ESGs provide springboard to pros
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Town of Tonawanda heavyweight boxer "Baby" Joe Mesi won the gold medal in boxing at the 1993 Empire State Games. He is currently 35-0 as a professional. File Photo

If you take the 5-hour drive to Westchester County later this month, you could just see tomorrow's world-class athletes competing in one of the best amateur venues around.

Yes, when the 30th Empire State Games descends on Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla Wednesday, July 25 for the opening ceremonies, some of the more than 6,000 athletes will be headed to big, bright futures.

The brainchild of Plattsburgh lawyer Louis Wolfe, the Empire State Games have helped launch careers.

Take a look at boxing. Some of the biggest names in the sport got their start in the ESGs. Former world champions Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Tracy Patterson, Hasim Rahman and Hector Camacho all competed in the games. And Town of Tonawanda heavyweight "Baby" Joe Mesi, who will try to pick up his 36th professional victory the same week as the games, won the heavyweight gold medal in the 1993 games in Rochester.

Basketball has seen such recognizable names as Kenny Anderson, Ron Artest, Walter Berry, Sue Bird, Elton Brand, Rick Carlisle, Christian Laettner, Chris Mullin, Sam Perkins, Tammi Reiss, Wally Szczerbiak and Dwayne Washington. Former Pittsburgh Pirates and Buffalo Bisons slugger Andy Van Slyke played baseball in the games, while recent Stanley Cup winner Todd Marchant laced up his skates for the Western Region ice hockey team.

Many, including wrestler Jeff Blatnick, sprinter Diane Dixon, shooter Thrine Kane, field hockey's Tracey Fuchs, cyclist Nelson Vails, kayaker Cammy Myler, skier Diann Roffe, skeleton's Jim Shea Jr. and fencers Felicia and Iris Zimmerman have gone on to compete in the Olympics.

But given all those famous names, the competition at the Empire State Games this year could be even better than years past.

"I think the athletes have gotten better," Empire State Games Director Fred Smith said. "Generally, we've had standout athletes since the beginning, but athletes seem to be more specialized now. At the start, you'd have athletes that competed in two or three sports. Now they just do one. And they're very good at that one."

Beginning in 1978, the Empire State Games has grown to be the largest amateur event of its kind and has spawned similar contests in 36 other states around the country. But things are much different now. Sports have come and gone and trends have formed and faded.

Attracting athletes has become a little more challenging with the explosion of youth sports in the state keeping many would-be competitors away.

"I think there is a demand to keep up with other things going on," Smith said. "Thirty years ago, the Empire State Games were the only game in town. Now, you have camps, travel teams, tournaments and other things. It's a challenge for us to stay on top."

The first seven years of the games took place in Syracuse, which was seen as a good central location. But starting in 1985, when the Empire State Games came to Buffalo, the organizers began what has become a rotation of cities. Buffalo hosted the games again in 1986, 1996 and 2003. Albany hosted the games in 1991, 1992 and 1997, while Rochester got into the act in 1993, 1998 and 2006. Binghamton hosted in 2000 and 2004 and is on tap for the 2008 games. Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley and Ithaca have also gotten in on the fun.

"It's helpful to move around," Smith said. "It exposes us to more and more people around the state. It helped solidify our place. More communities have bought into the Empire State Games in the past few years. They know us from Long Island to Buffalo."

But if you go to this year's Empire State Games, keep notes on who you see. You never know when or where you'll see them again.

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com