Jim Webb ain’t no Cinderella Man, though he certainly was Born Fighting. Webb, it seems, lost the 1968 Brigade Boxing Championship.
To Ollie North.
What’s more interesting is Ollie’s story in all of this:
Actually, it is a fascinating story, although I can understand why Jim Webb isn’t penning the screenplay for this one. The underdog, Ollie North, who sustained back and knee fractures his plebe year in a car accident, through sheer determination and grit fought his way back to health, out of leg braces and faced classmate Jim Webb for the coveted title of Brigade Boxing Champion. Webb had been boxing since his early teens, was dubbed the better boxer of the two and was expected to win. He didn’t.
Sounds like the script to a movie, though I’m sure Webb and North probably get a kick out of the event today.
Still, given the 1994 North bid for the same Senate seat Allen managed to take from Robb in 2000, it’s a neat story nonetheless. No bearing on politics, of course. But still a great story.