George Chuvalo died yesterday, September 12th 92026).
That may not mean a lot to many, but for me, the death of George Chuvalo, means the death of a “HERO”.
George became a pro boxer in Toronto in 1956. About the same time, right here in Southampton, a Dutch immigrant named Jim Bakker, went to the town council to get punching bags, medicine balls, boxing gloves, skipping ropes, leather helmets, etc., so he could teach teenagers how to box. Jim had been a Middleweight Boxer in Holland before WWII.
The local Masons agreed to let us use the Masonic Lodge on Albert Street two nights a week to train. I recall very clearly that there was no goofing around. “If you want to learn, then watch, listen, and follow the instructions,” he would say emphatically, ”Do what I tell you.” He had a whistle. When he blew it. You stopped. On more than one occasion, someone would get the back of their legs snapped by the whistle cord. The way he did it “hurt”.
Learn we did. I was over 6 feet tall and 130 pounds, soaking wet, but I learned how to protect myself. We focused on defence even more than on attack. But we did box each other with clear instructions on finding openings in an opponent’s stance. When we did box each other, it was clear, do not punch to hurt.
Of course, there was one who came to learn how to fight and win. He was Calvin Piper. I wrote about him and his swimming prowess a while back. Cal did get to fight as an amateur, originally under the direction and coaching of Jim. A few years later, someone came up with “So you think that you are tough” public fighting competitions. Cal operated a Go Cart Track in Sicamous B, C. just off of the Trans Canada Highway. Close by was Kamloops B.C. It became the hot spot for “So you think that you are tough” events, and Cal became a star, enjoying fighting guys bigger than he was. He is still with us, living in Northern Alberta. Our mothers were cousins.
I went to Toronto to find an office job and I saw George Chuvalo fight more than a dozen times at the Gardens. Here is a remark from a fellow fighter about George. “He just keeps coming and coming. You cannot explain his strength. It would take a stick of dynamite to stop him.” George fought the best in the world. World Champion Mohammad Ali fought George to a 15-round, scorecard decision win and stated “George is the toughest man he had ever faced”. In 93 fights he, was never knocked down.
I got to meet George, once. He was a big hero in an industrial section of Toronto known as “The Junction”. Our company bought a tire plant there in the late 70s. I was there for two years as the Accountant. George came in for tires. The store manager came to me to ask if he could give George “the employee discount”. I went downstairs to the store and had a short chat with “MY HERO”. Yes, he got A discount.
May he rest in Peace.
