By any chance is anyione here heading to the Hall of Fame in New York this June????? A TREMENDOUS time...
I'll be there. I've gone every year for the weekend since 2008 and love it every time. It's really a great thing they have and from what I've seen and heard, it definitely has the most fan/celebrity interaction out of any of the hall of fames.
I've been the last two years...really amazing stuff...I walked into Graziano's the first night I was ever there (2011) and Angelo Dundee was at a table, Leon Spinks was there, too...Chuck Zito and Frank Stallone were at another table, I know Frank and we were talking for a while and suddenly this guy appears and is talking to Chuck a few feet away. I'm thinking, "wow, this guy looks familiar but I cant place him." When the guy walks away I ask Chuck, "Who was that guy?" He says, "That's Tom Patti from L.A., one of Tyson's good friends." AMAZING...I had fought Tom in the Golden Gloves 24 years earlier!!!! He came back after and we hung out for a while. THAT is the kind of stuff that happens at the HOF all the time...
Yep. I met Barry McGuigan and Buddy McGirt on the HOF grounds before any of the events or really anybody was around. Both are very, very nice and great people. It's just awesome to walk around and everywhere you look there are great fighters and trainers. I will definitely miss being able to see Angelo Dundee and Bert Sugar at any given time, though. Those two were true characters and boxing won't see anyone like them again.
It's high on my dream list, but no way. I'll ask a small favor, though: Will you please make a thread when you get back, share some stories and or pictures? That would be great. I would really appreciate it and I'm sure others on the board would as well.