ARCEL, RAY APPRECIATION AWARD (FROM HIS FIGHTERS-1950)

Ray Arcel (August 30, 1899 – March 6, 1994) was a boxing trainer who was active from the 1920s through the 1980s. He trained eighteen world champions. Arcel was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, but moved to New York City before he was six years old. He grew up in Harlem and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1917. He began training fighters at Stillman's Gym, near the old location of Madison Square Garden on 8th Avenue, in the 1920s. The champions he trained were Benny Leonard, Ezzard Charles, Jim Braddock, Barney Ross, Bob Olin, Tony Zale, Billy Soose, Ceferino Garcia, Lou Brouillard, Teddy Yarosz, Freddie Steele, Jackie Kid Berg, Alfonso Frazier, Abe Goldstein, Frankie Genaro, Sixto Escobar, Charley Phil Rosenberg, Roberto Durán and Larry Holmes. After some disputes with Jim Norris and the International Boxing Club in the 1950s, Arcel retired from training until returning in the 1970s to work with Alfonso Frazier and Roberto Durán. After Durán quit in his second fight against Ray Leonard, Arcel helped prepare Larry Holmes for his fight against Gerry Cooney. He retired from training after that fight. He died on March 6, 1994, at the age of 94. Offered here is an outstanding Appreciation Award which was presented to Ray Arcel on March 16, 1950 by numerous fighters he trained.
This Appreciation Award is maetal on a wood base. It is engraved, "GRATEFULLY PRESNTED TO RAY ARCEL IN RECOGNITION OF HIS INVALUABLE SERVICES TO US AND IN COMMENDATION OF HIS FINE EFFORTS THAT ENCOURAGED EACH ONE OF US TO ATTAIN THE HEIGHTS IN OUR PROFESSION. HE MADE US CHAMPIONS BUT TO US HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN "OUR CHAMP" FRANK GENARO BILLY SOOSE TEDDY YAROSZ JACKIE FIELDS LOU BROUILLARD CEFERINO GARCIA ABE ATTELL GOLDSTEIN CHARLIE PHIL ROSENBERG FREDDIE STEELE TONY ZALE BOB OLIN JIM BRADDOCK MARCH 16, 1950" A few minor scratches to the wood, otherwise in clean, fine condition. Came from the estate of Ray Arcel. An exceptional award for this Hall Of Fame trainer. 19" x 22."