Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I learned about the art of boxing in a roundabout way. We were cruising off the coast of Aqaba late one evening, and most of the guys were hanging around the lifeboat racks, shooting the breeze and talking scuttlebutt. Joe the big electrician spoke up, and said he didn’t like this particular guy on the ship. Then I spoke up and said I liked him very much and wanted to keep him on there. No more was said for the time being.

When I got ready to go down the ladder to the deck for watch, I felt this huge hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there was the most intimidating man I had ever seen. He stood about 6’4” and weighed about 250 pounds, with a bald head. He said, “Young man, I am proud of what you did back there. It shows you’re growing up and becoming a man.” You had to grow up quick in those days because there were a lot of rough people hanging around the docks waiting to ambush you. When we were at dock, we used to travel in groups for self-protection.

Later on the next day, I found out that the man who befriended me was a man named Maynard Daniel from Wanchese, N.C. He was the number-one heavyweight contender in the world. He was supposed to fight Joe Louis for his championship, but he went into the Marine Corps and caught some kind of disease in the South Pacific and we never able to get back into fighting shape again.

Maynard taught me all the ins and outs of boxing, like the jab, the hook, the cross, proper conditioning, rope training, and much more than goes into boxing. The three most important things I learned in boxing are stay alert at all times, keep your eyes open, and never underestimate your opponent, because you never see the one that gets you.

Later on, I had a trying experience when I taught Maynard how to play golf. He and I had about a half set of clubs between us. He had three or four and I had three or four. We used to carry them around in little canvas bags wherever we went. Maynard thought that by buying new clubs and balls that he would become a better golfer. I told him no, let’s start off simple and get all of the fundamentals down first. Well, we first started at putting, then we moved up to par 3. As we were getting more experience we decided to go onto the main course. Sometimes Maynard would swing, and the ground would shake and the ball would only go 10 yards. Thank heaven no one laughed at us. But with much trying and perseverance, we managed to get around the links pretty well.

Wherever we went we would take our clubs and play. We would talk about things and have a jolly ole time. The last time I saw Maynard, he was getting in his old beat-up 1958 Chevrolet. He was headed to North Carolina to check on some property he had down there.

So, Maynard, if you are out there anywhere, I hope God is taking care of you. Just by knowing you made me a better person.

Ernest L. Bennett

Gloucester, Va.