11/23/2021
Happy 98th birthday to (Colion) “Champ”Chaney, my boxing coach. I was deeply honored on his birthday to receive memorabilia of Champ’s to display in my boxing gym. They were gifted to me by Gerald Chaney and Brenda Chaney. Thank you so much! I will display them with pride and humility. It was some of the memorabilia not put on display at the Indiana Museum of Art display about Champ. I may not be here if Champ hadn’t been there at the Indy PAL Club seven days a week giving me a place to go and something important to do to help me become a man in a way that I desperately needed at the time. He didn’t care about the color of my skin. He only cared about what was in my heart. I know that is true of hundreds of others whom he helped along the way, which was in part why he was inducted into the Indiana Boxing Hall of Fame - as well as having some very accomplished fighters. While many people may know me as a therapist, a dancer, or a boxing coach, I was once a lost boy who Champ gave a pair of brand new sparring gloves that are now rendered in art (by Sam Hammans) as my club’s logo, and which I still have to this day. Thanks to Champ and a lot of hard work, I won a lot of fights and amateur titles too. I love you, Champ!
