Middlesex Boxer Club ::


	MIDDLESEX BOXER CLUB HISTORY

	Since its inception in 1948, when twenty-three New England Boxer breeders gathered together to organize what was to be initially called the Yankee Boxer Club, Middlesex has been one of the great contributor clubs to the Breed. “Yankee Boxer Club” first met at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Nelson W. Moore in Weston MA. “The club, composed of primarily owners of one or two dogs, small scale breeders and amateur exhibitors, adopted as its guiding principles good sportsmanship, congeniality and mutual assistance with problems of breeding, training and bench showing of the Boxer breed. To this end the phrase “Encourage The Novice” was adopted as the official club motto. The Munich Silhouette (encircled with the motto at the top and the words “Founded in 1948 AD” at the bottom) was adopted as the official seal.” During the meeting of 12/3/48, it was noted that AKC correspondence had reject the name of “Yankee Boxer Club as unsatisfactory in view of the fact that it was not descriptive of a particular geographic location.” It was voted and carried to make application in the name of “Worcester County Boxer Club” Correspondence from AKC denying the application as “Worcester County Boxer Club” was read at the 1/7/49 meeting. It rejected the application as mentioned above and sighted the reason as “in view of the fact that activities of the club were confined largely to Middlesex County, Massachusetts, rather than Worcester County”. Due to this, the application was changed to “Middlesex Boxer Club” and that change met with the membership. MBC was accepted by AKC 1/19/49. From 1949 to today, our club has been known as “Middlesex Boxer Club”. Despite the fact that our name was not finalized until 1949, our actual founding date is recorded in the by-laws as 8/8/48. At the Board of Directors Meeting 10/49, it was discussed that Incorporation was to take place.

	AFFILIATIONS
	Middlesex was recognized by the American Kennel Club as a duly organized club in January, 1949, and by the parent American Boxer Club on December 6, 1949. Growth in that period of some 12 months from the 23 original members expanded to 50 members in March of 1949 and 90 in April of 1950. Membership has consistently held at that mark, not having dropped below 75 and in the year, 1985, membership standing at 75 members representing 102 persons. Today, I believe our number remains somewhat consistent with that range.

	MBC Best of Breed 1957 : Ch. Sabot of Grayarlin

	LEADERSHIP
	Since its start, Middlesex has shared its leadership with its parent club, American Boxer Club, offering such folk as Ernest (Doc) Bell, president of the ABC 1961 and Robert S. Bunshaft, president 1962 - 1965. There are many other members who have served ABC in one capacity or another from then until now. Others over the years who have offered time and skills to the growth of ABC include such illustrious names in Boxerdom as Daniel and Phyllis Hamilburg, the former serving as treasurer, Ms. Margaret Lynch, Ms. Scott Rutherford, Ms. Jane (Kamp) Forysth, Mrs. Harriet Campbell, Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Flint. Dr. Flint for many years served as chairman of the Standards Committee. Dr. Flint wrote several monographs during active involvement with Boxers and the club in which he worked, not the least of these was a Primer on Genetics. 1955, our own, Mr. Ernest Bell was nominated for the Board of Directors of ABC. Similarly, Dr. Thodore S. Fickes, DVM, was to publish a monograph on the care of bitches in whelp, and the whelping process. In 1964, Harriet Campbell worked with the ABC Education committee to draw together slides of all current and past champions in order to preserve some record of the past. Serving the National club as directors from Middlesex have been Robert Bunshaft, 1955 - President 1961, Dan Hamilburg, 1962, Dr. Flint in 1966, Ms. Lynch, 1971, Dr. Theodore S. Fickes, 1977 - 1978 and Dr. J. Samuel Bitler, 1983. Due to time constraints, our apologies to anyone who may have served after 1983 and was not mentioned here.

	HONORARY MEMBERSHIPS
	At the first meeting in 11/48, it was proposed that the club admit fifteen (15) Honorary members. Five were elected at this meeting. They were: Humphrey Bogart, Beverly Hills Ca (accepted by letter 11/5/48); Mr. James E. Sullivan (unable to find formal acceptance); Mr. Louis Bromfield, Mansfield OH (accepted by letter 11/5/48); Mr. Jack Larkin, Boston MA (accepted by letter 11/5/48 - this gentleman was affiliated with the Red Coach Grill where they often met); and Mr. Otto Pozzo (unable to find formal acceptance). 1955 showed minutes reporting that the club offered a “trophy for the club member who handles his own dogs and which dogs do the best in show”. In 1956, this was noted as an amateur handler award.

	KENNEL NAMES
	One has but to reflect on some of the great kennel names associated with Middlesex Boxer Club to realize the contributions made to the breed by this representative New England Club, and further to imagine the number of awards rightfully received by the kennels and the dogs representing those kennels and those breeders. The names include in alphabetical order Amri, Arriba, Bitwyn, BrierCourt, Brandybrook, Flintwood, Flying Apache, Grayalin Kennels, Ha-Mar, Harrim’s, Hexastar, Jo-Cur’s, Me-Don, Millriver, Nagerroc, Nemrac, Rococco, Rogue Hill Kennel, Steeplechase, Salgray, Winnepauskee, and Woods End. These are but a few of the names of kennels - recorded in the Crook’s original history of the 80’s. Rather than expand upon this list and with the fear of excluding someone, I have not expanded this list to present day. There are many others over the five decades that singularly or perchance with multiple offerings have contributed in one way or another to the growth and development of both Middlesex and the American Boxer Club.

	MBC Best of Breed 1965 : Ch. Salgray's Flaming Ember

	CHAMPION DOGS AND ABC WINNERS
	Some of the great dogs shown out of the Middlesex Club and winners all at the national specialty include: (in a rather loose chronological order) 1956, Kennels breeding the most champions - Grayarlin Kennels; 1956 - Kennels making the most Champions - Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Hamilberg; Ch. Flintwood’s Rabble Rouser, ABC BOB 1962 and BOS 1963 and 1964; Ch. Salgray’s Fashion Plate, ABC BOB 1965 and ’66; Ch. Salgray’s Ambush, WD, Futurity winner and BOB 1967 and BOB 1968; Ch. Arriba’s Prima Donna, WB and BOS 1968, and BOB 1969, and BOS 1970; Ch. Salgray’s Double Talk was to go WD, Futurity winner and BOB in 1970; Ch. Arriba’s Knight Revue, BOW in 1972. The year 1970 was a great year for Prima Donna, the top winning boxer bitch of all time, when Susie was to go Best of Show in Westminster, to be the first and only boxer bitch to win the prestigious show. Suzie was recognized as the top show dog over all breeds in 1969. Regional Best in Show or Best of Opposite Sex included Ch. Flintwood’s Rave Notice, BOS, 1962; Ch. Aimeebee’s Apoppin, BOS 1963; Ch. Salgray’s Ambush, BOS 1968; Ch. Salgray’s Bojangles, 1973. Again, there are many others whom might be mentioned here.

	FUTURITY WINNERS
	Middlesex has had its share of Futurity winners over the years at the ABC specialty including (but not limited to) the following: Ch. MillRiver’s Key Factor, 1958; Ch. Flintwood’s Rabble Rouser, 1962; Ch. Blazon’s Fancy Pants, 1966; Ch. Salgray’s Ambush, 1967; Ch. Aimeebee’s Jubilee, 1969; Ch. Salgray’s Buckeroo, 1970; Trefoil’s Esquire of Snuff Box, 1978. Someday, I hope we might complete an accurate list reflecting all to date.

	POINT WINNERS AT ABC
	Among the Boxers from MBC that have taken points at ABC are the following names: Ch. Flintwood’s Sundowner, WD 1961; Ch. Salgray’s Fashion Plate, WD 1963; Ch. Salgray’s Flaming Ember, WB 1963; Ch. Rococco’s Tornado, WB 1965; Ch. Haro’s Ringmaster, WD 1976; Ch. Arriba’s Knioght Revue, WD 1972; Ch. Arriba’s Prima Donna, WB 1968; Ch. Salgray’s Ambush, WD 1967; Double Talk, WD 1970; Ch. Arriba’s TallyHo of Karjean, 1981. Ch. Arriba’s Calypso was to BOW in 1968 Regional showing. This list can of course be expanded but time to complete this history for our June 1998 specialty did not allow.

	ABC AWARD WINNERS
	One can imagine the number and quality of awards earned by these dogs for their kennels and their breeders. Excerpted from ABC annual meeting reports of awards given include such name from Middlesex as David and Stephanie Abraham, Russell and Helen Anderson, Samuel and Winifred Bitler, Dr. Theodore S. Fickes, Dr. Lloyd and Mary Flint, Daniel and Phyllis Hamilburg, Robert and Martha Norton, Srthur and Shirley Ponsart, Scotty Rutherford. Again, this list bears not our most recent award winners.

	JUDGES FROM MIDDLESEX
	Judges with their roots and/or their membership in Middlesex Boxer Club include the following active judges who have judged at our national specialty: Mrs. Harriet Campbell and Mrs. Agnes Buchwald. Mrs. Stephanie Abrahams has judged at the ABC regional specialty as well as many other assignments as her popularity has increased. Futurity judges include Ms. Margaret Lynch, Dan Hamilburg, Dr. Flint and Dr. Fickes. Dr. Flint and Alvin Neidauer were popular Boxer breed judges at Specialty and all breed shows, from their home base of MBC. Sweepstakes judges, members of MBS include: Russell Anderson, Winifred Bitler, Joan Curtis, Judy DeRosa, Ted Fickes, Richard Frohock, Jane Guy, Gerry Hughes, Peg Lynch and Scott Rutherford. There are others, I am sure, which I did not exclude on purpose, only by lack of the information.

	MBC Best of Breed 1990 : Ch. Salgray's Black Tie

	SPECIALITY SHOW JUDGES
	It is significant to note the first Middlesex Boxer Specialty, held in May 1950 was judged by Alfred Cousins of Mazelaine Kennels. Following shows has such noted Boxer breeder-judges as John A. Hill, Mrs. John Wagner, Anton Korbel, Donald Starkweather, Carl Wood, Mrs. Florence Levine, Joseph Gregory, Ted Wurmser, Willie Vincens, Langdon Skarda, Victo Clemente, Dr. Llyod Flint, Mrs. Harriett Campbell, Paul Womack, Mrs. Patsy Connolly, Bob Forysthe, Mrs. Eleanor Haeberle and Mrs. Joe Thomson. At some point, I would like to compile a complete list of all our specialty judges.

	CONCLUSION
	As with any family, the strength of the future is in the mentoring. Our history has given us good mentors. We have guided, developed and grown. Let us all learn from the lessons of the past. May we continue into the future and “Encourage the Novice”. Fifty years is really not a long time, yet, Middlesex Boxer Club has done much! We have so much more to do! Everyone has something to contribute. May we welcome all and apply what they have to share. May we be open to learning and encourage others to learn. We are all here for the preservation of our beloved breed, The Boxer! May we all work to ensure their preservation as a pure bred breed and work daily to improve them - their health, temperament and care.

	MIDDLESEX BOXER CLUB HISTORY As taken from old records including the work of former club historian Norman Crook Edited By Lois-Ann Holmes June 1998

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