New York State Boxing HOF – Class of 2020 induction dinner Sept. 19

New York State Boxing HOF – A family affair for Bobby Cassidy, Jr.

Long Island journalist/producer Bobby Cassidy Jr. will join his father, Bobby Cassidy Sr., in the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF). Originally scheduled for April 19, 2019, the induction dinner was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions until Sunday afternoon, September 19 (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), once again at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

The 28-member Class of 2019 will be honored at the ninth NYSBHOF induction dinner, which is sponsored by Ring 8. There will not be a Class of 2021 due to pandemic.

New York City guidelines mandates all attendees must be vaccinated to attend indoor events.

Bobby Cassidy, Sr. (2013) and Jr. are the fourth son and father tandem inducted into the NYSBHOF, but the first boxer/journalist combination. The others are boxers Floyd and Tracy Patterson, executive administrators Bobby and Murray Goodman, and referees Arthur, Sr. and Arthur Mercante, Jr.

“It’s quite an honor to be inducted into the same Hall of Fame as my da.” Bobby, Jr. said. “He’s the one responsible for my love of boxing. The sport of boxing provides us with so many rich stories. It’s been a privilege to cover the sport.”

Bobby, Jr. has worked in boxing in various roles for Newsday during the past quarter-century.  He started covering boxing in 1987, when he started as a reporter for The Ring magazine, and Bobby has written about boxing for Newsday, New York Post, Los Angeles Times, ESPN.com, British Boxing News and Ringside Seat Magazine.

During the course of his decorated writing career, Cassidy has worked more than 200 world title fights and covered a Who’s Who of boxing, including stars such as “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearn’s Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar de la Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones, Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Errol Spence, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Vasily Lomachenko.

The Cassidy’s father-son bond led Bobby, Jr. to write the play, “Kid Shamrock,” based on his father’s life, which was produced Off Broadway four times from 2007 to 2012. He has worked in Newsday’s multimedia department for the last 12 years and produced numerous award-winning documentaries for Newsday.

Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include three-time World light heavyweight title challenger Jorge Ahumada (42-8-2, 22 KOs), of Woodside, Queens by way of Argentina; (1975-78) WBC super featherweight World Champion Alfredo “El Salsero” Escalera (53-14-3, 31 KOs), of New York City by way of Puerto Rico; WBC super featherweight World title challenger Freddie “The Pitbull” Liberatore (20-4-1, 11 KOs), of Bayside, Queens; WBC middleweight World Champion and four-time New York Golden Gloves winner Dennis “The Magician” Milton (16-5-1, 5 KOs), of Bronx; World heavyweight title challenger and two-time New York Golden Gloves winner Lou Savarese (46-7, 38 KOs), of Greenwood Lake; and WBA super middleweight title World title challenger Merqui “El Corombo” Sosa (34-9-2, 27 KOs), of Brooklyn by way of the Dominican Republic.

Posthumous participants being inducted are Brooklyn welterweight Soldier Bartfield (51-29-8, 33 KOs), who fought a reported 55 world champions; Bronx middleweight Steve Belloise (95-13-3, 59 KOs); NYSAC and World lightweight champion (1925) Jimmy Goodrich (85-34-21 (12 KOs), of Buffalo; World heavyweight title challenger Tami Mauriello (82-13-1, 60 KOs), of Bronx; WBA light middleweight World champion (1982-83) and four-consecutive New York Golden Gloves titlist Davey “Sensational” Moore (18-5, 14 KOs), of Bronx; and World lightweight champion Freddie “The Welsh Wizard” Welch (74-5-7, 34 KOs), of New York City by way of Wales.

Joining Cassidy, Jr. among the living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are Oneida judge Don Ackerman, Wantah, Buffalo manager Rick Glaser, Rockaway Beach journalist Jack Hirsch, Bronx boxing broadcaster Max Kellerman, Orangeburg judge Julie Lederman, Hyde Park referee Ron Lipton, and Staten Island/Catskill trainer Kevin Rooney.

Posthumous non-participant inductees are Ardsley ringside physician/NY Medical Director Dr. William Lathan, Brooklyn’s Ring Magazine editor Lester Bromberg, New York City sportswriter Dan Daniel, Brooklyn’s Gleason’s Gym founder Bobby Gleason, Sunnyside, Queens boxing writer Flash Gordan, Manhattan journalist A.J. Liebling, Long Island City’s NYSBHOF co-founder Tony Mazzarella and New York City manager Dan Morgan.

There are a number of other firsts regarding some Class of 2020 inductees: husband-wife Dr. William and Melvina Lathan (Class of 2018), and daughter-father Julie and Harold (Class of 2012) Lederman.

Welch is going into the NYSBHOF as a boxer, but he also managed fellow Class of 2020 inductee Goodrich.

Each attending inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.

The 2020 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members: Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, Jim Monteverde and Neil Terens.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.

Tickets are priced at $150.00 per adult and $60.00 for children (under 16) and IT includes a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET, as well as a full course dinner (prime rib, fish, or poultry) and open bar throughout the day. Tickets are available to purchase by contacting NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304 or depcomish@aol.com.

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