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Ed Brophy is the
Executive Director
of the International
Boxing Hall of Fame
in Cannastota , NY.
In 1990, as a
consequence of an
initiative by Ed to
honor Canastota's
world boxing
champions Carmen
Basilio and Billy
Backus, the city of
Canastota
inaugurated the new
museum, which
showcases boxing's
rich history. Award
winning artist
Richard T. Slone was
named their official
artist of the
International Boxing
Hall of Fame in 1997
and remains so to
this day.
Since 1990, the
IBHOF, under the
leadership of Brophy,
has added one wing
to the Museum and an
event pavilion
adjacent to the
Hall. The Hall holds
annual induction
ceremonies in early
June as the
highlight of a
four-day celebration
of boxing and its
legends. |
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These ceremonies are
attended by many
former world boxing
champions, boxing
celebrities and
Hollywood
celebrities.
Recently, I had
occasion to
interview Mr. Brophy
as follows:
Ted The Bull:
Hi Ed. I missed
going to the Hall
this past year but
I'll be attending
the Induction
Ceremonies in 2007.
Will there be
anything new for
2007?
Ed Brophy:
The highlight of the
weekend will honor
the middleweight
division. Among
other things, it
will mark the 50t
anniversary of
Carmen Basilio's
Ring magazine Fight
of the year....not
the only such fight
in which he was
involved. Carmen
engaged in five Ring
Magazine Fights of
the year We will
also be honoring the
late Sugar Ray
Robinson being named
Fighter of the Year.
The ceremonies will
run from June 7-10
and the NIGHT OF
MIDDLEWEIGHTS will
be celebrated at the
Rusty Nail Party
House on Friday
night, June 8.
This year the
Banquet of Champions
will be held at the
nearby Syracuse
Oncenter Complex
which will allow us
to accommodate more
people and implement
some other fun
ideas. The Syracuse
Chamber of commerce
has greatly
cooperated with the
Canastota Chamber in
this. As you know,
Ted, former
champions and
Canastota natives
Billy Backus and
Carmen Basilio both
won their titles in
Syracuse. It
promises to be a
spectacular affair.
The Banquet will on
Saturday night, June
9, and as always
will be preceded by
the popular Gala
Cocktail Reception
in Canastota at
5:30.
Bull: Sounds
super. The cocktail
reception, one of my
personal favorites,
is a great
opportunity to visit
up close and
personal with the
boxers and
inductees. By the
way, speaking of
inductees, one
question that keeps
popping up is the
process for
selecting them. Can
you shed some light
on that?
Ed: Well, we
at the Hall, our
staff, prepare the
ballots and send
them out to the
writers and
historians. The
distribution is an
international one.
Once they are
returned, the
results are tallied
by a professional
organization and
submitted to us.The
induction results
will be announced
(along with a press
kit) at a press
conference on
December 7, 2006
which is a month
earlier than normal.
We will continue
this practice in the
future in order to
give more
preparation and
travel time for the
attendees and also
avoid conflicts with
other ceremonies at
other Hall of Fames.
Bull: Any
plans for expansion
of the Hall? I
remember being
involved in a small
way with the new
Pavilion and that
was an exciting
addition. Anything
like that on the
horizon?
Ed: We have a
number of ideas for
the future that are
in the conceptual
stage. As you are
aware from your many
visits, the Hall
contains the World's
largest storage of
research material.
We have great files
on history, records
and we have a
storehouse of
magazines and
articles so we
likely will need a
library room down
the line. In this
connection, sketches
will be drafted in
2007 and hopefully
we will move into
that direction
shortly after, maybe
by 2009.
Bull: Put e
down as a financial
contributor when the
time comes, Ed. Now
then, a few years
back, I attended an
affair in Lantana,
MA (near Boston)
that was conducted
by the Hall. I
recall that Tommy
Morrison, Iran
Barkley, Jamie
Clampitt, Tony
Demarco and Micky
Ward were in
attendance. My wife
and I had a super
time. I know you
have had a few of
these in New York
state. Any chance
for some in Southern
New England in the
future?
Ed: We have
had then in many
different places and
they have all been
very positive.
Boston is a strong
boxing town and
there is a good
possibility we will
be having one down
in that area again.
Bull: I think
I know the answer to
this one before I
even ask it, but
I'll go ahead it
anyway. Any hints or
clues as to who the
inductees will be in
2007?
Ed: All I can
say is that the
December 7 press
conference will be
an exciting one and
I hope you attend to
find out who the
inductees are.
Bull: Great,
anything else you
would like to add?
Any plugs for the
Hall?
Ed: Well, we
are always
overwhelmed by the
support of the fans
and the boxing
community and the
networks without
whom it would be
difficult to
operate. We also
have a strong team
of local volunteers
from the Canastota
area to help keep
things running
smoothly. This will
be our 18th
anniversary. We have
made tremendous
progress over the
years and we are
already looking
forward to a big
20th anniversary
ceremony in 2009. In
closing, I'd like to
say let's keep the
magic alive and
rolling and let's
preserve the history
of boxing.
Bull: You
have been there from
the start, right,
Ed?
Ed: Yes
Bull: Thanks
so much. I'll see
you in June if not
sooner.
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