Hunting with Mike

The name of this blog is “Hunting with Mike-from field to freezer and “in between!” From time to time I may write about a subject that has nothing to do with hunting; thus the “in between.” The above picture is of my grandson Kyle Pafford and my very good friend Joe Giarmo. It’s no accident to snap a picture of Joe in a boxing pose, as he has trained, and coached, boxers for over 60 years.

Joe is 91 years old, and still living the independent life. In fact I met him just a couple days ago at Tim Horton’s for coffee and a croissant. Joe’s wife Dorthy has been gone for almost 30 years, and Joe misses her dearly still! They had two children Antony (Tony) and Kay. Tony was a top notch athlete for Monroe High School, and a champion golden gloves boxer. He passed away unexpectedly several years ago!

Joe was an undefeated middleweight in his younger days, and started training fighters after his stint in Europe during World War II. Joe was one of five Giarmo brothers to serve this country during the “war to end all wars!” Now only Joe (the oldest) his brother “Jimmy” and his sister are left from this proverbial Italian family. Joe started training boxers in the basement of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Newport Michigan. Over the years he moved his “ring” many times, and for most of those years had it set up in his garage. Joe took in hundreds of “street” kids over the years, and gave them the skills and discipline they needed to make something of their lives. A few years back Joe’s daughter Kay honored her dad with a “Joe Giarmo Day” at the Knights of Columbus, and it was a sell out-over 600 people attended.

Joe was once chosen as a trainer for the U.S. Olympic boxing team and worked with a young Kentucky kid named Cassius Clay. One of Joe’s Monroe fighters was also on that team by the name of Waymon Grey. Over the years Joe’s boxers took more than their share of boxing trophies, tournament, and titles. One fighter Joe had worked with is Bronco McKart (former middleweight world champion) who is still active in the sport. Joe’s “boys” are very dear to him, and not a day goes by when he doesn’t think of his “team!” Some of those young men are approaching their 70’s themselves, but Joe still considers them “his boys.” I can’t say as I know of any other person who has given so much of themselves to a community. Joe’s boxing club was primarily funded by Joe himself, and he always put the welfare of those kids above his own.

Today we have in Monroe “Joe’s Boxing Club”that rents a portion of the “Powerhouse Gym.” Two of Joe’s “kids”now run the club. Todd Riggs (former pro) and Ryan Wilburn (boxing pro-toughman) now head up the stable of “young guns!” Joe still gives these young pugilist pointers, but he gets more enjoyment out of the constant hugs he gets when he goes to the gym. Joe practiced “tough love,” but he always tempered it with a fathers tenderness. Joe you are a hero’s hero, a mans man, and a exemplary example to all mankind. Thank you Joe for caring. The world is a much better place because of you, and I am blessed and honored to call you a friend. May God continue to abundantly bless you.

Mike

This entry was posted on Friday, January 25th, 2008 at 7:34 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.