Author Archives: Sports Spectrum

Devotional of the Week — Living intensely

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“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:7

My youngest daughter stood in line for three hours to get an autographed copy of “One Last Strike” by Tony LaRussa. It is his story of the improbable 2011 World Series run by the St. Louis Cardinals.

She gave it to me for Christmas. I read the whole book in two days. It paints a good picture of how LaRussa thinks.

Simply put, his philosophy for competing is “win through process.” On offense, play to make one run by making each at-bat count. On defense, play to prevent one run by getting ahead in the count and respecting your opponent’s strength.

He expected his team to play a “hard nine innings,” and was himself scrutinizing every pitch, by both teams. His managerial style was intense, but it worked out well for him with more than 2,600 victories, six pennants and three World Series rings.

Should the Christian approach to life be much different? We ought to live one day at a time (Matthew 6:34), make every day count (Ephesians 5:16) and respect our enemy’s strength (I Peter 5:7).

Are we serious about our walk with God? We would do well to live, day in and day out, with the same intensity that LaRussa managed, game in and game out.

A championship season might not be the result of such effort, but the life of a champion would be. Live intensely for Him.

By Stanley A. Tucker, Reader Submitted

Stanley A. Tucker is a subscriber to Sports Spectrum magazine. This devotional is taken from our most recent Training Table, a compilation of sports-related devotionals included in each print magazine. Log in here to access our most recent Training Table.

From the Archives — Not Done Yet

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Not Done Yet

Joe Torre finishes huddling with reporters in the dugout shortly before the first pitch of a spring training game. One writer lingers to ask a quick question.

The Los Angeles Dodgers manager prefers not to offer quick answers regarding Mariano Rivera, the celebrated Yankees reliever who helped Torre collect four World Series rings in the first five years of his tenure on the New York bench.

“Wait here. I don’t want to rush this,” says Torre before joining his players on the field for the national anthem. Moments later, his team is batting as he leads the reporter down to the clubhouse for a discussion on the greatest postseason pitcher in history.

No one under heaven is flawless, however, and the topic eventually turns to a night in the Arizona desert when Rivera appears perfectly human. It’s the seventh game of the 2001 World Series, and the slim right-hander inherits a 2-1 edge against the Diamondbacks in the eighth inning. He promptly strikes out the side, pulling the Yankees within three outs of their fourth consecutive title.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rivera gives up a looping single to leadoff batter Mark Grace, then fields a Damian Miller bunt and throws the ball into center field for an uncharacteristic error. Jay Bell follows with another bunt, but Rivera throws out the lead runner at third base.

“That told me this kid is special. He’s not afraid to fail,” Torre remembers thinking. But Rivera surrenders a game-tying double by Tony Womack and hits Craig Counsell with a pitch to load the bases.

Luis Gonzalez steps up with one out. Rivera breaks his bat on the second pitch with his trademark cut fastball, but the ball sails over drawn-in shortstop Derek Jeter for a hit that deprives the Yankees of another championship trophy.

“The fact that we’re playing on the road dictated that we had to play the infield up because not too many guys hit the ball hard enough to even think about getting a double play with this guy,” Torre says. “So what would have been worse than the blooper that Gonzalez hit would have been a ground ball to the shortstop that you try to get a double play on, and the World Series ends on a force play. They didn’t hit the ball hard, and you can only control so much of it.”

Former Diamondbacks third baseman Matt Williams thinks the rare miscue by Rivera, who did not commit a single error in his first six seasons, likely was the difference.

“Otherwise, I don’t know if we’d ever be able to beat him,” Williams says. “He’s been the premier closer in the game for years and years and years with one pitch. That’s pretty remarkable as far as I’m concerned.”

Rivera, who had converted 23 postseason save opportunities in a row, quietly departs with his first blown save in a Series game. He explains his faith in God enables him to respond to such a bitter defeat with the same class he exhibits in victory.

“I don’t act upset because I understand it happened for a reason,” he says. “Yes, I get upset. I don’t like it, but His ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts.”

Life After Baseball

Rivera, who turns 41 on Nov. 29, doesn’t know how much longer he will work off a mound, but he intends to pitch Christian values until his final breath.

“If it’s up to me, I might do it until my arm falls,” he says. “But I don’t want to do my will. I want to do His will, and He will lead me to the right path. If it’s only one more year, or after this year, I don’t know. I’m praying for the good Lord to direct me and help me to continue playing baseball and make my decision.”

Rivera also will seek divine intervention regarding life after his playing days. He might resurface in Tampa, where he made his professional debut in the rookie Gulf Coast League with a 5-1 record and 0.17 ERA in 1990. He has a heart for young Latin players and has considered making it his ministry to guide them down a straight and narrow path toward the majors.

“It’s a hard road in the minor leagues, the process from the minor leagues to the big leagues,” says Rivera, who had 546 career saves and a 2.21 career ERA at this year’s All-Star break. “During that process there are a lot of things that can take you to other ways that are not the way that you came to do it. Therefore, I’d like to work with the guys to make sure they understand why they came here and what their goals and their rules are.”

Rivera, who has helped the Yankees win five World Series titles in seven attempts, including last year’s victory against Philadelphia, will one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. But he is not waiting for that platform to spread his faith.

“It’s what you do now for God because tomorrow is not promised to anybody,” he says. “I try to do as much as I can to please the Lord. That is the most important thing in my life.”

It shows.

Florida Marlins pitcher Nate Robertson remembers listening to Rivera share his testimony at an outreach near the Yankees’ spring home in Tampa.

“Whenever you put yourself out there like that, now you’re held to a different standard of how you live your life and the decisions that you make,” Robertson says. “And all eyes are on you. People look to you to walk the walk.”

The Pitch

From the mound, Rivera has set a standard for pitchers with a cutter that mysteriously entered his life in 1997. He was playing a game of catch with teammate Ramiro Mendoza when he suddenly lost the ability to throw straight. Several days later in Detroit, Rivera was pitching his four-seam fastball to bullpen catcher Mike Borzello with similar dipping and darting movements around the plate.

Rivera now is certain of the origin of his signature pitch.

“It came from the Lord. Nobody taught me that but Him,” he says. “It’s been tremendous since the first time that I used it. It’s been effective, so I thank God for that.”

Rangers slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton is on the same page.

“It is a gift,” he says, “and when you get a gift from the Lord, you try to do the best you can to shape it and form it to be the best you can with it. He‘s done a great job of that.”

Rivera, an 11-time All-Star, reached the midway point of this season with a 2-1 record, 20 saves and a career-best 1.05 ERA. He is on pace to supplant Brewers right-hander Trevor Hoffman atop the all-time saves list next year.

Rivera doesn’t dwell on personal achievements.

“Those things are not my thing. I’m a team player,” he says. “Those things might come along, but I won’t pursue a record or anything like that. I’m happy with what I am and what I’m doing. The rest is in the Lord’s hands.”

Fellow believer Mike Sweeney admires Rivera and Hoffman on and off the field.

“They’re totally different pitchers, but they’re very similar in who they are as men,” the Seattle Mariners designated hitter says. “Mariano is a one-pitch guy. He’s a cutter. He’s going to throw it to either side of the plate. He’s a power guy. Trevor has very good command, but he’s known for his Bugs Bunny changeup. They are hands down the best two closers to ever play the game. And they’re both godly men.”

Rivera wants all the praise to go heavenward.

“I believe in Jesus Christ, and I cannot move without his direction,” he says. “That doesn’t mean that I’m a perfect man. Now I wish I could tell you that I’m perfect, but I’m not. But I’m always trying to please the Lord, and that’s my goal.”

By Bob Bellone

This story was published in the Fall 2010 issue of Sports Spectrum Magazine. Bob Bellone is a freelance writer based in Tampa, Fla.

From the Archives — The Little Guard That Could

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Reading the children’s classic The Little Engine That Could might be the easiest way to understand what Avery Johnson has gone through to make it in the NBA.

Like the little blue engine from Watty Piper’s story, Johnson is an inspiration. Like the little blue engine, Johnson is much smaller than his counterparts. Like the little blue engine, Johnson has had to persevere. And like the little blue engine, Johnson’s goal is to climb a mountain.

I think I can – I think I can – I think I can – I think I can.

When you look at Avery Johnson, you see a sophisticated, articulate individual. A man who has things in focus. A man with the highest degree of professionalism. What you don’t see is the journey that brought him to this point.

Click here to read the rest of our story on Avery Johnson from our November 1993 issue.

From the Archives — Giant Ambassador

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Dikembe Mutombo is a giant among men.

At 7 feet 2 inches, the former Houston Rockets center towered above a majority of other players in the NBA. Regarded as one of the most prolific defensive players of all time, Mutombo has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, and in 2007 he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind Hakeem Olajuwon.

Where the basketball superstar stands out most, however, is in the area of philanthropy. Called the “NBA’s tallest humanitarian” by the New York Daily News, Mutombo has a heart as big as he is tall; a heart that reaches across the Atlantic Ocean to his homeland of Africa, the poorest continent in the world.

The impetus behind Mutombo’s compassionate and giving soul is twofold. First, he is a follower of Jesus Christ and respectively adheres to the Bible’s mandate to care for the needy. Second, though Mutombo is now a wealthy former pro athlete, he hasn’t forgotten what it is like to be poor.

“I was born and raised in Africa,” said Mutombo, who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “When you are born in a country plagued by poverty, wherever you go in your life, you always remember where you came from.”

The fact that Mutombo, born June 25, 1966, has not let his new life in America eclipse his concern for the hurting in Africa is just one more characteristic that sets the gentle giant apart from many other professional athletes.

One of Mutombo’s most recent steps to give the poor in Africa “a hand up” was his joining the Opportunity International Board of Advisors. Opportunity International is a Christian organization committed to solving global poverty. Serving more than one million poor entrepreneurs in 28 developing countries, the microcredit organization provides small loans – sometimes as little as $50 – and other services that allow poor entrepreneurs to start or expand a business, develop a steady income, provide for their families, and create jobs for their neighbors.

Of Mutombo’s participation in the organization, Opportunity International President and CEO Christopher Crane, said, “What you quickly learn about Dikembe Mutombo is that he is not a sports celebrity doing a little charity work. This is a man of deep commitment to the poor who puts his own time, energy, and significant amounts of money into projects like his hospital.

“He influences others in a position to make a difference, whether they are NBA players donating time and money or doctors and government leaders contributing their talents to serve the poor, who have been underserved for so long. Dikembe Mutombo is the very definition of a philanthropist.”

In 2007, Mutombo invited Opportunity International executives to the dedication of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center, named for his late mother. It is the first major healthcare facility dedicated to providing the finest medical services to the poor in the DRC.

While there, Mutombo introduced Opportunity International to key government ministers to discuss the organization’s plans to provide microfinance services including loans, savings, and insurance for the poor. He also met with DRC President Joseph Kabila to further accelerate Opportunity International’s timetable for entering the country.

“The only way we are going to eradicate poverty,” Mutombo said, “is for each one of us to do his part. Opportunity International and its people working in Africa are a solution to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing financial services to the poorest of the working poor. I am excited for them to build a bank near my hospital in Kinshasa.”

In September 2007, while on a goodwill tour for the NBA, Mutombo visited Mozambique, where Opportunity International is already serving the poor. He toured the bank and visited loan and savings clients in marketplaces in the capital city of Maputo.

“I used to work in a market like this as a child for my father’s small business. I sold bread and cheese and sausage,” Mutombo explained. “My father woke me up every day at 5:30 a.m. and I worked until it was time to go to school at 8 a.m. It was how I earned money for my education. My father was poor.”

Mutombo created an immediate stir entering the market, as would any person who is as tall as he is, dressed impeccably in a suit and tie.

“I always dress this way in public,” he explained.

Soon hundreds of men, women, and children were following him as he stopped to talk with Opportunity International clients selling food and household goods in the market stalls.

Not everyone recognized him as an NBA player.

“Is he a giant?” one woman was overheard asking. Her friend immediately responded, “Of course he is, silly!”

“Bom dia, my sister, bom dia, my brother,” he greeted the entrepreneurs in what little Portuguese he knows. It is not one of nine languages he speaks.

At one business that sells shoes, the proprietor, a woman named Rosita, tried to find a pair of basketball shoes to fit him.

“Rosita, I need size 22!” he exclaimed, holding up his foot. While she did find a large pair of Nikes, which is his basketball shoe sponsor, they were at least six sizes too small.

While spending the day in the marketplace, Mutombo asked many questions of the entrepreneurs served by Opportunity International.

“What they all tell me is that the first thing they do when they get a loan and expand their business is buy better food that is more nutritious for their children. And they use the extra money they earn to keep their children in school,” he said.

At the end of his Mozambique visit, Mutombo said, “I believe we are all created equal in God’s eyes and that the gospel teaches us to find a way to serve humanity. This is what Opportunity International and I are doing, and we hope that many others will join us.”

Mutombo is elated that an increasing number of individuals and ministries are demonstrating concern and action on behalf of the citizens of Africa.

In recent days, largely as a result of advocates such as Mutombo, musician Bono, and other celebrities, Africa has attracted a growing interest and support base. But there are still massive needs facing the African continent and its people. Just one season away from retiring from the NBA, Mutombo had only scratched the surface of what he hoped to help accomplish on behalf of his homeland.

It is no wonder, then, that Mutombo has earned multiple awards for his unceasing efforts. The husband and father of six children (four of who were adopted) received the NBA’s humanitarian award in 2001. The Sporting News named him as one of the “Good Guys in Sports” in 1999 and 2000. In 1999, Mutombo was also elected as one of 20 winners of the President’s Service Awards, the nation’s highest honor for volunteer service.

Perhaps one of Mutombo’s greatest honors, however, came in 2007 when he was added to the prestigious guest list for President George W. Bush’s State of the Union Address. In front of the United States’ greatest political and social leaders, and before a television audience of millions, Mutombo was referred to by the President as “a son of the Congo.”

It is certain that Mutombo would say he could receive no greater compliment than to be recognized for his lifelong devotion to his homeland and to God.

But it is his love for others, not the awards, that has kept and will keep him serving the poor with excellence in all that he sets his giant heart to do.

By Roxanne Robbins

Roxanne Robbins is a freelance writer for Sports Spectrum magazine. This story was published in Sports Spectrum’s Silver Anniversary Edition, Celebrating 25 Years of Sports and Faith. Order the book here.

Real Vision

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Leading up to this story, I have enjoyed watching the perplexed look on people’s faces after sharing my latest subject matter with them. Most recently, I nonchalantly told my doctor, while he was busy writing down notes, that I was writing a story about a blind surfer. He continued writing for a few seconds before dropping his pen, looking up quizzically, and asked, “Wait. What? He surfs blind? How is that even possible?”

Ah, yes. The question that everyone who hears about Derek Rabelo eventually ends up asking.

Consider how difficult a feat this is. The playing field for a surfer is constantly changing as it shifts along the different bottom contours of the ocean. Three-time World Champion Tom Curren mused about what it must be like. He says he could possibly imagine a blind person surfing who had surfed before losing his or her sight. “But,” he admitted, “to actually be blind from the start—that’s what I’m totally baffled by.”

In fact, when I first heard about Rabelo, I couldn’t even envision him doing what I define as “real” surfing. Instead, I thought he was probably just jumping up on his surfboard in the white wash near the shore and merely going straight. But when I finally saw the YouTube video for myself, I was flat-out shocked.  Rabelo was not only descending down the face of some good size swells, but actually turning off the bottom of the wave and positioning the board so he could continue to follow the line of the break.

When I ran into Derek on his visit to San Diego, Calif., his story continued to intrigue me as I learned more about his incredible journey.

Nineteen years ago in Guarapi, Brazil, Rabelo’s father had aspirations that one day he would have a son who would become a professional surfer. In anticipation of this dream, he had already named his soon-to-be son after famous Hawaiian surfer Derek Ho.  Unfortunately the child was born blind, leaving the Rabelo clan crushed. Surely there would be no days of sharing surfing with his son, let alone a professional career.

But as he grew up on the sands of his local beach, Rabelo listened to his relatives and friends share their excitement after catching incredible waves. He began to picture in his mind what it must be like to surf. When he finally shared his desire to try it at the age of sixteen, his family didn’t discount him, but encouraged him to go for it. Heeding their advice that he would need to be physically equipped, he began working out intensely and practicing Jujitsu in preparation of the surf. A few months later and with history in the making, news cameras from all over Brazil came to verify the story that a blind boy was indeed surfing.

The story would be amazing enough if it had ended right there on this tiny coastal town in Brazil. Even though Rabelo had already captured the imagination of so many in his native land, his exploits in the ocean only served to further fuel his own dreams of what was possible. With only two years of surfing experience, he now wanted to challenge arguably the world’s most dangerous wave: The infamous Banzai Pipeline.

So in February 2012, he set out for the North Shore of Hawaii, a place where surfers have broken their necks and given their lives in pursuit of the most intense adrenaline rushes the planet has to offer. Paddling out into the hectic surf with a couple of friends, his first attempt was hugely disappointing.  The immense crowd, largely oblivious to Rabelo’s condition, did not allow him to catch a single wave.

But Rabelo hadn’t traveled half way around the world to cave in and give up his dream. Meeting some friends at a local church, he acquired the help of some of the Pipeline locals such as pro surfer Makua Rothman to clear a path for him out in the lineup. The next day, the upper echelon of the surfing world witnessed a blind person, not only make steep drops over the sharp reef, but turn up into the pocket and come close to getting in the barrel. The locals here at Pipeline don’t easily impress, but Rabelo’s performance left everyone astonished.  Rothman, who himself has tackled 50-foot plus surf, was utterly slack-jawed, exclaiming, “I was tripping out because I never told him where the white wash was coming and he ducked dived the waves with perfect timing. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’  This guy is my new hero! Unbelievable.”

With observers on the beach blown away by what they had seen, Derek Rabelo offered up a giant smile before finally giving us the answer as to how he does it: “Faith to me is to believe that the impossible for man is possible with God.”

It was this provocative yet child-like faith that grabbed the attention of former pro surfer and filmmaker Bryan Jennings. (If the name sounds familiar, Jennings created a documentary about Bethany Hamilton that led to the feature film Soul Surfer.) Jennings knew Rabelo’s story had to be told and is currently producing a documentary called Beyond Sight. During a recent filming, Jennings suggested to Derek that they could go attempt to surf the 60-80 foot mountainous waves of the famous break Jaws in Maui. “I was kidding, but he got all excited and said, ‘Yeah.’ Jennings recalled and laughed.  This guy is nuts. He has zero fear.”

While his passion for surfing is obvious, Rabelo got just as enthusiastic when I brought up the subject of God. As he started sharing more about his faith, I posed the question of how he knows that God is real. “I can just feel God blessing my life and I know that He empowers me to do everything that I do.”

Asked what he hopes people will ultimately gain from knowing about his story, he paused before answering. “I hope to motivate others to accomplish their dreams, but what I would really like was for everyone to get to know the Lord Jesus because this is the most important thing in life. He is our salvation.”

Watching Rabelo live out what he believes causes me to reflect on more than a few great spiritual truths. I am reminded that God is immeasurably bigger than our problems and that He truly can do more than we ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). Hearing a story like his also demonstrates that what may seem like a tragedy at first can turn out to be a blessing in disguise (Romans  8:28).

And as I stand on the beach and witness a blind young man paddle unassisted into the ocean, I smile, suddenly aware that Derek Rabelo doesn’t lack vision after all.

By Billy Barnard

Billy Barnard is a freelance writer for Sports Spectrum magazine.

Using the Force

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Watching Frankie “The Freight Train” Filippone fighting in the ring or protecting the streets of Virginia Beach can be an intimidating sight. Those who know the real Frank Filippone Jr., know that under his tough exterior is a heart of gold. He never misses a chance to use both his boxing and his badge for all the good he can.

The 33-year-old Chesapeake, Va., resident has been a police officer for 10 years and boxing professionally for five. He lives his life by two constants.

“My motto as a boxer is ‘keep punching,’” he says. “No matter what, I keep fighting. And my motto as a police officer is ‘Try to save a life before you take a life.’”

Filippone is all about saving lives. He wants to make a difference in the lives of the teenagers who find themselves in the back of his police car. He wants to see them living meaningful lives instead of wasting away in prison.

“Being both a boxer and policeman allows me to break through some barriers,” says Filippone. “The kids on the street look at the police force as the enemy. But they can relate to my boxing. With boxing they see an accomplishment they respect.”

In February of this year, Filippone’s name became a little better known in the boxing world when he stepped in as a last-minute participant for the injured Dennis Hasson. He won the North American Boxing Association (NABA) Light Heavyweight title by a 10-round decision in Wilmington, Del. It was the biggest win in the southpaw’s career so far.

He makes the most of every opportunity, so when he was asked to take the fight on with less than a week’s notice, Filippone didn’t hesitate.

“When they called us on a Sunday about fighting Friday, I told my boxing trainer, Kenny Miller, ‘I’ve been waiting for this for 15 years, let’s go for it!’” Filippone says, his face lighting up. “I was in shape, but there’s a difference between being ‘in shape’ and ‘in fight shape.’ So we trained really hard for three days, then went up to Wilmington.”

He notes that he tries to eat healthy for the most part, but likes to follow a very strict diet at least two weeks prior to a big fight.

“I try to stick to chicken breast, sweet potato and vegetable suppers,” he says, “and I’ll just drink water, cut down on sodium. Breakfast is old fashioned, steel-cut oats with milk, and blueberries or maybe some honey for sweetening. You can’t cheat yourself, you have to treat yourself!”

He credits his personal trainer, Craig Hamilton, for helping to keep him in shape physically, mentally and spiritually.

“Craig is a very strong Christian,” says Filippone. “I am grateful to him for devoting his time and advice to me.”

His Foundation

The support of good Christians is priceless to Filippone. Raised in a Catholic home, Filippone was saved at the age of 18 through the witness of some Christian friends he met after moving to Lexington, Ky., to work in a mattress factory for a few years.

“Then when I moved back to Virginia in 2001, I met my future wife Rachel,” he remembers. “She and her mom are amazing Christians. They helped me work out some things. I knew the right things to do but wasn’t really following it through. We were married in 2005. A few years later we started attending River Oak Church and I was baptized there in 2009. I had gone to other churches, but when I came out of that water it was a new beginning. Just being there with my pastor and other fellow Christians who were so welcoming, that changed my outlook. I fell in love with my church.”

He’s not only a strong Christian; Filippone’s also a great dad. When he had to go to Wilmington for the big fight, Rachel remained at home in Virginia because they have two children, who at the time each had a birthday that needed to be celebrated. Even though he had an important fight to focus on, he took time out on each special day to join in their celebrations.

“Our daughter, Avery, turned 5 on February 7th and our son Drew turned 2 on the 8th!” Filippone smiles. “So I put on my party hat and blew my noisemaker in my hotel room, and hung out with the kids on FaceTime.”

His Heart

He has a heart for other kids, too; the ones he picks up off the street.

“I’m just trying to be a light in a world that has a dark side,” he says. “Just the other day we met a teenage kid newly-diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. His prognosis is a wheelchair in two years, and he was giving up. He was going the wrong way with his life. He was angry because he used to be like any other guy and now he’s losing control of movement, can’t do things like he used to.”

Filippone frowns and looks down at his hands, deeply touched.

“When we first approached him he wasn’t nice at all,” he then smiles at the understatement. “But in the car I gave him my story and you could see his demeanor change.”

Even though it was almost 20 years ago, Filippone remembers all too clearly what the backseat of a police car looks like. Although his mom did the best she could, his dad was in the Navy so a father’s firm hand wasn’t always present in their home.

“I ran with the wrong crowd,” he remembers. “I was a follower instead of a leader and there were times I didn’t care what happened to me. I got involved in underage drinking. Thankfully, a gang unit police detective named Randy Crank changed my life by being there for me.”

Crank had been cracking down on any kids hanging out in large groups, and he kept tabs on young Filippone, along with probation officer Kevin Freeman.

“Sometimes it wasn’t very nice,” Filippone states, “but those guys played small parts in my life that made a big impact. I couldn’t have been a police officer if I continued on the path I was going on. And where I’ve been and come out of makes me a better police officer.”

Instead of treating the police force as just a job, Filippone takes the time to listen and help those who need help, like a local teenager with Muscular Dystrophy.

“I told him his life wasn’t all over,” he says. “It’s now up to him what he does with his disability. “I said, ‘If you let it consume you it will; you need to have power over it. You can show other people this isn’t going to stop you.’ Since I reached out to him, instead of staying hardened he started crying. He just wanted someone to listen to him. A couple of weeks later I saw his mom and she said he’s going to school every day, and listening to her for a change. It’s up to us to keep that going, so he doesn’t fall back into the street mentality. I know God put him in my path for a reason.”

Besides taking the time for hurting teenagers, Filippone finds time to use his boxing title to fundraise for worthy causes.

“People ask me how I make time for everything,” he says. “My only answer is there are not enough hours in the day, but you push through and God makes it work. This is my heart, to help others. A friend of mine knows a 3-year-old girl named Cameron, who has leukemia. He asked me to help, so I contacted our local Chick-fil-A. We did a Spirit Night with raffle tickets and raised $700 for her. A lot of great businesses gave us great prizes to raffle off. I had never met Cameron, but there was no question that I was going to do what I could. I had many things going on, but God made the days seem longer so things just fell into place. Everything went smoothly.”

His Future

Filippone has big plans for his boxing career, and he wants to give back however he can. Last October his team raised money to help fight breast cancer and plan to make an annual tradition out of raising funds to fight this deadly disease.

“Keadra Young is a good friend of mine, I call her my ‘public relations manager,’” he smiles. “Some of her friends and family had had breast cancer, and I just wanted to fight for people like them who couldn’t fight back. The numbers dealing with it are alarming.”

The wife of one of his friend’s wife was also affected by breast cancer and opted to have her breast removed.

“That hurt me, that women have to go through this serious procedure just to give themselves a fighting chance,” Filippone says. “Any form of cancer is a debilitating disease, and we want to do everything we can to help educate people and eradicate cancer altogether. We had pink t-shirts made up that said ‘Fight like a Girl’ on the front and ‘Team Freight Train’ on the back. To look out in the crowd before a fight and see people with my t-shirt on was awesome.”

On fight days Filippone normally only comes out of his room for breakfast and lunch and that’s it, but something else brought him out the morning of February 8th—the day of his title match in Delaware.

“We heard that Wilmington’s police officer Justin Wilkers had tragically been shot in the face the Sunday before,” he says. “So we went to see him in the hospital, gave him some boxing gloves, met his family that morning of the fight. I promised him I would bring the belt home, and I think that was my edge. I felt I was fighting for Justin.”

“Frankie’s a winner inside the ring and outside the ring,” his trainer Kenny Miller adds. “When he visited that fellow officer in Wilmington, that broke our training pattern, particularly for a championship fight. But it was important to him.”

To open the evening event, a ceremony to honor Delaware police officers who were killed in the line of duty took place. With more than 60 policemen in the crowd watching, Filippone beat Kevin Engel, who at 6’2” was 4 inches taller than he.

“A lot of people in boxing emphasize height and reach,” he shrugs. “But I just look at it that I’ve trained hard, and if he’s trained hard it’s gonna be one heck of a fight.”

It was ‘a heck of a fight,’ and Filippone looks forward to at least five more years of fighting in the ring, and even more years fighting against crime, helping fight against cancer, and fighting for teenagers to have hope.

By Jayne Thurber-Smith

Jayne Thurber-Smith is a freelance writer for Sports Spectrum magazine.

Introducing Our April 2013, All-Duck Dynasty DigiMag!

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Our newest DigiMag is now available for viewing! Our April 2013, All-Duck Dynasty DigiMag features 24 PAGES of exclusive Duck Dynasty content, including 11 video interviews with America’s favorite family, the Robertsons. If you like Duck Dynasty, you’ll love this issue; if you’ve never seen Duck Dynasty, we promise you’ll become a fan after flipping through our magazine. Click HERE to view the issue on your computer, iPad, tablet, iPhone or Android.

Read. Interact. And enjoy.

May 2013 DigiMag Now Available!

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View our 46-page, interactive May DigiMag! This issue includes features on boxers Robert Guerrero and Frankie Filippone, PGA Tour golfer Kevin Streelman, and an incredible account of a blind surfer named Derek Rabelo.

Read the cover story early by clicking here, or flip through the entire DigiMag by logging in here. View on your computer, iPad, tablet, iPhone or Android.

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