Tony working with 4 yr. old Jr. prospect, Noel Ortiz
Boxing Coach to Lecture at NIU on
the Art of Tattoos
September 13, 2011
Gary Dobry, owner of the School of Hard Knocks, will talk about boxing, his
paintings and tattoos at an art gallery in DeKalb.
Gary
Dobry
There are two Gary Dobrys: the boxing coach and the artist.
When he’s teaching a boxing class — with the “ding” of the automatic round
counter sounding and people shadowboxing in front of mirrors at The School of
Hard Knocks in Crystal Lake — Dobry speaks crudely, hollering at his pupils,
telling them to keep their hands up and to throw more jabs.
But he is soft-spoken and careful when talking about art. And his take on
tattoos as art may make you dizzy, like a stroll down Queer Street, a term in
boxing that connotes an out-of-body experience caused by a Sunday punch.
“A tattoo is literally you wearing your heart on your sleeve,” Dobry said.
“It’s like when scientists beam messages into outer space, hoping for a
response, for just a trace of humanity. A tattoo is a visual message, meant to
elicit a response.
“From the time cavemen first painted images on the wall, it’s always been
about one’s need to get some sort of response.”
During a lecture at Northern Illinois University later this month, Dobry
will specifically focus on the kinds of tattoos found on boxers. Dobry said a
boxer is likely to get a tattoo after a big ring loss, after he gets
clobbered. Look at Mike Tyson, he said.
Gary Dobry
Dobry has two tattoos, one on each of the beefy upper portions of his arms.
They are renderings of boxers striking the classic pose: one the devil, with
horns, a pointy tail and on fire, and the other an angel, with a halo.
Ask Dobry to explain his own tattoos, and he is vague and evasive, in an
artistic way. He wants you to figure it out for yourself, for he believes
there is a relationship between the viewer and the artwork totally apart from
the artist.
Dobry, a few years ago, worked as a part-time tattoo artist, as an
apprentice under Ernie Gonzales at Fox Lake’s Electric Art Tattoo.
“I was never as good with a tattoo machine as I am with a paint brush,”
Dobry said. “Ernie taught me a lot. I wanted to grow as an artist. Ernie gave
me that chance.”
Dobry v. National Golden Gloves semi-finalist, Ruperto Chavez
Last year a show focusing on tattoos was well received at NIU so the
university decided to have another, said Peter Van Ael, coordinator for the
art gallery and museum studies program at NIU.
“Gary does it very well,” said Van Ael, commenting on why Dobry was one of
a handful of artists asked to the show. The exhibit is called “Inked: Tattoo
Imagery in Contemporary Art,” which runs through Oct. 13, according to NIU
Today.
A reception for artists is planned from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Northern
Illinois University’s Jack Olson Gallery, at the School of Art, 200 Visual
Arts Building, DeKalb.
Dobry will be lecturing from 5 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26.
Pug's Boxing Team adds Veteran Trainer
Tony Prignits to Training Staff
Tony Prignits @ Hard Knocks
Pug's Boxing Club welcomes British veteran boxing trainer Tony Prignits to
the Pug's Boxing Team training staff. Head trainer, and Hard Knocks' owner,
Gary Dobry says, "Tony has trained me personally for years and that
relationship eventually evolved into Tony helping me work some of my own
fighters. I'm big on technical skills, turning out 'technicians'. Tony is that
old-school, Jake LaMotta-type of trainer that motivates fighters to be
finishers, punishers. He's the proverbial "Mick" type of trainer of Rocky
fame. Tony helps me produce well-conditioned wrecking machines that can
get the job done. I soon realized that the marriage of our training approaches
was producing well-schooled fighters that were finishers as well." Pug's
members can get 3 months of training with Tony and the Pug's Boxing Club for
only $150. Non-members can get 3-months of competitive training with Dobry and
Tony for $299. Call us for more details: 815 356 6572
Tony & Jake LaMotta (Lorenzo Meyer in background)
FEBRUARY 22, 2011 - Examiner Article
Crystal Lake boxing
coach, British historian to discuss granddad, Jack Johnson
Tony Prignits shows a picture of his grandfather [on
the left in the photograph] who was Jack Johnson's sparring partner.
Tony Prignits is planning a
fact-finding expedition next month to London, to find out more about his
grandfather, Fred Drummond, who was a long-time sparring partner of Jack
Johnson.
Prignits, a 69-year-old boxing coach at The School of Hard Knocks in
Crystal lake, plans to meet with Harold Alderman, recently named a Member
of the Order of the British Empire [MBE], recognized for his work as a
boxing historian.
“It won’t be all work,” said Prignits, a native of London who speaks
with a strong Cockney accent. “Mr. Alderman and I no doubt will stop by
the local pub for some tea and meat pie.”
A lame foot coupled with a strong dislike of training handicapped
Drummond’s boxing career, which at one time was “highly promising,” wrote
Alderman.
From today’s perspective, Drummond’s time in the ring is probably most
noteworthy for his being a sparring partner of Jack Johnson before and
during Johnson’s reign as world heavyweight champion. Johnson held the
title 1908-1915.
Prignits is eager to see what else Alderman has learned about his
grandfather since he last visited England a few years ago. Prignits is
also looking for a copy of a front-page newspaper article from 1911 about
an exhibition bout between Drummond and Johnson. Prignits tried to
purchase the article, which was for sale on eBay last year, but was
outbid.
Alderman is an old-school historian, according to Prignits. Alderman
doesn’t use a computer. He gets all his information from books,
periodicals and newspapers that are mouldering in the libraries, archives
and basements in the greater-London area.
Meanwhile, Johnson is in the news again. Members of Congress have been
urging Barrack Obama, the first black president of the United States, to
pardon Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world. Johnson
was imprisoned in 1920 for dating white woman.
The Obama administration has stood firm. Obama contends that pardons
should be given only to those who can benefit from them -- the living.
Johnson died in a car accident in 1946. He is buried Chicago’s
Graceland Cemetery.
According to Alderman’s research, Drummond passed away in 1953 or 1954
at the age of 78 or 79.
Cary-Grove's Chris Hill Stands Out at Pug’s Boxing Club
The senior at Cary-Grove High School is in the gym six
days a week.
Of the young group of boxers training
at The School of Hard Knocks in Crystal Lake, one kid from
Cary
sticks out and will likely have his first sanctioned amateur bout
sometime this fall.
Gary
Dobry, head coach of Pug’s Boxing Club, said Chris Hill, a 17-year-old
senior at
Cary-Grove High School, is
among his most dedicated pupils.
“The most important thing for a
boxer is his work ethic,” Dobry said. “Guys like Chris Hill are rare.
He’s always in the gym.”
Dobry added that Hill keeps his
hands up and has good form.
Hill spent Sunday morning sparring
several rounds with Bill Briska, a 16-year-old who attends
Crystal Lake South
High School.
Hill and Briska took turns
exchanging the classic orthodox 1-2-3 combination, which consists of the
jab, cross and hook.
Hill's friend Spencer Kube first
brought him to the gym about two years ago.
Spencer is the younger brother of
Alex Kube, a standout player at
Cary-Grove High
School who recently
finished up his college football career at Northern Illinois University.
Hill said his ring idol is Ricky
Hatton. But he doesn’t see himself ever becoming a professional
fighter.
“I box to stay in shape,” Hill
said, “to stay active.”
Hill aspires to become a
psychologist and would like to go to a university with a boxing club,
such as Northern Michigan or Southern Illinois, so he can continue
training.
Lake in the Hills boxer wins bout in Golden Gloves
Scoop03/12/10 08:00 AM3
Jose Cuevas, a resident of Lake in the Hills and a member of the Pug's
Boxing Club, is awarded the decision Thursday night in a preliminary bout in
the welterweight senior novice division of the Chicago Golden Gloves Boxing
Tournament. Cuevas is awaiting word when he will fight next. Members of Pug's
Boxing Club work out at the School of Hard Knocks Boxing Academy in Crystal
Lake. [Photo by Tim Kane]
Head Trainer Gary Dobry has trained numerous amateur and professional champs
including NABF & IBF Heavyweight Champion, Obed Sullivan, Jose Hernandez, John
Venesanakos and numerous others.
Dobry currently has openings for new clients.
Whether your goal is an amateur title, guidance and management in a professional
career, a Mixed Martial Artist looking to acquire boxing skills or just one who wants to use
boxing training to lose a few pounds and get into fighting shape, Dobry has
openings and is booking now. Contact Gary
at: pugsgym@aol.com
M
Postal address: 824 S. Main St., Crystal Lake, Illinois,
60014
Email & Contact Info:
General Information:PugsGym@aol.com Sales: Gary Dobry/School of Hard Knocks, 815 356-6572 Customer Support:
815 356-6572 Webmaster:PugsGym@aol.com
Ex-Bear All-Pro Center Olin Kruetz, trained by
Pugs' Head Coach, Gary Dobry
Former IBF & NABF Heavyweight Champ, Obed Sullivan
was trained by Pug's Head Trainer, Gary Dobry
Pugs' 2000
Hall-of-Famer, Jeff Lanas (circa 1987) v. Roberto Duran
Pug's 2010
Hall-of-Famer, current light-heavyweight contender, Mike Lee (r)
Trainer: Dave Krall (l) , 2002 & 2003 Lt.
HeavyWeight Chicago Golden Gloves Champion: John Venesanakos (center), Trainer:
Tim Martin (r) - Team Pugs' 2002
OUR PROMISE TO YOU!
At the School of Hard
Knocks we offer high-quality boxing instruction at affordable prices. We do
not get clients into long-term contracts that rack-up $100 - $200 monthly
charges on their credit card or do we debit client's checking accounts. We
don't promise clients the world and then fail to provide them what was
promised or entrap them in no-way-out contracts. We are not a front for a
finance company and we do not retain the services of bill collectors. We
don't have to. What we DO do, is provide hi-quality services at affordable
prices. It is relatively easy to get a person desperate to get into shape, or
wanting to box, to sign-up for a membership, the FIRST TIME. What our
challenge is... is to get existing members to renew after their original
membership expires. At that time the member will ask himself, "What did I get
out of the membership?", "Did I lose fat?", "Did I lose inches?",
"Has my cardio-vascular fitness improved?", "Have I acquired
above-average boxing skills?", “Was it FUN?” Our success is totally
dependent on the excellence of the services we provide and for us to keep those
services affordable to a niche demographic that is, and has been, exploited by
Martial Arts and Mixed Martial Arts facilities offering sub-par boxing
instruction as part of an expensive, entrapping, no-way-out-of-contract,
membership. Our business depends on renewals to continue as a going concern. We
understand that. That is why our members are very special to us and why we treat
them as special.
Come and try-out a
class for free. See if it's for you. Talk to the other members. Get their input.
We believe that we offer a membership that will simply KNOCK YOU OUT!
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Tony working with 4 yr. old Jr. prospect, Noel Ortiz
Gary Dobry
Dobry v. National Golden Gloves semi-finalist, Ruperto Chavez
Tony Prignits @ Hard Knocks
Tony & Jake LaMotta (Lorenzo Meyer in background) 
Pug's Head Trainer, Gary Dobry (9/11)
The School of Hard Knocks Boxing Academy * 824 S. Main
St., Crystal Lake, Il., 60014