Capturing The Sights And Spirit (If Not The Sweat) Of Boxing At Hamlin Park

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 28, 2013 7:20PM

Image credit: John V. Santore

Boxing is a wonderful way to get in shape, develop coordination and discipline and blow off some steam while punching someone. For many aspiring boxers the gym at Hamlin Park is the first step to learning the Sweet Science. Trainer Bill Heglin has handled the park's boxing program since the 1970s and his most notable student, lightweight David Diaz, was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team and went on to a respectable professional career.

John Santore, a student at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism whose writing has appeared in the Chicago Reader, shared with Chicagoist this beautiful video that offers a glimpse into Hamlin Park's boxing gym, with comments from Heglin and some of the men and women training there. He, and, we, recommend watching this in HD, if possible.