Friday, April 24, 1998 | 11:47 a.m.
For a man who is retiring next Thursday as the longtime constable of North Las Vegas, Lou Tabat sure doesn't talk like a guy who will be spending a lot of time in a rocking chair or whiling away lazy afternoons at a fishing hole.
The longtime boxing official will continue to work with amateurs and pros. And he plans to build on a career in the entertainment industry that began in the late 1970s, when he appeared as an extra on the old "Vega$" television series.
Tabat, who turns 75 on Tuesday, was the chief timekeeper for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic boxing tournament and plans on working at the 2000 Games in Sydney. He also plans on adding to his string of judging more than 130 professional title fights.
Also, Tabat says he will join his longtime friend, film director Jerry Schafer, on his next documentary shoot, where he hopes to learn a lot about behind-the-camera work.
"I want to get out and smell the roses," Tabat said as he took down a quarter of a century's worth of mementos from the wall of his modest constable's office at the North Las Vegas Police station on Lake Mead Boulevard and Bruce Street.
"I want to enjoy the balance of my life at a time when I am still healthy."
Tabat's term -- his sixth consecutive since he was first elected in 1974 -- was to have ended later this year. He would have had to file next month to have sought a seventh term. The selection of his replacement is pending.
Tabat developed a reputation as a guy who got things done, but not at the expense of those on whom he served court papers or the folks he evicted from homes.
"Lou was very diligent in his job -- efficient and compassionate," James Kelly, a retired North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace and Municipal Court judge, said.
"It was no secret that on more than one occasion Lou reached into his own pocket and paid the rent of people he had to evict or gave them some money to feed their children or put them up in a motel."
Kelly also said that he could rely on Tabat to push through the ever-growing amount of paperwork associated with the growth in the court system and booming Southern Nevada population.
Amazingly, Tabat's staff of deputies has increased by the narrowest of margins -- from two when he started to three today.
"Lou did not rely on others -- he he did most of the work himself," Kelly said. "I don't see him settling into a rocking chair now."
Neither does Schafer, who has worked with Tabat on projects for 20 years. He was Tabat's boss in entertainment industry work. Tabat was Schafer's boss when he appointed him a part-time deputy constable.
"Lou was able to do so much because he has very sound organizational skills," Schafer said. "On the job, his record was unblemished."
Tabat also served a stint as alternate municipal court judge in the early 1980s and currently is president of the National Constables Association.
Worldwide, however, Tabat is more known in boxing rings than in political circles. As a judge for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Tabat has traveled to exotic lands to work major fights of the '70s, '80s and '90s.
"What makes Lou such a good judge is his ability to look at the fighters in the ring and count their punches -- and not concern himself with their records or their reputations," former NSAC Executive Director Johnny Mag said.
"That has put him in demand to work a lot of international fights."
Tabat just loves to chat about boxing.
"The fighter with the most class was Sugar Ray Leonard -- Muhammad Ali second," Tabat said. "Both fighters were class acts in and out of the ring."
His scariest moment as a judge came on June 17, 1979, when Tabat was sent to San Antonio, Texas, to judge a fight between World Boxing Council featherweight champion Danny "Little Red" Lopez and hometown favorite Mike Ayala.
"There were about 16,000 people in the arena -- almost all of them rooting for Ayala and drinking a lot of alcohol," Tabat recalled. "I had Lopez ahead by three rounds after the 14th (the next-to-last) round.
"I said a Hail Mary at the start of the 15th. Lopez broke Ayala's nose and the referee stopped the fight. My prayers were answered. I learned later that the other judges also had Lopez ahead by a round or two. There definitely would have been a riot if it had gone to a decision."
Tabat says that despite the criticisms about the dangers of boxing, he has no problem encouraging youths to participate in the sport.
"Boxing is the art of protection and it is getting much safer with mandatory headgear for the amateurs," Tabat said. "Besides, there are far more injuries in football and horse riding than in boxing.
"Amateur boxing keeps youngsters off the streets. Fighting on the streets makes them gang members, but fighting in the ring makes them sportsmen."
Tabat has long been involved in other youth activities. He was state softball and baseball commissioner for eight years and served for two decades as a college and high school baseball, softball and football official.
His civic duties have included serving as president of the Merchant Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Clark County Grand Jury.
Born in Wisconsin, Tabat moved to Las Vegas in 1953 during a 20-year stint in the Air Force. He retired as a tech sergeant in 1961. Tabat served in World War II, Korea, and participated in the Berlin air lift.
But none of the horrors he saw in battle could have prepared Tabat for the tragedy he endured in July 1983, when his first wife, Mary, was killed in an automobile accident in North Las Vegas. They had been married for 35 years.
"Naturally, it was the saddest time of my life, and I didn't know what I was going to do," Tabat, a devout Catholic, said. "But my parish priest told me not to let the sorrow linger. He said if I wanted another companion, I should go out and find one and be happy again."
Shortly thereafter, Tabat was introduced to Mary Steinbacher by his brother. Later that year they got married and have been married for 15 years.
The Tabats have five grown children -- four from his previous marriage and one from hers -- six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Looking back on his career, Tabat said that between the Air Force and Constable's office, "I have served my community for 44 years -- and I have enjoyed every bit of it.
"Sure, there have been ups and downs. But I've coped with it. Now it's time to go on to the next step."
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