By Gayle Ronan Sims INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
POSTED: October 22, 2003
Garnet "Sugar" Hart, 65, a boxer from a tough part of North Philadelphia whose professional career never matched his brilliant record as an amateur, died of complications from diabetes last Wednesday at Frankford Hospital-Torresdale Campus hospice.
Mr. Hart - who in 1954 was the national Amateur Athletic Union welterweight champ - never fought for a world title as a professional. And although at one time he was the No. 1 contender, he never made more than $7,000 for a bout.
Yet, "Sugar was one of the best amateur fighters to come out of this city," said Philadelphia boxing promoter Russell Peltz. "In 1954, he won the national AAU championship and knocked out everybody in the first round."
Fondly called "Skinny," Mr. Hart had 52 consecutive victories as an amateur welterweight.
Born and raised in North Philadelphia, Mr. Hart dropped out of Northeast High School in 10th grade and got his boxing education early with the Police Athletic League at 22d Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
He expected great things after turning pro in 1954 - at age 16 - and enjoyed early successes fighting in Connie Mack Stadium; St. Nicholas Arena and Madison Square Garden in New York; Chicago Stadium; and Miami Beach Convention Hall. He beat some of the best fighters of the time, including Ralph Dupas, Isaac Logart, Rocky Kalingo, and Charley "Tombstone" Smith in a 1958 fight nationally televised from the former Arena in West Philadelphia.
But Mr. Hart's climb suffered a giant stumble in 1959, when he was matched against Charley Scott at Convention Hall in West Philadelphia. Scott knocked out Mr. Hart in the ninth round.
"That fight finished him," Peltz said. "It was the classic Philly fight, where they had to carry the loser out of there."
Mr. Hart, who had trained alongside Scott in North Philadelphia, came home with only $3,000 from that fight.
After the loss to Scott, Peltz said, "Sugar went from being No. 1 to being a shot fighter" - one who was done.
He fought several more times after that but did poorly, losing four out of his last five bouts and finally quitting in 1965. He finished with a 29-7-2 record as a professional.
He was later diagnosed with diabetes.
At the time of his death, Mr. Hart lived on West Oxford Street in North Philadelphia with his mother in a house he bought for her more than 40 years ago.
Mr. Hart was married several times, but none lasted. In a 1990 interview, Mr. Hart said, "I loved my women. That was my downfall."
He said: "If I had it to do it all over again, I would do the same thing. I thank God I bought the house. I did that for my mother."
After retiring from the ring, Mr. Hart worked briefly for his manager, Marty Stein.
