Ringside by Doveed Linder

Author:Doveed Linder
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-08-30T16:00:00+00:00

Professional boxing referee Steve Smoger (courtesy Craig Eagleson).

Early on, I realized that my calling in boxing was in the officiating aspect of the game. From 1974 to ’82, I worked as a referee on the amateur level. In 1978, I was an assistant city prosecutor with the city of Atlantic City. At the conclusion of my workday at City Hall, sometimes I would go to the Police Athletic League, so I could work on my craft in the ring, while the fighters sparred. One night, the phone rang and I picked it up. A voice said, “This is ‘Jersey’ Joe Walcott.” I just about fell on the floor! “Jersey” Joe was the Commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission at the time, and of course, being from New Jersey, I was always a big fan of his growing up. On September 23, 1952, I was there when Rocky Marciano got off the floor to stop “Jersey” Joe in the thirteenth round. I was two or three years old and I had no concept of what just happened. What I did know is that I lived in New Jersey and that the champion was “Jersey” Joe. When I learned that “Jersey” Joe had been knocked out, it brought me to tears. While everyone in the stadium was swarming Marciano, I said, “Dad, I want to see Jersey!” My father brought me over to the former champion and I reached out and touched his robe just before he disappeared into his dressing room. Over the years as an up-and-coming referee, I had become very close to “Jersey” Joe. I told him that story and he got a major kick out of it. As it turns out, that very story led to the delay of my licensing as a professional referee.

In 1981, with all of the fights that were being staged on the casino scene in Atlantic City, they had to increase the roles of the referees. The powers that be liked me. I was pronounced ready to go pro, but I was told that they just needed the appropriate time. I said, “What do you mean?” They said, “Joe is very closed mouth.” It was “Jersey” Joe who got to decide. They said, “Joe has a rhyme and a reason and you just have to sit still.” One night, “Jersey” Joe called me in to see him. I got there and he said, “Come on in, Steve. Remember that little story you told me about how you were upset the night I lost my title?” I said, “Yeah. It still sticks with me.” He said, “Today is the thirtieth anniversary thereof, and you will know for the rest of your career that you received your official license as a New Jersey professional boxing referee on September 23, 1982.” He then said, “I would have waited until eleven o’clock at night, because that’s when I got clipped, but I want you to work tonight.” That night, I ended up working a four-rounder at the Tropicana.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.