Ring Announcer Henry Hascup Talks To Real Combat Media
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Correspondent
New York, NY (May 28th, 2013)– Real Combat Media photographed HBO commentator Harold Lederman, ring announcer David Diamante, New York State Athletic Commission Chief Inspector Felix Figueroa, and ring announcer Henry Hascup ringside at a boxing card at the Staten Island Hilton, January 31, 2013.
On Memorial Day, May 27, 2013 in an exclusive interview with Real Combat Media,ring announcer Henry Hascup talked about his current activities in boxing. Hascup is one of boxing’s finest gentlemen. Henry, a ring announcer, boxing historian and sports historian, has achieved sports recognition by doing something most unique.
In addition to helping down and out boxers, Henry delivers eulogies for fallen and deceased professional boxers, and often pays for their funerals and tombstones. He provides an extraordinary level of kindness, caring and decency for down and out boxers and athletes, and departed boxers and athletes, His universal knowledge of fighters and ring history make Henry among the most qualified living individuals who can deliver a true memory of fallen fighters to their families, telling stories with facts and feelings in a way which provides the families of fallen individuals in the boxing field with true comfort and understanding during their difficult time.
Hascup has served as ring announcer for over 700 amateur and professional bouts.
Real Combat Media: “What are you up to now, Henry?”
Henry Hascup: “I appeared recently at the New York Hall of Fame, giving awards out to Junior Jones, Buddy McGirt, and the late Jack Dempsey (the award was sent to his daughter). Last year, I gave awards to the late Tony Canzoneri, Gil Clancy, Sugar Ray Robinson, and to Jake LaMotta-who accepted his award in person.”
Real Combat Media: “A Ring 10 email went out stating Illinois super featherweight Carmelo Negron had passed away. I wrote an article about Negron’s passing.”
Henry Hascup: “I entered Negron’s date of passing, May 10, 2013, on BoxRec. Former World Featherweight Champion Juan LaPorte spoke at a Ring 8 meeting recently, stating Negron was hospitalized with advanced dementia and stomach cancer, and had passed away in Hartford on May 10. He was buried in Hartford. LaPorte mentioned he has several boxing gloves with many signatures of a number of world champions on each gloves, which will be auctioned at a future function, with the proceeds going to Carmelo Negron’s family.”
Real Combat Media: ” At what events have you served as ring announcer?”
Henry Hascup: “I did the finals of the New York State Golden Gloves at the end of April at The Prudential Center. In July I am covering a fight card in North Bergen, New Jersey for Andre Kut.”
Real Combat Media: “What new organizations are you now affiliated with?”
Henry Hascup: “I was just put on the Board of AAIB, (for the purpose of) giving scholarships to kids who are planning on going to college or are attending college, who have a boxing background.”
Real Combat Media: “Tell readers how you and your wife Joyce got the special nicknames ‘The Brady Bunch’ and ‘Eight is Enough’ after you got married?”
Henry Hascup: “In 1981, I was a working single parent with four children and a Siberian Husky dog. Everything worked out. Eight years later, I got remarried to Joyce. She also had four kids and a Siberian Husky dog. Everyone said ‘The Brady Bunch’ and ‘Eight is Enough’. We also took in two more kids and straightened them out, for a total of ten children (which we raised).”
Real Combat Media: “And now?”
Henry Hascup: “It was a good time raising the children. Next March Joyce and I are married 25 years. We have 15 grandkids!”
Historical Information on Ring Announcer Henry Hascup
Early Life
Born October 8, 1948, Hascup grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, where he attended Passaic County Tech High School in Wayne, New Jersey. Hascup, a championship caliber runner with a tall, slender frame, won the state tech cross country championship in 1966. He worked as a supervisor at Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) for 37 years until his retirement. Henry and his wife Joyce have eight children and 15 grandchildren.
Boxing Memberships, Contributions and Awards
Henry Hascup’s noteworthy contributions to the sport boxing include:
* Member of the Board of the American Association for the improvement of Boxing, awarding College Scholarships to boxing scholars.
* President of the New Jersey Diamond Gloves Amateur Golden Gloves
competition for over 25 years
* President of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame for nearly three decades
* President for the third year of the New Jersey Association of USA Boxing, which oversees amateur boxing
* BoxRec Contributing editor of online ring records for professional boxers and officials
* A charter member of the International Boxing Research organization
* International Boxing Hall of Fame Modern Committee member
* International Boxing Hall of Fame Old Timer’s committee member
* International Boxing Association Regoinal Supervisor
* Boxing historian for Ring 8 Boxing charity organization
* Inducted into New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame
* Boxing historian for New York State Boxing Hall of Fame
* Boxing historian for the Boxing Writer’s Association of America
Ring Announcer and Keeper of the 9 Count
Hascup has served as ring announcer for over six hundred amateur and professional bouts, most frequently in New York State, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He is also known for the 9 count (rather than the traditional 10 count) ringing of the bell for fallen boxers. Why 9 instead of 10? According to Hascup “A small part of them (the departed fighter) will stay with the family and friends, and this helps to perpetuate and live on the memory of that fighter, passing on a small part of them to the next generation. The 10 count is final. The 9 count is not.”
Charitable Efforts From The Man of Eulogies
Through the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, ongoing charitable endeavors help out down and out boxers financially, and pay for funeral processions and tombstones. “We personally visit them, call them, and let them know somebody cares, so they are not forgotten, through the efforts of our New Jersey Hall of Fame board members,” explained Hascup.” Henry has done over 200 eulogies for many departed boxers and boxing persons known to the sport, including: Joey Giardello, Tippy Larkin, Rocky Castellani, Arturo Gatti, Johnny Colon, and Paul Cavalier.
Sports Historian
Hascup is a trivia expert of all sports, His collection of rare boxing books, magazines, gloves and memorabilia goes back hundreds of years to the 1800’s, providing an invaluable resource when the time comes to research a departed fighter before presenting an award or recognition, writing a biography telling about a fighter’s accomplishments and achievements in the ring, and most importantly at the required moment when Hascup’s presence is needed to deliver a departed boxer’s eulogy. His collection includes over 2000 sports books and 10000 sports magazines.
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