jcollingsworth
Guest
Making The List: Nate Brooks
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
(photo courtesy of www.cleveland.com)
How many boxers do you know from The Ohio State University?
Don’t be so presumptuous ….
The Ohio State University does have a Boxing Club. The National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) was founded in 1976 as a non-profit, autonomous organization whose goal is to provide a safe, positive experience for student athletes pursuing the sport of boxing. The association falls under the auspices of USA Boxing. After 1960, the NCAA no longer sanctioned boxing.
So there!
I somehow just needed to say all that – because today I have decided to pick a Boxer for Making the List.
Early Years
Nate Eugene Brooks was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 4, 1933. His family promoted his talents early on in his life as he had picked up the sport quickly, being called a natural. In 1950 Nate would dominate the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in the Flyweight division by a KO in the third against Jimmy Quinn of Los Angeles and the Inter-city Golden Gloves’ Championship at flyweight against Sharkey Lewis. The year 1951 was a big one for Nate. He won the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions at bantamweight by decision vs. Davey Moore and the Intercity Golden Gloves’ Championship at bantamweight vs. Lulu Perez. Additionally, as a member of the Chicago Golden Gloves Team representing the United States vs. Europe he was awarded the decision vs. Jacques Dumesnil of France at bantamweight.
Olympics
Brooks would make the USA Team in 1952 and represent the United States in the 1952 Olympics held in Helsinki. In his chase for Gold he would defeat Risto Luukkonen (Finland) 3-0, moving to the next round by defeating Alfred Zima (Austria) 3-0, then Mircea Dobrescu (Romania) 2-1, followed by Willie Toweel (South Africa) 3-0. In the final (Gold Medal Event) Nate defeated Edgar Basel (West Germany) 3-0. The 1952 Olympic Flyweight Champion would be Nate Brooks of The United States of America.
Post Olympics
Nate turned professional shortly after the amateur successes that he had. But his professional career would never pan out as well. In 1956 Nate retired from boxing and enrolled into The Ohio State University where he would study Law.
Great athletes from The Ohio State University are not necessarily determined during their stay in Columbus. Nate Brooks is clear evidence of this. A Gold Medal winner in boxing “became” a Buckeye following his triumphs in the ring – understanding the prestige and honor generated in the details of moving on from one great achievement in his life to another.
Nate Brooks is an open and shut case to Making the List, primarily because he is a Gold Medal winner in boxing – a claim no other Buckeye can make. But he also deserves to be included on the list with so many Great Buckeyes because of his determination to better his life at a time when most wither away – relishing in past memories. Nate Brooks is as much of a Great Buckeye as any whom I have previously mentioned.
The post Making The List: Nate Brooks appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
(photo courtesy of www.cleveland.com)
How many boxers do you know from The Ohio State University?
Don’t be so presumptuous ….
The Ohio State University does have a Boxing Club. The National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) was founded in 1976 as a non-profit, autonomous organization whose goal is to provide a safe, positive experience for student athletes pursuing the sport of boxing. The association falls under the auspices of USA Boxing. After 1960, the NCAA no longer sanctioned boxing.
So there!
I somehow just needed to say all that – because today I have decided to pick a Boxer for Making the List.
Early Years
Nate Eugene Brooks was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 4, 1933. His family promoted his talents early on in his life as he had picked up the sport quickly, being called a natural. In 1950 Nate would dominate the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in the Flyweight division by a KO in the third against Jimmy Quinn of Los Angeles and the Inter-city Golden Gloves’ Championship at flyweight against Sharkey Lewis. The year 1951 was a big one for Nate. He won the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions at bantamweight by decision vs. Davey Moore and the Intercity Golden Gloves’ Championship at bantamweight vs. Lulu Perez. Additionally, as a member of the Chicago Golden Gloves Team representing the United States vs. Europe he was awarded the decision vs. Jacques Dumesnil of France at bantamweight.
Olympics
Brooks would make the USA Team in 1952 and represent the United States in the 1952 Olympics held in Helsinki. In his chase for Gold he would defeat Risto Luukkonen (Finland) 3-0, moving to the next round by defeating Alfred Zima (Austria) 3-0, then Mircea Dobrescu (Romania) 2-1, followed by Willie Toweel (South Africa) 3-0. In the final (Gold Medal Event) Nate defeated Edgar Basel (West Germany) 3-0. The 1952 Olympic Flyweight Champion would be Nate Brooks of The United States of America.
Post Olympics
Nate turned professional shortly after the amateur successes that he had. But his professional career would never pan out as well. In 1956 Nate retired from boxing and enrolled into The Ohio State University where he would study Law.
Great athletes from The Ohio State University are not necessarily determined during their stay in Columbus. Nate Brooks is clear evidence of this. A Gold Medal winner in boxing “became” a Buckeye following his triumphs in the ring – understanding the prestige and honor generated in the details of moving on from one great achievement in his life to another.
Nate Brooks is an open and shut case to Making the List, primarily because he is a Gold Medal winner in boxing – a claim no other Buckeye can make. But he also deserves to be included on the list with so many Great Buckeyes because of his determination to better his life at a time when most wither away – relishing in past memories. Nate Brooks is as much of a Great Buckeye as any whom I have previously mentioned.
The post Making The List: Nate Brooks appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...