OnFocus Halls of Fame Spotlight: International Boxing Hall of Fame
Our mission is to honor and preserve boxing’s rich heritage, chronicle the achievements of those who excelled and provide an educational experience for our many visitors.
FOR DECADES the boxing community looked on with envy as legends from other sports were inducted into their respective halls of fame. The shrines to baseball, football and basketball are located in the ancestral homes to those sports. But boxing has no such geographical origin. Although organized pugilism as we know it originated in England, the sport’s epicenter moved across to America around the same time that the sun began to set on Queen Victoria’s empire.
Beginning with the reign of heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan more than a century ago, professional boxing champions have been among the most celebrated athletes in history. And the epic championship battles they waged can be found on the annual lists of top sports stories. But for years there was no structure or independent entity to chronicle and preserve boxing’s rich history.
The idea for a boxing hall of fame germinated out of a town’s love for two of its hometown boys who became world champions. In 1982 residents of Canastota, NY decided to honor former welterweight and middleweight champion of the late 1950s, Carmen Basilio, and his nephew, Billy Backus, who won the world welterweight title in 1970. The townspeople raised funds for a showcase that would celebrate the achievements of their two local heroes.
The success and enthusiasm for that project encouraged Canastotians to explore the possibility of establishing boxing’s first hall of fame and museum. That project was completed in 1989, when two dozen former champions witnessed the ribbon cutting ceremony of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. A year later the first class of boxing legends, including Muhammad Ali, were on hand to receive their long overdue enshrinement. Since then the Hall of Fame has added one wing to the Museum and an event pavilion adjacent to the Hall. The Hall of Fame holds an annual induction ceremony in early June as the highlight of a four-day celebration of boxing and its legends.
LOCATION
The International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York is located at exit 34 of the New York State Thruway (Route 90). Exit 34 is approximately 20 minutes East of Syracuse, New York.
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY – SATURDAY – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SUNDAY – CLOSED
ADMISSION
$15.50 – Adults
$14.50 – Senior Citizens (age 65 and over)
$10.50 – Youth (ages 7-15)
Free – Age 6 and younger
GROUP RATES – Groups of 10 or more receive $1 off admission price per person
CONTACT / DIRECTIONS
Mailing Address:
International Boxing Hall of Fame
1 Hall of Fame Drive
Canastota, NY 13032
For GPS / Mapquest:
International Boxing Hall of Fame
360 North Peterboro Street
Canastota, NY 13032
Phone: (315) 697-7095
Fax: (315).697.5356
************************************************************
Know some top athletic performances? Seeing some great teams in action?
We can use your help, and it’s simple. Witness some great performances? Hear about top athletes and top teams in our area?
Nominate an athlete or team: HERE
Pancakes or Waffles! We feature top area athletes with our world-renowned feature. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
Baked or Fried! We also feature difference makers throughout central Wisconsin: coaches, booster club leaders, adminstration, volunteers, you name it. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
College Athlete Roundup! We want to recognize student-athletes from the area who are competing at the college level. Send us information on college athletes from the area with our simple form HERE
Where are they Now? We feature athletes and difference makers from the past, standouts in sports who excelled over the years and have moved on. Know of a former athlete, coach or difference maker who we should feature? Know of a former standout competitor whose journey beyond central Wisconsin sports is one we should share? Send us information on athletes and difference makers of the past with our simple form HERE
We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!
Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
