The Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame is a commemorative organization with plans to create a museum. It celebrates the history of

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...

in the state of

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

by honoring individuals whose achievements within the sport are noteworthy.

History

Though several individuals had previously considered creating a hall of fame for Minnesota boxing, it was noted boxing historian Jake Wegner who pulled together the local boxing community in 2009, filed for nonprofit status, and assembled a board of directors for the new hall. With Wegner as the president, the board consisted of Jeff Flanagan (Vice-President), Don Evans (Treasurer), Jim Wells (Secretary), Denny Nelson, Jim Carlin, and Wayne Bebeau. The inaugural class of inductees was announced on July 5, 2010 and the induction banquet took place on October 12, 2010. In April 2014, founder and President, Jake Wegner resigned from the organization. In May 2014, Jeff Flanagan was elected president. The Minnesota Boxing board consists of Vice President Denny Nelson, Secretary Jim Wells, Treasurer Don Evans, Executive board members Mark Nelson and Pete Holm.

Location

A permanent location for the museum has not been determined. www.mnbhof.org

Inductees

Class of 2010

Date: October 12, 2010 Venue: Jax Café Steakhouse. Minneapolis, MN * Del Flanagan *

Glen Flanagan Glen Flanagan (November 16, 1926 – January 28, 1979) was a featherweight professional boxer from Minnesota. Personal life Glen Flanagan was born and raised in St Paul, Minnesota. He and his wife Betty had six children, and Glen went on to ha ...

* Mike Gibbons *

Tommy Gibbons Thomas Joseph Gibbons (March 22, 1891 – November 19, 1960) was an American professional heavyweight boxer. Life and career He was born on March 22, 1891 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Thomas John Gibbons and Mary ( Burke) Gibbons. He had a brot ...

* Will Grigsby * Bill Kaehn *

Scott LeDoux Alan Scott LeDoux, nicknamed "The Fighting Frenchman," (January 7, 1949 – August 11, 2011) was a politician, professional heavyweight boxer, professional wrestler, and referee. Career Boxing LeDoux began his professional boxing career in 1 ...

Harris Martin Harris Martin (April 2, 1865 – April 26, 1903) was an American boxer known as "The Black Pearl". He declared himself the first colored middleweight champion of the world after a fight with "Black Frank" Taylor in Minneapolis in 1887. Harris ...

* Don Riley * Rafael Rodriguez * Dr. Sheldon Segal

Class of 2011

Date: October 11, 2011 Venue: Nicollet Island Pavilion. Minneapolis, MN * Charley Kemmick *

Mike O'Dowd Michael Joseph O'Dowd (April 5, 1895 in St. Paul, Minnesota – July 28, 1957) was an American boxer who held the World Middleweight Championship from 1917 to 1920. Biography O'Dowd won the title on November 14, 1917 by knocking out Al McCo ...

* Johnny Ertle *

Jackie Graves Jackie Graves (September 12, 1922 – November 15, 2005), alias "The Austin Atom", was a featherweight boxer from Minnesota. Personal life Graves was a native of Austin, Minnesota. Boxing career From 1944 to 1956 Graves compiled a career record ...

Duane Bobick Duane Bobick (born August 24, 1950) is a retired boxer from the United States. As an amateur he won the gold medal at the 1971 Pan American Games and fought at the 1972 Olympics. He then turned professional in 1973 and retired in 1979 with a rec ...

Mike Evgen Mike Evgen, alias ''The Rice Street Rocker'', is a retired welterweight professional boxer from Minnesota. Personal life Mike Evgen, as his nickname implies, is from the Rice Street neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota. At 5'6" tall, Evgen was ...

* Joe Daszkiewicz * Emmett Weller * George Barton

Class of 2012

Date: September 28, 2012 Venue: Mystic Lake Casino. Prior Lake, MN *

Oscar Gardner Oscar Gardner (May 19, 1872 - December 25, 1928) was an American bantamweight and featherweight boxer known as the Omaha Kid. He was a top contender for the Featherweight Championship of the World and the Featherweight Champion of America, though ...

* Jimmy Delaney * Billy Miske * Lee Savold * Jim Beattie * Jerry Slavin * Dick Cullum * Denny Nelson

Class of 2013

Date: September 27, 2013 Venue: Mystic Lake Casino. Prior Lake, MN *

Danny Needham Danny Needham (May 20, 1867 - September 12, 1922) was an American boxer. He was of Irish descent. He was based in St. Paul, Needham started his pro boxing career by challenging lightweight bare-knuckle champion Tommy Danforth to a fight. The figh ...

Jock Malone Jock may refer to: Common meanings * Jock (stereotype), a North American term for a stereotypical male athlete * Jock, a derogatory term for Scottish people mostly used by the English * Short for jockstrap, an item of male protective undergarmen ...

* Billy Petrolle * Pat O'Connor * Doug Demmings *

Gary Holmgren Gary Holmgren is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1984. Professional career Holmgren made his professional debut on May 15, 1974, with a first-round knockout win against Milton Buckley in St Paul, Minnesota. His fi ...

* Dan Schommer * Tony Stecher *

Jack Raleigh John Raleigh (born 31 March 1890, died 1969) was an Irish hurler who played for the Tipperary senior team. Raleigh made his first appearance for the team during the 1913 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until he ...

Class of 2014

Date: October 3, 2014 Venue: Mystic Lake Casino. Prior Lake, MN * King Tut * Jack Gibbons *

Bobby Rodriguez Bobby Rodriguez is a retired Super Featherweight boxer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Personal life Bobby Rodriguez is a member of Minnesota's illustrious Rodriguez family of boxers: Rafael, Kenny, Rudy, all of whom fought professionals; brother J ...

* Al Andrews * Jim Morgan *

Jimmy O'Hara James John O'Hara (born James John Ehrich; December 3, 1925 – January 17, 2002) was a commissioner and then executive secretary for the Minnesota Board of Boxing from 1976 to 2001. When O'Hara was appointed to the Minnesota Board of Boxing, he ...

Class of 2015

Date: October 2, 2015 Venue: Mystic Lake Casino. Prior Lake, MN *Danny Davis * Duane Horsman *Mel Brown *

Art Lasky Arthur Lakofsky (November 16, 1909 – April 2, 1980), also known as Art Lasky, was a heavyweight professional boxer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Personal life Lasky was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota on November 8, 1908, and called Minneapoli ...

* Charley Retzlaff * Sammy Gallop *Mike Collins *Jim Wells

Class of 2016

Date: October 14, 2016 Venue: Mystic Lake Casino. Prior Lake, MN *Rodney Bobick * Jim Hegerle *

Larry LaCoursiere Larry LaCoursiere, alias "Lightning," is a retired professional welterweight boxing, boxer from Hastings, Minnesota, Hastings, Minnesota. Boxing career LaCoursiere made his professional debut with a knockout win against Remuse Caffee at Roy Wilki ...

* Fred Lenhart *

My Sullivan My or MY may refer to: Arts and entertainment * My (radio station), a Malaysian radio station * Little My, a fictional character in the Moomins universe * ''My'' (album), by Edyta Górniak * ''My'' (EP), by Cho Mi-yeon Business * Market ...

*George Blair *

Leo Ryan Leo Joseph Ryan Jr. (May 5, 1925 – November 18, 1978) was an American teacher and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. representative from California's 11th congressional district from 1973 until his assassina ...

* Earl Kaehn * Pat Killen

Notes

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minnesota Boxing Hall Of Fame Boxing museums and halls of fame Halls of fame in Minnesota State sports halls of fame in the United States Sports museums in Minnesota Awards established in 2009