October 7, 2015
Giving kids a fighting chance Around Town
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Retired St. Louis City Police Officers Anthony Anderson (left) and his father William Anderson along with the support of the volunteer staff of the Police Athletic League provide an outlet for young boys and girls with Innovative Concept Academy Police Athletic League Boxing.
Photo by Erica Van Buren
Retired St. Louis City Police Officers give back to the community Special Section
By Erica Van Buren “We fill gyms, not jails,” says Anthony M. Anderson Sr. retired St. Louis City Police Officer. Anderson is the current head coach of Innovative Concept Academy Police Athletic League Boxing. For the past four years Anthony Anderson and his father William Anderson along with the support of the volunteer staff of the Police Athletic League provide an outlet for young boys and girls in the St. Louis community. The Police Athletic League, also known as P.A.L., is a volunteer-based program that has been around since the mid1980s and operates in cooperation with the Metro Police Department, city of St. Louis. According to P.A.L. there are more than 700 area children actively involved in P.A.L activities. There is no cost for children to participate, all equipment, uniforms, league fees, registration and insurance are paid by P.A.L. The Andersons, with the support of Circuit Court Judge Jimmie Edwards, operate their gym within Blewett Middle School, located at 1927 Cass Ave. William Anderson, a St. Louis City cop for 30 years, remembers being offered sports leagues, particularly boxing, as an alternative to getting involved in gangs and drugs. William Anderson says he started boxing as a youth at the age of 13, remembering his first championship boxing match in 1950. He says it was strong men in his life like Major Jim Reddick,
a St. Louis City Commander and Tom Brooks, a neighborhood detective that not only introduced him to boxing at the age of 13 but was also a huge supporter of William and eventually influenced him to join the police force. Tom Brooks, coached many of the kids in the neighborhood in his little league teams. Having a strong positive influence has proven to guide young boys and girls to staying on track. “Tom Brooks made it his business to stay actively involved with the neighborhood kids,” said William Anderson about one of his mentors growing up, stating how Brooks always supported him during his fights. “I had the majority of the merchants in the community (Taylor & Cook) supporting me during my amateur boxing career,” said William Anderson regarding how important it felt having people cheering him on and admitted that he was excited about getting his name in the paper. Both father and son are hoping that the gym will serve as an alternative for kids to getting involved with street violence, gangs and drugs. Participants don’t have to be students currently attending Blewett Middle School to utilize the gym or the mentoring resources offered by the Andersons along with Edwards, who has served as a Special Missouri Supreme Court Judge and also served on the Executive Council for Missouri State Judges
and Missouri Habeas Corpus Subcommittees. Anthony Anderson said his purpose for opening and volunteering his time in keeping the gym going was wanting to follow in the footsteps of his father; doing for young men what was done for his father as a young man. While serving on the St. Louis City Police Force, Anthony Anderson worked as a detective in the juvenile division and homicide while assigned to District 4 which included downtown, Lafayette Square and surrounding areas. See A FIGHTING CHANCE page 2
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