Lemuel Steeples
Posted: 14 Oct 2004, 11:19
1980 - Tony Tucker and best friend Lemuel Steeples are sitting in the airport departure lounge, waiting for Tucker's father Bob to arrive.
They have just returned from a Polish amateur boxing tournament, and have been talked into going straight back out to Warsaw, for the USA vs. Poland Box-off as part of “USA vs. the World.”
Tucker says he'll only go if there's a seat for his Dad too. It’s agreed, but Bob Tucker doesn’t know this, as he drives the long journey to the airport, to pick up his son.
Last call for the flight and still no sign of his dad. Tony decides he’s not going,
and says his goodbyes to Lemuel, wishing him luck.
A few hours later Bob Tucker arrives, hugs his son and drives them home.
When they arrive at the house, his mother and sister rush out of the house crying hysterically.
Tony is then told that the plane to Warsaw crashed, killing everyone aboard.
Killed on that flight were Steeples, Calvin Anderson from Connecticut; Paul Palomino—Carlos Palomino’s brother; George Pimentel, New York and others, including trainers and Olympic Coach, Sarge Johnson.
Alex Ramos would have been on that flight too, but had just upset Mike “The Body Snatcher” McCallum in the NY Golden Gloves, going through to the semi-finals, so decided to give Warsaw a miss.
Tony Tuckers reckons Lemuel Steeples would have been a future world champion, and he’s probably right. To earn his place in Warsaw, Lemuel had just knocked out two fellow amateur stars:
Milton McCrory and Don Curry.
They have just returned from a Polish amateur boxing tournament, and have been talked into going straight back out to Warsaw, for the USA vs. Poland Box-off as part of “USA vs. the World.”
Tucker says he'll only go if there's a seat for his Dad too. It’s agreed, but Bob Tucker doesn’t know this, as he drives the long journey to the airport, to pick up his son.
Last call for the flight and still no sign of his dad. Tony decides he’s not going,
and says his goodbyes to Lemuel, wishing him luck.
A few hours later Bob Tucker arrives, hugs his son and drives them home.
When they arrive at the house, his mother and sister rush out of the house crying hysterically.
Tony is then told that the plane to Warsaw crashed, killing everyone aboard.
Killed on that flight were Steeples, Calvin Anderson from Connecticut; Paul Palomino—Carlos Palomino’s brother; George Pimentel, New York and others, including trainers and Olympic Coach, Sarge Johnson.
Alex Ramos would have been on that flight too, but had just upset Mike “The Body Snatcher” McCallum in the NY Golden Gloves, going through to the semi-finals, so decided to give Warsaw a miss.
Tony Tuckers reckons Lemuel Steeples would have been a future world champion, and he’s probably right. To earn his place in Warsaw, Lemuel had just knocked out two fellow amateur stars:
Milton McCrory and Don Curry.