Al Gavin Left Off New List of Inductees
Another year has come and and gone, but the glaring omission of Al Gavin's name on the list of inductees to the International Boxing Hall of Fame continues.
The world-renowned cutman and gym proprietor who touched thousands of lives during his half century of service to the sweet science still remains on the outside looking in.
If there is anyone who deserves enshrinement into the Hall, it's Al Gavin.
There is not one soul in the sport who will disagree. Gavin's importance goes beyond his recordable achievements and statistics. His dedication, kindness, tutelage and friendship to the scores he crossed paths with - from champions to club fighters, to trainers, managers, sportswriters etc.- puts him in the pantheon of boxing greats.
Yet, the INHOF does not recognize him.
Al Gavin is perhaps omitted because he was a class act in sport where class is not valued. The way he lived his life and dedicated himself to his craft and his subjects is something rarely seen not only in boxing, but in any walk of life these days.
If it were not for Al, and many like him such as his partner Bob Jackson, boxing would have been dead long ago. He was from a generation that preserved rather than destroyed. He built bridges, not walls.
He loved boxing and dedicated life to helping all willing participants. Unlike many in his position, he helped people. He wasn't a user. He was Boxing's good guy.
The Hall should rewarded him years ago, before his untimely death in 2004. Now, six years later, they have failed once again to bring class into their fold.
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