Our discussions with concessionaires have made clear that the terms of the initial RFP had a number of drawbacks that resulted in no responses. Specifically, the unusually short lengths of both the contract (five years) and the operating season (four months) made the RFP unattractive for potential applicants. For context, the 2009 RFP issued by City Parks for the bubble at Mill Pond Park Sports Facility was for a term of 20 years, with a seven-month operating season of October to the end of April. Similarly, the 2011 McCarren Park tennis bubble RFP offered a contract term of 15 years, with the same seven-month operating season.

The $750,000 secured in the August MOU remains on the table. We remain committed to realizing the community’s goals at Pier 5. Therefore, there is an opportunity for the BBPC to reissue an RFP or RFEI for a bubble that meets the needs of the community and is commercially viable. Such an RFP or RFEI would ensure community access and free and low-cost programming in the bubble, as well as a plan to ensure year-round recreation on Pier 5, with an opportunity for equal use by all.

It would also:

1. Extend the concessionaire’s contract from five years to a minimum of 10 years;

2. Extend the operating season from four months to five or six months;

3. Allow flexibility in the orientation and size of the bubble;

4. Allow for a regulation-size playing field;

5. Request a plan for facilities.

Admit it. Part of you has always wanted to be one of those sun-bronzed, bleached-haired California (What’s the difference between Californians and Swedes? Swedes speak better English.) beach bums or bumettes. So, put on your Hollister tee, baggies, and flip-flops (you’ll be kicking them off when you get to the court) and head for the Pier 6 (foot of Atlantic Avenue) volleyball courts for some free instruction in beach volleyball.

Learn volleyball basics in free skills clinics for children and adults. Instructors will review the fundamentals of beach volleyball, as well as teach more advanced techniques, including serving, spiking, passing and ball control, and diving and rolling drills.

DATES: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,
beginning July 25
TIMES: 4:00pm – 5:30pm for children
5:30pm – 7:00pm for adults

DATES: Sundays, beginning July 31
TIMES: 9:00am – 10:30am for children
10:30am – 12:00pm for adults

And if, after perfecting your beach volleyball skills, you decide to make the move from Brooklyn Heights to Southern California, you’ll probably be raising the average IQ of both places.

photo courtesy of McBrooklyn

The pristine sand volleyball courts at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 offer one of the best views in town. As luck would have it, playing volleyball on them is also free. Enter Big City Volleyball and Metro Beach Sports, two city-wide volleyball leagues, and suddenly that privilege costs a pretty penny, even if league director David Walker doesn’t think so.

“It’s actually not too hefty when you consider Pier 25 in Manhattan is $1,350 a team,” he told me yesterday. At Pier 6, a team of four costs $750 for the season, and a team of six costs $950.

But the price is not for naught: participating teams play one pre-season game, followed by eight regular season games and playoffs, all organized by Big City Volleyball; also, and perhaps most important, there is a free t-shirt involved.

A BHB reader tipped us off to this development, and voiced his concern that the various groups of people already playing pick-up volleyball games at Pier 6 might be kicked off the courts to make room for the leagues. Not so, insists Walker, who noted that Big City and Metro Beach Sports will only hold games there on Monday and Wednesday nights.

“There are people who enjoy going down and just playing pick-up with whoever is there,” he acknowledged. “And then there’s people who want to play in a league, where play is organized by skill level, from casual, intermediate, to advanced. And they want to play in a structured league, and they want a schedule created. They want referees assigned. They want t-shirts. There are a lot of costs that go into executing a league.”

In addition, Big City Volleyball and Metro Beach Sports will run youth programs for underprivileged kids on the courts during some weekdays this summer. Metro Beach Sports, along with Metro Soccer NY, wholly funds Play Study Win, a 501(c)(3) charity that provides thousands of New York City public school children with free sports and recreation programming. According to Ian Walker, the organization’s president, the revenue from Metro’s adult leagues helps fund these carefully executed programs. They will also offer a few evenings of free volleyball instruction at Pier 6 for anybody who is interested. In fact, you can mosey on down tomorrow night at 7pm to play a quick game or two, and meet other players or groups interested in signing up for the league.

While the idea of charging people to play volleyball on free public courts might sound like a rip-off, Walker insisted these leagues are not only popular throughout New York City, but have a proven track record of success among volleyball enthusiasts. “People really get a kick out of the leagues,” he added.

So, he ‘s not trying to destroy Brooklyn with his evil volleyball ways? “I’m a Brooklyn resident also!” Walker, who lives near Grand Army Plaza, said, and promised, “We’re value added for the area.”

Big City Volleyball and Metro Beach Sports require players be 21 years of age and older. Beginning July 20th, games at Pier 6 will be held Monday and Wednesday nights at 7pm & 10pm. Teams are co-ed, and may consist of four or six people. For more information or to sign up, click here.

Our man with cam scopes out the scene at the newly-opened section of Pier 6 yesterday, and your correspondent also visited and got some stills, including the volleyball action above. Video and another photo after the jump.

Some areas of the newly opened pier section are not quite ready, as in the photo above.

NY Daily News: The Packer Collegiate senior rushed the final straightaway of the 3,000-meter steeplechase, tucked over a barrier and, for the first time in the race, grimaced. Stepping over the line, the lithe, auburn-haired racer raised his hand to acknowledge his parents, a 34-year-old meet record broken…

…The Brooklyn Heights product made his reputation on the dirt of the cross country course, not on the track. In November, his withering pace forged an audacious victory at the state Federation Cross Country Championships.

Last December’s Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships in San Diego signaled another breakthrough: an eighth-place finish in what is effectively the sport’s national championship.

“Eddie will run that same pace during a race and sort of dare you to do it with him,” said Pete Prince, the coach at Packer Collegiate rival Brooklyn Friends. “(Only) some of the best runners in the country have been able to do it.”

In this lively story of sports, politics, and the talented, hilarious, and charming characters associated with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Bob McGee chronicles the ballpark’s vibrant history from the drawing board to the wrecking ball, beginning with Charley Ebbets and the heralded opening in 1913, on through the storied eras that followed.

On Saturday, April 16, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., BHS will host “What’s the Story? Diverse Storytelling Practices in Brooklyn,” the opening program in the Brooklyn Arts Council’s Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn: Traditional Tales and Their Tellers.

Storytellers and folklore scholars gather to discuss the relevance of storytelling in the diverse communities of Brooklyn. In the age of memoir, Facebook, and other means for promoting personal stories, we explore the important cultural practice of telling traditional stories—folktales, ghost stories, hero legends and myths—and the role of storytellers as community artists.

Also on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., J. McLaughlin, 218 Hicks Street (between Montague and Remsen) will hold a “Sip and Shop” event for the benefit of BHS. Refreshments will be served, and fifteen per cent of sales receipts will be donated to the Society.

Don’t forget Homer’s Hidden Heights Walking Tour at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, and the Theater 2020 Gala starting at 3:00 the same afternoon (you can do both!). Tomorrow (Friday, March 25), starting at 7:30 p.m., Music at First, at the First Presbyterian Church, 124 Henry Street (between Clark Street and Love Lane), will present singer Mellissa Hughes and synth player Lorna Krier (photo), accompanied by pianist Timo Andres and other musicians, doing a “new wave meets minimalism” concert that “explore[s] topics such as death, sexuality, and Craigslist.” The music will be accompanied by “video projections processed in real time” by videographer Jon Williams. Admission is $10.

On Saturday, March 26, starting at 2:00 p.m., the Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) will present a panel discussion on the controversial history of Brooklyn Dodgers star outfielder Carl (the “Reading Rifle”) Furillo.

Ted Reed, a veteran reporter and author of the new book Carl Furillo: Brooklyn Dodgers All-Star, will speak about Furillo’s career and two little-explored events that have shaped perceptions of the Dodgers right-fielder: Furillo’s supposed opposition to Jackie Robinson joining the Dodgers and Furillo’s suit against the Dodgers for injuries. Judith Testa, a former college professor and author of Sal Maglie: Baseball’s Demon Barber, will speak about the twists and turns in the relationship between Furillo and Maglie. Carl Furillo Jr. will share memories of his dad.

The event is free with museum admission, which is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors, children over 12 (under 12 are free) and teachers, and free for BHS members.

On Sunday, March 27, starting at 2:00 p.m., BHS will present a panel discussion on “The Growth of the Brooklyn Food Industry.”

The ultimate guide to the food scene in Brooklyn, Food Lovers’ Guide to Brooklyn provides the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy and celebrate local culinary offerings. Author Sherri Eisenberg is joined by Renato Poliafito and Matt Lewis from Baked, Chef Eton Chan from Eton, and Ben Van Leeuwen from Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream to discuss the development of the Brooklyn food scene.

Again, the event is free with museum admission, and free for BHS members.

New York Times: Now, L.I.U.-Brooklyn has jumped on the express to new heights. The university, by winning its conference championship, earned one of 68 bids to the N.C.A.A. Men’s Basketball Tournament. This Friday in Charlotte, N.C., it will play a polar opposite in school spirit, campus acreage and basketball tradition: the University of North Carolina.

The Blackbirds will tip off against the Tarheels at 7:15 p.m. this Friday, March 18, in Charlotte. The game will be televised on CBS. Thanks to The Rev. Nell Archer, of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, for tipping us off to this.

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 5) starting at 2:00 p.m., soprano Marilyn Oliver (photo) will present a program of classical and spiritual songs, with guest baritone Raymond Mendez and accompanist Thomas Siklos, in the first floor auditorium of the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, 280 Cadman Plaza West (at Tilllary Street). Admission is free.

On Sunday, March 6, starting at 2:00 p.m., the Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) will present the third and final screening in its film series about baseball in Brooklyn: Dem Bums: The History of the Brooklyn Dodgers. “Th[is] documentary features original footage, player interviews and a behind the scenes look into life in the clubhouse.” The screening is free with museum admission, which is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors, children over 12 (under 12 are free) and teachers, and free for BHS members. No RSVP necessary; seating is on a first-come first-served basis.

Jeffrey A. Kroessler’s comprehensive and entertaining time line stretches from the pastoral entertainments of the Dutch to the corporate captivity of professional sports. He chronicles events ranging from the truly heroic to the heartbreaking, from moments of municipal greatness to inescapable social change. Through it all he plants the world of sport at the very center of New York’s story.

In other BHS news, by popular demand the exhibit Painting Brooklyn Stories of Immigration and Survival, which had been scheduled to close February 27, has been extended until August 15.

Painting Brooklyn Stories of Immigration and Survival tells the stories of diverse individuals who have immigrated to Brooklyn. The people featured in the exhibition share their personal narratives that highlight the process of creating a new home in a new land and how they’ve incorporated their cultural traditions into their New York lives. Their stories speak of hope and despair, embrace and discrimination. For more information, please visit our exhibitions page.

On this Thursday evening, March 3, beginning at 6:00 p.m., BHS will present “Haitian Music from Vodou to Gospel, Rara to Hip Hop,” a lecture by researcher and scholar Dr. Elizabeth McAlister, of Wesleyan University.

McAlister earned her Ph.D. from Yale in American Studies, with expertise in Afro-Caribbean religions. Her first book is Rara! Vodou, Power, and Performance in Haiti and its Diaspora. Her talk will consider these questions: What sets Haitian music apart from other Caribbean music? How has Haiti’s fierce politics of independence shaped its musical traditions? How is music a part of Afro-Creole religious tradition, Christian worship and Carnival parades? Why did so many Haitian earthquake survivors react to the disaster by singing? The presentation will include sound samples to allow listeners to hear and consider the genius and meanings of a variety of Haitian musical styles. Suggested donation $5.

This will be the first in a series of lectures at BHS titled The Sounds of Immigrant New York, presented in conjunction with the Center for Traditional Music and Dance. we will keep you updated on future lectures in this series.

We’ve already noted that the first film in the Brooklyn Historical Society’s series of movies about the Dodgers, The Brooklyn Dodgers: An American Treasure, will be playing at BHS, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) this Sunday, February 20, starting at 2:00 p.m. In addition, tomorrow (Saturday, February 19), starting at 2:00 p.m., historian John Zinn will lecture at BHS on “The Legacy of Charles Ebbets”, president and owner of the baseball team from 1902 to 1925, for whom the Dodgers’ famous ballpark was named. The lecture is free with museum admission, which is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors, children over 12 (under 12 are free) and teachers, and free for BHS members.

February 20: The Brooklyn Dodgers: An American Treasure (63 minutes).

This film chronicles the Brooklyn Dodgers from their beginnings in the 1880′s through that sad day in 1957 when they left Brooklyn. Owned by Walter O’Malley, the Dodgers appeared in nine World Series while in Brooklyn, finally winning their only World Championship, against the Yankees, in 1955. Known for their tendency to lose the pennant on the last day of the season, the Dodgers are remembered for creating one of the most meaningful events, when in 1947 Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson, thereby breaking the color barrier in professional sports. Experience the dynamic history of the Brooklyn Dodgers through this important film featuring some of the most memorable players in baseball.

February 27: The Life of Jackie Robinson (76 minutes).

This film tells the true story of how baseball-great Jackie Robinson fought racial discrimination and broke the color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson stars as himself in this biographical film that recounts his youth, success at UCLA, military service, Negro League experience and his extraordinary achievement at becoming the first African-American player in major league baseball. The film co-stars Ruby Dee, Minor Watson and Louise Beavers.

March 6: Dem Bums: The History of the Brooklyn Dodgers (75 minutes).

This is a moving documentary about the beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, considered by many to be the team of the ordinary man. This film consists of several episodic sections that recount the team’s early beginnings in Brooklyn, the Golden Era of New York Baseball from 1947-1957, and their heartbreaking move to Los Angeles in 1958. Throughout the documentary there is original footage, player interviews and a behind-the-scenes look into life in the clubhouse. Produced by the same company that made The Brooklyn Dodgers: An American Treasure, this documentary delivers a more in-depth look at this treasured team. The players of the Brooklyn Dodgers were a spectacular group of athletes and are continue to be bitterly missed by their fans. Dem Bums is an excellent and entertaining documentary, worthy of being watched over and over.

These films are being presented in conjunction with BHS’s exhibit Home Base: Memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

This dispatch just in from St. Francis College. Did someone say FINAL FOUR!!! How’s about a bracket.

Coming off their Eastern Championship victory, the St. Francis College Men’s Water Polo prepares for the NCAA Final Four December 4 and 5. A rally to support the team will be held today at St. Francis College at 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY at 12:00pm. Among the special guests are Serbian National Team Coach and Olympic Bronze Medal Winner Dejan Udovicic.

The St. Francis Men’s team is composed of players from five countries; the United States, Serbia, Hungary, Croatia and Sweden. Besides coming together to form one of the best teams in the country, this melting pot of players also boasts the highest G.P.A. of all Water Polo teams two years in a row.

Who: St. Francis College Men’s Water Polo Team, Serbian National Team Coach
What: Rally to Support Team Before Going to NCAA Final Four
Where: Peter Aquilone Court
180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
When: Monday, November 29
12:00 – 1:30pm
FREE & Open to the Public

2010 NYC Marathon from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.

If you’re like me and you love both boxing and Halloween, come by Gleason’s Gym tonight for Amateur Boxing with costumes. No word on whether the fighters will be dressed up, but there will be prizes for best costume. (Perhaps this is what makes you a prizefighter?) I’ll be there and so will Mike Tyson, not someone dressed as him. Weigh-in starts at 4; fights start at 6.

Gleason’s Gym
77 Front St. 2nd Fl.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 797-2872

Owner Bruce Silverglade and his staff were terrific, and I was allowed to stay as long as I liked, which took me by surprise, as I’m used to being shooed away after a couple minutes—I got so much footage my battery nearly exploded. So come take a tour of the gym, lead by a trainer called Country.

At Gleason’s Gym from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.

De La Hoya then took the podium to bring the news full circle, reiterating that his deal with Bruce Ratner (specifically, 12 shows per year for three years) will bring boxing back to Brooklyn. (Video after the jump.)

Oscar De La Hoya Brings Boxing Back to Brooklyn from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.

“I feel that Brooklyn boxing deserves the opportunities to create great champions,” De La Hoya said. Indeed this is a concept not foreign to Brooklyn, home to not only Malignaggi but Zab Judah, Mike Tyson and way before them Al “Bummy” Davis and Jack McCullough. “We feel that today we can create the next stars of tomorrow for Brooklyn,” De La Hoya said, as young hopefuls jumped rope from the sidelines.

Will Brooklyn boxing draw more than the cigar-chomping old-timers like myself? Judging by the crush of paparazzi and the diamond-studded $$$ involved, I would say, “Freakin’ A right.” But only time will tell. Barclays Center is due to open in 2010, and the other special guest of the press conference, Bruce Ratner, said, “We are now again at the golden age of Brooklyn … now let’s prove that we are still the champions in sports.”

iframe src=”http://player.vimeo.com/video/15403941″ width=”400″ height=”300″ frameborder=”0″>

Oscar De La Hoya Brings Boxing Back to Brooklyn from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.

Liverpool FC at Roebling Inn from Heather Quinlan on Vimeo.

Welcome to Football Row, if you will.

But is that going to cause some fisticuffs? Soccer brawls? Hooligan invasion? Courier Life reports:

Yournabe.com: “We’ve always shown the games, but it’s getting bigger,” said Chip Shop owner Chris Sall. “We’ve added a bunch of TVs two years ago, and even replaced the ones we had with larger screens.”

The restaurant is an official supporter of the Arsenal Football Club, based out of North London. When the games are on, you can enjoy some beer specials, as well as an English breakfast, which, given the early nature of these games here because of the time difference, is a big hit, said Sall.

“We’re the family venue,” he said. “It’s a safe environment where fathers can bring their sons in for games. You’re not going to hear drunken Liverpool supporters.”

That you can leave to the Roebling Inn, which is an official supporter of the Liverpool Club. Liverpool’s first game is against Chip Shop’s Arsenal on Aug. 15, and, given the two team’s long-seated rivalry, is going to be big. Just don’t expect as much drama between the two bars.

“I like the people at Chip Shop,” said Furlani. “I don’t predict any animosity.”

Floyd owner Sean Neill also speaks highly of his neighbors.

“We import a lot of English tradition, but not any kind of hooliganism,” said Neill, whose bar is known primarily for its indoor bocce ball courts but also for its devotion to the Spurs — not the basketball team, but the London-based Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. “I convinced Spurs supporters to locate to Floyd a year after we opened, around 2004,” he said.

Testament to that, signed shirts, photographs and flags all belonging to the North London team can be found throughout the bar.

“Spurs fans in the UK send us things or bring them on a visit all the time,” said Neill. “We seem to be well-known across the water.”

As for the BHB crew, we choose one of the lowest ranked teams to root for every year, which means West Ham United you’re our team! Let’s find a bar!

The success of the Phanatic led Great George Himself to commission Acme to design a mascot for the Yanks. They came up with a pinstriped character called “Dandy” (as in “I’m a Yankee doodle …”), who was about to make his debut when my Tampa homeboy, and then Yankee, Sweet Lou, had a run-in with the San Diego chicken, causing Steinbrenner to declare ex cathedra that mascots had no place in major league baseball. You can read the sad story of Dandy in Gothamist.

Join the Brooklyn Historical Society this Thursday for the opening of our new exhibition Home Base: Memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Through archives, photos and oral histories, the exhibition explores the connection between Ebbets Field, the Dodgers and the Brooklyn community. The exhibit highlights the history of the team and its fans by featuring BHS’ rich Dodgers collection that includes baseball cards, photographs of the field, ticket stubs, uniforms, seats from Ebbets Field, autographed baseballs, scorebooks from the 19th century, team photos and the famous Dodgers Banner from their 1955 World Series win. The exhibition is curated by students in Exhibition Laboratory, BHS’ after-school museum studies program. This event is free and open to the public.

Be the first to visit this fantastic exhibit and meet the student curators on Thursday, June 3!

This Sunday, May 23, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., there will be a doll-making workshop for children. Under the guidance of author and illustrator Timothy D. Bellavia, participants will make dolls modeled on figures from Brooklyn history. There is a $5 suggested materials fee.

On Thursday, June 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will be an opening reception for “Home Base: Memories of the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field”:

Through archives, photos and oral histories, the exhibition explores the connection between Ebbets Field, the Dodgers and the Brooklyn community. The exhibit features the history of the team and its fans by digging into BHS’ rich Dodger collection that includes baseball cards, photographs of the field, ticket stubs, uniforms, seats from Ebbets Field, autographed baseballs, scorebooks from the 19th century, team photos and the famous Dodger Banner from their 1955 World Series win.

The exhibit will be on view from June 3 through April 24, 2011.

Photo by Mrs. Fink

Saturday morning, we checked out the controversial soccer players at Cadman Plaza Park. Overall the group of players, mostly men and over 30, seemed downright mellow. While they did take up most of the turf field, there didn’t seem to be much competition for using it. One family played frisbee on the turf while the game was being played. And the only casualty there seemed to be the little boy’s interest in frisbee — seems like he caught “futbol fever” after seeing a goal scored.

From the BHB Inbox comes word of the start of softball season from Eastern Athletic Club:

ALERT! EAC Co-Ed Adult Softball – Spring League 09.

Place: Van Vorhees Park – Brooklyn Heights –synthetic grass field- Columbia St and Atlantic Ave – near LICH/BQE, Boro Hall Exit – 2, 3, 4, 5, R

Fees: members $70, non-members $110 – included in price are team shirts, balls, umps, field permits, league party at the end of the season.

Designation: this is a neighborhood open adult co-ed softball league with players of varying ability with the majority of players most easily defined as competent.

Rules:

Free substitution in field, all players bat in the line-up.

Draft system – all players go into a pool, teams are drafted by team captains to maintain competitive balance, players get equal time in the field – free substitution, all batters are placed in lineup.

Women must bat every 3 hitters.

Pitching is modified fast pitch – pitcher must have both feet on rubber at setup, ball must be delivered to the plate without backward step, sling or sidearm motion.

EAC CO-ED SOFTBALL SPRING 2009

Tentative Schedule

March 15 First Practice 10:00-12:00

March 22 Second Practice Draft Day

9:00 10:15 11:30

March 29 Opening Day – Week 1

April 5 Week 2 Passover Apr 9

April 12 Easter Sunday OFF

April 19 Week 3

April 26 Week 4

May 3 Week 5

May 10 Mother’s Day OFF

May 17 Week 6

May 24 Memorial Day Weekend

May 31 Week 7

June 7 PLAYOFFS/or Rain Game Make-Up Date

June 14 PLAYOFF-RAIN DATE

The games will start on time, be responsible and be early for your games, especially the 9:00 a.m.

Footwear – sneakers or turf shoes, no spikes! Equipment – ASA approved bats, standard gloves

New Rules – Center Field flies over the fence – single.

Other fence rules apply. Woman hitting metal portion of fence on fly is a home run.

Commit Line at home stays in effect, no sliding/collisions at home. Sliding allowed but discouraged – no take out slides!

RAIN POLICY – we play unless it is “pouring” at the time of the first game. Assume therefore that the games are on. Threatening weather or a bad weather report mean nothing. The Commissioner will stay in touch with the captains. The players in turn need to stay in touch with their captains. The club will be apprised ASAP so you can call 718-625-0500. Be in communication!

Contact – commishna AT yahoo.com

Flickr photo by Stefen Chow, taken at Trinity Boxing Club in 2007

The first rule of Gleason’s Gym in DUMBO’s White Collar Boxing should have been “don’t talk about White Collar Boxing.”  The amateur competition held there and at other gyms in the city stopped in late 2005 after someone dropped a dime to the NYS Athletic  Commission.  Now, according to Maxboxing.com, Gleason’s owner Bruce Silverglade is thisclose to getting the tourneys back on track:

Maxboxing.com: The Fight to Bring…: “It helps my gym,” said Silverglade. “I have quite a few businessmen and businesswomen who train here and boxing is an addictive type of sport. It’s like ‘what’s next, what can I do?’ The logical conclusion in boxing is that you have competition, and with competition, people will continue to stay in my gym and continue to pay me my monthly dues. When they get frustrated and say, ‘well, this is great, but what else am I gonna do?’ then they’ll go look for another sport. So the shows help retain customers in my gym and then the amount we make helps me with my rent.”

Rent in Brooklyn’s DUMBO section isn’t cheap, and every little bit helps, even if the estimated $1500 to $2000 Silverglade brings in for the shows won’t make him rich anytime soon. And the money he makes mainly comes from the $15 spectator fees, not from the $20 the participants put in, which basically pays for your post-fight trophy.

“The trophies cost me $18, I charged $20, and you paid for your own trophy,” he laughs.

For 17 years, the shows went off pretty much without a hitch. While not sanctioned, they were events that no one really went out of their way to crack down on, even though there were always whispers that someone may show up to shut the event down. Other New York gyms, such as Church Street Boxing and the Trinity Boxing Club, joined in the act.

“The commission was aware of them and looked the other way,” said Silverglade. “They were contained in the gyms, only gym members were doing it. It was helping to support the local gyms, so there was no major problem.”

But in late 2005, a charity event in Long Island which featured White Collar Boxing was ‘outed’ by someone Silverglade calls a “disgruntled individual” who informed the New York State Athletic Commission that the show was unsanctioned by state law. Then-commissioner Ron Scott Stevens was called in, and he pulled the plug on the show.