THE NEW YE OLDE

By Roger Esty

The 32nd Street Naval Gym was a an active spot for the boys in the South Bay area to train. Junior Robles's Gym and the 32nd Street Gym had the market on fighters in the South Bay area of San Diego. National City,Chula Vista,and San Ysidro. I liked the 32nd Street Gym because I could work out with larger fighters. Many of them were in the service. Some were already amateurs. Some were like me. Interested to work out in the ring and maybe learn a few things. A couple of the trainers like Dick Wood were pushing for me to take up the sport seriously,but I had already been playing football for a while and was practicing and playing for the local college team.

I knew I would have to decide with one or the other. I opted for football. I was an All League Defensive Lineman. That was enough of an accomplishment for me. Starting to box at 21 years of age was a task I wasn't about to undertake.

But I really enjoyed going to the 32nd Street Gym. I wasn't an All League anything,and maybe that's why I liked going. I was nervous,but I wanted to test myself with something that was another kind of contact sport. I always considered boxing superior to football even though if you put a fighter with no football experience on the gridiron,he get his butt kicked just as I was getting it kicked out of me at the 32nd Street Gym.

The 32nd Street Gym ,although full of fighters back then,was a casual place in a way to train. There were no super egos in there. The trainers. The fighters. Aside from dishing it out to each other and making you sweat,i felt I was among friends. People who wanted to see you make good.

A few months ago I went back to the 32nd Street Gym. From outside the gate,the sign read"The New Ye Olde 32nd Street Gym." The guard wouldn't let me pass. In fact I was pulled aside and questioned why I wanted to go inside the gym. When I told them I used to work out there years ago,the MP's got suspicious. They grilled me pretty good before they realized I wasn't a terrorist.

Needless to say I didn't revisit the old gym. I'm sorry,"The New Ye Olde Gym".
I don't think it was the same inside anyway.