George assumes role of gymkeeper at Golden Gloves

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2002 | 10:12 a.m.

It's a few minutes before 11 a.m. and Joe George is nothing if not prompt.

Five days a week he arrives at the appointed hour at the Golden Gloves Gym, unlocks the doors and settles in for a six-hour shift. Both reliable and dependable, he has assumed a role that doesn't pay him a cent yet fulfills a commitment he has made to the family of his predecessor.

George is the new gymkeeper at Golden Gloves, succeeding Faye Miller, who died last month. Faye, of course, had succeeded her husband Hal, who died in 1997.

"Hal wanted Faye to keep it going and when Faye passed away she wanted us to keep the gym going," said George. "I'd trained fighters here for five years and helped Faye along, and I'm only doing what she wanted.

"I enjoy it, but don't get me wrong: It's not quite the same without Faye here and she's very much missed."

The Millers' son in law, Dave Moody, holds the local Golden Gloves license but it's George who is operating the gym. He volunteers for a daily ritual that includes myriad duties, including enforcing law and order in a facility that is frequently crammed with youngsters, amateurs and the occasional pro.

"I'm sticking to her rules," George said of picking up where Faye left off. "Everything is the same as it was when she was here. The same two or three guys are banned and for the most part I continue to do what she tried to do."

Faye Miller's death, due to pneumonia complications and lung cancer, was largely unexpected yet gym members never missed a beat. George stepped in and took control without any interruption of service.

"There could have been a lull in the action," he said, "and if there had been it would have been horrible for the kids."

George -- who is so low key that he actually requested his name not be used in this story -- is content to have a task that others might look on with drudgery.

"Oh, it's not too bad," he said of running the brightly colored gym that sits off E. Washington St. and near Cashman Field. "We're doing everything we can to make Faye happy."