November 16, 2003
BRING ON SLY:
Bayonne Bleeder Throws a Punch at the Italian Stallion (DAVE ANDERSON, 11/16/03, NY Times)
AS a heavyweight, Chuck Wepner was often stitched, but he was never stiffed. With skin that cracked like old parchment, Wepner, now 64, was known as the Bayonne Bleeder because he cut so easily, mostly around the eyes. He claims to have been sewn up with 326 stitches, including 23 when he was stopped by Muhammad Ali in 1975 at the Coliseum outside Cleveland."Vito Antuofermo had the most stitches, 345," Wepner said, referring to the middleweight champion of more than two decades ago. "I always wanted to have one more fight to set the record."
Sport abounds in great nicknames, but few better than "The Bayonne Bleeder".
Posted by Orrin Judd at November 16, 2003 2:11 PM
Well, I guess if you have to go into the ring against another boxer, someone named "The Bayonne Bleeder" might be one of your better opponents.
Perhaps "The Glasgow Glassjaw", "The Syracuse Scaredycat", "The Missouri Momma's Boy" might be equally worthy opponents.
Okay, I'll stop at three. You get the point.
Steve (been in three fights, lost them all big-time)
Posted by: SteveMG at November 16, 2003 4:57 PMI always thought he was weeping Chuck Wepner.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at November 16, 2003 7:21 PMSome players didn't need nicknames, like the Cleveland Browns wide receiver Fair Hooker.
Posted by: jim hamlen at November 17, 2003 3:06 AM