HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 112

(By Delegates Eldridge, Maynard, R. Miller, Barrett, Rodighiero, Marcum, Love, Diserio, Phillips, White and Kelly)

[Introduced March 9, 2018; Referred to the Committee on Roads and Transportation then Rules]

Requesting the Division of Highways to make and erect signs on the roads entering the town of Madison in Boone County, proclaiming that Madison is the “Home of Professional Boxing Champion Perry ‘The Punisher” Ballard’.

Whereas, Perry Ballard, known as ‘The Punisher’ during his days as a professional boxer, was born on June 19, 1967, in Madison; and

Whereas, During his illustrious boxing career, Mr. Ballard held the following titles:

United States Boxing Council (USBC) Middleweight Title;

WBF Intercontinental Welterweight Title;

WBS Intercontinental Welterweight Title;

GBF Intercontinental Welterweight Title;

WBE Welterweight Title;

WBE Middleweight Title; and

WBE Light Middleweight Title; and

Whereas, On his growing up, Mr. Ballard said, “Being born and raised in southern West Virginia, one becomes tough on the day that you are born. The ups and downs of the coal industry indirectly touches everyone’s lives. When the railroad trains are not carrying coal cars out of the mountains, it symbolizes that in the majority of the area there is no work. I was born the 8^th child of 10 children from a father who worked on the railroad for 43 and a half years (with no lost time injury ever reported) and a mother who could whip up a goulash supper when there was no money to buy groceries. Tough was a standard. Being tough was savoring the moment to go to school the next day to get a breakfast and lunch to ease the pain;” and

Whereas, Mr. Ballard’s biggest bout came against Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Hector “Macho” Camacho at Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas. But when asked what might be his most satisfying bouts he said, “You know it is really hard to say what was my most satisfying victory. One in particular, I had my jaw broken in the second round yet went 7 more rounds before TKO’ing my opponent and taking the victory. After a stop at my sponsor (the Moose Lodge in Leesburg, Virginia), I immediately went to the hospital where they admitted me and where I had emergency jaw surgery. Another victory was against a larger opponent, Bobby Elkins, who was known for his left hook and KO’ing his opponent. He caught me in the first round with a big shot and followed it up with a massive left hook that momentarily stunned me. I made it to the second round and I was feeling my opponent out and I knew there was an opening for an uppercut.  Johnny Johnson, my trainer, had a plan for me to go to his round and he told me and it worked like clockwork. He had a big hook yet I still went to his left and he walked right into a massive uppercut.  I rattled him as he stumbled across the ring eventually falling. World class referee Dave Johnson gave him the eight count yet he looked as if he did not have his faculties all together. I jumped on him until Dave Johnson called off the fight. With that victory I became a middleweight champion. Lastly, my victory over Jimmy LeBlanc rings high on my list. Jimmy was a technical fighter but just did not have the power to put one away. He knocked me down two or three times in the first three or four rounds but yet I kept coming forward. I knew in the fourth round when my corner man Keith Keller said that I was taking too much punches that he may stop the fight and I told him I am a fighter. I know what I’m doing and I got him. The referee gave him warning after warning because of his excessive holding but I pounded away at his ribs. The punishment was too great for Jimmy and I realized that I was taking his air out of him and this would win me the fight. This was a classic moment for me fighting in front of a lot of family and friends in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia for the USBC Middleweight title.  There was a lot of stress on me because I had a terrible training camp due to an illness I had and also seeing me getting beat down in the earlier rounds. This was truly a victory of will and endurance. This again was one of my Rocky Balboa moments;” and

Whereas, There is one knockout that won’t go on Mr. Ballard’s record, but he doesn’t mind. When he was the World Boxing Empire middleweight champion, Mr. Ballard chased and tackled a robber who had stolen $473 from a taxi driver, saying “I just made a decision and said I was going to help this person. I was going to do everything I could to try and help this gentleman.” Mr. Ballard said he was making his daily stop at a convenience store when he heard a commotion. A man had grabbed a bank bag the taxi driver was carrying and fled from the store. Mr. Ballard chased him into the store’s parking lot, where he tackled the man. Another patron helped Mr. Ballard restrain the suspect until police arrived. The Police charged Jason Neil Ennis, 22, with misdemeanor petit larceny. The money was returned to the victim, according to court records. Mr. Ballard said of his heroics, “I have 14 KOs but this one doesn’t count. This one doesn’t go on my record;” and

Whereas, It is appropriate to let everyone entering Madison, West Virginia know that it is the hometown of boxing champion Perry Ballard, a coal country warrior and one of the true good guys in Appalachian boxing who has always given back to the community; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to make and erect signs on the roads entering the town of Madison in Boone County, proclaiming that Madison is the “Home of Professional Boxing Champion Perry “The Punisher” Ballard”; and be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.