For the past 51 years the Brigade of Midshipmen has cheered as champions emerged from competition during the Brigade Boxing Finals. Tonight’s event held at Halsey Field House, will determine the 1992 Yard boxing champions. They will join a long line of distinguished graduates who displayed early leadership in the ring.

Boxing, a popular sport at the Naval Academy, began in 1865 as a recreational activity. Academy boxers took on intercollegiate competitors in 1920, and held varsity ranking through the following decade. Navy boxing estabnlished an 11 year undefeated record versus other college teams during that time. In 1941, Navy boxing retired from the varsity ring, but retained its loyal following as one of the most popular brigade intercollegiate club sports.

“We teach boxing to midshipman in physical education class,” said midshipman boxing Coach Jim McNally. “Those who become interested enough may join the academy’s boxing team, made up of 12 different weight classes.”

The weight classes begin at 112 #’s and go up to above 190 #’s to the heavyweight class. McNally and his assistant coach, Ron Stutzman, keep the boxing program going throughout the year. “We start Midshipmen boxing in the beginning of the Fall semester,” said McNally. “Battalion boxing begins then, with all six battalions boxing each other. This year we had 75 battalion bouts. Then we go into Brigade bocing, which eventually trains us for the intercollegiate championships. During the quarter finals of the Brigade boxing matches we held nine bouts. In last week’s semi-finals we held 18 bouts, and in tonight’s Boxing Finals, we’ll hold 11 championship bouts.”

After the Boxing Finals, the runner-up considered the most worthy opponent will have a chance to challenge the boxing champions in a “box-off”, at the Macdonough Hall gym. Coach McNally wants to devise the best Navy boxing team for outside competition. “We may have a real close decision in the Brigade Boxing Finals or semi-finals,” explains McNally. “So we give noteworthy opponents an opportunity to box the champs. But that challenger must beat the Brigade Boxing Champs twice in the box-off to make the Naval Academy’s Boxing Team. The Brigade’s champs do not always make the intercollegiate team. We’ve devised this box-off system so that we can take our strongest Midshipmen boxers to regional competition. Usually a 12 man team is taken to regionals, but this year we do not have a 112 # boxer, so we’ll just take 11 guys to the competition.”

Regional matches will be held at the Naval Academy this year on March 20 and 21. Winners of the regional competition will go on to the National Intercollegiate Championships, held in April at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.

“Air Force is the toughest teamgoing right now,” said McNally. “They’ve won nine National competitions in the last ten years. Army is real strongthis year too. Army has three or four boxers on its team who have National championship capabilities. And the University of Nevade is known for its boxing champions as well.”

Probably the best champions are born out of daily practice in the gym. And Midshipmen boxers practice as hard as any other team – just ask their coach. “Our people are in the gym every day,” said McNally. “Some of these guys have been practicing since school began in September. Some of them will box in the battalion and Brigade matches, and compete intercollegiately. So, we box from September through April.” McNally and his Staff also work with plebes during their summer training at the academy. Plebe boxing is held throughout their six week training, and ends with the annual Boxing Smoker.

He explained that collegiate boxing on the varsity level hit its peak in the 1930’s and 40’s. A lot of Big 10 schools began recruiting college boxers, and some were giving boxing scholarships. Most other schools were not recruiting, therefore a large disparity started to exist between programs. Boxers coming out of the military and the Golden Glove Programs had hundreds of bouts behind them. You would see them going up against novice boxers with maybe only five previous bouts. Obviously, boxers were getting hurt in these mismatches. The NCAA decided to drop boxing as a sanctioned program in 1960.

Then about five colleges in California decided to form their own league to keep intercollegiate boxing alive. They called it the Californa Intercollegiate Boxing Conference. They boxed among themselves but changed the sport, making better rules for novices. Then in the 1970’s, Pennsylvania schools formed the Eastern Collegiate Boxing Association, or ECBA. In 1976 they got together with schools in the West Coast to form the NCBA(National Collegiate Boxing Association). They held the first National Championships that year. There are now four regions: The ECBA North; ECBA South; Midwest Collegiate Boxing Association and the Western Collegiate Boxing Association. There are approximately 35 active intercollegiate boxing teams within these four regions.

Boxing is a rather unique sport which also carries a few misnomers according to McNally. “Anyone who boxes will tell you about the individual skill and stamina it takes to be successful,” he said. “You have to be in fantastic shape to box. In physical education class the mids only box two one-minute rounds. In Brigade boxing we hold three, two-minute rounds. Every Mid is exhausted after just two minutes. It really gives them an appreciation for the higher levels of amateur boxing.”

“To go out there and give punches – and take punches – requires a certain mindset,” admits McNally. “It doesn’t mean you have to be punch crazy, but it does mean you have to be of strong will. Boxing builds self confidence and gives you what it takes to overcome other obstacles that occur in life. We put Midshipmen in a fearful situation in the ring. They learn to react and to stand up to it, like anyone would who is put in a position of leadership. For me there is no better natural high than boxing because you know it comes from yourself – there’s no one else but you and the other guy in the ring.”