On the evening of Saturday, November 19th, boxing fans, friends and members of Front Street Gym (2076 E. Clearfield St.) all congregated to celebrate Thanksgiving by taking part in and spectating the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Brawl. With 2016 being the eleventh year that the Turkey Brawl has taken place, the event has become somewhat of a tradition in the Kensington area.

  Opening its doors in 1959, Front Street Gym is littered with history. More recently, the 2015 box office hit “Creed”, the latest instalment in the famous “Rocky” franchise, was filmed at the gym. Front Street Gym has been owned and run by Frank Kubach for the past 27 years.

  Sponsored by Kensington Pub and charging $25 a ticket at the door, the money raised from the Turkey Brawl will go towards boxing initiatives, local schools and maintenance of the gym itself.

  Frank Kubach told Spirit News, “They [Kensington Pub] put most of this stuff together and it’s all for a really good cause. We collect all the cash and make sure we take it to the schools.”

  “We’re here for the kids,” Ben Antipua, a representative from the Kensington Pub, added. “Frank Kubach is a great guy and he needs a lot of support, he’s running it on a string but he’s doing a great job.”

  With residents of Kensington always seeking to showcase their neighborhood and it’s unique culture, events like the Turkey Brawl help in that regard. Events like this help to promote the area, bringing the community together and most importantly, raise money for a very worth while cause – setting children off on a constructive pathway to encourage their future success.

  “Frank Kubach gives back to every kid who doesn’t have anything for school,” explained Kubach’s son, Francis Kubach. “The kids who can’t afford school supplies, he tries to help them out.”

  The Turkey Brawl featured local boxers Patrick Otto, Hank Quinn, Minguel Montero, John Michaels, Anthony Caputo, Edgar Torres, Mike Chappell, Tommy Farrell, Jose A. Rivera Jr., Shane DeNofa, Jerry Cullen, Jose Suater, Sonny H., Fred Druding Jr., Francis Kubach, Jake Rodriguez and Norman Tory.

  There were ten bouts, each lasting three rounds. Every contributing fighter received a belt after their fight, provided by the Kensington Pub.

  “It’s an exhibition here tonight, a showcase,” Kubach explained.

  Front Street Gym is an important place and extremely valued within the Kensington community. It gives young people a place to go, somewhere that everyone has in common and provides a constructive activity that can occupy their time.

  “This event lets the kids know that there is something else out there besides crime and everything like that. It keeps kids fit and keeps them off the street. There is a whole bunch of good people in Kensington,” Antipua added.

  There is a significant problem in the surrounding area with the abuse of opiates, so Front Street Gym does it’s best to keep kids off the streets and promote a positive, healthy lifestyle.

  “Here is the reality, 40,000 people overdosed on opiates last year in the United States,” said Mike Rogers, the announcer of the Turkey Brawl. “So if we can reach out and save one kid, we’re saving a family and we’re saving a generation.”

  Rogers added, “There is a lot of negative out on these streets and this is something positive. You look at all these people here and there are at least 15 kids that were off the streets today. They’re in here doing something good.”

  The atmosphere never dampened as spectators shouted and cheered on the boxers until the last punch was thrown, making for a bustling, exciting environment. After each bout, both fighters would pose for a photograph with their newly acquired belt over their shoulder.

  Spectator Joe Bonk told Spirit News, “The participants serve as a role models for future fighters coming through the ranks. This event is great for the community and we all look forward to it each year.”

  The success stories and appreciation of Front Street Gym can be heard far and wide.

  “I’ve been boxing up at this gym for 30 years,” said Monty Sherrick of Kensington. “It helped me out back in the 1970’s when I was a young kid trying to get off of the streets. It gave me goals and taught me how to be disciplined; it was a way of life. I’ve learnt a lot here that’s carried me through life.”

  As the Thanksgiving Turkey Brawl came to its climactic end around 10PM with the most anticipated bout of the night, people left Front Street Gym in high spirits.  •