Approximately 50 years ago, that company employed a delivery boy from the U.S. Virgin Islands named Emile Griffith.
While Albert, a long-time Secaucus resident, always had an interest in boxing, dating back to his days as an amateur boxer while growing up in the Bronx, he never really got interested in the fight game until he saw that delivery boy.
"We had a little hat manufacturing company and Emile made deliveries for us," Albert said. "Since I had boxed before, I knew something about what it took to be a boxer, and this kid looked like a boxer. I read about Gil Clancy in the newspaper and I knew Gil worked boxers out in a gym near our company. I never met Gil before. Gil was a school teacher who was training boxers. So I brought Emile to Gil, and the rest, as they say, was history."
Griffith went on to become one of the world's most famous boxers, a six-time world champion who held both the welterweight and middleweight titles.
With assistance from the world famous Clancy, Albert managed and trained Griffith for all of his nearly 100 professional fights.
"Emile got me into the pro game," Albert said. "He's also the one who brought me to Gil Clancy, or I brought him to Gil Clancy. Something like that."
Cassius Clay
Albert got to work alongside of Clancy more than 250 times during their working ringside association, including one afternoon in the old Madison Square Garden in 1962.
"Gil got a call from Angelo Dundee, who wanted us to work in the corner with this up-and-coming heavyweight, fighting in the Garden for the first time," Albert recalled. "We didn't know who it was."
Turned out to be the recent Olympic champion named Cassius Clay. Everyone today knows him as Muhammad Ali. Albert got a chance to work in the corner in Ali's first-ever fight in the Garden.
Stories and events such as these are what enabled Albert to get inducted into the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame last Thursday evening at the Casino-in-the-Park in Jersey City.
The 85-year-old Albert was one of 17 Hudson County sports legends to earn induction in the 17th annual induction dinner and ceremonies. He was the lone representative from Secaucus.
Throughout his illustrious career as a boxing manager, trainer and corner man, Albert worked with an assortment of boxing champions, most notably Griffith, who called Weehawken home for many years and was known to frequent Jack Miller's Pub in Jersey City after his career was over.
Albert was ringside at Madison Square Garden on March 24, 1962, when Griffith fought Benny "The Kid" Paret for the world welterweight title, a fight that was broadcast on NBC national television as part of the Gillette Cavalcade of Stars Friday Night Fights.
A fight that killed an opponent
In the 12th round, Griffith, angered by Paret calling him a "maricon," or "homosexual" in Spanish, pummeled Paret unconscious and into a coma. Griffith hit Paret with as many as 17 undefended right hands, while a national TV audience watched in horror.
Because of the negative feedback of an audience watching a man getting beaten to death on live national television, NBC would not air a live boxing match for another decade.
Paret died nine days later, and Griffith was never the same fighter ever again, although he remained a top-ranked professional for seven more years.
The entire fight and incident was the focus of a documentary entitled, "Ring of Fire," which has been aired a few times in recent days, considering that it was the 45th anniversary of that fatal fight.
Rest of his career
Albert was Griffith's manager throughout his entire career and traveled to more than 32 countries representing Griffith.
Over the course of his career, Albert worked with some of the greats of the game, names like George Foreman, Vito Antuofermo, Mustafa Hamsho, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, James "Buddy" McGirt, Jerry and Mike Quarry, "Razor" Ruddock, Pernell Whittaker and Jersey City's Joe Gatti, the older brother of Arturo Gatti.
During his career, Albert has been inducted to the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame (1990), was named Boxing's Manager of the Year (1982) and received two awards from the Boxing Writers' Association for Man of the Year once and for honesty and integrity another year. He was also a member of the New York State Athletic Commission in the 1980s.
Albert says that he maintains a close relationship with Clancy, who was the featured analyst on CBS Sports boxing cards for many years.
"I speak to Gil almost every day," Albert said.
Albert was very thankful for receiving the award, especially alongside his own personal trainer. "Every fighter needs to have a good corner man," Albert said. "I have my own corner man, my wife, Carol, who keeps me going. She keeps me alive."
Jim Hague can be reached at jhague@hudsonreporter.com or ogsmar@aol.com.
Post a Comment