The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Ramon "Buddy" Carr Inducted 1994 - Class of 1944
Ramon "Buddy" Carr fought his way into this world during the roaring twenties. "I had to share this occasion with a beautiful twin sister. My parents named her Ramona and me Ramon. Since I was an Irish kid destined to go through life with a name like that, I had to be a fighter!" Buddy quipped.
His father was a former boxer and his mother a pianist. His mother wanted all her kids to go into music; but his father had other plans for young Ramon.
Because of Nicholas' former career in the ring, he and his son fraternized with former fighters in Toledo. "Dad paraded me around town learning boxing from all the old timers while mom made me take piano lessons on the side," Buddy said.
He started school at Woodward in 1940 bound and determined to join the football team. Unfortunately, he didn't make the squad because he only weighed about 100 pounds. Surprisingly,
Buddy wasn't alone in this dilemma. Homer Hanham saved the day by organizing a W.H.S. boxing team for the group of lighter-than-flyweights.
Buddy proudly remembers, "I went out again for the football team my senior year and before the season was over, I was playing every game -- even starting the last few games as fullback."
His senior year was also filled with successes in the ring including a varsity letter and his first boxing trophy.
After graduating from Woodward in 1944, Buddy's fighting talent took him to the naval training center in San Diego. There, Buddy chalked up the Samsen Naval Training Center Boxing Title and West Coast Middleweight Title. These victories earned him a spot on the team that fought during the War Bond shows.
"We boxed in big cities on the west coast against local service teams," Buddy explained.
After the war, Buddy was on his way! He won the Golden Gloves and turned professional. His luck changed in 1948 when he broke his hand while boxing in Toledo.
The injury ended Buddy's personal boxing career but lead the way for a new future. His former teacher, Homer, was looking for a boxing coach for the Boys' Club. Under Buddy's leadership, the Boys' Club won the city's novice team championship.
Buddy next joined the Toledo Police Department and was assigned to the Police Academy teaching riot control and defense tactics. He also commanded the department Police Athletic League which was formed to work with juveniles who were at risk.
Buddy's P.A.L. team won 23 national boxing titles, including two in the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament. He successfully coached the Pan-American games and Amateur Athletic Union team which toured England and Ireland. Buddy also served as an official coach in Rome in the 1960 Olympic games where Toledo's Wilbert McClure took home a gold medal.
This was the highlight of Buddy's years of coaching. He took over Wilbert’s training after he lost one of his first fights and was disgusted and ready to quit boxing. Buddy built the disheartened youth into an Olympic champion. In 1972, another of Buddy's protégés, Louis Self, won a bronze medal in Munich.
But it is not champions that Buddy has built. Throughout his career, he taught youngsters the importance of excelling in and out of the ring.
''Twenty two of the young men I coached received scholarships for boxing. They are now all very successful people. Many are teachers, engineers, and doctors. Every time I hear of their accomplishments, I am rewarded!"
Buddy's work on the force included a stint on the Community Relations unit. It worked closely with the Toledo Board of Education to build recreation centers for inner-city youths. Buddy retired from the Police Department in 1981.
Since then he has taught the basics of self defense to the Toledo Storm Hockey Team. Buddy still coaches kids in the ring, too. Currently, he is doing a knockout job at Toledo's River East Gym.
In 1992, the Toledo Golden Gloves Association recognized Buddy for his work with area youths through sports, employment, and education.
Buddy is married to Eleanor. They have seven children and seven grandchildren.