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A Headstone For Sugar Hart

by Fred Druding, Jr.
The Public Record - June 19, 2008
 

It's a proven fact many of Philadelphia's boxing legends lie in unmarked graves all over the Philadelphia area.

Though memories of these men are firmly fixed in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia boxing fans, their final resting places, in most of the cases, remain anonymous.

Hoping to change that is John DiSanto of PhillyBoxingHistory.com. He has established a program dedicated to placing headstones on these unmarked graves.

Joining DiSanto on his mission to remember and honor Philadelphia's boxing legends in Ring One, of the Veteran Boxers Association.

This past week they placed a tombstone on the grave of Philadelphia welterweight Garnet "Sugar" Hart at Merion Memorial Park. He died October 15, 2003. Now his grave can be found. He is the third whose grave has been identified and has received a marker.

A successful amateur boxer, Hart moved on to the professional ranks. On May 13, 1954, he won his professional boxing debut with a1-round KO of Richie Johnson at the Plaza in South Philadelphia.

Although he defeated a fine list of competition until his retirement in 1961, Hart may be most remembered for a fight helost against fellow Philadelphian Charley Scott on October 19, 1959 at Convention Hall. The fight was such a savage affair, that many boxing historians still believe it was the greatest fight ever staged in a Philadelphia boxing ring.

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Fred Druding, Jr. wrote this article for the Public Record. It was originally printed in June 2008.
 

     
 

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