club was a combined athletic and social club that dated back to 1890 (before it closed in 2008), so we had good dining facilities, an excellent chef, and a bar right onsite! It was neat. I stayed until closing time--midnight--and then headed home. Some of the guys on the Irish team were going out with one of the local boys, but I was wiped out at that point and needed to work on Friday.
Overall, the experience was amazing. It was the first time I had boxed in public since 1997, when I participated in a fundraising event for the DuPage County Bar Association. It was an evening of amateur boxing matches where all the boxers were lawyers. That was a great time, too.
On a related subject, I also had a funny experience on Thursday. One of the doctors who was there giving medical exams was telling me about how our coach and another coach on the South Side are talking about putting together an amateur boxing fundraising event featuring doctors vs. lawyers! (I believe the plan is to raise money for one of the children's medical charities.) The doctor is about my age, size, and level of experience.
The doc asked if I'd be interested in being his opponent if the event happens. I said, "Sure, sign me up." So it was kind of a friendly challenge. We'll see what happens. Could be a fun event for a good cause. Hopefully, I didn't accept the challenge from an endorphin rush-fueled bravado that will get me into trouble here. Hehe! We'll see how it goes and find out soon enough, I guess.
Finally, below are some photos of my boxing match with Tim O'Connor on March 16. I want to thank my buddy and fellow boxer, Jeff Petersen, for telling me that these photographs were already online on Saturday. Thus, I got to see them a few days earlier than I otherwise would have. Thanks, Jeff!
In all the photos, we are wearing protective headgear so it's hard to see our handsome mugs. It's still easy to tell who I am. I am wearing the navy blue T-shirt and the gray shorts. Also, Tim is taller than I am--about 7 inches. That height difference translated into a huge reach advantage that gave me plenty of trouble. Nevertheless, I persevered; when I remembered to get in close and stay in close, near the ropes and the corners, things went well. The center of the ring was not where I wanted to be with a guy who is so much taller than me.
Luckily, my friend Mark MacLeod--a very experienced and talented amateur boxer--was coaching me in the corner and reminded me to keep things simple and focus on scoring with straight punches--double left jab and the ol' one-two--rather than trying to pull off any fancy stuff. That helped immensely. Thanks, Mark!
Enjoy the photos!
Above: I (left) block Tim O'Connor's right and prepare to counter with my right.
Above: I (right) am on defense here, blocking Tim's left hook.
`
Above: I (right) throw my right over Tim's left, as he prepares to block with his right.
Above: Tim (right) and I (left) both connect with left jabs.
Above: I am on left, Tim is on right.
(From left to right): Tim, the referee, Steve, and Christine (Tim's then-fiancee, and now his wife--she presented the trophies to us).
All photographs on this page were taken by Glenn Faust. Photos Copyright © 2006 by Glenn Faust. All rights reserved. Photos used here by permission of the photographer.
Glenn Faust is available to photograph other events. Please contact him through his site on SmugMug.
There are a lot more photos of this event, showing all the boxers, at the following site:
http://glennfaust.smugmug.com/Sports
The Second Annual Emerald Gloves tournament was held on March 16, 2007, just about 5 months before our beloved club closed its doors for good. The program for the 2007 tournament included a recap of the bouts from the previous year. The writers of the program paid some compliments to Tim and me, so I'll share them here.
As we took our time walking, I told Bill that I felt I had really become solid friends with Tim in that very spot, as a result of my boxing match with Tim on the night of the first Emerald Gloves tourney. I had always respected Tim, but I think that intense bout between us really cemented our friendship. I'm grateful for my friendships with Tim and Bill. They have proved to be fine friends during times of needs, so I am richly blessed to have them in my life.
Glenn Faust has posted photos of the second, and final tournament in 2007.
Bill and another friend, Kevin McIntyre, proved themselves both quite handy with the gloves during their bout at the 2007 tournament. They boxed well and put on a memorable bout.
In this photo, from left to right: Kevin McIntyre, our coach Bernard O'Shea, and Bill O'Connell.
Those were indeed some great times and they still grace me with fond memories and enduring friendships.
In about 5 years of blogging here and approximately 457 blog entries, I'm making an exception for this one because it's one of my first posts here and I am adding some content to it. Also, to make a full disclosure, some of the links in the original story needed updating, so this revised version links to the right places (until, of course, they change again, as links on the web often do).
Also, I know large blocks of italicized text can get hard to read after a while, so while I'm italicizing the revisions, I'll keep them as short as I reasonably can.
On Thursday, March 16, 2006, the Chicago Athletic Association Boxing Club held its first annual Emerald Gloves International Boxing Tournament, featuring a team of boxers from the Chicago area competing with a team of boxers visiting from Ireland. I had the opportunity and privilege to box in this event. After a recap of my bout and the event, I'll share some photos of my match.
The event was a great time. I'm still feeling pumped up and in an extraordinarily good mood, a full 3 days after the match. It was a blast. My opponent and good friend, Tim O'Connor, Esq., boxed very well and showed excellent sportsmanship. While the match was a noncompetitive exhibition, Tim and I both worked hard to use good technique and make the match a crowd pleaser. We accomplished that. I know we did because of all the positive comments we got afterward.
The audience especially liked Round 2 because Tim and I really mixed it up in that round. We each landed quite a few good, hard punches and we got lots of applause and cheers. The bout went great and I was surprised at the seemingly endless stream of positive comments I was getting for the rest of the night.
I also got to spend some time with the Irish team; they're really friendly. The guys on the Chicago team were great, too. Most boxers don't fit the negative "thug" stereotype that much of society puts on them. From time to time, one meets someone he doesn't get along very well with, but by and large boxers have been some of the most cool, likeable people I've known.
Since this epic contest, Tim has become one of my closest friends. On top of being a skillful boxer, he's a great guy and I'm happy to see the growth of his young family and his prospering at the new two-lawyer firm he co-founded a few years ago.
After the bouts on Thursday, there was plenty of food which was great: traditional Irish cuisine. My club was a combined athletic and social club that dated back to 1890 (before it closed in 2008), so we had good dining facilities, an excellent chef, and a bar right onsite! It was neat. I stayed until closing time--midnight--and then headed home. Some of the guys on the Irish team were going out with one of the local boys, but I was wiped out at that point and needed to work on Friday.
Overall, the experience was amazing. It was the first time I had boxed in public since 1997, when I participated in a fundraising event for the DuPage County Bar Association. It was an evening of amateur boxing matches where all the boxers were lawyers. That was a great time, too.
On a related subject, I also had a funny experience on Thursday. One of the doctors who was there giving medical exams was telling me about how our coach and another coach on the South Side are talking about putting together an amateur boxing fundraising event featuring doctors vs. lawyers! (I believe the plan is to raise money for one of the children's medical charities.) The doctor is about my age, size, and level of experience.
The doc asked if I'd be interested in being his opponent if the event happens. I said, "Sure, sign me up." So it was kind of a friendly challenge. We'll see what happens. Could be a fun event for a good cause. Hopefully, I didn't accept the challenge from an endorphin rush-fueled bravado that will get me into trouble here. Hehe! We'll see how it goes and find out soon enough, I guess.
Finally, below are some photos of my boxing match with Tim O'Connor on March 16. I want to thank my buddy and fellow boxer, Jeff Petersen, for telling me that these photographs were already online on Saturday. Thus, I got to see them a few days earlier than I otherwise would have. Thanks, Jeff!
In all the photos, we are wearing protective headgear so it's hard to see our handsome mugs. It's still easy to tell who I am. I am wearing the navy blue T-shirt and the gray shorts. Also, Tim is taller than I am--about 7 inches. That height difference translated into a huge reach advantage that gave me plenty of trouble. Nevertheless, I persevered; when I remembered to get in close and stay in close, near the ropes and the corners, things went well. The center of the ring was not where I wanted to be with a guy who is so much taller than me.
Luckily, my friend Mark MacLeod--a very experienced and talented amateur boxer--was coaching me in the corner and reminded me to keep things simple and focus on scoring with straight punches--double left jab and the ol' one-two--rather than trying to pull off any fancy stuff. That helped immensely. Thanks, Mark!
Enjoy the photos!
Above: I (left) block Tim O'Connor's right and prepare to counter with my right.
Above: I (right) am on defense here, blocking Tim's left hook.
`Above: I (right) throw my right over Tim's left, as he prepares to block with his right.
Above: Tim (right) and I (left) both connect with left jabs.
Above: I am on left, Tim is on right.
(From left to right): Tim, the referee, Steve, and Christine (Tim's then-fiancee, and now his wife--she presented the trophies to us).
You can see more photos of my match at this Web page:
All photographs on this page were taken by Glenn Faust. Photos Copyright © 2006 by Glenn Faust. All rights reserved. Photos used here by permission of the photographer.
Glenn Faust is available to photograph other events. Please contact him through his site on SmugMug.
There are a lot more photos of this event, showing all the boxers, at the following site:
http://glennfaust.smugmug.com/Sports
The Second Annual Emerald Gloves tournament was held on March 16, 2007, just about 5 months before our beloved club closed its doors for good. The program for the 2007 tournament included a recap of the bouts from the previous year. The writers of the program paid some compliments to Tim and me, so I'll share them here.
"Bout #1 Exhibition Tim O’Connor / Blue [corner] vs. Steve Imparl / Red [corner]Ah, yes, what a great time it was. On the night our boxing team had its final workout and an informal dinner afterward, with the help of a few beers, I was waxing rhapsodic about my bout with Tim. At the close of that August 2007 evening, I walked through the club's Grill Room one last time with another good friend and member of the boxing team, Bill O'Connell. Bill and I strolled over the area where the boxing ring had been just about a year and a half earlier.
"2 attorneys and everyday friends, battled it out in the ring rather than the courtroom. They took the audience by surprise with their skill and all out effort. The roaring crowd declared a tie."
As we took our time walking, I told Bill that I felt I had really become solid friends with Tim in that very spot, as a result of my boxing match with Tim on the night of the first Emerald Gloves tourney. I had always respected Tim, but I think that intense bout between us really cemented our friendship. I'm grateful for my friendships with Tim and Bill. They have proved to be fine friends during times of needs, so I am richly blessed to have them in my life.
Glenn Faust has posted photos of the second, and final tournament in 2007.
Bill and another friend, Kevin McIntyre, proved themselves both quite handy with the gloves during their bout at the 2007 tournament. They boxed well and put on a memorable bout.
In this photo, from left to right: Kevin McIntyre, our coach Bernard O'Shea, and Bill O'Connell.
Those were indeed some great times and they still grace me with fond memories and enduring friendships.
Monday, September 10, 2007
So You Wanna Be a Boxer, Huh?
I guess I really do. It took some pretty strong effort to get to my new gym today. The transition has been a little harder than I had expected. The guys at my old club don't seem terribly excited about setting up any new workout arrangements right now. I think we're going off into different directions. That's understandable, but still kind of disappointing to me.
Since our club closed on August 31--and it hasn't even been two weeks since that date--it is probably still too early to predict accurately what will happen. I have pretty much done what I can to keep the guys together; the rest will be up to them.
Why am I mentioning all this? Simply because it has been affecting my motivation. I really need to accept this change in my life. It has happened and is the reality I am facing now. The old arrangement was nice while it lasted, but now we're in a new situation (at least I am).
I like the new gym. Everyone is friendly there, I fit in well, and it's already starting to feel like home to me. Work has been kind of nutty, though, and I was really on the fence about getting over to the gym today. Oh, the excuses a man's mind can generate!
After I had my bag packed and went out the door, I really thought about turning back and doing the workout tomorrow instead. It was miserable outdoors. The temperature had dropped significantly this afternoon, and a nasty, misty rain was falling and making the whole scene look like something from a horror movie. Alright, maybe I am exaggerating just a little.
Anyway, I didn't turn back. I went to my new gym and had a decent workout. Here's the recap.
Since our club closed on August 31--and it hasn't even been two weeks since that date--it is probably still too early to predict accurately what will happen. I have pretty much done what I can to keep the guys together; the rest will be up to them.
Why am I mentioning all this? Simply because it has been affecting my motivation. I really need to accept this change in my life. It has happened and is the reality I am facing now. The old arrangement was nice while it lasted, but now we're in a new situation (at least I am).
I like the new gym. Everyone is friendly there, I fit in well, and it's already starting to feel like home to me. Work has been kind of nutty, though, and I was really on the fence about getting over to the gym today. Oh, the excuses a man's mind can generate!
After I had my bag packed and went out the door, I really thought about turning back and doing the workout tomorrow instead. It was miserable outdoors. The temperature had dropped significantly this afternoon, and a nasty, misty rain was falling and making the whole scene look like something from a horror movie. Alright, maybe I am exaggerating just a little.
Anyway, I didn't turn back. I went to my new gym and had a decent workout. Here's the recap.
- 30 minutes roadwork
- 4 rounds shadowboxing
- 3 rounds on the heavy bag
- 2 rounds of stretching
- 1 round on the speed bag
- 1 round on the double-end bag
While shadowboxing, I got a few helpful pointers from Ray Pace, GoTime Chicago's boxing coach. He talked with me about doing some training with him and about meeting up with him and some of the other guys on Saturday mornings for sparring practice. That all sounds promising, too.
I don't know what will happen with my friends from my previous club. They are all great guys, and they're still my friends, but I don't know if we'll be pursuing our sport as a group. I cannot control that.
However, my experience today has taught me a valuable lesson. Even with the challenges, I am dedicated to this sport. I want to improve as a boxer. I'll stay with it.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Moving Ahead: A New Gym, A New Beginning
Finally, after all my talk, last Friday I joined a new gym. My former athletic club shut down officially on August 31, so I decided to waste no time in getting set up in a new place where I can continue my boxing training.
Although I am stating this in a matter-of-fact way, the transition is still somewhat painful. I left an athletic club where I had been a member for almost 17 years, and where I had been one of the principal instigators of the revival of boxing as a sport at the club in 1994. I have a lot of good memories from my years of membership, and I am unhappy about the circumstances under which we closed. Nevertheless, it really is time for me to move ahead.
On Friday, I found a new home at a gym called GoTime Chicago. Here's a link to their Web site.
http://www.gotimechicago.com
Chad Robbins, one of the co-owners, is a great guy who gave me a tour and orientation, explained all the details about membership, and talked with me about how we can bring in the rest of the guys from the Chicago Athletic Association's boxing team, if they are interested. I will work on that more this week. I don't know how many of our boxers will go along, but I'll try to get all of them.
Chad also told me he has been thinking of holding some boxing shows at the gym. I already told him I'd be interested in boxing in some of those events. That probably won't happen for a few months, but it's nice to know it will be an option. Also, I need to figure out how Bernard can join us. But I am not going to get bogged down with all the details and make it seem like yet another job. I'm just going to enjoy my workouts and have fun for a while.
I did my first workout there on Saturday morning. Here's the recap.
Although I am stating this in a matter-of-fact way, the transition is still somewhat painful. I left an athletic club where I had been a member for almost 17 years, and where I had been one of the principal instigators of the revival of boxing as a sport at the club in 1994. I have a lot of good memories from my years of membership, and I am unhappy about the circumstances under which we closed. Nevertheless, it really is time for me to move ahead.
On Friday, I found a new home at a gym called GoTime Chicago. Here's a link to their Web site.
http://www.gotimechicago.com
Chad Robbins, one of the co-owners, is a great guy who gave me a tour and orientation, explained all the details about membership, and talked with me about how we can bring in the rest of the guys from the Chicago Athletic Association's boxing team, if they are interested. I will work on that more this week. I don't know how many of our boxers will go along, but I'll try to get all of them.
Chad also told me he has been thinking of holding some boxing shows at the gym. I already told him I'd be interested in boxing in some of those events. That probably won't happen for a few months, but it's nice to know it will be an option. Also, I need to figure out how Bernard can join us. But I am not going to get bogged down with all the details and make it seem like yet another job. I'm just going to enjoy my workouts and have fun for a while.
I did my first workout there on Saturday morning. Here's the recap.
- 20 minutes roadwork
- 4 rounds shadowboxing
- 3 rounds stretching
- 3 rounds on the heavy bag
- 3 rounds on the double-end bag
I have a lot more to say about this new experience. Details will follow over the next few days. This is good. I feel grounded again.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Final Workout At My Current Boxing Club
It was a pretty emotional experience. Yesterday, I had my last workout at my athletic club. I didn't do much of a workout because I was running really late and was lucky to arrive while some of the guys were still there. First, the recap of my very brief workout.
- 20 minutes of roadwork (even this was short!)
- 1 round on the heavy bag
- 2 rounds on the focus mitts with Bernard
Yes, that's it. I felt incredibly guilty yesterday, but I got there late and did what I could to make the best of it. It was good to see several of the guys there. In addition to Bernard and me, Tim, Cory, and Bill were there. Kevin wanted to be there but had a dinner he needed to attend. Henry Coyle, a professional boxer and a friend of Bernard's, joined us to give us some help with sparring. Sadly, I was too late for sparring. Oh well, next time!
We all went to dinner afterward. Over dinner, we discussed some ideas for our future. I'd be really happy to keep all our boxers together. I am realizing it may be tough to do that, but I will sure try to make it happen. I will be talking later today to one of the owners of a fairly new gym in Chicago that might work very well for us. I'll post more about that here soon. I am determined to turn this difficult challenge into a great opportunity.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Club Update
I got the official update today: our athletic club will be closing for good on August 31. Yes, I am angry about it. I feel that we, the members, have been lied to. However, at this late date, there is really nothing I can do to stop the closing and the sale of the property.
Of course, this is no surprise to me; I have known it was coming for about a year. Even so, it is a sad time for me. I was one of the founders of the boxing club at the Chicago Athletic Association in 1994 when another member and I brought the sport back. It's hard to believe that was 13 years ago.
I am hoping we can keep some of our guys together. I will talk to Bernard in the next day or two and see what he thinks about the situation.
Of course, this is no surprise to me; I have known it was coming for about a year. Even so, it is a sad time for me. I was one of the founders of the boxing club at the Chicago Athletic Association in 1994 when another member and I brought the sport back. It's hard to believe that was 13 years ago.
I am hoping we can keep some of our guys together. I will talk to Bernard in the next day or two and see what he thinks about the situation.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Emerald Gloves Report
On Thursday, March 16, 2006, the Chicago Athletic Association Boxing Club held its first annual Emerald Gloves International Boxing Tournament, featuring a team of boxers from the Chicago area competing with a team of boxers visiting from Ireland. I had the opportunity and privilege to box in this event. After a recap of my bout and the event, I'll share some photos of my match.
The event was a great time. I'm still feeling pumped up and in an extraordinarily good mood, a full 3 days after the match. It was a blast. My opponent and good friend, Tim O'Connor, Esq., boxed very well and showed excellent sportsmanship. While the match was a noncompetitive exhibition, Tim and I both worked hard to use good technique and make the match a crowd pleaser. We accomplished that. I know we did because of all the positive comments we got afterward.
The audience especially liked Round 2 because Tim and I really mixed it up in that round. We each landed quite a few good, hard punches and we got lots of applause and cheers. The bout went great and I was surprised at the seemingly endless stream of positive comments I was getting for the rest of the night.
I also got to spend some time with the Irish team; they're really friendly. The guys on the Chicago team were great, too. Most boxers don't fit the negative "thug" stereotype that much of society puts on them. From time to time, one meets someone he doesn't get along very well with, but by and large boxers have been some of the most cool, likeable people I've known.
After the bouts on Thursday, there was plenty of food which was great: traditional Irish cuisine. My club is a combined athletic and social club that goes back to 1890, so we have good dining facilities, an excellent chef, and a bar right onsite! It's neat. I stayed until closing time--midnight--and then headed home. Some of the guys on the Irish team were going out with one of the local boys, but I was wiped out at that point and needed to work on Friday.
Overall, the experience was amazing. It was the first time I had boxed in public since 1997, when I participated in a fundraising event for the DuPage County Bar Association. It was an evening of amateur boxing matches where all the boxers were lawyers. That was a great time, too.
On a related subject, I also had a funny experience on Thursday. One of the doctors who was there giving medical exams was telling me about how our coach and another coach on the South Side are talking about putting together an amateur boxing fundraising event featuring doctors vs. lawyers! (I believe the plan is to raise money for one of the children's medical charities.) The doctor is about my age, size, and level of experience.
The doc asked if I'd be interested in being his opponent if the event happens. I said, "Sure, sign me up." So it was kind of a friendly challenge. We'll see what happens. Could be a fun event for a good cause. Hopefully, I didn't accept the challenge from an endorphin rush-fueled bravado that will get me into trouble here. Hehe! We'll see how it goes and find out soon enough, I guess.
Finally, below are some photos of my boxing match with Tim O'Connor on March 16. I want to thank my buddy and fellow boxer, Jeff Petersen, for telling me that these photographs were already online on Saturday. Thus, I got to see them a few days earlier than I otherwise would have. Thanks, Jeff!
In all the photos, we are wearing protective headgear so it's hard to see our handsome mugs. It's still easy to tell who I am. I am wearing the navy blue T-shirt and the gray shorts. Also, Tim is taller than I am--about 7 inches. That height difference translated into a huge reach advantage that gave me plenty of trouble. Nevertheless, I persevered; when I remembered to get in close and stay in close, near the ropes and the corners, things went well. The center of the ring was not where I wanted to be with a guy who is so much taller than me.
Luckily, my friend Mark MacLeod--a very experienced and talented amateur boxer--was coaching me in the corner and reminded me to keep things simple and focus on scoring with straight punches--double left jab and the ol' one-two--rather than trying to pull off any fancy stuff. That helped immensely. Thanks, Mark!
Enjoy the photos!
Above: I (left) block Tim O'Connor's right and prepare to counter with my right.
Above: I (right) am on defense here, blocking Tim's left hook.
`
Above: I (right) throw my right over Tim's left, as he prepares to block with his right.
Above: Tim (right) and I (left) both connect with left jabs.
Above: I am on left, Tim is on right.
(From left to right): Tim, the referee, Steve, and Christine (Tim's then-fiancee, and now his wife--she presented the trophies to us).
All photographs on this page were taken by Glenn Faust. Photos Copyright © 2006 by Glenn Faust. All rights reserved. Photos used here by permission of the photographer.
Glenn Faust is available to photograph other events. Please contact him through his site on SmugMug.
There are a lot more photos of this event, showing all the boxers, at the following site:
http://glennfaust.smugmug.com/Sports
The event was a great time. I'm still feeling pumped up and in an extraordinarily good mood, a full 3 days after the match. It was a blast. My opponent and good friend, Tim O'Connor, Esq., boxed very well and showed excellent sportsmanship. While the match was a noncompetitive exhibition, Tim and I both worked hard to use good technique and make the match a crowd pleaser. We accomplished that. I know we did because of all the positive comments we got afterward.
The audience especially liked Round 2 because Tim and I really mixed it up in that round. We each landed quite a few good, hard punches and we got lots of applause and cheers. The bout went great and I was surprised at the seemingly endless stream of positive comments I was getting for the rest of the night.
I also got to spend some time with the Irish team; they're really friendly. The guys on the Chicago team were great, too. Most boxers don't fit the negative "thug" stereotype that much of society puts on them. From time to time, one meets someone he doesn't get along very well with, but by and large boxers have been some of the most cool, likeable people I've known.
After the bouts on Thursday, there was plenty of food which was great: traditional Irish cuisine. My club is a combined athletic and social club that goes back to 1890, so we have good dining facilities, an excellent chef, and a bar right onsite! It's neat. I stayed until closing time--midnight--and then headed home. Some of the guys on the Irish team were going out with one of the local boys, but I was wiped out at that point and needed to work on Friday.
Overall, the experience was amazing. It was the first time I had boxed in public since 1997, when I participated in a fundraising event for the DuPage County Bar Association. It was an evening of amateur boxing matches where all the boxers were lawyers. That was a great time, too.
On a related subject, I also had a funny experience on Thursday. One of the doctors who was there giving medical exams was telling me about how our coach and another coach on the South Side are talking about putting together an amateur boxing fundraising event featuring doctors vs. lawyers! (I believe the plan is to raise money for one of the children's medical charities.) The doctor is about my age, size, and level of experience.
The doc asked if I'd be interested in being his opponent if the event happens. I said, "Sure, sign me up." So it was kind of a friendly challenge. We'll see what happens. Could be a fun event for a good cause. Hopefully, I didn't accept the challenge from an endorphin rush-fueled bravado that will get me into trouble here. Hehe! We'll see how it goes and find out soon enough, I guess.
Finally, below are some photos of my boxing match with Tim O'Connor on March 16. I want to thank my buddy and fellow boxer, Jeff Petersen, for telling me that these photographs were already online on Saturday. Thus, I got to see them a few days earlier than I otherwise would have. Thanks, Jeff!
In all the photos, we are wearing protective headgear so it's hard to see our handsome mugs. It's still easy to tell who I am. I am wearing the navy blue T-shirt and the gray shorts. Also, Tim is taller than I am--about 7 inches. That height difference translated into a huge reach advantage that gave me plenty of trouble. Nevertheless, I persevered; when I remembered to get in close and stay in close, near the ropes and the corners, things went well. The center of the ring was not where I wanted to be with a guy who is so much taller than me.
Luckily, my friend Mark MacLeod--a very experienced and talented amateur boxer--was coaching me in the corner and reminded me to keep things simple and focus on scoring with straight punches--double left jab and the ol' one-two--rather than trying to pull off any fancy stuff. That helped immensely. Thanks, Mark!
Enjoy the photos!
Above: I (left) block Tim O'Connor's right and prepare to counter with my right.
Above: I (right) am on defense here, blocking Tim's left hook.
`Above: I (right) throw my right over Tim's left, as he prepares to block with his right.
Above: Tim (right) and I (left) both connect with left jabs.
Above: I am on left, Tim is on right.
(From left to right): Tim, the referee, Steve, and Christine (Tim's then-fiancee, and now his wife--she presented the trophies to us).
You can see more photos of my match at this Web page:
All photographs on this page were taken by Glenn Faust. Photos Copyright © 2006 by Glenn Faust. All rights reserved. Photos used here by permission of the photographer.
Glenn Faust is available to photograph other events. Please contact him through his site on SmugMug.
There are a lot more photos of this event, showing all the boxers, at the following site:
http://glennfaust.smugmug.com/Sports
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