Some people might wonder why the lights on the second floor of the Butler Cubs Hall are on every weeknight until 9.

Through the windows, they can see bodies moving back and forth and side to side.

What's going on at 113 S. McKean St.?

The answer is boxing, and trainers Don Spinetti and Steve Six, who have more than 65 years of experience between them, know the sport and its connection to the Butler Cubs inside and out.

"We've currently got about 15 boxers training here," said Six, 55. "I get all excited about boxing, but sometimes I get winded trying to show these guys something in the ring.

"But when you get a kid who wants to learn and get better, that's what makes it fun."

Boxers at the Cubs Hall include Butler natives Seth Bartmas, K.P. Peth, Kirk Bergbigler, Joel Rehm and Jimmy Cress.

Six has been involved with the Butler Cubs since boxing there himself, starting in 1976.

His trainer was Spinetti, who came to the Butler Cubs three years earlier to help the late Rich Gregory with the development of several young fighters.

"I told him I'd help him out, never thinking that I'd be here 35 years later," Spinetti, 75, said with a laugh.

But that's what boxing has become to both Spinetti and Six — a tradition.

In the beginning

Spinetti boxed in the early 1950s when he was in the Army and stationed in Japan.

But his introduction to the sport came long before that.

"I grew up on the south side of Butler," he recalled. "My friends and I used to get together and box. It was never anything formal, but there was always a set of gloves lying around, and we'd box in an old garage."

Spinetti estimates that boxing has been a part of the Butler Cubs on and off since the 1950s.

But since his arrival in the early 1970s, the sport has never left.

"Back then, we had no ring to spar in," said Spinetti. "We used to spar on the handball court on the first floor.

"In the 1980s, Rick Rosellini, who was the plant manager at Pullman Standard, helped me with getting the materials to build a ring. Just about all of the materials we used came from Pullman."

Six grew up in Petrolia and remembers watching fights on television as a kid.

"I liked (Muhammad) Ali when I was growing up," Six said. "I guess that was because my step-dad didn't like him. He and I didn't have a great relationship.

"But I had always had an interest in boxing," Six said. "And one day, my friends and I found an old pair of boxing gloves and we set up a makeshift ring."

That early attraction to boxing led Six to the YMCA in Butler, where he took lessons for eight weeks years before moving on to the Butler Cubs at the age of 24.

Spinetti recalls the raw talent Six possessed.

"He knew a bit of boxing," he said. "But he wasn't all that polished."

"I was a brawler," Six added. "I'd take a lick and then give one. And I had no defense. My best defense was offense."

Six's first fight was a three-round bout against Joe Holsinger at Mars High in 1977.

"I remember that fight well," said Six. "Holsinger, he was from Altoona. His first right caught me right on the nose and my face was all bloody. But I ended up winning. ... It was the first fight he had ever lost.

"A few years later, (Holsinger) came up here again to fight me at Butler High School, and I lost the rematch. I ended up having 20-some fights and won about half of them."

Six fought for the last time in 1987 — or at least he thought he did.

In 2003, Six found himself back in the ring at 52 years old.

"I kept getting a call from a trainer named Sam Pascal," Six said. "He wanted me to box one of his fighters, Tim Acklin, who was 53 years old. He called me three times about it and I turned him down three times.

"A few weeks later, I was going down with Brian Minto to a fight at the ExpoMart in Monroeville and I ran into Sam. He wanted to introduce me to my opponent, even though I hadn't accepted the fight.

"(Acklin) was about 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds," Six added. "I shook his hand and looked into his eyes. He had this look, like he was thinking, 'You little fat man, I'm going to tear you up.' I just knew that's what he was thinking.

"Well, that's when I decided that I would fight him, and I did a few months later in McKeesport."

Asked if he won or lost, Six replied, "The trophy's in my office."

Passing it on

Six arrived at the Butler Cubs in 1976 with a chip on his shoulder.

"Steve was no sweetheart, that's for sure," said Spinetti. "But I always try to instill in the boxers a sense of motivation and some core values."

Spinetti's guidance certainly had an affect on Six. He began helping to train boxers at the Cubs Hall in 1981, but he still needed to take care of some personal business.

"I needed to get my life straightened out, so I went to a Bible college in Georgia for a year and a half."

In 1986, Six found himself back in Butler and was told by Spinetti that boxing at the Butler Cubs would end unless another trainer could volunteer his time.

"He said the work was getting to be too much, so I decided to help out," Six said. "I had boxed here, so it was like a natural progression."

Six sees a lot of himself in the boxers at the Butler Cubs, many of whom come off the street in search of direction. He's taken those opportunities to lend a helping hand.

"Without going into much detail, let's just say that I grew up rough," Six said. "And I don't want these kids to go through what I went through.

"It was here at the Butler Cubs where I learned discipline, self-respect and how to care for people," he added. "Back when I was fighting, we didn't have any money. We'd stop on our way back from a fight and Don would feed all of us. I look at Don as a big brother, and I want to pass on what he did for me."

Six not only believes in helping others, he practices it as well.

"I've taken some of these kids into my own home," he said. "You do what you have to do."

One person who has been influenced by the Butler Cubs is Ryan Covert.

Covert, 28, graduated from Butler High School in 1997.

"I weighed 300 pounds back then," he said. "I was lazy and always getting into bar fights."

Covert, who has compiled a 32-15 amateur record, arrived at the Cubs Hall when he was 21 years old. The difference in his life now compared to then is like night and day.

"I weigh 200 pounds now," said Covert. "I've got a good job as the executive chef at Oakview Golf Club in Slippery Rock.

"Don and Steve are great guys," he added.

Cubs to pros

The most recognizable name to come out of the Butler Cubs boxing program is Brian Minto.

Since turning pro in 2002, Minto has compiled a record of 27-1 with 16 knockouts as a heavyweight.

Like Spinetti and Six, Minto recalls being exposed to boxing at a young age.

"The guys around the neighborhood were into it, so I started going to the Butler Cubs to train here and there," said Minto.

"But back then, it was on and off because I was busy with basketball, football and baseball. Then I picked boxing back up when I was 23."

It was three years after that when Minto, now 32, decided to turn pro.

"We've had a lot of guys come through here with talent," said Six. "But a lot of them never used it. Brian wanted it more."

Mike McGrady and Billy Wolfe remain the only other boxers who have gone on to fight professionally after training at the Cubs Hall.

There could be more.

Justin and Jimmy Emrick are both just 10 years old, but they're closing in on eight years of experience in the ring.

"We got them started when they were 2Z\x years old," said their father, Jim Emrick, who has been training his twin boys at the Butler Cubs for the past year. "Back then, we started them off with just throwing jabs."

But both young boxers have come a long way.

They've showcased their skills in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Kansas City, Mo., and Minnesota.

Justin has compiled a record of 6-4 and Jimmy is 5-5.

"I get a little nervous before a fight," said Justin. "But once I get in the ring, all I'm thinking about is boxing."

Spinetti will turn 76 later this year, but he has no immediate plans to throw in the towel on training boxers.

"Age is creeping up on me," he said. "But I feel good. And I'd sooner be doing this than sitting at home doing nothing."