You may not remember this one. Reggie Jones was a Marine Boxer who I knew as a friend. I was a swimming pool operator and Reggie was on the Boxing team. We were both a member of service company. Reggie was coached by Percy Price who was a Staff Sergeant who not only was the Coach at Camp LeJeune, he also whip the dogCHIT out of a little known boxer named Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, at the Olympic trials in 1960.
Percy came to the pool one day and told my boss. Hey, none of these boxers can swim bit I have been told they have to take the swim quall test. He then said none of them can swim a lick. To be tested you had to step off a 15 ft tower and enter 11 feet of water. Reggie was the first guy to go. He grabbed my arm and whispered, you know I can't swim so when I hit the water, make sure that hook hits my hands ok? I said ok. We used to meet at the coffee machine every week before work. He said I'll buy coffee tomorrow. I said ok. He jumped, I had the hook waiting for him. Next morning we meet at the coffee he says, hey, got change for a dollar. I had to buy the coffee. I teased him till I went back to the infantry he owed me a dime. Still does. anyway.
I was watching whats my line while home. at a family dinner they ask. One of these guys is Olympic boxer Reggie Jones. Second guy is introduced and I said that's Reggie. My sister in law said yeah, like you know. Told her I knew him.
Why was he on the show? He also whipped the dogchit out of a Russian in the Olympics. They had to help the Russian to his corner every round. Decision was for the Russian. Long story just to say that LOL. Little about Percy below. I still live in Jacksonville where Percy died
Sport: Boxing
Biography
Percy Price entered the US Marine Corps in 1955 and joined the Marine boxing team. He made the 1960 Olympic team, and defeated [Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali] in trial matches to earn the position as the US heavyweight at Roma. Price won one match in Roma but lost in the quarter-finals. He is the last American heavyweight Olympian to not become a professional boxer. He remained in the Marines as a career military man, but he continued to box. He would later win three All-Marine Championships, two Interservice Titles, and won one title at the Conseil Internationale du Sport Militarie (CISM) meet. Price served two tours in Vietnam as a staff sergeant. He retired from the Marines in 1976 but settled in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where he had been stationed at Camp Lejeune. He died rather young from a kidney infection.
Percy came to the pool one day and told my boss. Hey, none of these boxers can swim bit I have been told they have to take the swim quall test. He then said none of them can swim a lick. To be tested you had to step off a 15 ft tower and enter 11 feet of water. Reggie was the first guy to go. He grabbed my arm and whispered, you know I can't swim so when I hit the water, make sure that hook hits my hands ok? I said ok. We used to meet at the coffee machine every week before work. He said I'll buy coffee tomorrow. I said ok. He jumped, I had the hook waiting for him. Next morning we meet at the coffee he says, hey, got change for a dollar. I had to buy the coffee. I teased him till I went back to the infantry he owed me a dime. Still does. anyway.
I was watching whats my line while home. at a family dinner they ask. One of these guys is Olympic boxer Reggie Jones. Second guy is introduced and I said that's Reggie. My sister in law said yeah, like you know. Told her I knew him.
Why was he on the show? He also whipped the dogchit out of a Russian in the Olympics. They had to help the Russian to his corner every round. Decision was for the Russian. Long story just to say that LOL. Little about Percy below. I still live in Jacksonville where Percy died
Sport: Boxing
Biography
Percy Price entered the US Marine Corps in 1955 and joined the Marine boxing team. He made the 1960 Olympic team, and defeated [Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali] in trial matches to earn the position as the US heavyweight at Roma. Price won one match in Roma but lost in the quarter-finals. He is the last American heavyweight Olympian to not become a professional boxer. He remained in the Marines as a career military man, but he continued to box. He would later win three All-Marine Championships, two Interservice Titles, and won one title at the Conseil Internationale du Sport Militarie (CISM) meet. Price served two tours in Vietnam as a staff sergeant. He retired from the Marines in 1976 but settled in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where he had been stationed at Camp Lejeune. He died rather young from a kidney infection.
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