A 'Ring One' RIP

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I want to acknowledge the passing of Brian Turner Clark,

(00:06):
legendary boxing coach, neighborhood mentor in new Haven, fair Haven community,
and tell you my story with him, and the roundabout
way that I came to realize was him and Patty
did did a commendable thing and a questionable part of
new Haven for decades. He opened a jim. He got

(00:26):
kids off the street and got a couple of really
good boxers out of there, out of there too, you know,
funneled that that rage and discontentedness into boxing, into the
into the government. You know, it's an admirable thing, right.
Uh So Friday night I saw on the look because
I watched the local news. You don't do a local

(00:46):
radio without watching local news. So I saw the story
of beloved boxing coach new Haven passes away area rallies
to say, goabye. There's a vigil to honor him. And
your little stories are not so rare. It's been going
on for how long now. People do this in communities

(01:09):
for ages now. So I just thought it was, you know,
another guy that the name didn't ring a bell. It's
been so long the name didn't ring a bell. It
wasn't until I saw a photo over the weekend. I'm like,
I know that dude. I don't got with that dude
for years, and he was wearing his Ring one shirt.
I had a Ring one shirt for years, which sometimes

(01:33):
wearing a boxing shirt out to the clubs not smart.
I remember the day me and Glenn Beck had this
guy live on the year thirty years ago, and he
gave us all T shirts and he came in wearing
the T shirt and he was like a regular on
the case. He won a one show for a while
and someone I would see around town and stay in
touch with. Sixty seven years old young. There's a good dude.

(01:56):
Although I lost touch with him a million you know,
we got to the early two thousand and he would
stay on and you know I did stuff at Ring
one on Congress av I want to say, twenty ten,
eleven twelve with the coach George Demayo. I even brought
Luke to one. There was like away in and a
little match for someone to prep them for a fight,

(02:19):
and got the local you know, we got media coverage there.
John Pearson from WTNH from News eight was there. But
there was a vigil on Friday at the gym, students'
friends family took turns stepping into the ring and sharing
their stories in there. I wish I knew I got one,
you know. I mean, it's not a great story, but

(02:40):
first time that he was earnest, he was legit. He
was a real deal. And I used to see him
at this health food store he worked out of it.
That's where I used to see him. I think it
was four seasons. I would see him there all the time. Oh,
it's all coming back to me now, and he probably
working there because I do still occasionally venture in there

(03:02):
and we have great conversations, and you know, he was
just he did not come across as a guy that
It just further illustrates the point that we all try
to teach our sons. I certainly try to pass on
to my son, and I'm sure you do too, Jimmy.
You never know who might be really non threatening, you know,

(03:25):
the most amiable guy, and then all of a sudden
you have words and they get in his stance where
you're like, well, I'm in trouble because this guy you
would have never thought was a trained fighter, and he
was just the nicest, most approachable guy. You know, he
wasn't ripped or anything like that. It's Connecticut's oldest continuously
operating boxing Jim, and it's a pillar in the Hill community.

(03:50):
And it is if I'm remembering correctly. Bad Chad Dawson,
New Haven's own who made some noise and went a
good distance. He came out of Ring one. It was
during those years. Bad Chad Dawson was probably the biggest
name to come out of Ring One. He was inducted
into Connecticut's Boxing Hall of Fame twenty eighteen. A skilled

(04:11):
coach who sent a handful of students to national championships.
It's a real loss to the community. Hopefully this doesn't
cast any shadows on Ring One. And you know the organ,
I would imagine he left it in a turn key
situation and there are other people there because really it's

(04:34):
been around a long time. Things like that kind of
come and go, especially in the community. Was sketchy community
to drive to. He had heart and lung issues, they
say here for over twenty years, jeez, you know, and
I did. I used to run into him a health
food place that I worked at. It he took care
of himself. I take horrible care of myself and he's

(04:56):
got heart and lung issues and gone at the ridiculously
young age of sixty seven. He says, right here, and
I recall it. He often used his own money to
keep that Jim going to keep those doors open and
to support young fighters. Great guy. Yeah, you know, it's
just one of those moments where you hear the story
and you're like, oh, man, that's too bad, and then

(05:17):
the story keeps coming up over the week, and then
all of a sudden there's a photo. It's like, I
remember that dude. It's just been so long, just an affable,
just one of the nicest guys in the world. And again,
I always I think that was one of the jokes
I made on the air. I'm like, are you a
fighter yourself? And he's like, oh, yeah, you know, and
it's like, geez, you just wouldn't you know, had long hair,

(05:38):
Like I could see some guy at a bar, you know,
calling you a girl. He goes, yeah, that would be
a bad move on his pot. I'm like, yeah, you're
a you know, he's unassuming. You wouldn't know he could
knock your lights out, a staggering blow to the Elm city.
And I will remember him fondly rest in peace, Brian
Turner Clark