.'Take A Minute To Read Up On An Incredible Find ……… April 16, 2023
Ybsports Staff Commentary,
As I have previously noted on the (ybsportsonline magazine) website ’that an Instagram page is in its’ future and one of the things I wanted to share with anyone who has an interest in artifacts or writings, is a book that was discovered in the trash pile of an old style Antique shop that I am now the proud owner of. The name of the book is called ’Colonial Folkways’, and it was written by Mr. Charles M Andrews and was printed in 1919.. But what makes this book so special to me is that it appears to have come from the personal library of one Edward McMillan. The small hardcover was stamped to be discarded for disposal, however no one prior to me gaining possession of the book, ever bothered to look inside of it. Had they done so, they would have found the most amazing thing in the second inside cover of the book!
Here I found a neatly folded discolored piece of paper about the size of 4x6 inch photograph. As I unfolded it, I discovered it was a hand written note or letter from one Bert Sugar addressed to a Mr. Edward McMillan. The letter was mailed to Mr. McMillan's address which at the time was The University of Rutgers at Piscataway. Apparently Mr. McMillan, one of college football’s legendary Ironmen, was teaching at the school at the time. Mr. McMillan was also a storied figure in Princeton football lore and played four years at the school under Princeton’s legendary coach Grantland Rice in the 1920's. Together, Rice and McMillan forged a formidable tandem leading the Tigers to tremendous successes during their time together there at the school. The late great Bert Sugar, who had a very unique, or should I say unusual way of signing his name to documents, was one of the world’s foremost figures as a Boxing Historian and Writer for boxing nostalgia. The name Bert Sugar brings back many memories for me, and the many incredible exposures to one of the world’s greatest Heavyweight Boxing Champions.
I will explain! In my earlier years I would often hang out at a particular boxing gym located in the basement of the St Anthony’s Youth Center. The center, which was located on the north side of the city of Easton, Pennsylvania was a sanctuary for many of us underprivileged youth. The tiny, musty, always over humid boxing gym was the home to many boxers, both locally and out of town, but it was also the home where WBO Heavyweight Champion of the world Larry Holmes would hone his trademark left jab prior to winning the coveted WBO Championship belt. How did the book ever leave the library of such a prominent figure, or ever escape Mr. McMillan's estate is a mystery to me, and why did Mr. McMillan stick the handwritten note in the book in the first place. There is no doubt that the letter must have held some significance, or high degree of importance to Mr. McMillan otherwise why would he have taken the time to keep its location enclosed within a book he had been reading. It's been a fascinating process trying to imagine how all of this came to be. I will try to connect the dots through serious research and post the findings on the future Instagram account when it goes live. Stay tuned.
-RH
Ybsports Staff Illustration,
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