Images(5)

Commemorative

Object number2016.100.14

Date1964

MediumWood/Glass/Bronze(?)/Metal/Velvet/Paper/Plastic/Adhesive Tape/Ink

Credit LineGift of Frederick W. Lenn, Jr.

DescriptionFramed commemorative. Rectangular shadow box wood frame with glass glazing. Wood veneer mat with painted gold beveled inner mat edge.Center is dark purple velvet with round bronze(?) commemorative piece at center; commemorative has stylized relief of horned animal with gold Olympic rings at center and gold text at bottom. Mounted on veneer mat is silver commemorative coin at left, gold commemorative coin mounted on square metal piece at top, gold commemorative coin at right, and gold metal plate at bottom with inscribed text. Each commemorative coin has the same decoration on the front of five men racing and raised text around the perimeter. Back has green paperboard backer. White piece of paper covered in plastic is mounted on the back and has black printed text and photographs with information about the 1964 United States Olympic Boxing Team.Dimensions16.5 x 18.25 x 1.875 in. (41.9 x 46.4 x 4.8 cm)
InscriptionsRound bronze(?) commemorative piece at front center has gold text at bottom "1964 TOKYO".

Mounted on veneer mat is silver commemorative coin at left, gold commemorative coin at top, and gold commemorative coin at right; each commemorative coin has raised text around the perimeter "TOKYO 1964 / XVIII OLYMPIAD".

Gold metal plate at bottom front has inscribed text "MGYSGT. FREDERICK W. LENN. USMC / BOXING COACH / UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TEAM".

Back has white piece of paper covered in plastic mounted at center with black printed text and photographs including information about "OLYMPIC BOXING COMPETITION", "BOXING TEAM ROSTER", and "U.S.A. ENTRIES BY WEIGHT DIVISIONS", and information about "COACH & MANAGER"; included is Frederick W. "Fred" Lenn's photograph, name, position, home address, affiliations, and occupation.
Historical NotesFramed commemorative from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Part of a collection that documents the military boxing career of donor Frederick W. Lenn, Jr.'s father, Freddie Lenn. Lenn was born Frederick Walter Lenkoski on December 29th, 1914, in Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood. He learned to box at the boxing program set-up by Father Cox, the famous social activist priest from Pittsburgh. He began to amateur box in 1930, at the Frawley Athletic Club. At age 17, he won the lightweight championship in the Golden Gloves. A year later he enlisted in the Marines. He spent 1934 to 1936 in Shanghai where he continued to box for the military. He won the "Light Heavyweight Champion of the Orient" at the All Asiatic match. He returned to Pittsburgh and went pro after signing with promoter Art Rooney. His last pro fight was in 1940. After Pearl Harbor he was called from the reserves and went on active duty in the South Pacific where he began his coaching career in the Marine Corps. He was a boxing trainer for the 1959-1960 Pan Am games where Cassius Clay participated. He was the first military trainer to become a head Olympic boxing coach for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. He retired from the Marines in 1968.

Previous owner Fredrick Walter Lenn Sr. (born 1914)

Related institution United States Marine Corps

Related person Father James Renshaw Cox (1886 - 1951)

Related institution Frawley Athletic Club

Subjects

Terms

On View

Not on view