In Rusty’s Corner

Rusty Rubin is a veteran boxing writer

“Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?”

No one should be shocked that Ricky Hatton has admitted to a drug problem. Well, maybe freely admitting it, would be the surprise. Then again, it could be another cry for help.

I’ve long-stated that boxing is a microcosm of our society. Sports in general can be described that way. And as part of our society, sports are also plagued by drug abuse.

We don’t have to look back to see other professionals who are tied to drugs, particularly in the field of entertainment. But while these actors/actresses do the drug trip, for the most part, the only people they tend to hurt is themselves. It’s their lives and if they want to self-destruct, who are we to interfere?

Yeah, I know there have been many incidents of innocent folks hurt or even killed by these under the influence, but is that really comparable? It’s not like the public worries about wasting good money on a movie, like they may do on pay-per-view boxing.

If the crowd pays hard-earned money to watch fighters, don’t these combatants owe them the respect of performing their best, without performance enhancing drugs?

Although I’ve been blessed to have been able to cover other sports over the years, my major interest is still in boxing. I write this column because as a long time boxing scribe, I also vote for both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. I don’t want my vote wasted on fighters who can’t fight without the help of steroids.

I don’t have any figures on how many fighters use steroids, hopefully very few. Still, boxing, like so-many other major sports, has had its’ share of drug problems. To my mind, there is no place for any performance enhancing drugs in our society. If you can’t make it on your own, you shouldn’t get credit for performing ‘under the influence!’ And you sure don’t deserve my vote for any boxing Hall of Fame.

Steroids can often give the user an unfair advantage and make the combatant a far more dangerous opponent in the ring. Again, the fan has to pay good money to see a fighter under the influence put on, what should be considered, no more than a facade. In tough economic times like this, isn’t that a bit much to ask?

Often, we can’t prove the abuse occurred, but I think we all pretty much accept that athletes like Evander Holyfield, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and others didn’t grow all that extra muscle that quickly, naturally. We may not be able to prove they took performance enhancing drugs, but we certainly have ample reasons to suspect it.

At times a player/athlete comes clean like Mark Maguire, Sammy Sosa, etc. and while that doesn’t make what they did right, their enhanced ‘feats’ should be noted on their records along with an asterisk to denote steroid abuse.

Obviously we can’t clean up the sport of boxing (or any sport) entirely, but we can punish the abuser. How? By not only banish him/her for a stipulated period of time, but put an asterisk after every fight the pugilist tests positive for. And, while we’re at it, let’s put two asterisks next to the name of his opponent, showing that the result of that particular fight is questionable at best.

It’s even more important to do this when we boxing writers cast our votes for the boxing Hall’s of Fames. I certainly don’t want to see and reward a fighter entry into these hallowed halls who has not earned that entry on the fair and square, unless of course there’s that little asterisk next to the fighters name.

Perhaps an ‘S’ by the name, if the inductee is suspected of using steroids, but not proven.

It’s hard to look back. How do we know that an athlete was juiced, and when did we know it?

All competitive sports are vulnerable to drug excesses. It is that extra edge the athlete feels he needs to earn a bigger payday.

Hank Aaron’s homerun record has been tainted as well as so many others.

Records are made to be broken. But those set legitimately should be separated by those done under the influence.

In baseball they used to play a 154 game season, now it’s 162. In most other major sports the season also used to be shorter. Doesn’t it make sense that the longer the season the better your chance for setting a record that may never is broken?

To be fair, we know of plenty of fighters and other athletes of their day set records when they were influenced by alcohol, something a lot harder to do.

I don’t pretend to know the answers to these questions. I’m not sure there are any. I do know there has to be some way to distinguish between eras, and the athletes who played and set records during that time.

“Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?”

This article is written while under the influence…..of clean, fresh, mountain air.

Glove 2 Glove:

Prayers for ex-fighter Brian ‘Bam Bam’ Scott, who passed away of natural causes at age 41.

Also prayers requested for the soul of boxing gal Audrey Rinehart Shaffer, from the IBRO, who went to meet her final reward recently.

Prayers for the complete return to good health to my old friend, promoter, and ex-wrestler Jack ‘Moe’ Smith who had complete reconstructive knee surgery a couple of weeks back. Moe’s a fighter and making a complete recovery.

Tough fighter and great competitor Scott LeDoux, who was always in shape (as I prefer to remember him). Scott has ALS and has been given less than six months to live.

Sad to report that Genaro Hernandez’ cancer has returned. We ask for your prayers to help “Chicanito” in his battle against this relentless foe.

Prayers for the return to health of Casey Guerrero, wife of popular boxer, Robert. “The Ghost’s” wife is having a recurring bout with leukemia.

Please pray for my Aussie mates and Glove2Glove member John MacDougall, who had to deal with health problems for his wife of many years, Gwen to a nursing home. Both need your prayers for recovery and inner strength.

On behalf of these great fighters who have given their all in our great sport, we thank you for your ongoing prayers.

If you know of any boxing people in need of spiritual uplift and/or prayers? Just drop us a line. Membership is free to all and no one will ever contact you except for prayer requests, or put your name on anyone’s mailing list. Every prayer request is welcome and I know the recipient will appreciate it.

God listens!

To join us, or just request needed prayers, drop Dave Wilcox a line at ubtdave@earthlink.net

Glove2Glove, which has been a long-time integral part of the defunct Ringsports.com magazine and website. It is a program I wish to continue a long after I have left the sport and this earth. I want to thank Dave and Deborah Wilcox, who have offered to take over the program and promised to continue it indefinitely. This generous offer means a lot to me. We always welcome new members.***

Thanks and God bless.***

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and for great holiday gifts, let me suggest a couple of books for the loved one in your life to read.

Rusty Rubin, who was formerly the award winning managing editor of Ringsports.com as well as the currently defunct Ringsports Magazine, is the author of three acclaimed boxing books! “Woozel, Boxing and Me”, “Off the Canvas” and “Billy Soose, the Champion Time Forgot” co-authored by Tom Donelson. These
books are available at Authorhouse.com, and all major book retailers. They are all more than worth the purchase price.

In these hard economic times, any or all of these books will make an excellent and inexpensive presents to the boxing fan(s) in your life. They are especially appreciated gifts if the recipient is tired of watching re-runs of sit-coms and the far-less than significant reality shows.

You and the gift recipient will be glad you did!***

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