Local Twist

I initially passed on reading this story when I saw the headline. There's been too much death news the last couple of weeks. But The Eleventh Hour's Senior Boxing Correspondent, ETK, read it and noticed a Springfield reference.

DENVER (AP) -- A college teacher who won a regional boxing title three
years ago died from a head injury she sustained in a Golden Gloves competition,
apparently becoming the first woman to die in a sanctioned bout.

Becky Zerlentes, 34, of Fort Collins, died Sunday, Howard Daniel of the
Denver County coroner's office said Monday. The preliminary cause of death was
blunt force trauma to the head causing internal bleeding, but results from an
autopsy were not immediately available.

Zerlentes is believed to be the first female amateur boxer to die in a
sanctioned match, USA Boxing spokeswoman Julie Goldsticker said.

[snip]

Goldsticker said the last death at a USA Boxing event was in
February 2001, when heavyweight Quinton Grier, 31, of Springfield, Ill., died after a match.

I did not remember this incident but a search of the SJ-R archives turned up this item from February 18, 2001.

JOPLIN, Mo. - Quinton Grier, a heavyweight boxer from Springfield, collapsed in
the ring Friday night and died after winning his semifinal bout in the USA
Heartland Regional Tournament.Grier, boxing for the Ozark team from the St.
Louis area, had just won a decision over Jessie Shoemaker of the Missouri Valley
team. Grier, 31, walked across the ring to congratulate Shoemaker's cornerman,
went back to his corner, turned, took a few steps and fell forward on his
face.Dr. Ricardo

OK, it ends abruptly because the SJ-R wants $2.95 for the full archived story. TEH's budget can't handle that expense.