“Boxing: Louisiana's Forgotten Sport" Has A Local Connection

Media Advisory

Media Contact:
Julie Calzone
jcalzone@calzone.com
(337) 235-2924 ext. 18

Event Contact:
Jay Owen
(337) 234-5600

“Boxing: Louisiana's Forgotten Sport" Has A Local Connection
Book Launch for Don Landry’s Chronicle of Louisiana’s High School and College Boxing History

(Lafayette, La.) - A book launch is set for Wednesday, September 28 for Don Landry's book "Boxing: Louisiana's Forgotten Sport." This book chronicles Louisiana's rich high school and college boxing history up until 1958. High school and college boxing was one of the most prominent sports on any campus at that time. In many cases it was the number one sport or second only to football. By the end of the 50's it had all but disappeared from the schools. Don is a former Nicholls State basketball coach and athletic director. He is recognized as the founder of the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches and went on to become the commissioner of the Southland and Sunshine State Conferences. He was the Texas Rangers’ Director of Special Projects and was responsible for planning Nolan Ryan’s retirement activities and the opening of the Ballpark in Arlington.

Local residents and siblings, CeCe Stuller and Jay Owen, are hosting the event because of their father, Coach J.T. Owen, was the head boxing team coach at LSU from 1946 to 1956, and coached the 1949 National Championship team and some of the greatest boxers of that era. He went on to coach the 1952 Olympic Boxing Team in Helsinki, Finland that was one of the greatest US teams ever fielded and produced such greats as future Heavyweight Champion of the world Floyd Patterson.

WHAT: Book launch for Don Landry and Boxing: Louisiana's Forgotten Sport

WHEN: Wednesday, September 28, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: a la Carte Restaurant
301 Heymann Boulevard, Lafayette, LA 70503.

The public is invited. For more information or to RSVP call (337) 234-5600.


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