Spinetti

This is the third in a series of articles profiling the 2007 honorees of the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame. The annual banquet is April 28 at the Butler Days Inn.Forget about Don Spinetti's achievements as a boxing trainer.He's a Hall of Famer as a person, says Specialty Outreach Services executive director Steve Six."He's an unbelievable guy,"Six said. "I'd give my life for that man, I care about him that much."Six and Spinetti have worked together with the Butler Cubs boxing program for more than three decades. Six arrived there as a boxer in 1976. Spinetti began as a trainer under then-boxing manager Rich Gregory in 1973.Now, Spinetti is gaining induction into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame."I was surprised,"Spinetti said of the phone call informing him of his induction. "I didn't play any high school sports and I thought they went more on that."I've been able to help out a lot of kids at the Cubs Hall. It's rewarding."Count Six among the youngsters he's helped."He cares,"Six said. "Growing up, that's what I needed. I found that in Don."Spinetti grew up on the South Side of Butler, where he and some buddies boxed in an old barn. While in the military, Spinetti worked out in a huge gym on a Japanese air force base while waiting to be shipped out to Korea."Ispent four or five hours a day there and was asked if I wanted to do some fighting," Spinetti recalled. "I won four of six fights before I was shipped out."Spinetti recalled how he became involved with the Cubs boxing program."Rich Gregory was a friend of mine in Butler. ... When he started the boxing program at the Cubs, he was working shifts at the mill and needed some help."He had heard I tinkered with boxing in the service, so he called me up. And I've been there ever since,"Spinetti added.Gregory eventually left the program and Spinetti took over as manager, trainer and promoter in 1979.Spinetti estimates that he's worked with nearly 1,000 youngsters in the boxing program since then, often providing the youngsters with transportation and meals out of his own pocket."We've gotten kids from all walks of life,"Spinetti said. "You get a lot of street kids. I've gotten responses from parents thanking me for keeping (the kids) busy."You adhere to the discipline of the program or you leave. It's as simple as that."Spinetti has coached five state champions and two runners-up. He guided two fighters — Darren Warman and Mike McGrady — to the Golden Gloves Nationals.Now 76, Spinetti doesn't see himself as ready to retire."I don't feel like my time has come,"he said. "I'll keep on doing it. I don't look to be quitting anytime soon."Spinetti is working with seven boxers at the Cubs Hall this year, including former Butler varsity basketball player Joel Rehm, who will compete in the Golden Gloves at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field Sept. 20.Not every participant in the Cubs boxing program winds up competing."A lot of kids come in just to spar, hit the bag a little bit, jump rope, just get in condition,"Spinetti said. "It's a healthy workout."Six said Spinetti is recognized as a standout "cut man"in the boxing industry as well."He's been all over the world serving fighters in that capacity,"Six said. "Germany, Paris, Austria, Denmark — Don has gotten calls to work in fighters' corners quite often. He knows his stuff. He knows what he's talking about."Six described Spinetti's character as "virtually flawless.""He's just good people. He's honest and tells it like it is. I can't think of anything bad to say about the guy. He needs a new hairstyle. That's the best I can do."